What’s surprising about Hvman:||:Natvre, then, isn’t that it’s a double album, nor that the second disc is entirely instrumental, classical music, but that it’s taken them nine albums to get round to such a thing. And also that the results, while banging enough Nightwish material, aren’t quite massive enough that they’re struggling to fit onto the canvas.
First track proper, Noise, is a classic Nightwish statement of grandeur, while Shoemaker delivers a moment of full-on opera, and Pan’s changes from major to minor are genuinely skilful, as the song sounds like its descending into madness. Elsewhere, Tribal boasts a chugging, heavy riff, and Endlessness has moments of pure doom. In these moments, the pomp and splendour at the heart of this band shines impressively, a testament to their natural skill and creativity.