Century Child

Century Child is the fourth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released in 2002 through Spinefarm Records. It is the first album which features current bassist and male vocalist Marco Hietala. It is also the first Nightwish album to feature an orchestra.

Century Child
Studio album by
Nightwish
Released25 May 2002 (2002-05-25)
RecordedJanuary – April 2002
Studio
GenreSymphonic power metal[1]
Length50:11
Label
Producer
Nightwish chronology
Over the Hills and Far Away
(2001)		 Century Child
(2002)		 Once
(2004)
Singles from Century Child
  1. "Ever Dream"
    Released: 3 May 2002 (2002-05-03)
  2. "Bless the Child"
    Released: 21 July 2002 (2002-07-21)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Sputnikmusic[2]
Sea of Tranquility
[3]
Metal.de[4]
Metal Hammer (GER)[5]
Kerrang!

Spinefarm Records released a 2-CD special edition version of the album in 2002. It includes the CD, liner art with the band members' signatures, and a Video CD containing the music video for their cover of Gary Moore's "Over the Hills and Far Away". In addition, the booklet contains an ID code that allows the owner to download the entire album and three extra tracks from the Internet for a limited time.[6] The bonus tracks are "Nightwish", "The Forever Moments" and "Etiäinen", all from the band's first demo of 1996.

The album was certified double platinum in Finland with more than 60,000 sold copies,[7] the second best selling album in Finland of 2002.[8] Century Child has sold more than 80,000 copies in Finland alone.[7] It sold more than 350,000 copies worldwide between 2002 and 2003.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Tuomas Holopainen, except where noted; all music is composed by Holopainen, except where noted.

Century Child – Standard edition
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Bless the Child"  6:13
2."End of All Hope"  3:54
3."Dead to the World"  4:20
4."Ever Dream"  4:43
5."Slaying the Dreamer" 
4:32
6."Forever Yours"  3:51
7."Ocean Soul"  4:14
8."Feel for You"  3:54
9."The Phantom of the Opera" (Andrew Lloyd Webber cover)
Lloyd Webber4:09
10."Beauty of the Beast"
  • I. "Long Lost Love" (3:07)
  • II. "One More Night to Live" (5:09)
  • III. "Christabel" (2:05)
 I: Marco Hietala

II:
  • Holopainen
  • Vuorinen
10:21
Total length:50:11
Century Child – Japanese edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."The Wayfarer"3:22
Total length:53:33
Century Child – 2007 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Lagoon"3:45
12."The Wayfarer"3:22
13."Bless the Child" (edit)4:05
14."End of All Hope" (live at Summer Breeze Open Air)4:09
15."Dead to the World" (live at Summer Breeze Open Air)4:46
Total length:70:18
Century Child – Special edition VCD
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Over the Hills and Far Away" (Gary Moore cover; music video)Moore3:56
Century Child – Special edition digital bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Nightwish" (demo)5:49
12."The Forever Moments" (demo)5:36
13."Etiäinen" (demo)3:00
Total length:64:36

Personnel

Nightwish

Guest musicians
  • Joensuu City Orchestra
  • Juha Ikonen - orchestra leader
  • Riku Niemi - orchestra conductor
  • Mongo Aaltonen - orchestral percussion
  • A chorus mostly consisting of members from the St. Thomas chorus of Helsinki
  • Hilkka Kangasniemi - choirmaster
  • Sam Hardwick - spoken parts on tracks 1 and 10
  • Kristiina Ilmonen - tin whistle
  • GME choir - additional noise

Production
  • Tero Kinnunen - producer, engineer
  • Mikko Karmila - engineer, mixing
  • Mika Jussila - mastering
  • Veijo Laine, Riku Niemi - orchestra and choir production and arrangements
  • Terhi Kallio - orchestra recordings engineer

Charts

Certifications
Country Organization Year Sales
Finland IFPI 2003 2x Platinum (+ 60,000)[7]

References
  1. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Nightwish - Century Child review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  2. Butler, Nick (14 January 2005). "Nightwish - Century Child". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  3. Glenday, Duncan; Pierce, Ken (23 November 2003). "Nightwish: Century Child". Sea of Tranquility.org. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  4. Gregori, David. "Nightwish - "Century Child"" (in German). Metal.de. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  5. "Nightwish: Century Child". Metal Hammer (in German). July 2002. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  6. "The Band Discography - Century Child". Nightwish Official Website. Archived from the original on 14 April 2006. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  7. "Tilastot - Nightwish" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  8. "Myydyimmät levyt - Vuosi 2002" [Bestsellers plates - Year 2002] (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  9. "Nightwish – Century Child (album)". Finnishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  10. "Album – Nightwish, Century Child". Charts.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  11. "Nightwish – Century Child (album)". Austriancharts.at (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  12. "Nightwish – Century Child (album)". Norwegiancharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  13. "Nightwish – Century Child (album)" (in French). Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  14. "Nightwish – Century Child (album)". Swedishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  15. "Nightwish – Century Child (album)". GfK Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  16. "Nightwish – Century Child". Hitparade.ch (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  17. "Nightwish – Ever Dream (song)". Finnishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  18. "Nightwish – Bless the Child (song)". Finnishcharts.com. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  19. "infodisc.fr Note : You must select Nightwish". infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  20. "Nightwish – Bless the Child (song)". GfK Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  21. "Single – Nightwish, Bless the Child". Charts.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
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