Title: Century Child

Type: Studio Album

Artist: Nightwish (band)

Genre: Metal

Subgenre: Symphonic Power Metal

Release Date: May 25, 2002

Label: Spinefarm (Finland) 
              Drakkar (Europe)
              Toy's Factory (Japan) 
              Century Media (North America)

Tracklist: 1. Bless the Child

                      2. End of All Hope

                      3. Dead to the World

                      4. Ever Dream

                      5. Slaying the Dreamer

                      6. Forever Yours

                      7. Feel For You

                      8. Oceansoul

                      9. The Phantom of the Opera

                      10. Beauty of the Beast

Japanese Bonus Track: 11. The Wayfarer

2007 Spinefarm Reissue Bonus Tracks: 11. Lagoon

                                                                                     12. The Wayfarer

                                                                                     13. Bless the Child (edit)

                                                                                     14. End of All Hope (live at Summer Breeze Open Air)

                                                                                     15. Dead to the World (live at Summer Breeze Open Air)

A special edition Video CD from Spinefarm included the music video for the band's cover of Gary Moore's "Over the Hills and Far Away", and special edition bonus tracks from Spinefarm consisted of three original demos from the band: "Nightwish", "The Forever Moments" and "Etiainen".

All tracks except "The Phantom of the Opera" were written by Tuomas Holopainen, Emppu Vuorinen and Marco Hietala.

Lineup: Tarja Turunen (vocals)

                 Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards)

                 Emppu Vuorinen (lead guitars)

                 Marco Hietala (bass guitars, vocals)

                 Jukka Nevalainen (drums and percussion)

Additional musicians: Joensuu City Orchestra

                                                 Juha Ikonen (orchestra leader)

                                                 Riku Niemi (orchestra conductor)

                                                 Mongo Aaltonen (orchestral percussion)

                                                 Chorus mainly consisting of members of the St. Thomas Chrous of Helsinki

                                                  Hikka Kangasniemi (choirmaster)

                                                  Sam Hardwick (spoken parts on "Bless the Child" and "Beauty of the Beast")

                                                   Kristiina Ilmonen (tin whistle)

                                                   GME choir (additional noise)

 Century Child is the fourth studio album by the Finnish metal band Nightwish. It was the band's first release to feature their current bassist and male vocalist Marco Hietala, after the firing of Sami Vanska in 2001. It was also the first Nightwish album to feature an orchestra.

 Century Child reached No. 1 on Finnish music charts and No. 5 on German music charts. The singles "Ever Dream" and "Bless the Child" both peaked at No. 1 on Finnish music charts, and "Bless the Child" also reached No. 6 on French music charts. The album has gone 3x Platinum in Finland, and has sold over 80,000 copies in Finland alone.

 The album featured a cover of the title song from the popular musical The Phantom of the Opera.