That's basically fine for those who otherwise like to see musicals and hear.
It's not so great for all those who - like the Scribbler these lines - has always found a bit silly when dramatic stories to be told and the characters always begin suddenly in the most dramatic / emotional / otherwise worst moments, to sing.
It follows: Who is at loggerheads with musicals, should approach IMAGINAERUM of principle with caution.
Musically IMAGINAERUM is a mix of Dark Passion Play (the predecessor disc) and some irritating sometimes new approaches (children's choirs? Jazz radio play ?? ???).
Now it is basically very nice if musicians try to evolve constantly, only the further should halt its logical and evolutionary and not large "we do SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT AND CRAZY !!!!!" - come along illuminated sign. Slayer catch indeed not to pack Jodelcöre in their albums, and they also know why.
Compositionally I would IMAGINAERUM classify as somewhat weaker than Dark Passion Play. There is a mandatory quiet ballad with male vocals (Taikatalvi), but it lags behind The Islander of Dark Passion Play.
There is the desert rockers (Ghost River), but it lags behind Bye Bye Beautiful from Dark Passion Play.
There is the trendy angetouchten earworm (Storytime), but it falls short of Amaranth Dark Passion Play.
There are the Opus Maximus-even 10-to-15-minute About Song (Song of Myself), but it falls short of added hard to top end The Poet and the Pendulum of Dark Passion Play.
And so on halt.
So everything is bad and gray? Of course not. In absolute terms have Nightwish Storytime, remaining calm, Turn Loose the Mermaids and I want my tears back very nice, catchy and mass-compatible songs on board, which also extends to the last Within Temptation-disk (The Unforgiving) would fit in well. And the meter thick coated bombast is to some degree certainly entertaining.
Only the charm of Nightwish was just really in connecting crashing metal with angelic voices and beautiful ballads, and not to make Andrew Lloyd Webber competition.
In a sense, therefore IMAGINAERUM sailing under false colors. Holopainen would leave Nightwish Nightwish and to realize his musical as a separate project.
In this respect: classic case of misslungenem brand management and therefore of my waiting "only" 3 stars.