Discovery of the year.
I first heard about SONATA ARCTICA in 2001. Back then, against the backdrop of all this metal chaos, the Finnish youngsters with their hurricane-paced rhythms and heartfelt vocals seemed like something fresh and untapped. Every song had great melody and drive — like a breath of fresh air, really. But, as unfortunately happens in this mortal world, trouble — that is, the Arctic — didn't come alone: legions of Scandinavians followed in its wake into melodic speed. At first it was enjoyable, then less so, then it became boring, then tiresome, and finally the style was wearily waved off as unpromising, and the CDs were mercilessly given away.
During that time, our headliners managed to produce two studio albums: "Winterheart's Guild," which I liked exactly halfway, and "Reckoning Night," which I liked about one-fifth; they recorded two live albums, which I didn't like at all; and compiled a best-of collection, which I didn't even listen to, as the band had been inducted into the genre crisis hall of fame. And seemingly nothing foreshadowed it, when suddenly... the global trend of diving into prog metal.
From "Unia" I expected nothing more than another blandly dreary yet cheerful formulaic brew with the familiar beautiful vocals and excessive synth influence. Making sense of it all was quite difficult, but from the very first song I was grabbed by the noticeably beefed-up guitar sound and a special kind of structural fullness. The material no longer feels dry and straightforward, like stale bread on a bachelor's shelf; on the contrary, you could spend several weeks straight picking out the tiniest details in the recording.
Rediscovery of the year.
SONATA ARCTICA have achieved what seemed impossible: after several years that weren't particularly valuable for the genre, they managed to step beyond themselves, outgrow the boundaries of the style, and surface with fundamentally new material. Moreover, the musicians did it so elegantly and charmingly (yes, charmingly) that it's time to rediscover the band. With fanfare, high-ranking receptions, and ribbon-cutting ceremonies. No cliches, no plagiarism, no Manowar, and most importantly: no nausea — when transitioning from track to track, the urge to skip or switch off entirely, as in the good old days, simply doesn't arise. Not without a few smiles, of course: the traditional keyboards, already pressed into the floor, won't escape the band no matter how hard they try — no chance — they'll be chased down and given even more.
Cantata Arctica
The rejuvenated Sonata is like a multi-layered sandwich that you really want to figure out — what exactly did they put in there? Well, what?
Each song, while staying within a single concept, represents a vivid individuality. And there is plenty to listen to: the melody never stands still — throughout the entire track it develops, sometimes in quite interesting ways. For example, the very rhythmic "In Black and White" begins and ends with the same powerful riff, but different vocal lines create very different images, and the song transitions very organically into the single "Paid in Full," making it hard to imagine them separately.
Another interesting move was the use of two or three vocal layers from Tony Kakko. You'll have to work to find solo vocals on the record. It blends perfectly with the new type of song construction. Perhaps one of the most elegant such interplays is "The Worlds Forgotten The Words Forbidden," where the acoustic guitar is very harmoniously joined to the electric.
But don't think everything is as cloudless as written.
The wise.
The assortment of Finnish sugary tendencies and self-quotation hasn't gone anywhere in Sonata, so prepare for weaker tracks — everyone will have their own, I'm sure. Perhaps it'll be the tedious symphonic ballad "Under Your Tree" or the old-style "The Vice." With melodies it's even trickier — you'll hardly manage to remember a single one, though this has long since ceased to be considered a drawback. But regardless, the album will contain both what you were waiting for and what you weren't expecting at all.
In my own personal, subjective view, this is the best power metal of 2007 so far.