Sonata Arctica thread

[wolfking]

I probably won't get this.

[Zook]

I probably won't get this.

That weight really messed you up good, eh?

Is the debut really that bad that they needed to re-record it? Like Symphony X debut bad?

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

No. I honestly don't see any need to rerecord it at all.

[wolfking]

I probably won't get this.

That weight really messed you up good, eh?

Is the debut really that bad that they needed to re-record it? Like Symphony X debut bad?

   I was messed up enough before the weight.  Basically;

No. I honestly don't see any need to rerecord it at all.

This.

It's great how it is.

[gazinwales]

Oh so this new Revisited version is newly recorded by the current line up?
If so I really don't see the point.

[wolfking]

Oh so this new Revisited version is newly recorded by the current line up?
If so I really don't see the point.

Yes.

[gazinwales]

Well I really can't see the point, yes Ecliptica does sound little dated and sure they were still learning their craft.
But it's got character and still holds it's own in the SA catalogue.
I've got way too many versions already of this, but I still will be a little curious...

Decided to pull out the 2012 Japanese remaster and this sounds really good, much better than I remember 

[wolfking]

A remix and remaster would have been fine, a re-record is unneccesary.  I don't care for Elias doing Jani's parts.

[?]

Cover art (from https://murasame-g.seesaa.net/article/404097245.html ):



Looks like I'm Haunted is the Japanese bonus track.

[Scorpion]

I really like that cover, tbh.

[Evermind]

Incredible cover. 

[wolfking]

I really like that cover, tbh.

[?]

Sonata's original label Spinefarm posted the slowed down version of UnOpened from the infamous mispressed single: https://soundcloud.com/spinefarmer/sonata-arctica-unopened-single-mispress/s-wwqzB

Back in 1999, Sonata Arctica released their 'Ecliptica' album. The first 200 records were mispressed with a version of "UnOpened" that was slowed down by 1 minute. Check out that s-l-o-w version right now and let us know what you think!

BTW, you guys should check out the FB page for the SA book, because most of the updates are in English and there are plenty of old photos: https://www.facebook.com/SonataArcticaKirja?fref=ts The boss of Spinefarm even commented on one of the pics, saying Sonata weren't signed based on the band photos.

[?]

A sample of the new version of Kingdom for a Heart (the single comes out next week): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W7OGeiMbqk

The production sounds pretty similar to Pariah's Child, probably because Pasi was mixing. Tony's vocals are awesome and Elias adds his own flavor to the guitar parts. Unsurprisingly it sounds close to the live version they've been playing, but since they were in the studio, I wish Tony would've sung the overlapping words in the lyrics that he can't do live ("moment of my time", "treasures and crowns").

[Evermind]

Yeah. "Just for a moment of my."  That's borderline ridiculous for the studio version, in my opinion. Apparently they didn't have time for that, or what?

I'm not too big on the mix, but then, I wasn't too big on the Pariah's Child mix too, so small surprise here.

[gazinwales]

How can you gauge anything by this awful quality sample?
It sounds shit, like AM radio with a pillow over the speaker recorded on a D-90 cassette 

[?]

It's an iTunes sample, so the CD and vinyl should sound much better.

[ErHaO]

I like the small vocal touches Tony adds, so the rerecordings will be an interesting listen for me. I like the sample, alltough the sound is indeed crap. Looking forward to this 

Still listening to PC frequently btw, I really like that album.

[wolfking]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnhNPM1A4t8

[?]

I like the arrangement a lot, but the keyboards are a little too quiet in the mix, while the vocals are pretty loud. Hopefully there's a better balance on the rest of the release.

[Zook]

I'll stick with the original.

[ariich]

It's just... not very different. Don't really see what the point of re-recording was.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Yeah, I don't really see why this happened. Can he even sing most of the high notes anymore?

I mean, it's not bad, but just... why?

[?]

The Japanese label asked them to do it, probably because Ecliptica was a successful album back in the day and Sonata's popularity in Japan has faded since they moved away from power metal. I guess the point is to present the songs with modern production and the current line-up's playing style, although Tony said they'd stay true to the originals. I don't know if he was discouraged by the angry power metal fans' reactions to the 2008 remakes of Letter to Dana and Wolf & Raven.

[Zook]

I know it's a youtube clip, but the production doesn't sound very good. It's very muddy. Plus, I don't like the change to that soft bridge chorus section.

[wolfking]

I'll stick with the original.

[ErHaO]

I like it, but the production is not that great (the same with PC). I think the original is better, but I always like to listen to alternate versions to mix things up. The original is one of the few songs were I do not have a problem with the old production/vocals/performance, so I am looking forward to the rest.

[Evermind]

Rerecorded Ecliptica digipack finally appeared in official SA shop (the Mad Supply one). Ordered it along with Amorphis - Skyforger to take another attempt to listen to growly music. I heard it's pretty good and the cover is awesome, so whatever. 

Overall, I'm excited to hear the new versions of Picturing the Past, UnOpened, Destruction Preventer, and also Replica.

[Zook]

I prefer the remakes of Replica and My Land from The Collection to the originals. Judging by Kingdom for a Heart, I don't see these new remakes being an improvement over the other remakes.

Iced Arctica. Sonata Earth.

[?]

Ordered it along with Amorphis - Skyforger to take another attempt to listen to growly music.

That's a great album for that purpose!

[?]

A tribute album is coming soon: https://www.facebook.com/OuerghRecords/photos/a.524465184279122.1073741828.508115232580784/770482379677400/?type=1&theater

Also, Letter to Dana is back in the setlist, presumably as the electric version from Ecliptica, which hasn't been played since 2001: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/sonata-arctica/2014/the-starlite-room-edmonton-ab-canada-43cf2fa3.html No live videos can be found yet, but I hope they'll play it on the Finnish dates in December!

EDIT: Just got an email that the book's release date has been delayed due to some printing hassle and it won't arrive until October 17...

[Evermind]

Would be cool to get Letter to Dana in Moscow in November.

I didn't follow those setlists, but when did they ditch WPBO? I was so looking forward to hear it. I guess there's still hope, but I'm starting to worry about it.

[?]

WPBO was last played at the festival show where fans picked the setlist. Too bad it was dropped, but maybe the band thought it was eating up too much set time and wanted to have more room for rotation. That said, the current selection of songs is great despite the lack of WPBO, and your live experience will most likely be pretty different from the last time you saw them.

[?]

Ecliptica Revisited samples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctSMtiCkx9g

Most of these sound better than KFAH, so I'm looking forward to this release. Unsurprisingly plenty of songs have been transposed down. I don't usually care for covers, but the I Can't Dance clip sounds pretty awesome.

And for something totally different, here's a video of Tony singing tango in Finnish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLb_D1NKSbw

[?]

I Can't Dance

They've managed to "sonatize" the song without losing the fun vibe of the original song - me likey!

Also, another video with samples has been uploaded, this time including I'm Haunted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DgbSheatiM