Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed… Read Full Bio ↴Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Nevalainen, and then bassist Sami Vänskä after the release of their debut album, Angels Fall First (1997). In 2001, Vänskä was replaced by Marko Hietala, who also took over the male vocalist role previously filled by Holopainen or guest singers. Although Nightwish have been prominent in their home country since Angels Fall First, they did not achieve wider success until the release of the albums Oceanborn (1998), Wishmaster (2000) and Century Child (2002). Their 2004 album, Once, has sold more than one million copies and was the band's breakthrough in the United States. Their biggest US hit single, "Wish I Had an Angel" (2004), received MTV airplay and was included on three US film soundtracks to promote their North American tour. The band produced three more singles and two music videos for Once, as well as a re-recording of "Sleeping Sun" for the compilation album, Highest Hopes: The Best of Nightwish (2005), before Turunen's dismissal in October 2005. Her last performance with Nightwish was during a concert recorded for the live album/DVD End of an Era. After the concert, the other members informed Turunen with an open letter that she was no longer a member of Nightwish.

In May 2007, Nightwish announced Anette Olzon as Turunen's replacement. That September, the band released their sixth album, Dark Passion Play, which has sold almost 2 million copies. The album's lead single, "Amaranth", became one of Nightwish's most successful in Europe. The supporting tour, one of the band's largest, started on October 6, 2007, and ended on September 19, 2009. The band released an EP/live album, Made in Hong Kong (And in Various Other Places), in March 2009 as a CD/DVD, and their seventh studio album, Imaginaerum, was released globally on various days in late 2011/early 2012.

On October 1, 2012, Nightwish announced that they had parted ways with Olzon and would be finishing the tour with at that time ReVamp vocalist (ex-After Forever) Floor Jansen. In October 2013, Nightwish made Jansen and longtime session uilleann pipes player Troy Donockley permanent members of the band, and they were featured in the acclaimed album Endless Forms Most Beautiful, released on March 27, 2015. From 2014 to 2019, Nevalainen, while still a member of the band, was inactive due to severe insomnia issues; in July 2019, he announced that he would not be returning to the band, with Kai Hahto, who had acted as his replacement since 2014 (including by performing all drums on Endless Forms Most Beautiful), being promoted as the official drummer, and is featured as such at the ninth album, Human. :II: Nature., which was released internationally on April 10, 2020. After twenty years of performing with the band, it was announced that bassist Marko Hietala had parted ways with the band in January 2021. Jukka Koskinen was announced as Hietala's replacement to play bass during the tour. In August 2022, he was announced as a permanent member of the band.

Nightwish is the third-best-selling band and musical entity in Finland with certified sales of nearly 900,000 certified copies. The group is also the most successful Finnish band worldwide, selling more than 10 million records and receiving more than 60 gold and platinum awards, having released six Number 1 albums and thirteen Number 1 singles. On October 26, 2018, Nightwish was inducted into the Finnish Music Hall of Fame, becoming the honorary gallery's 11th member.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightwish

Studio albums
Angels Fall First (1997)
Oceanborn (1998)
Wishmaster (2000)
Century Child (2002)
Once (2004)
Dark Passion Play (2007)
Imaginaerum (2011)
Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015)
Human. :II: Nature. (2020)

Wishmaster
Nightwish Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Master!
Apprentice!
Heartborne, 7th Seeker
Warrior!
Disciple!
In me the Wishmaster

Elbereth

Lorien

A dreamy-eyed child staring into night
On a journey to storyteller's mind
Whispers a wish speaks with the stars the words are silent in him
Distant sigh from a lonely heart
"I'll be with you soon, my Shalafi"
Grey Havens my destiny

Master!...

Silvara
Starbreeze

Sla-Mori the one known only by Him
To august realms, the sorcery within
If you hear the call of arcane lore,
Your world shall rest on Earth no more
A maiden elf calling with her cunning song
"Meet me at the Inn of Last Home"
Heartborne will find the way!

Master!...

Wishmaster
Crusade for Your will
A child, dreamfinder
The Apprentice becoming...

Master!...

Overall Meaning

The song "Wishmaster" by Nightwish is about a person who is awakened by the whispers of the stars and who seeks to fulfill their wish by becoming the Wishmaster. The song begins with various titles the person takes on: Master, Apprentice, Heartborne, 7th Seeker, Warrior, and Disciple. The lyrics convey that the person becomes the Wishmaster and their destiny is to reach the Grey Havens. They seek the help of Elbereth and Lorien to make their wish come true.

The second part of the song introduces Silvara and Starbreeze, characters in the Nightwish universe. The lyrics talk about a being known only as Sla-Mori who possesses great magical abilities. The Wishmaster calls upon those who hear the arcane lore and acknowledges that their world shall never be the same again. A maiden elf sings a cunning song and the Heartborne is able to follow her to the Inn of Last Home.

Overall, "Wishmaster" is a song about a person's journey to become the Wishmaster and fulfill their wish. The lyrics are filled with mystical and magical elements that are characteristic of the Nightwish universe.

Line by Line Meaning

Master!
Addressing a person with mastery and knowledge

Apprentice!
Addressing a person who is under the tutelage and guidance of a master

Heartborne, 7th Seeker
Referring to a person with a heart full of passion and the seventh seeker on a journey of spiritual discovery

Warrior!
Addressing a person who is strong and courageous, ready for a battle

Disciple!
Addressing a person who is willing to learn and follow a particular path or philosophy

In me the Wishmaster
Referring to the singer as the wishmaster, who has the power to grant wishes

Elbereth
Name of a literary character representing a mythical and powerful being

Lorien
Referring to a mythical place of peace and tranquility

A dreamy-eyed child staring into night
Describing a child with a dreamy gaze looking up to the sky

On a journey to storyteller's mind
Referring to a journey of imagination, where the child's mind is crafting stories

Whispers a wish speaks with the stars the words are silent in him
Describing a child whispering a wish to the stars, a desire that is still unspoken

Distant sigh from a lonely heart
Depicting a heartbroken and melancholic soul who sighs longingly

"I'll be with you soon, my Shalafi"
Addressing a person with a term of endearment and promising to be with them soon

Grey Havens my destiny
Referring to a mythical place of eternal rest and peace as one's final destination

Silvara
Name of a literary character representing a mythical and magical being

Starbreeze
Referring to a person or entity associated with the stars and the wind

Sla-Mori the one known only by Him
Referring to a mysterious and powerful entity only known by a divine presence

To august realms, the sorcery within
Referring to the powerful realms and magic within oneself

If you hear the call of arcane lore,
Encouraging the listener to pay attention to the hidden knowledge and secrets

Your world shall rest on Earth no more
Implying that one's perception of the world will change and evolve

A maiden elf calling with her cunning song
Describing a mythical being singing with sly and clever intentions

"Meet me at the Inn of Last Home"
Inviting someone to a mythical, warm, and cozy place associated with rest and peace

Heartborne will find the way!
Implies that one's passion and desires will guide them towards their objective and goals

Wishmaster
Referring to a powerful being with the capacity to grant wishes

Crusade for Your will
Encouraging the listener to fight and pursue their objectives

A child, dreamfinder
Describing a youthful, imaginative person who creates visions and dreams

The Apprentice becoming...
Hinting at someone's development from an apprentice to a master

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERNO MATTI JUHANI VUORINEN, JUKKA ANTERO NEVALAINEN, SAMI TUURE PETTERI VAENSKAE, TARJA SOILE SUSANNA TURUNEN, TERO KALLE SAKARI KINNUNEN, TUOMAS LAURI JOHANNES HOLOPAINEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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