Sonata Arctica's Reviews
Silence (Average Rating: 9.34 out of 10)
Refreshing (Rated this album with 10 out of 10)
Reviewed by
antiradioandmtv
from Miami, FL USA
Sonata Arica is a very unique and interesting band. It doesn't sound like the rest of the Power Metal bands. It doesn't sound like the Power-Melodic either. If would like to call their style Melodic Metal. People use this term pretty often but the right term is Power-Melodic.. However Sonata Artica is so melodic that his style should be Melodic Metal. Since Stratovarius appeared, Finland has become one of the most important sources of good Metal bands in the world. Sonata Artica is one of the best.
They are young. In this album, Tony Kakko (vocals and additional keyboards) is in his mid 20s and the rest are in their early 20s. Some people think that they are some kind of European boy-band with instruments (!!!). Nothing could be more far from the truth. They know each other since they were teenagers and they learned music almost by themselves. They began working in Music seriously right after finishing the school. They didn't get together in an audition of a big label. Calling Sonata Artica a boy-band with instruments is demonstrate the biggest ignorance. This is their sophomore album and is really good. "Episode" and "Visions" of Stratovarius strongly influenced this band. They always talk about them and about how Tolkki is an influence in their music. However, Sonata Artica's career has been much more successful. I like Stratovarius but their second album wasn't so good as this one. This band will be big( Well, in Europe. We have to accept that here in America some obscure and powerful ( Actually rich) forces don't want this good music to be noticed. Too bad that in America everything is about image and bad attitude instead of being musician)
"Silence" starts with a cool intro in which an old man talks ( Is a kind of stupid but original). Then some strange sound and the killer first song and second track Weballergy. If you haven't heard the album, don't skip the intro. Leave it there. Trust me, don't skip the intro. The albums continues with some fast songs and some ballads. It has a new version of San Sebastian. I really like this one. The sound is better but I think the original version was a little bit faster ( This one is really fast anyway). It has those guitar-keyboard "games" that you listen to in Stratovarius. This is a really good album. Really special. It can be enjoyed even by some non Power Metal fans. Unlike other Power Metal bands, this band's lyrics are not about dragons and legendary wars. I like those fantasy lyrics. But I think that getting into smart lyrics is refreshing. Is not the "I like to be free" type of Lyrics that Stratovarius has been delivering for the last 10 years. Is not the "There goes Frodo" type of Lyrics that you get with Blind Guardian. It's just real life. Even more than the real life related lyrics of some songs of Helloween.. There's this interesting reflection about thinking if suffering because of a relationship is worth the relationship. A lot of some kind of "you better act now before is too late" . Great Lyrics for a Metal band. Really good. "Silence" of Sonata Artica is a refreshing album to the Power and Power-Melodic Metal world. It has a special sound. It has either really fast songs or nice and slow (but is still Metal) ballads. It's worth the money. Buy it.
Buy this album on Amazon at $14.99
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