Century Child

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Century Child is the fourth studio album by the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released in 2002 through Spinefarm Records in Finland, Drakkar Entertainment in the rest of Europe, Century Media Records in the US, and Toy's Factory in Japan. It is the first album which features now-former bassist and male vocalist Marko Hietala, who left the band in January 2021. It is also the first Nightwish album to feature an orchestra.

Spinefarm Records released a 2-CD special edition of the album in 2002. It includes liner art with the band members' signatures, and a Video CD containing the music video for their cover of Gary Moore's "Over the Hills and Far Away". In addition, the booklet contains an ID code that allows the owner to download the entire album and three extra tracks from the Internet for a limited time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The bonus tracks are "Nightwish", "The Forever Moments" and "Etiäinen", all from the band's first demo of 1996.

The album was certified double platinum in Finland with more than 60,000 sold copies,<ref name="ifpi" >Template:Cite web</ref> the second best selling album of 2002 in Finland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Century Child has sold more than 80,000 copies in Finland alone.<ref name="ifpi" />

Musical style

Century Child is the beginning of a shift in sound for the band, with a smaller emphasis on power metal previously seen in Wishmaster and Oceanborn, and instead focuses on deeper lyrics and more of a film soundtrack sound, with Century Child having a more gothic and symphonic sound. The album is the first of the band's discography to be recorded with a live symphony orchestra and chorus, as well as being the first to include a permanent male vocalist with the addition of Marko Hietala, incorporating a "beauty and the beast" dynamic into the band.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In an interview with Perkele Magazine in 2002, songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen discussed the central theme of the album, which he stated was "childhood" and the "loss of innocence". When asked more about the theme, he stated: Template:Quote

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Tuomas Holopainen, except where noted; all music is composed by Holopainen, except where noted; all lead vocals by Tarja Turunen, except where noted. Template:Track listing Template:Track listing Template:Track listing

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Personnel

Credits for Century Child adapted from liner notes.<ref>(2002). "Century Child liner notes". In Century Child [CD booklet]. Spinefarm.</ref>

Nightwish

Tarja Turunen – lead vocals
Tuomas Holopainen – keyboards
Emppu Vuorinen – guitars
Marko Hietala – bass, male vocals on tracks 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 & 10
Jukka Nevalainen – drums, percussion

Additional musicians

Joensuu City Orchestra – orchestra
Juha Ikonen – orchestra leader
Riku Niemi – orchestra and choir conductor, orchestra and choir arrangements, orchestra and choir production
Mongo Aaltonen – orchestral percussion
St. Thomas Chorus of Helsinki – choir vocals
Hilkka Kangasniemi – choirmaster
Sam Hardwick – spoken words on "Bless the Child" and "Beauty of the Beast"
Kristiina Ilmonen – tin whistle
GME choir – additional noise

Production