Author Topic: Sonata Arctica thread (Read 127193 times)

DarkLord_Lalinc · « **Reply #490 on:** September 10, 2011, 08:46:21 AM »

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

New DVD looks amazing.

? · « **Reply #491 on:** September 24, 2011, 06:16:28 AM »

DVD teaser (Last Amazing Grays)

BTW, I've read that Live in Finland will also be released on Bluray!

? · « **Reply #492 on:** October 10, 2011, 07:45:11 AM »

Someone uploaded a video of Destruction Preventer from their first gig under the name Sonata Arctica!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi4l8suVCqM
Tony couldn't really hit those highest notes... And what an enthusiastic crowd!

? · « **Reply #493 on:** November 08, 2011, 02:03:25 AM »

So the next album will be less epic and more simple than Unia and The Days of Grays:
https://www.metalfromfinland.com/news/2011-10-28_10:21/sonata_arcticas_henrik_klingenberg_talks_next_album__this_one_will_be_a_bit_different_from_anything_weve_done_before
https://www.spaziorock.it/intervista.php?&id=406&eng=1

Unia and TDOG are the peak of their creativity IMO but it's good that they're trying new things.

Kosmo · « **Reply #494 on:** November 08, 2011, 08:17:06 AM »

Yeah that seems like the right thing to do. I'm glad that they're not going back to the speedy style, even though I love the earlier albums I can see it being dull if they did it again after such things as Unia and TDoG.

This is new, and new is good.

wolfking · « **Reply #495 on:** November 08, 2011, 03:12:56 PM »

Unia was golden, Days of Grays was crap. Good decision to try something different.

TAC · « **Reply #496 on:** November 09, 2011, 05:10:25 AM »

Unia is literally the worst album that I have bought in about 20 years.

Zydar · « **Reply #497 on:** November 09, 2011, 05:12:11 AM »

I didn't really like their latest two albums, and I wouldn't mind if they did something closer to their earlier stuff.

wolfking · « **Reply #498 on:** November 09, 2011, 05:18:48 AM »

Quote from: TAC on November 09, 2011, 05:10:25 AM

Unia is literally the worst album that I have bought in about 20 years.

Dude, you are one of my fav posters and our tastes are so similar, so I apologize, but seriously, WTF?!!!?

? · « **Reply #499 on:** November 09, 2011, 05:28:09 AM »

Tony also revealed in a Finnish rock magazine that one of the songs has the word "shit" in its work title, other working titles include Wildfire II and Wildfire III.

Quote from: TAC on November 09, 2011, 05:10:25 AM

Unia is literally the worst album that I have bought in about 20 years.

TAC · « **Reply #500 on:** November 09, 2011, 06:21:49 AM »

Quote from: wolfking on November 09, 2011, 05:18:48 AM

Quote from: TAC on November 09, 2011, 05:10:25 AM
Unia is literally the worst album that I have bought in about 20 years.

Dude, you are one of my fav posters and our tastes are so similar, so I apologize, but seriously, WTF?!!!?

Thanks, but I was so diappointed with it. Now let me say up front that I am not really a SA fan. Not because I don't like them, but I've never really taken the time to explore their stuff (so many bands, so little time). I bought For The Sake Of Revenge to try them out. It's pretty good.n So I figured I'd buy something else, and with a new album out, I grabbed Unia. Wow..was this the same band?

Anyway, Wolf, I have some work to do around the house today, so I have time to play some music. Give me the two best tracks on Unia and I'll give them a dedicated listen.

LudwigVan · « **Reply #501 on:** November 09, 2011, 06:45:46 AM »

I can understand TAC's sentiment about Unia... it's the antithesis of what Sonata Arctica had been doing up to that point. Just a very inaccessible album (at least for SA). That said, it might be the best album they've ever done.

Kosmo · « **Reply #502 on:** November 09, 2011, 09:52:41 AM »

Yeah I was very confused the day Unia was released, but now it's one of my favorite albums ever.

edit: Wildfire II and III? Cool beans.

wolfking · « **Reply #503 on:** November 09, 2011, 02:33:07 PM »

Quote from: TAC on November 09, 2011, 06:21:49 AM

Quote from: wolfking on November 09, 2011, 05:18:48 AM
Quote from: TAC on November 09, 2011, 05:10:25 AM
Unia is literally the worst album that I have bought in about 20 years.

Dude, you are one of my fav posters and our tastes are so similar, so I apologize, but seriously, WTF?!!!?
Thanks, but I was so diappointed with it. Now let me say up front that I am not really a SA fan. Not because I don't like them, but I've never really taken the time to explore their stuff (so many bands, so little time). I bought For The Sake Of Revenge to try them out. It's pretty good.n So I figured I'd buy something else, and with a new album out, I grabbed Unia. Wow..was this the same band?

Anyway, Wolf, I have some work to do around the house today, so I have time to play some music. Give me the two best tracks on Unia and I'll give them a dedicated listen.

That's cool, it took many listens for me to appreciate it too. Check In Black and White, It Won't Fade, Caleb and the title track (sorry couldn't keep it it 2)

? · « **Reply #504 on:** November 10, 2011, 06:38:41 AM »

Quote from: wolfking on November 09, 2011, 02:33:07 PM

That's cool, it took many listens for me to appreciate it too.

Yeah, Unia isn't an album that you like after one listen already.

Quote from: wolfking on November 09, 2011, 02:33:07 PM

Check In Black and White, It Won't Fade, Caleb and the title track (sorry couldn't keep it it 2)

Erm... Unia doesn't actually have a title track. My Dream's But a Drop... has the word dream (uni) in it, but I guess you didn't mean that one? However, the other 3 are good recommendations!

? · « **Reply #505 on:** November 21, 2011, 07:41:29 AM »

So who has seen the DVD/Bluray already? My short "review":

+ Very good setlist, only a few songs that were on FTSOR already and the acoustic mini-set is cool
+ The band plays very well, but they don't give a "routine performance" impression
+ The mix is good, except that Tony's vocals are maybe a bit too loud
+ Tour documentaries aren't in the typical "watch us, we're drunk!" fashion
+ All in all, it feels like they've put some effort into this and it doesn't feel rushed

- Most of Tony's speeches have been edited out, he said some funny things at the show I went to and I'm sure he said those same things in Oulu too - they could've used subtitles
- I wish the full Kemi show was on both the DVD and CD, now there's just 8 songs on CD and 4 on DVD, the crowd seemed very enthusiastic there
- On the main show, when it's mostly dark there's some kind of "shroud" or sth like that on the screen, it doesn't disrupt me that much, though

Some people have complained that the audience on the Oulu show doesn't seem energetic, but I think it's a pretty typical Finnish crowd - we're not the kind of folk who sings along loudly and jumps around all the time.

wolfking · « **Reply #506 on:** November 21, 2011, 04:39:09 PM »

Quote from: ? on November 10, 2011, 06:38:41 AM

Quote from: wolfking on November 09, 2011, 02:33:07 PM
That's cool, it took many listens for me to appreciate it too.
Yeah, Unia isn't an album that you like after one listen already.
Quote from: wolfking on November 09, 2011, 02:33:07 PM
Check In Black and White, It Won't Fade, Caleb and the title track (sorry couldn't keep it it 2)
Erm... Unia doesn't actually have a title track. My Dream's But a Drop... has the word dream (uni) in it, but I guess you didn't mean that one? However, the other 3 are good recommendations!

Whoops, meant For the Sake of Revenge. All the live album talk had me confused there for a second!

I didn't realise the DVD was out already, I'll definitely pick it up. I'm hoping it will give me a bit more appreciation for TDOG songs.

? · « **Reply #507 on:** November 23, 2011, 08:02:07 AM »

Juliet is IMO one of the highlights of the DVD and I've read comments from people who used to dislike that song started to love it after seeing it live so maybe you'll appreciate it more too, not sure about the rest of DoG (

) stuff.

PlaysLikeMyung · « **Reply #508 on:** February 20, 2012, 07:45:51 PM »

New album announced. Stones Grow Her Name

Discuss

Scrub206 · « **Reply #509 on:** February 20, 2012, 10:05:16 PM »

I havent bought anything after Winterhearts Guild.. does it have a release date tho?

EDIT: May 4th it seems xD

? · « **Reply #510 on:** February 21, 2012, 12:33:04 AM »

And the tracklisting is:

01. Only The Broken Hearts (Make You Beautiful)
02. Shitload of Money
03. Losing My Insanity
04. Somewhere Close To You
05. I Have A Right
06. Alone In Heaven
07. The Day
08. Cinderblox
09. Don't Be Mean
10. Wildfire II
11. Wildfire III

So they kept the working titles... Henrik said the new stuff is more hard rock-oriented and the song titles give me that impression too.

It also looks like they've recorded a new version of Losing My Insanity, which is a song Tony wrote for Finnish Idols winner Ari Koivunen - his version sounds like this.

Zydar · « **Reply #511 on:** February 21, 2012, 12:35:59 AM »

Shitload Of Money

wolfking · « **Reply #512 on:** February 21, 2012, 03:18:24 AM »

This better be better than Days of Gays.

Also, I picked up the DVD, but very disappointed with it. The mix is terrible, the music sounds so thin and Tony is so high in the mix, not much power from the mixing side of things. Also, I am still not a fan of Elias, he is boring and his leads or uninspiring and bland. Love the band, just my honest opinion.

? · « **Reply #513 on:** February 21, 2012, 06:59:35 AM »

Quote from: Scrub206 on February 20, 2012, 10:05:16 PM

EDIT: May 4th it seems xD

It's actually May 18th.

I'm already slightly worried that SGHN might not end up among the stronger SA albums - it's hard to top Unia and TDOG, some song titles are pretty weird and looks like the album consists mostly of simple songs. There's nothing wrong with simple songs but I fear this album might not stand the test of time as well as the latest few have. I also think including an old song written for another artist is not a great idea.

? · « **Reply #514 on:** February 21, 2012, 08:39:24 AM »

Sorry for the double post but I feel this Finnish listening session report deserves its own post.

According to Inferno the new album is SA's heaviest and most mid-tempo release. Many songs are guitar-driven and the guitars are kinda "dirty" sounding. The journalists also provided some background "hey!" shouts to Shitload of Money, which was the only (recording-wise) incomplete song on the record - there's even some cowbell(!) on SOM. Somewhere Close to You is the heaviest Sonata song ever while I Have a Right is a hard rock song where Henrik's keys get a lot of space. The journalist says he finds the latter half of SGHN more interesting than the first one - Alone in Heaven is arrangement-wise pretty simple but towards the end of the song there's more variety between heavy and soft. The Day is more reminiscent of Unia and DoG than any other song on the album and Cinderblox is a surprising "bluegrass metal" piece including banjo. Don't Be Mean is a semi-acoustic traditional metal tune with some violin and Wildfire II and III are a complex and epic closing duo.

I'm sure Cinderblox will either be an excellent song or pure crap - the banjo could save or destroy the song!

PlaysLikeMyung · « **Reply #515 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:45:28 AM »

Quote from: wolfking on February 21, 2012, 03:18:24 AM

This better be better than Days of Gays.

tdog was amazing

Kosmo · « **Reply #516 on:** February 21, 2012, 11:07:11 AM »

I'm excited for this, I'd rather have something different and a bit odd than something similar to what they've already done.

Quote from: Zydar on February 21, 2012, 12:35:59 AM

Shitload Of Money

A song title I didn't expect, but knowing what Tony is like it's not so strange.

wolfking · « **Reply #517 on:** February 21, 2012, 01:49:19 PM »

Quote from: PlaysLikeMyung on February 21, 2012, 10:45:28 AM

Quote from: wolfking on February 21, 2012, 03:18:24 AM
This better be better than Days of Gays.

tdog was amazing

No.

From the titles and descriptions, I'm getting a vibe that they are going into a direction that Edguy did on their last two albums, and that wasn't very good either.

? · « **Reply #518 on:** March 31, 2012, 01:03:05 AM »

New album teaser

This made my expectations higher!

Jirpo · « **Reply #519 on:** March 31, 2012, 02:58:34 AM »

Just bought Ecliptica, Silence and Unia. Liking it so far!!

Kosmo · « **Reply #520 on:** March 31, 2012, 03:58:55 AM »

Quote from: ? on March 31, 2012, 01:03:05 AM

New album teaser

This made my expectations higher!

My expectations were already skyrocketing and judging from those samples I'm going to love it, the slower songs were the only ones that felt weak.

But then again those are samples so it's hard to say anything, really.

Oh and also Tony singing Trance: https://soundcloud.com/primetimefin/skylight-devil-down-edit

? · « **Reply #521 on:** March 31, 2012, 05:26:07 AM »

Quote from: Jirpo on March 31, 2012, 02:58:34 AM

Just bought Ecliptica, Silence and Unia. Liking it so far!!

Then get the rest of their stuff too - you probably won't be disappointed!

Quote from: Kosmo on March 31, 2012, 03:58:55 AM

My expectations were already skyrocketing and judging from those samples I'm going to love it, the slower songs were the only ones that felt weak.

But then again those are samples so it's hard to say anything, really.

Oh and also Tony singing Trance: https://soundcloud.com/primetimefin/skylight-devil-down-edit

The samples sound promising indeed, although the vocal melody at 0.31 reminds me of some Jenni Vartiainen song (can't remember which)!

Trance isn't my cup of tea but it's always interesting to hear musicians go outside their comfort zone and try something new.

senecadawg2 · « **Reply #522 on:** March 31, 2012, 08:57:59 PM »

I had a chance to go see these guys live last year, and I missed it. I am really kicking myself now... My favorite album is Unia! Looking forward to the new one...

wolfking · « **Reply #523 on:** March 31, 2012, 09:39:54 PM »

I'm not juding anything by those samples, hard to get a good grasp on any of the tunes. I'm still hoping it's better than The Days of Gays.

Jirpo · « **Reply #524 on:** March 31, 2012, 10:49:37 PM »

Quote from: ? on March 31, 2012, 05:26:07 AM

Quote from: Jirpo on March 31, 2012, 02:58:34 AM
Just bought Ecliptica, Silence and Unia. Liking it so far!!
Then get the rest of their stuff too - you probably won't be disappointed!
Quote from: Kosmo on March 31, 2012, 03:58:55 AM
My expectations were already skyrocketing and judging from those samples I'm going to love it, the slower songs were the only ones that felt weak.

But then again those are samples so it's hard to say anything, really.

Oh and also Tony singing Trance: https://soundcloud.com/primetimefin/skylight-devil-down-edit
The samples sound promising indeed, although the vocal melody at 0.31 reminds me of some Jenni Vartiainen song (can't remember which)! Trance isn't my cup of tea but it's always interesting to hear musicians go outside their comfort zone and try something new.

Will do!

News: Untethered Angel official video: https://youtu.be/gylxuO6dKOw

Author Topic: Sonata Arctica thread (Read 127193 times)

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