Wishmaster (album)

Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other Template:Category handler Template:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Oceanborn1998Century Child2002studioWishmasterNightwish_Wishmaster.jpgyesAn image of a young boy kneeling on a cliff that oversees a large body of water. Under his knee is a piece of parchment with some writing on it. There are several swans on the water that the boy is reaching out towards, and far in the distance is a forest with many trees.Nightwish Template:Start dateJanuary–March 2000* Caverock (Kitee)

Finnvox (Helsinki)* Symphonic metal
power metal53:30Spinefarm* Nightwish
Tero KinnunenNightwish studio albumx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

Template:Music ratings Wishmaster is the third studio album by the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on 8 May 2000 through Spinefarm Records in Finland. The album was released in the rest of Europe by Drakkar Entertainment on 29 May, and in Japan by Toy's Factory on 19 July. In the US, it was released by Century Media on 6 February 2001.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Wishmaster peaked at No. 1 in the official Finnish charts;<ref name="FIN" >{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the album also debuted in the European charts at No. 21 in Germany<ref name="GER" >{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and No. 66 in France.<ref name="FRA" >{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Wishmaster has sold more than 79,447 copies in Finland alone,<ref name="ifpi">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and as of January 2023, more than 150,000 copies have been sold in Germany alone, certifying the album Gold.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2019, Metal Hammer ranked it as the 18th best power metal album of all time.<ref name="MH25bestpm">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Most reissues of the album contain the song "Sleepwalker", which was released in July 2000 to compete in the Finnish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2000.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Background and release

The writing and recording of Wishmaster was very fast and devoid of complications, in contrast with what had happened for Oceanborn.<ref name="dante" >Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> The main composer Tuomas Holopainen considers the album "the most distant and least personal (...) in the Nightwish catalogue", despite containing the "mother of all Nightwish songs - Dead Boys' Poem."<ref name="tuomas" >Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> The image of the dead boy would reappear in several songs of the following albums. Wishmaster was issued on 8 May 2000, a few days earlier than its scheduled release,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> because the music had leaked onto the Internet.<ref name="dante" />

Musical style

Wishmaster's sound continues the bombastic symphonic power metal approach originally featured on Oceanborn, albeit with more emphasis on atmosphere and melody versus speed and heaviness. Perhaps even more so than its predecessor, Wishmaster has a very clear fantasy theme.<ref name="tuomas" /> While commonly considered to be closer to conventional power metal, there is still a great variety with slower songs like "Two for Tragedy" and "Dead Boy's Poem", and more epic pieces like "FantasMic". "The Kinslayer" is written about the victims of the Columbine High School massacre.<ref name="songs">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Wishmaster" was inspired by the fantasy novel series The Lord of the Rings and Dragonlance, mentioning Elbereth, Lórien, and the Grey Havens from the former; and Dalamar, Raistlin Majere (Dalamar's shalafi, or "master"), Gilthanas, the Sla-Mori, Silvara and the Inn of the Last Home from the latter.<ref name="songs" /> "FantasMic" is a song about the Disney animated movies, particularly their fantasy and fable elements, taking its title from the Disneyland show Fantasmic!.<ref name="tuomas" />