Aha!: Oceanborn

I think the first time I heard Oceanborn was sometime in 2001 or 2002, but it wasn’t until just last year that it finally clicked. Now, I love every Nightwish album, each in its own distinct way, but I love them all. However, Oceanborn always got the fewest plays, by far, and I guess it just never hooked me quite like the others. With a couple of their albums, too, I had specific moments in my life that I connected them to, and I guess Oceanborn missed out on that as well.

The following statement may seem too obvious, especially in hindsight, but I guess I just never thought about it: Oceanborn needs to be listened to at sea. Obvious as at it may be, I never had that opportunity until last year when I took the ferry to Newfoundland. On a whim, I decided to listen to it, and it was like a switch being turned on. Suddenly it all made sense to me. I knew what the CD was really about, and everything fit into place perfectly. I was on the ferry again a few days ago, and I decided to once again test my theory, and the result was the same. Those two times that I’ve listened to Oceanborn have been the most enjoyable by far.

But the great thing about unlocking a secret like that is now I know the meaning, and I can tap into that knowledge and those feelings anytime I listen to Oceanborn now.