SONATA ARCTICA — Ecliptica (review)

SONATA ARCTICA — Ecliptica album cover Album · 1999 · Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
aiylyn
Sonata Arctica are beyond words !

If you can't say it, sing it, they say. And Sonata Arctica sings it like no one else. For someone who hasn't heard them but knows they're a power metal band, recollections of Rhapsody or Blind Guardian - fantasy oriented bands - may present themselves; but what sets this amazing group of musicians apart from the pack is their new, original, creative approach to a style of music that is beginning to show its age. Evil dragons plundering villages, armor-clad knights riding valiantly into glorious battle? Look elsewhere for that; Sonata Arctica's lyrics are rooted very much in reality - and in unusual examples of reality. The subjects of their songs - spending too much time on the internet, the effects of war on a person - are often unorthodox and may take the first-time listener by surprise. But this is part of what distinguishes them from the masses. Unlike most power metal bands, especially their German counterparts, S.A.'s music has a very "cold" feel to it (they are from Finland) which means you will not fully experience their music until you listen in the winter as the snow blankets the ground and your breath crystalizes in front of you.

The musicianship is breathtaking. While many criticize technical bands for being all showboat and no musical substance, S.A. has found that perfect of all places - the intersection where exceptional musicianship and technical ability meets true musical expression and taste. Their songs are catchy yet complex. The guitar lines are melodic when they need to be and shred when they need to be (and Jani can SHRED!). The drummer has unmatched endurance on the double-kick. The keyboards add the richest texture you'll ever hear in metal. What more can you ask? They deliver the total package.

And for those who pass them off as a second-rate Stratovarius, well, I can only feel sorry for you. They may have taken their cue from Stratovarius, but they have built on that foundation and taken it to a completely different level. Now that Century Media was released this in the United States, you have no excuse for missing out. This is the most incredible music I have ever heard.
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