Nightwish underwent a lineup change that affected its musical direction with the addition of Floor Jansen as the lead vocalist in 2013. Jansen, known for her wide vocal range, contributed to the band’s general sound in their last two albums while bringing millions of views on streaming platforms. So, we gathered five of the best Nightwish songs with their new vocalist in the list below.
5. ‘How’s The Heart’
Featured on the 2020 album ‘Human. :II: Nature.,’ ‘How’s The Heart’ stands out for Floor Jansen’s vocal flexibility. In this track, the singer balances emotional depth in softer verses with a heavy chorus, making the song a blend of the band’s characteristic symphonic metal style with Jansen’s vocal techniques.
4. ‘Shudder Before The Beautiful’
Opening with a quote by Richard Dawkins, the song from 2015’s ‘Endless Forms Most Beautiful’ focuses on the theme of beauty, life, and nature. While it features the first duel between Tuomas Holopainen and Emppu Vuorinen, Jansen’s vocals stick out in the high-energy chorus of ‘Shudder Before The Beautiful.’
3. ‘Alpenglow’
While Holopainen wrote ‘Alpenglow’ as a different look at the theme of love in Jansen’s first album with the band, he called it the ‘ultimate Nightwish song’ in an interview. The vocalist’s singing style helped with the song’s storytelling aspect and added to the ‘catchy chorus and toxic guitar riff,’ as the band’s keyboardist put it.
2. ‘Noise’
Using the hints of urgency in Jansen’s vocals to pass on the message, ‘Noise’ touches on people’s addiction to technology with a music video that fits the theme. As a part of the frontwoman’s second studio album with Nightwish, this song is the first to feature drummer Kai Hahto as a full-time member.
1. ‘Élan’
Leaked online a few days before its release on February 13, 2015, the first single from the band’s eighth studio album is the first track to have Jansen as the vocalist. It is also the most viewed Nightwish song featuring its newest singer on Spotify, with lyrics ‘inspired by the untold stories of abandoned places around Finland.’
