Imaginaerum
There's a certain aspect about an album that makes it go from great to phenomenal, and Imaginaerum is the best example of this. When I first heard of its release, I didn't even bother because I wasn't super impressed with Annette and her work with Nightwish prior, but then months later out of curiosity I gave it a listen, and I was blown away. Not only was Annette proving herself to be a fantastic and powerful vocalist, she basically showed all the haters that you can make a great Nightwish album when the vocals aren't super top notch.
Everything from the production quality, the groovy and sometimes heavy riffs, and the lyrics all come together to form what may be in the top 3 best Nightwish albums ever made. I don't use that term lightly since there's really not a whole lot to choose from. But this album is one that did blow me away upon first listen, which prompted me to listen to it a few times more until I eventually put it on my iPod and listened to it more. This is the album I wish they would have released when they first hired Annette because people would have been positive about it right from the get go, but it's still a great album to prove to the haters that Annette is more than what she seems.
Every track is phenomenal, and some shine more than others, but it's worth the sit through just to experience it as a whole as it does have some hidden gems with lyrics and guitar work in between.
Rating: 10/10