Floor is underutilized, pity ...

I always find it interesting to discover a new Nightwish album (8th) and of course the temptation is strong to situate from previous. It therefore follows Imaginaerum released in 2011 and the important change is the departure of Anette Olzon in 2012 and the arrival of Floor Jansen who was immediately placed in the bath with all concerts that are then chained and in particular that given at the Wacken festival in August 2013 (see DVD and BR "Showtime, Storytime") which found that Floor Jansen had fully taken its place with his personality, a different voice and especially a strong presence.

This new album is the first where she officiates.
But that's not all because Kai Hahto took temporarily (?) Over a Jukka Nevalainen who expressed the need for a break.

What about this album? It must, in my opinion, as always time to fully appreciate its wealth, as far as the recent concerts with these new titles will help to measure the impact on stage.

My first impression is that this album is pretty much a continuation of the previous one.
However I have some reservations.

The first is that I have not found a great title that could dethrone or even equal "Ghost Love Store" or "Song of Myself" for example. Certainly "Shudder Before The Beautiful," "Elan" and "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" for me are good titles but not at those cited before.
And then there was "The Greatest Show on Earth" (24 minutes!) That I find pretentious and has, in my opinion, not too its place on the album of a metal band. This is the best music to serve as support for a documentary film.

Then the problem is that Tuomas Holopainen has imposed his choices and including the fact that musically he set forward and has not allowed Floor Jansen to express themselves fully. All specialized critics have noticed and I agree with them.
Some also say that the excellent drummer Kai Hahto what has been restrained, saying things differently should not show himself better than Jukka Nevalainen and ç'est successful in the sense that any rendering is too stereotyped .

So I'm rather reserved on the album that could have been much better, more powerful, especially if Floor had not been put into the background.
So my overall rating of "4" is rather a "3.5". A word on the digipack album: it is very neat and nicely illustrated. There are of course the text of all titles.

I guess that Tuomas Holopainen has read of course all these criticisms and that enable Floor Jansen to its full potential and extent of his talent is great about the next album. Otherwise it might get tired.