I still remember that time. It was crazy.. People were shocked. Tuomas was basically being slaughtered by media. He got so much hate. And he went back to his childhood home to heal himself. I'm thankful he got through that experience. He is one of a kind songwriter. He truly is a gift.

As a combination of a musical and lyrical breakdown, this is probably THE most insightful reaction to The Poet And The Pendulum… EVER...!! Hats off, Chase. Bravo!

This was the best reaction i have ever seen. Chase should get a medal for this feat

Wish I could press thumbs up harder but my mouse broke..

This was by no means a reaction; it was a dissection. As a matter of fact THE dissection this masterpiece deserves. Hats off, Chase !!!

When I first discovered that there were youtube channels where you could watch other people react to youtube clips, I thought "that can't be, it's too silly". I watch a few because they expose me to new music, and one because he's just hilarious, but otherwise most reaction channels I have looked at did little to change my view. You are in a completely different category. You have combined reaction and review/analysis into a seamless whole, and your respect for the music comes through in everything you do. This reaction was a work of art unto itself. Congratulations!

Any reactor can be blown away by Nightwish. A smaller number can accurately dissect the lyrics, and an even smaller number can analyze floor's vocals. but you do something that I haven't seen anyone do which is deeply assessing the components of the musical composition. For me, the magic of Nightwish is watching Tuomas' genius unfold and that is the part you focus on. Great job as always!

Oh no mate, not gonna skip to 10min, your reaction/comentary is what i come to hear, no chance skipping it :)

Normally I'm lazy to click the like button, I only do it when I feel a video deserves it. For this video I wish there was a 'love' button. It's awesome how much work you put into all of your videos.

Ive watched a lot of reactions to this masterpiece. You are the first to catch how they keep checking on Tuomas, to support him. Major respect my dude

This has to go down as THE definitive reaction video to The Poet and the Pendulum. I've always thought your reaction videos were top notch and enjoy it when you point out your "obsession" of interaction between instruments. But you've set the bar really really high with this one. Everyone seems to just focus on Floor, and while I absolutely love her and her performance in this song, the instruments really deserve some love and respect. Tuomas and Marko are the obvious ones, but I think you're the first to point out Emppu's role in the song, and notice the change in Kai's drum patterns. Kudos. Exceptional work.

FACT: The whole lyrics from Mother And Father is the actual words Tuomas’s mother said to him.

And that's why I've been a Nightwish fan for nearly 20 years. Team Tuomas.

I normally get irritated when someone/reactor pauses a Nightwish video. But when Chase is the one pausing, I get excited of what he is about to say. 😁

Always keep getting tears in my eyes when they sing the "Search for beauty, find your shore" line

you. are. definetly. the. best. reaction channel.

Chase: Worth the wait, wasn't it? I don't want to sound patronising, but that was a superb analysis - probably the best I've seen. I've watched this masterpiece many times, and it's been a long while since I've teared up over it. The fact that I did this time is down to your feeling the emotion in the piece and reminding me of why I loved the song in the first place. Thanks and keep it up.

It hit you at the end didn't it? also don't confuse being emotional and being emotive, i could see you are an emtional person you just don't emote as much. there are many songs that i'd like to see you do next , i look forward to seeing where you go next.

That 6 seconds of silence after the screen goes blank says it all, thanks chase for this reaction.

"This has become more like a play." 2 Seconds before Dark Passion Play starts. Yea, no more words needed, you pass with flying colours :D Great feeling for the structure right there, and yes, with the five acts this is as much a classical tragedy as "Ghost Love Score" is an actual score in structure. Tuomas just uses whatever works to express what he wants to express.

What I like about Emppu is: he looks always so happy. Like, if the world was burning around him, I have no doubt he would still find something positive to say and cheer people up.

the first reactor who noticed that when Marco and Emppu support Tuomas 👌🤘

You really did give it justice. I was also part of the fans who hated what Tuomas, for "the band" did back in 2005. I thought the open letter was a little "scapegoaty" at the time but understand that it would have been much worse not knowing the bad vibe reigning within the band. For a small amount of nightwish songs reacted to, you truly did a great job on it with your background work. Thank you Chase, looking forward to your reactions on the new album.

The power and empathy of Floor's stage performance in this song, not the singing but the physical intensity she gives to this song. It takes my breath away every damn time, this is the actual foundation of what Floor means to this band, she embraces and embodies the music wholeheartedly.

I loved your reaction at the crucial end of the “3 minutes and counting”. Very few words, just pure emotion and an extremely clear and respectful understanding of what it meant. Congratulations Chase, you are the best !

Best reaction, ever. The fact that you put in the time to research the lyrics and the back story, including the letters, is above and beyond. It shows your respect for your viewers and the band. You are so appreciated. You seem to connect with the band the way we do, and that's important. Thank you.

One thing I just noticed that really struck me with the lyrics is that, in the first two verses the last thing said before the chorus is "Take me home." And after the pendulum swings and everything is over, the very first line of Mother and Father is "Be still my son, you're home." This moment of unconditional love and support from his family starts with giving him what he wanted from the beginning, to finally be home. I just love how all of the healing that seems to begin at the end of the song starts with that line.

Dang, dude! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ research, and observation skills! Hands down the best reaction video I've seen to this masterpiece! You're the only one that understood the band members talking to Tuomas instantly, too! Great work!

Great analysis, one thing I would add is how the tones of the five acts of the song sync up with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance...just a little twist that makes Nightwish the best

That Emppu/ Tuomas thing says everything ❤️ They are friends and bandmates and they love each other no matter what. I actually think that this had to be tough to Floor to sing cause she had nothing to do with that whole thing. Floor also ❤️

What must be noted is the raw emotion that Floor delivers. You can’t resist this. Also Kai, his face shows so much passion whenever he plays. He constantly gets criticism that he doesn’t hit as hard as Jukka or he is not as spectacular. Bro, the guy is so passionate each time and he is so precise like a metronome

Did anyone else notice on the very last part before Floor stars singing those notes she's checking on Tuomas and after she's done she looks at him again to support him too, not only Marko and Emppu are there for him, Floor is there for him too.

"Now I only have three minutes and counting" Three minutes later, we have the narrator's death and the silent transition into part 5. Thanks for doing this Chase, I really enjoyed it.

So looking forward to watching this. Ok, done. I've watched a lot of reactions to this song, and I've listened to the song, watched the video so many times. This was a pleasure to watch. Your analysis was very interesting and I learned and realised new things that I had not picked up or understood before. Very well done. By far the best reaction I have seen to this song. Thank you. This is such an epic song, from the musical side to the emotional side and the absolute beauty of it. To pull off something like this performance live is sheer brilliance. This band is something special. Tuomas as a composer is one of the best alive. Floor, through this song, confirms for me that she is the Warrior goddess of rock and metal vocalists. Im glad you enjoyed this.

Perfect reaction. I've seen people laughing when Emppu talks to Tuomas, thinking he's joking again (understandably, because that's what he does). you're the first I see who understood what was happening there. Now, how long do we have to wait for Greatest Show On Earth? Obviously, you should react to the Tampere version, and please, whatch it throught to the end. You won't be disappointed.

Chase, Nightwish will be playing at Wembley in December. Tickets are still on. Hopefully the rona will be over by then. So far there's no postponement yet for the UK.

Those last few moments... you were an absolute goner... Your eyes glazed over and you just let the music sweep you away... and I couldn't be happier. 💜

Fantastic job man. I’m not an emotional person either but that hits me hard every time I hear it. When Floor says ‘thank you’ at the end it’s so subdued and that also gets me as well. Kudos to you for putting in the work to find out the backstory. Top job Chase

When I started watching this there had been 9 views. When I finished there had been 1,670! Lots and lots of people have been looking forward to this for ages. Great work as usual Chase. I'm a grown man of 47 and still I blub like a little girl when I watch someone else hear this tune for the time! 😂 I think I speak for loads when I say we've been looking forward to this for weeks. It's been worth the wait. 🤘👍

Phenomenal reaction. I love that you actually noticed them talking with Tuomas during the performance and checking in on him, and the fact that three minutes after his narrative death is foreshadowed, the blade falls and he dies. Absolutely spectacular song!

The part in part 5 where floor sings "try to save them all, bleed no more" breaks me, every single time..... on the lines previous, both floor and Marko harmonize in ascending notes, but, on these lines floor ascends while Marko descends to, I believe a minor note........ absolutely devastate me, every time.

Amazing reaction as usual, but there is something else beside the song's review I want to thank you for. I thank you for the comment that some people like yourself (and me) becoming cold after going through a lot of sh*t in their lives, and they can't emote "properly ". That's something I was struggling to explain to my friends for years. Now finally I've found a way to explain it with the right words. So, thank you! Keep rocking (not only with reactions... you know what I mean 😉)

The next time someone wants to know why I enjoy reaction videos this will be what I show them. You paid attention to the lyrics, and what they meant. You were attentive to the music as always. masterfully analyzed. Thank you!

Oh my, reading that letter out has me welling up already 😭 not even got to the music yet 🤣

Chase: "It made me a little emotional, that string piece." Me: bawling Thank you so much for today. The buildup and wait for your reaction was worth it.

...when a reaction to a masterpiece is a masterpiece itself.

"i hope i did it justice" yes , yes you did. Best reaction to - analyzing of this performance i have seen so far.

This piece means so much to me because of my own battles with "The Black Dreadfuls". I have to make this decision on occasion. This tells me that there IS light on the other side of the dark. When I say this band sparkles my scenery, I mean it. Thank you so much for giving this the time it deserves.

I think I sprained my clicking finger I clicked on this so fast when I saw it!! Been waiting on pins and needles for this one Chase!

Fantastic job, man! Doing the work shows that quality matters to you.

As a trivia part: the lyrics from the demo version of the song where Marco sings are far more angry and explicit and have been adapted so that the children singing in the beginning and middle parts of the song would not be exposed to the language.

This is the best reaction I've seen yet! I would like to share, after watching tons of reactions to this song, no one has pointed out also that there is lots of lyrical significance between the acts, such as we are looking back in time starting at the end while the song itself is moving forward. For example, at the end of the song when his mother tells him, "Search for beauty, find your shore. Try to save them all, bleed no more. You have such ocean's within..." If you go back, which is actually forwards in time, he says, "On the shore we sat and hoped. Under the same pale moon, Whose guiding light chose you, Chose you all." I feel like this is that hopeful feeling in that midst of sadness because he actually chose beauty, chose life, obviously he is there playing this master piece. So he died and was saved at the same time in this song, choosing his family, choosing his fans, over the grief. Then, he uses his "oceans within". He finds himself searching deep, saying "Tuck me in, Beneath the blue, Beneath the pain, Beneath the rain" and he has clarity to use his emotions and passion and ability, to use music, to find that shoulder to cry on, "Now I only have three minutes and counting I just wish the tide would catch me first. And give me a death I always longed for." (Remember he is on a shore). His mother then says that the blade, or this feeling, will never go away. "The blade will keep on descending, so you need is to feel my love". He responds "Goodnight kiss, for a child in time, Swaying blade, my lullaby" So he is always aware of this powerful deep depression isn't going anywhere. So yeah, with your reaction, I feel like you'll appreciate the interpretation of this poem even more. Thanks for reading, I haven't seen anyone talk about those parts, even though its a poem, lyrically. They only mention the exciting and the end.

I dont know, how many reactions to this song i have watched so far, to many to count. I quite enjoyed your journey with Nightwish so far, always insightful, always perceptive of even small details, authentic joy while listening, great job done so far. But this, this was something else, you really went the extramile, to get the context, to understand, why this song is so important to many, Tuomas, the Band, the Fans. I think, i just want to express my gratitude, for doing this song justice through and through. This song used to bring me to tears, since it came out, but over the years that obviously faded somewhat. Even though the knowledge about the song was always there, getting it brought up again, in this detail really relived the memories, the good and bad ones and with them came the tears. Im really looking forward to the continuation of your Nightwish journey, ill be on board all the way, you did a great job, thanks again.

I am so, so pleased, and, to be frank, proud of our little pocket of the Nightwish Army. This was a beautifully orchestrated journey. Of course; as you said, your journey with the band is FAR from over, but this is a MAJOR milestone in truly, *truly* understanding the scale, the scope, and the depth of Nightwish. To be honest, I can't help but feel a significant amount of pride in having been here as a witness, and playing some manner of role in this journey, no matter how small. The emotion that you felt, the surprise, the inspiration, the joy, the sadness, the hope, all of these emotions are precisely why we try to guide new reactors carefully through the band, especially those who care SO deeply, as you very clearly do, Chase. You have so much respect for the band, for the history, for the content, as well as for the musicianship, that makes it all the more important that you don't just bumblefuck through their discography, especially when dealing with the big ones, like Poet and the Pendulum, Dead Boy's Poem, and Greatest Show on Earth (among others, naturally). I know it's an emotional SLOG to listen to Poet, but I would be FASCINATED to see a further analysis on this one in particular, especially since it is SUCH a robust song in so many ways. Damned good job, Chase. Thank you, and looking forward to the next one.

Agree with many commenters here, it is a special "milestone" to react to and you've have handled it perfectly. And "we" don't mind long videos....let's see if Greatest Show stays under an hour, shall we 😉

I have never seen anyone put so much research and effort into a reaction video. Huge respect.

I've seen this live. An watched video countless times. Knowing the hell Tuomas went through after. "The Letter". To see him sing along. Guts me everytime. Damn onion ninjas. Knowing he turns his earpiece off during this song. An still see the emotions he has. Even 10+ years after the fact. 100👍 for your reaction. Well respected.

This is by far the best reaction I ve seen. Thank you very much. No more words to say. Greetings from Austria.

I can't wait for The Greatest Show on Earth. It's wonderful watching someone who understands the music and intention so well.

Dude, the moment you closed your eyes while Floor was singing this beautiful falsetto....she really got ya 😉 Best reaction ever.

Jeezez man...seen this live and heard it a hundreds of times but what a stunning reaction...you made it justice 100%! 👃👃

"I wonder if there is anything to watch on this midsummer's... oh, Chase has something... POET AND THE PENDULUM!" *glued to screen* Have a wonderful Midsummer, and thank you very much for this!

You are a fun person to watch experience music. You have an expressive face, and you follow it up with interesting things to say. Sometimes I ask myself, "Oh, something hit there, what's he thinking?" and you'll pause the music and give us something really cool that I'd never thought of before. I had one of those moments today, and again immediately you answered the question, and I knew. "Oh, he was thirsty." :-) There's a moment in this Wembley performance which, for me, encapsulates how important Floor is to Nightwish. In the moments before "Sparkle my scenery" (and what a lyric that is, btw), Floor is just standing there in front of her fan, and her hair is billowing in the moody blue light, and it is impossible to to look away from her. I know the lyric she's about to sing, and how she's going to sing it - I've listened to this a ton of times - and I can't think of *any* other singer in that place, who could deliver what she delivers. She sings that line and they are palpable. Every time I hear it, I feel it also, down my spine, and in the standing hairs on my arms. She can roar like a vengeful angel, yet here she's singing not just in high bel canto style, but utterly vulnerable. She's pushing herself to the ragged edge of getting the note out clearly with *just enough* air, daring her voice to break and no sound come out. This isn't her song, this isn't her experience. Yes, these are her friends, but in many way she's as much on the outside as we are. Yet her skill, talent, professionalism, and artistry make it seem like her emotions are constantly in the verge of overcoming her. Tuomas is right. There would be no replacing that.

This is my first comment to any reactors videos since watching them all. My quick background....... Last year I went through a bought of depression fighting my demons for many months. I got onto KZfaq reactors as I fell into my world of being alone. KZfaq became my outlet to life. Then I came across GLS from Nightwish. This band I knew nothing of but really quickly, as many I’ve viewed to date, succumbed to being one of my favorite band to listen to. There’s soooo much surrounding this band for styles they bring to each song. As I dug deeper getting to know each band member and most of their songs. The Poet and Pendulum took me to a place no song has taken me before. Because I shared some dark emotions that Tuomas had this song runs deep through me each time I listen to it. As you reacted to this song it gave tears again. He’s a modern day Mozart in my view! As the band lead singers were replaced, Floor has also touched my soul. She from the other 2 can transform lyrics like no other singer can. That has also made my journey with Nightwish that much more special. Tuomas is a musical genius and I’ll hold him responsible for getting me through my tough times. To your reaction, I thank you for doing the backstory to this song. Your in-depth music background is huge to see another side to each song that not many reactors have and particular to this one. So thank you for doing all you do. The end reaction is all the same for those that do the research to a very important song as this one. I’m glad you finally viewed Poet. I was waiting to see this one reacted from you. Cause I knew you’d do it justice! I like consider myself as one of the NW army and will continue to watching your more of your reactions.

Such a roller coaster of emotions, you definitely did the song justice!

I’ve never hit like so fast. Thanks for doing this one.

I listened to this song so many times. Only just now i noticed the hart stopped beating after the blade fell, indicating the poet didnt die directly.

I'm waiting so anxious to see the greatest show on earth

Amazing, thank you! Now for the insane twenty minuet long epic that is 'The Greatest Show On Earth'

This is like a birthday gift. Nice reaction, Chase! I've been waiting for this since your first NW reaction hahahaha

Skip forward to 10.07, not a chance I've been waiting weeks for this, fantastic reaction to this masterpiece, thanks Chase 🤘🤘

This is an amazing reaction to an amazing composition! I was wondering if you knew that the lyrics in the last part "Mother and Father" were actually things Tuomas' parents said to him. Knowing that makes it even more powerful (to me anyway). This song is a rollercoaster of goosebumps, headbanging, and tears. Every. Single. Time.

It's interesting you picked up on Emppu checking in on Tuomas, because apparently that was exactly what he was doing. They hadn't played this song in years because it was too emotionally difficult for Tuomas. When the song tells the story of his "death", Tuomas had the vocals cut out on his in-ear monitors. I guess he was worried he wouldn't make it through the performance.

I first came across your channel a few days ago, in one of my regular Nightwish reaction binges, and I am so happy I did. Your analysis is utterly wonderful, you have spotted elements within the music no-one else has mentioned. You have educated me and for that I am grateful.

song literally brings tear to my eyes every time

I love Annette, but she was never able to express this song in a way Floor did. Imagine being so talented to be able to express your thoughts and feelings in such songs. True composer. Artist.

This is the most even discussion of the Tarja-Nightwish breakup I have ever seen. Thanks for going into the situation like this.

Even as someone who has listened to this band for over a decade and heard these songs hundreds of times, your analysis of the songwriting and even the lyrics of their work has given me a whole new appreciation for it. I’ve never heard such a deep dive analysis on the actual composition before and it is fascinating. Thanks for the thoughtful content. I can’t wait to see more.

I only just realized, but the first words spoken in this song are "The End" but the last spoken words are "The Beginning" honestly very beautiful writing

Chase, I've seen this song reacted to by many other reactors, and just now, today, it really touched me. Here I am, a teary eyed old fart. haha. Thank you for sharing this.

No one can doubt the work you put in to prepare for this. I think a lot of reactors would shy away from a song of this length and not spend the time to do it right like you did. I first watched this video with no idea about it or the history and still appreciated it musically, but going on this Nightwish journey with you and watching this with the letters and lyrics definitely made me appreciate it on another level. I can't imagine what this song is like to long time Nightwish fans who went through this transition with the band. Exceptional work, and thank you for making these videos with such care.

AWESOME reaction this band is just on another level honestly what band out there can match these guys...Floor is just insane her range is untouchable....keep it up bro great job.

My wife managed a blues-rock band for 25 years. That any band hangs togther with its original members for more than 3-4 years is a small miracle.

I have watched a lot of different reactions to Nightwish songs and I really think that yours are the best. Preparing to react to this song and doing it in such a proper way... man, you do it super cool and I'm looking forward to watching your next reactions to Nightwish!

Perfect! Looked forward to seeing your reaction to this epic piece, what a star you are Sir 👍 I'm a 50 year old English man, had plenty of tough times too so am pretty closed off to getting emotionally involved in many things but this song kills me. You've done a fine and thorough job here fella. Now going to finish my damn fine day! 😉 🤘 🤘

Thanks for doing it the right way. I've seen a lot of reactions to this song. The puzzled expression on their faces when it ends is the give away. Not a clue do they have. The words are always similar.....I liked the song...All the changes are great....She sings so beautifully. Seeing your reaction lets me live it again.

Best reaction video I’ve ever seen. So much more than a reaction. Your analysis of the various elements I just absorbed and it’s added so much more nuance to an already complicated lyric and musical composition. Brilliant. Thank you.

You really did do it justice. The dueling, harmonics, heavy emotions and clever compositions are the main reasons why we dig Nightwish so much. Thanks for taking this journey with us!

Such a fantastic reaction. You work so hard on your videos and it really pays off. You say you are not emotional but actually I think you are just not emotive with your emotions, you spotted straight away the emotions between the band mates, supporting Toumas through this, and i feel that though life has hardened your resilience, you still see and feel the emotions which are hitting you with this song. It was really lovely to watch you react to this. The amount you pick up on is just insane. You are such a talented person and a huge gift to us all here!

without doubt one of the most articulate, comprehensive and insightful reactors - great job!

Fun fact: You can find "Dark passion play" from the lyrics and the song is on the album named the same. That's something that exists on every Nw album, the album name is "hidden" in the lyrics of some song. Great reaction, thank you! :)

Chase, thankyou for taking the time to not come into this reaction cold. I enjoy your insight and imput, I was lucky enough to be in the audience that night enjoy the rest of the journey ,stay safe, regards.

Something I've noticed a few times is that the vocal melody in the last part which is wordless repeat three times as opposed to two or four, which to me gives the story a feeling of being unfinished

Dear Chase, I have listened to reactions by the hundreds, and many dozens of Poet and the Pendulum reactions, and I MUST say that I have never, EVER, listened to a better one. The preparation you went through, the technical break down of the composition, the interpretation of the lyrics, all was perfectly on point. I really believe that you are the only one reactor that got almost 100% of it at the first listening. On a scale of 10, your reaction is hands down an 11. Sooner or later you'll go through The Greatest Shoe on Earth; I hope you will have the same engagement you showed for this one. I have a very high expectation and a less then an hour video would probably be disappointing (j/k).

It’s 11:33 pm central time in Chicago on June 20th and I just had the opportunity to listen to an intelligent, thoughtful, passionate young Man elevate, reinvent and set a new standard for the video reaction genre. You did the work Chase and you have proven that when you do the work you excel. What a joy, thank you. I’m 61 years old and I must now go and watch some Rammstein Live videos.........yes that’s a nudge .

I come back here, once in a while, for this reaction. Chase HEARS music like no other! We thank you, again!

I watched your reaction multiple times already and I still love it. Lots of love

Please let me know when you‘re are going to react on Greatest Show on earth..... cause I‘m thinking of creating a „Me reacting on a Chase Carneson Reaction Video“ Video ;-)

Jumped 2,000+ views while I watched it and every bit deserved. Best reaction on the internet, no question. Literally nothing to dislike or wish was done differently here. As an INFJ (yes, the Myers-Briggs one) with similar life experiences, I feel the need to point out that "colder" life experiences (...lol, I read you loud and clear man...) don't necessarily lock your emotions away. You actually feel things more deeply and more intensely than most; your emotions are just harder to bring to the surface, because you're emotionally exhausted and can't be arsed to get that intensely worked up every five minutes all day every day. As such, your emotions are your highest treasure and are a very, very finite resource to be jealously guarded, and only doled out on extraordinary occasions. I believe that's one of the main reasons Nightwish resonates so deeply with so many people on such a personal level - like you said, when Tuomas feels something, we all feel it too. His outlet is our outlet. His masterpieces are the triumph of us all. His music, his emotions, his outlets, are that one excellent conversation you have per year with an old friend and never forget. Chase, thank you for the time and effort you put into this one, and we can't wait to continue on this journey together with you. Signed, the Nightwish Army

You are the only reactor who has read the open letter and aware of all the things around the Tarja affair, you really give this masterpiece justice the entiere nightwish thank you (more than 12k views in less of 24 hours) we can't wait more for the greatest show on earth