Former Nightwish frontwoman Tarja makes a confident bid for the female popera throne with this majestic debut album, and its distinct personality finalizes her divorce from the symphonic metal band. The Finnish soprano's vision is as clear as her voice, which is a few shades warmer than reigning diva Sarah Brightman. Guitar-driven "DieAlive" and "Ciarán'sWell" show Tarja still plans to rock, though she mostly eschews power chords for theatrical scoring. "Seeking for the Reign"/"TheReign" and "Oasis" are purely dramatic interludes, their sadness as palatable as the last act of a Greek tragedy. "BoyAndTheGhost," "OurGreatDivide" and "Sunset" perpetuate the chill implied by the album's title. Only a cover of Alice Cooper's "Poison" puts a crimp in the album's elegance; its arrangement is too underdressed for this formal affair. —Christa L. Titus