Sonata Arctica's Reviews

Ecliptica

Frosty, Absorbing, and Powerful

Tony Kakko on keyboards. He has great talent on the keys, making thick, sweeping waves of synthesis, eclectic (but precise) notes and chords, or just lush background textures. On songs such as "Blank File" and "8th Commandment" he duels with Jani's solos, and it is just insanely beautiful (yet frenzied). But wait...HE'S THE SINGER, TOO! And my god, this man can sing. His range is bountiful and unbridled, and almost unmatched. I have yet to hear more Sonata Arctica first, but I think it's fair to rank Tony among such vocalist giants as Matthew Barlow, Mikael Akerfeldt, Bruce Dickinson, Russel Allen, James LaBrie, and Warrel Dane. He can make deeper, more operatic wails, and high-pitched, hyper falsettos that simply SOAR. The only time on this album that the listener can really notice a little strain in Tony's voice is during one of the verses on "Blank File," when he hits a really high note and his tone quavers slightly. Otherwise, Tony is a FLAWLESS vocalist.

Jani Liimatainen, guitar virtuoso. He creates some really thrashy riffs that give even Iced Earth a run for their money, and yet with the great bounds of melody that make Dream Theater so fascinating. His solos are dazzling and beautiful, and he creates some interesting harmonies and leads.

Janne Kivilahti's bass is fairly stuck in the background, and although he follows Jani's riffs and Tommy's rhythms with ease (and that takes a lot, so Janne is obviously very talented), he never does anything that particularly stands out (at least on this album). But hey, to be the bassist for Sonata Arctica takes a lot, so bravo to him.

And then there's Tommy Portimo. Oh my god. What is up with these fantastic drummers in just about every one of my favorite bands? Tommy creates some fast-paced, galloping rhythms and beats that are just as harmonious and lyrical as they are rippling and even vicious. His use of double-bass pedals qualifies him as a could-be death metal drummer, and yet his skills do not make the music any less satisfying. He does his job VERY well.

Outside of the band members themselves, Sonata Arctica is quite fascinating in other ways. Lyrically, they are very different from most power metal bands (further proving that they are NOT really power metal). Like, "Blank File" is about the usage of the Internet prettymuch has destroyed privacy forever, and everybody is just sort of slaves to the proverbial Machine now. Does THAT sound like cheesy fantasy to you?

The music as a whole is very...cold, shall I say? But not a "bad" cold...not bleak. Rather, Sonata's sound is a sort of cold that is more of a "thrill chill" so to speak. It evokes the feeling of frosty winter air blowing through your senses as you travel towards a glorious and refreshing place of promise and warmth. It's really hard to describe; just listen to this album and you'll see what I mean. Also, the artwork accompanying the album, however simplistic, is also very "cold" - just look at the cover! Very fitting artwork for the music - something which does not happen that often.

This album is great all year-round; during the winter, if the cool air is blowing in through your window as you listen to this music, you'll really FEEL the "Arctica" in the mix. If you listen to it during the summer, winter seems to be gently caressing the back of your neck, beckoning you back into this beautiful, frosty breeze called Sonata Arctica.

Buy this album on Amazon at $14.99