Sonata Arctica thread

[?]

The review I co-wrote is online!

While you're at it, you might want to check out the interview on our site as well.

[Scorpion]

Since you guys have very similar opinions on past Sonata releases, I'm actually catiously optimistic after reading that review. I doubt it'll come close to the top of my 2016 list, there's been so much good music this year, but I'd be more than happy if I ended up liking it as much you guys did.

Also, not matter how the music ends up sounding, the cover is easily my favourite SA cover art. Supremely gorgeous.

[MirrorMask]

I hope to agree with the reviewer(s), it would be a sad day if Sonata Arctica's music would no longer interest me!

[?]

Since you guys have very similar opinions on past Sonata releases, I'm actually catiously optimistic after reading that review. I doubt it'll come close to the top of my 2016 list, there's been so much good music this year, but I'd be more than happy if I ended up liking it as much you guys did.

Also, not matter how the music ends up sounding, the cover is easily my favourite SA cover art. Supremely gorgeous.

Yeah, it's not an AOTY contestant, but very enjoyable, and that's the main thing. I also agree on the cover art - the vinyl version probably looks amazing.

I hope to agree with the reviewer(s), it would be a sad day if Sonata Arctica's music would no longer interest me!

My expectations weren't extremely high after the last two albums, but I had a feeling Sonata would release another solid album sooner or later, and I'm glad it happened now already.

[wolfking]

This is actually not bad;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzoGtRxo_JE

This certainly does seem like a step in the right direction.  I'll definitely give this album a chance now.

[Evermind]

Closer to an Animal is growing on me. I actually don't get all the complaints about the chorus, I think it's pretty good and the second part of the song is excellent. What turns me off still is those dull, uninspired choruses.

Life is very good, I enjoyed it a lot. Finally there are some solos in the instrumental part, that's what I missed. Sounds like this album will be way better than both Stones and Pariah's Child. I think it's probably going to be close to The Days of Grays for me with maybe a bit happier sound, which is fantastic, since I love The Days of Grays. Already preordered it this album and can't wait for it.

[?]

I think it's probably going to be close to The Days of Grays for me with maybe a bit happier sound, which is fantastic, since I love The Days of Grays.

To me the album sounds like something you'd get if you put Reckoning, Grays and Pariah in a blender, with a little bit of WHG thrown in - it's brighter than TDOG, but more serious than PC.

[wolfking]

I didn't like Grays at all, but I hear more of a Unia, RN sound on these songs so I'm definitely interested.

[?]

A radio rip of Rise a Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc_QyTu-DuI

[Pettor]

Just listened to new album. Sound good, maybe will grow a bit. I think the production recently hasn't been that good, and this album sadly seems to continue that tradition. A bit to cold imo and just a bit sterile. Always wanted that warm feeling.

However I always like the epics and after first listen White Pearl is the most intersting. First White Pearl was great so was excited when I found there was a sequel! I think what I lack the most is the crazy melody-bonanza albums like Unia have.

[ErHaO]

Gave it a spin, can't comment on the album's quality yet as modern SA albums (Unia and everything that followed) tend to be quite the growers for me. First impression is really solid. So far, I love Fairytale and Till Death's Done Us Apart a lot, I listened to those many times already.

Also, the sound is pretty bad to me, but that is no surprise. Pasi mixing his sideproject stuff or a tribute album, ok, but why the guy is allowed near the sound engineering for their studio albums room is beyond me. I can't put my finger on it, as I can hear every element of the music  (even the bass grooves are often very audible) very clearly, which usually is a good sign, yet everything sounds off.

[Pettor]

Haha just need to show this. Searched for lyrics for White Pearl Part 2 and found:
https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Sonata-Arctica/White-Pearl-Black-Oceans-Pt-II-by-the-Grace-of-the-Ocean

[Scorpion]

Even if those aren't the real lyrics, I desperately want them to be.

[Dittomist]

I am really loving the new album. My favorite tracks are Fairytale, Closer to an Animal, Life, Til Death's Done Us Apart, and On the Faultline (which I think is their most beautiful ballad since Under Your Tree and Good Enough is Good Enough from Unia). White Pearl Black Oceans II is a grower, but even though I'm liking it more each time, I don't think it's nearly as strong as their last epic, Larger than Life.

I agree that the production is a headache-inducing mess, and it surprises me that Tony would work so hard on these fantastic songs but not assure they'd be mixed well on the album.

[?]

I am really loving the new album. My favorite tracks are Fairytale, Closer to an Animal, Life, Til Death's Done Us Apart, and On the Faultline (which I think is their most beautiful ballad since Under Your Tree and Good Enough is Good Enough from Unia). White Pearl Black Oceans II is a grower, but even though I'm liking it more each time, I don't think it's nearly as strong as their last epic, Larger than Life.

I agree that the production is a headache-inducing mess, and it surprises me that Tony would work so hard on these fantastic songs but not assure they'd be mixed well on the album.

It's funny because to me WPBO2 is like a vastly improved version of what they attempted with LTL. The production isn't great indeed, but maybe my ears are used to Pasi's mixing style now, because it doesn't sound as horrible as PC or the Ecliptica remake. It seems they're aiming for a WHG kind of sound, but not quite achieving it.

[Pettor]

I am really loving the new album. My favorite tracks are Fairytale, Closer to an Animal, Life, Til Death's Done Us Apart, and On the Faultline (which I think is their most beautiful ballad since Under Your Tree and Good Enough is Good Enough from Unia). White Pearl Black Oceans II is a grower, but even though I'm liking it more each time, I don't think it's nearly as strong as their last epic, Larger than Life.

I agree that the production is a headache-inducing mess, and it surprises me that Tony would work so hard on these fantastic songs but not assure they'd be mixed well on the album.

It's funny because to me WPBO2 is like a vastly improved version of what they attempted with LTL. The production isn't great indeed, but maybe my ears are used to Pasi's mixing style now, because it doesn't sound as horrible as PC or the Ecliptica remake. It seems they're aiming for a WHG kind of sound, but not quite achieving it.

This! WPBO2 is a really successful sequel imo. Builds on same feelings and melodies as part 1 in a great way.

[MirrorMask]

Heard it twice on Spotify so far.

I'm afraid it's gonna be a rather forgettable thing like Pariah's Child was, but I hope this is just an early and undeveloped opion. Life is catchy and gets stuck in your head, We Are What We Are is a great ballad and 'til Death's Done Us Part will probably be the highlight of the album, with its wonderful and creepy melodies. Sure, it seems inspired by Juliet, but damn this song is so good!

Completely not sold on White Pearl 2... yet. I hope it'll change. Also Candle Lawns potentially starts like their best ballad ever but becomes bland going on.

Uh well, I will dedicate more listenings to it, I hope to turn around on the songs that still don't convince me!

[NoseofNicko]

3 songs in and I'm really surprised, I'm actually liking it.

[Pettor]

Yeah, this is a grower. Really starting to like the other songs more now. WPBO is becoming an obsession even! Love when this happens 

[Zydar]

I'm quite liking it too. Fairytale is an early favourite.

[wolfking]

I'm really keen to give this new one a spin.

[Scorpion]

Definitely better than Pariah's Child and Winterheart's Guild (which are my two least favourite SA albums), and about on par with TDOG and Stones from my first impression. Not an amazing album by any stretch, but solid all the way through. On first listen, I especially like 'Til Death's Done Us Apart, WPBO 2, Candle Lawns and On the Faultline, which is an amazing closer and really quite different from anything that Sonata has done in the past.

Tentative album rankings:

Unia

Reckoning Night

Silence
Ecliptica

The Days of Grays
The Ninth Hour
Stones Grow Her Name

Winterheart's Guild
Pariah's Child

[wolfking]

Good to see someone else rank Unia at number 1, my fav album from them too by far.  Actually I'd agree with your top 3 Scorp.  WG would be a lot higher though, probably 4th or 5th.

[Scorpion]

I dunno, I just always found Winterheart's Guild to be incredibly by-the-numbers power metal. Even though albums like Ecliptica and Silence are undoubtedly power metal, they have a lot more of their own identity than WG has to me. The ballads are pretty good - I actually really like Gravenimage, and Broken and The Misery are pretty decent too, but once they go balls-to-the-wall power metal, it's just boring.

[wolfking]

Even though I really like it, I can see why some wouldn't think too much of it.

[MirrorMask]

Good to see someone else rank Unia at number 1, my fav album from them too by far. 

Probably I would still pick Silence as my favorite album from them... but I really, really, REALLY love Unia. Awesome crazy, quirky, wacky and unpredictable album.

[Pettor]

Unia is my all time favorite with RN and WHG up close. Unia is such bomb of fantastic melodies. Feels like it must be a creative high for Tony to create that many different but amazing songs.

Regarding WHG I actually think it's a great example of how a good power metal album should be. Songs like "Rise a Night" on the new album is the generic kind I don't like. On WHG every melody is so ridiculously strong imo. The production is a bit too cold but somehow it kind of works for WHG. The whole album nearly feels like a concept album with dark winter night being the theme. The keyboard and guitar is pretty much some of the best in their career.

Btw, anyone else who loves Wildfire here?

[MirrorMask]

I agree! I went through the lyrics again (I do this weird thing when an interest for an old album comes up and I don't have time to actually listen to it) and man, what a string of memorable songs one after the other.

Even the "filler" ones like The Harvest or Words Forgotten seems more interesting than what is actually going on in latter SA albums. Damn, the bonus track itself, They Follow, is one of SA's most beautiful ballads ever.

[Scorpion]

Btw, anyone else who loves Wildfire here?

Wildfire is amazing, but I personally prefer the two sequels. They're some of the most unpredictable and experimental songs that Sonata has ever written in my opinion and they're just tons of fun to listen to.

Damn, all this Unia talk reminds me how good that album is. Going to give that one another spin later.

[ErHaO]

The Japanese bonus track: https://picosong.com/akid/

Warning: a full minute of talking inbetween the song, starting after about a minute. A shame really, as I think the song has some very strong melody hooks, I love the chorus. Thankfully there are some instrumental variations going on during the talking.

Well, at least it is not like SHN, where I found the Japanese bonus track to be one of the best tracks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSnsGkRCF6o. And offcourse the other Japanese bonus I really would like to have on the actual album over here, I'm Haunted on the Ecliptica rerecording (for those who don't know it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSe9AdH13a0)

[?]

Yeah, Sonata's bonus tracks are usually better than the weakest songs on the studio albums, but this time it's definitely not a tragedy that The Elephant didn't make the cut. No Pain, on the other hand, is a top 3 track from the PC sessions IMO, and I love its Unia vibe.

Tentative album rankings:

Unia

Reckoning Night

Silence
Ecliptica

The Days of Grays
The Ninth Hour
Stones Grow Her Name

Winterheart's Guild
Pariah's Child

Pretty much the same as my ranking, except I'd put TDOG at #2 and SGHN at the bottom.

[Dittomist]

Been listening to the new album obsessively! Fly, Navigate, Communicate is the only one that hasn't really wowed me yet, even though it's the only time Tony showcases his impressive scream.
My album ranking would probably be:
1. Unia
2. Silence
3. The Days of Grays
4. The Ninth Hour
5. Reckoning Night
6. Winterheart's Guild
7. Stones Grow Her Name
8. Pariah's Child
9. Ecliptica--it's hard to believe an album with "Blank File," "Full Moon," and "My Land" would be my least favorite, but this band is consistently amazing.

[Evermind]

I'm two listens in and I think I kinda share MirrorMask's opinion on this one. I'm afraid this will be as forgettable as Pariah's Child was—good songs all around, but nothing memorable except one or two songs out of the whole album. I definitely like Till Death's Done Us Apart, and my second favourite song is probably either Life or Fairytale. I also like We Are What We Are, finally a good ballad from the band.

I will keep spinning it, of course. As of now, my ranking is:

1. Ecliptica
2. Unia
3. The Days of Grays
4. Reckoning Night
5. Silence
6. Winterheart's Guild
7. Pariah's Child
8. The Ninth Hour
9. Stones Grow Her Name

I think the last four could be swapped around, depending on my mood.

[MirrorMask]

Noticed in White Pearls 2, after the intro and before the song starts to really get going, the melody of the original sneaking in... am I late to the party in this?

So far however I confirm my initial opinions... 'Til Death's Done Us Apart and We Are What we Are are the standout tracks, the rest  ranges from good to somehow ok to "I will have forgotten about this a month".

Probably Sonata Arctica are at a stage of their carrer when the best songs off two albums would make a single good one.

[Scorpion]

Currently listening to it again, and certain tracks are definitely growing on me, but there's a few songs here that I find utterly forgettable and I don't think that that's going to change.

Songs I like: Fairytale, We Are What We Are, Til Death's Done Us Apart, Candle Lawns, WPBO II, On the Faultline.
Songs that might require more listens: Life, Among the Shooting Stars
Songs that I already know that I don't care for: Closer to an Animal, Rise a Night, Fly, Navigate, Communicate

Still, all in all this is a surprisingly good album. I also listened to TDOG before it, and I'd say that the two are about equal in quality (though I've never liked that one as much as other people do). I'd also say that SGHN's highs are definitely higher than anything on TNH, but the lows are also far lower, so I'd lump those three together, ahead of Pariah's Child and Winterheart's Guild and behind the other four.

EDIT: Oh, I already posted my rankings a post ago. Yeah, that's pretty accurate, nothing much that changed there, and an 8/10 for The Ninth Hour sounds about right as well.

EDIT 2: On the Faultline has to be one of the best songs that Sonata Arctica have done since Unia. Such a great closer.