Sonata Arctica

Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band. However, the band approaches since their recent works (preferably " Unia " ) Progressive Metal at.

History

The band was founded in 1996 under the name " Tricky Beans", but changed the name in 1997 " Tricky Means ." Allegedly made ​​the Finns originally music that had nothing to do with Metal. From 1999 began " Tricky Means " to play Power Metal, and got a contract with the record company Spinefarm Records. She then amended her name one more time, this time in "Sonata Arctica ". In the same year she released her first album Ecliptica. Tony Kakko frontman, who previously played both keyboard and sang, decided to focus on singing. As a substitute Mikko Härkingen joined them. A short time later the bass player left the band and was replaced by Marko Paasikoski.

Their 2001 release, the album Silence. Live in Tokyo - From recordings of the Japanese tour in 2002, the live album Songs of Silence was born. After the end of this tour Mikko Härkingen left the band, so again played on the 2003's album Winter 's Guild Tony Kakko the keyboard, where he was supported with some songs by " Stratovarius " keyboardist Jens Johansson. In the meantime, however, nudged Ex - "Requiem" keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg to the band, which at a concert in Tornio, Finland celebrated its inauguration in February 2003, and the keyboard is played on the album Reckoning Night, published in 2004.

On 12 May 2006, the live album, For the Sake of Revenge and the eponymous live DVD, which contains the recorded through in Tokyo on 4 and 5 February 2005 concerts appeared.

The publication of the fifth studio album Unia ( fin. "Dreams " ) was worldwide on May 25, 2007., It reached on 11 July 2007 gold status in Finland. The accompanying single release Paid In Full was released on April 27, 2007.

On 2 March 2007 it was announced that guitarist Jani Liimatainen can not attend the performances in the spring of 2007, as he must do his community service in Finland. In August 2007, the band finally announced to have separated from Liimatainen, new guitarist of the band was the hitherto transitional gambling Elias Viljanen.

The album, The Days Of Grays (released in Germany on September 18, 2009) has been awarded in Finland a few days after the publication with gold. This was followed by the " Days- of- Grays Tour " which was performed by the whole world the band.

2012 appeared the album Stones Grow Her Name ( release date in Germany: May 18, 2012).

On August 26, 2013 Marko Paasikoski left the band for personal reasons. He stated in a statement that he had not the necessary motivation to remain part of the band. He was replaced by Pasi Kauppinen ( Silent Voices, ex - Requiem, Winter Born) ..

The eighth studio album Pariah 's Child was released on March 28, 2014. According to statements of the front man Tony Kakko a return was held on the style of earlier albums.

Music style

For the band's style is typical, for melodic keyboard passages, the fast guitar solos, as it has influenced Timo Tolkki example of " Stratovarius ". So " Sonata Arctica " were often compared to the beginning of her career with " Stratovarius ". The keyboard solos by Henrik " Henkka " Klingenberg are hardly to be distinguished from guitar sound. As composer and lyricist Tony Kakko composed very melodic, polyphonic and harmonic as a trained keyboardist, the keyboard comes to an unusual for the power metal dominance.

The melodic song oriented mainly in the older albums often, but not exclusively, on the typical falsetto vocals, as he often finds application in power metal ( for example, the song Destruction Preventer from the album Ecliptica ). The songs have relatively complex vocal harmonies that Kakko einsingt during the recording by overdubbing process. Sing Live, except the drummer, all the other band members in order to realize a choir-like vocal harmonies on stage in the chorus can. However, they also occasionally growls and screams (eg Wolf & Raven, or The End of this Chapter, both on the album Silence, and The Harvest on Unia ) to find. Frequently deeper sung passages are mainly used in the newer releases. The refrain of the song, which is often reinforced with a background choir is usually very melodic and catchy.

Striking is the more or less solid structure or theme of the albums. For example, each album contains at least one ballad (eg Letter to Dana, Tallulah, Grave Image, shamandalie, Good Enough Is Good Enough, Everything Fades to Gray ), a guitar-driven ballad (eg Replica, Last Drop Falls, The Misery, My Selene, Under Your Tree, Juliet ) and a song that tells of wolves ( Full Moon, Wolf and Raven, the Cage, Is not your Fairytale, it Will not fade, the Last Amazing Grays ). Also on some booklets, such as the Album For the Sake of Revenge, a wolf is depicted. Wolves are dogs next to Tony Kakkos favorite animals.

Discography

Albums

Best-of Albums and Compilations

  • 2005: The End of This Chapter ( Best-of )
  • 2006: The Collection 1999-2006 ( Best of)

Live albums

  • 2002: Songs of Silence - Live in Tokyo
  • 2006: For the Sake of Revenge
  • 2011: Live in Finland

Singles

EPs

  • 2000: Successor
  • 2001: Orientation
  • 2003: Takatalvi
  • 2004: Do not Say a Word
  • 2006: For the Sake of Revenge
  • 2011: Live in Finland
Electronic keyboard Electric guitar Bass guitar
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