Radagast wrote:
rio wrote:
Stupid comment? I beg to differ, Radagast. There is a difference between "operatic singers" and "opera singers" in this context, and you appear not to have recognised it.
A metal singer who is described as "Operatic" is someone with a more straightforward voice who has an influence from Opera singers, ie they try to get that "epic" and full bodied kind of tone and delivery. Example: most people influenced by Bruce Dickinson. The Heavy, Prog and Power section of these forums is full to bursting with Operatic singers.
Tarja is a full-on Opera singer, and this is indeed something that's rare enough in metal to generate "novelty value". Now, it is no bad thing- in fact it's a good thing- to have novelty value. However, Nightwish RELY on it. They have an interesting concept, but in my experience do not have the songwriting skills to do it justice. I love one or two of their songs, but too frequently they just sound like they're trading on the nature of their vocalist alone. And come on... "Walking in the Air"? How can a band that does a metal version of this song NOT be attempting to be novel and quirky? :?
Could you explain to me the difference between a 'full-on' opera singer and someone who sings operatically? It's not like Tarja was someone who sang in operas and then decided to join a Metal band. Anyway, if you listen to the last two Nightwish albums you will see that she now sings in a non-operatic voice as much as she does and operatic one.
Hmm well the last post I made was really my way of explaining the difference to you. :? Let me try again though. I have not researched this fully, but I think it is the case that Tarja WAS someone who sang in operas before joining Nightwish. Or at least, from her vocal delivery, she would definitely not be out of place there. This is what sets her apart from the vast herds of power metal singers. As much as they aim to give their voices an operatic quality, they could not pass off as actual opera singers.
Of course, this reads like a compliment to Nightwish, and in a way it is. However, my initial point was that Tarja's vocal skills are really the only thing that sets them apart, to my ears. Their songwriting and soloing skills are not as good as many PM bands, and their melodies and atmosphere is not as absorbing as someone like Lacuna Coil, to whom they are also compared (too) frequently.
This is why I accuse them of trading on novelty value. Tarja's ability as a singer gives them something unique, but the bands songs are not able to match this, for the most part.
