Customer Reviews

Ecliptica

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

My introduction to Sonata Arctica came with the release of "Winterhearts Guild." A fairly late one it was after their monumental albums "Ecliptica" and "Silence." My friend let me borrow a burned copy of his, so I decided to buy their third album. "Ecliptica" is a heavier, and faster album than "Winterhearts Guild" but both are very good. The lyrical content of "Ecliptica" may be slightly better and may please Power Metal fans more. Overall, there is not one song on "Ecliptica" that I don't like. Sonata Arctica is an incredible band in the realm of Blind Guardian, Stratovarious, Nightwish and Rhapsody. Fans of Progressive Power Metal must check this one out. Simply put, this is the best debut CD of any Progressive Power Metal band. These young Finns don't mess around.

Well, there is nothing more to say (other reviews have described this album and its music quite accurately) - this band is totally incredible, the blend of beauty and iciness is enchanting. If you are new to this type of band, do not worry, I will share brief information about their sound and music experience.
First of all, they are a Power-Metal band with no equal whatsoever; they are from Finland, this makes their sound quite magical and attractive; do not be fooled, although the sound is fantasy-bent, the lyrics are themes of reality (90% of them: war, sadness, the missing of someone or something, sin outcomes, lunacy, cause and effect, among others in a unique and odd manner); the singer provides a strange yet captivating voice, he is truly feeling what has been written (the accent makes it the most interesting); the rest of the band just provides you with a series of scenarios that are genuinely convincing; with this said, prepare yourself for a regal and mythical journey.
This album contains 10 unparallel tracks:
1) Blank File - a fast paced opener with an ecstatic feeling to it (it talks about technology and how it can affect a person's life if used in an addictive way). I give this one an A.
2) My Land - a mid paced song that may perhaps trigger your reflective senses (perhaps it talks about how time can change a place you grew in and cherished, how time and ambitions can fortify or corrupt that special place). It is a decent song with a slight patriotic sound to it. I give it a B.
3) 8th Commandment - just as the first track, a more mystifying fast paced one. Only in this case there is a sense of anger as it describes the consequences of lying. I give this solid piece an A.
4) Replica - another mid paced song, but with drama. Here you have the traumatic effects of war; somehow you can feel those effects with the song's sound of heroism, burden, and indirect regret. I give this special song a B+.
5) Kingdom for a Heart - this is one of my favorite songs right here. It is emotional, but it keeps its edge. Here you have the yearning of love, but it is impossible to achieve. It is a masterpiece even though the writer himself did not like it that much. I give it an A.
6) Fullmoon - here you have a song that is 50% real and 50% myth. It talks about a troubled romance due to a man's curse (he becomes a werewolf), of course, that is my opinion. I give this mid paced sound of tragedy an A (the chorus are very catchy, that is an element that greatly distinguishes this band).
7) Letter to Dana - I really love this power ballad, it is that zealous and melancholic alike. It talks about the missing of a person; there are other sub-themes in there too. Some say this song is all that greasy, but the invocation of depression in a sweet way is there. I give this cookie an A (listen to Shy if you have the chance - the sequel is as better, if listened together it will not disappoint).
8) Unopened - the infamous what if theme, another favorite right here. This song returns back to fast pace, almost Victorian sounding; it is that fun to listen. I give this overacted sounding (it has its reasons to sound such way) an A.
9) Picturing the Past - another favorite of mine, this is fast paced also. It talks about a past regarding prostitution I think. The sound is intense and torment-bent, it will not let you down. I give this striking opus an A.
10) Destruction Preventer - this song is absolutely awesome; it is a bit long, but the ferocity and cold ambience mixture is rewarding to the listener. Its talks about the fall of nature (mankind as well) due to military advanced weaponry - it is as the rest of the songs, earcandy. I give this closer a B+.
In the end, I give this entire album a 3.7 which is a deserving A (highly recommended). This album was Sonata Arctica's first album and I have to admit, the put sacrifice into it for in my view it remains their best album so far. Please, if you are deeply centered within Death-Metal and Nu-Metal (which some bands sound great), and Metal music related with the first two mentioned, I suggest not to gain this album. Again, if you want new experiences and are familiar with Power-Metal, Fantasy sounds, etc. - then I strongly suggest to feel free and gain this wonderful album, it will remain with you for a long, long time. Thanks for having time to read this review and analyzing it.

Suggested bands: Nightwish, Blind Guardian, Amberian Dawn, Iced Earth, Stratovarius, Kamelot, etc. I also suggest every Sonata Arctica CD, each has such unique approach.

Ah, good ol' Sonata Arctica. My current favorite Finnish metal group took four years to release their debut album here, but when it first came, I'm sure fans of Silence and Winterheart's alike were flocking into the stores just to see what they sounded like in their developmental stages. Well, early on, they sounded a LOT like Stratovarius, only with a MUCH better vocalist. They have a lot of speedy songs on here, but the are easy to tell apart, including their first single, "UnOpened," the brutal opener, "Blank File," and the awesome third track, "8th Commandment." However, they do have a typical Sonata ballad ("Letter to Dana"), as well as "My Land" and "Replica," both of which begin like a ballad and grow increasingly heavy, only to mellow out by the end. Closer "Destruction Preventer" instantly made me think of the classic Stratovarius tune "Black Diamond," as did the harpsichord intro from "UnOpened." However, even though endless comparisons could be made to the BIGGEST power metal group from Finland, it didn't mean that they weren't their own band. And that's good, and also what helped this debut kick ass.

It took me quite some time to obtain this CD (not willing to pay some huge amount for the bonus version) but it was very much worth it. While only their first CD already they have proven themselves to be on the level with Iced Earth, HammerFall and of course the mighty Iron Maiden. The music is quite upbeat to say (as opposed to the dark, sinister and heavy style of Iced Earth). The songs range from F-A-S-T (it might be power metal still but some of these songs move along as quickly as thrash metal) to very etheral with touches of classical music thrown in. Still power metal never really was a genre that was about grinding your bones to dust and if such is your taste simply acquire an album from Arch Enemy, Hypocrisy, In Flames, Soilwork, Cryptopsy and many others and you will be more then pleased. Considering how young the band members are and the technical skill on display quite frequently there is no doubt that you will love this. For something similar (besides the obvious Iron Maiden) I'd recommend Children of Bodom, Stratovarious and Blind Guardian. If you like power metal then buy this, very easy.

This band brings depth, quality, and skill to the table for our enjoyment. They can go fast, like Dragonforce, but they also know how to make a ballad. I prefer their harder stuff though, but don't have to skip tracks because it is all very good. Sometimes you can hear Tony Kakko's Finnish accent, but it does not detract from the music in my opinion. I have Reckoning Night and Winterheart's Guild (in addition to Ecliptica) and they are also worth getting. If you like Sonata Arctica's style, make sure you pick up all 3 titles that I mentioned. They are very satisfying.

"Ecliptica" was Finnish power metal band,Sonata Arctica's, debut album, and to this day, after three more remarkable albums, I feel this is still their best. It was also the realisation that power metal dosnt have to deal with dragons and wizards, and can still rock, and still have a sort of mystical edge. Tony Kakko's vocals are excellent, Janni's guitar work, and I think he's pretty young, is astounding. The keys, which i also think were Kakko's part on this album, are also great, which are really showcased in songs like "Kingdom for a Heart". While Tommy, the drummer, does keep a quick beat, that's really all he does. There are very minimal rolls, and the beat kind of remains the same throughout most of the fast songs. But This is SPEED power metal, like Rhapsody, so that's okay. If it aint broke dont fix it, right? All the song's are very catchy (especially "My Land", which remains my favorite Sonata Arctica song, even throughout all the albums). Even the ballads, like the song "Replica", are good too. So, if you want power metal without the cheese, Sonata Arctica is the band you've been waiting for! These Finn's are on a rampage! no one can stop them! And god forbid if anyone trys! Go Finnland! Go Sonata Arctica!

IMO, if theres one band that deserves the title of the 'best' power metal, SA takes it. This debut effort is also their best in my view, with songs that display profound emotion and intelligent song structures. One top of that, the musicianship is nothing short of astounding, hell I could use every positive adjective in the dictionary to describe the components of this album. The highlights are defenitely towards the beginning and end of the cd, such as 'My land' and probably the most well known song on here 'Unopened'.

No power metal collection (or metal collection in general) is complete without this. Close to a masterpiece. Also check out anything from Kamelot and Edguy if your new to the genre.

Sonata Arctica came slowly to Finnish heavy metal world. The vocalist (and keyboadist) Tony Kakko says that he heard Stratovarius' Visions and then he decided to make same kind of music. Although both are melodic heavy metal, I see no reason to call Sonata Arctica as Stratovarious' little brother. The songs are much faster than Stratovarius' and the percussion is totally different. This Sonata's album is defintely the rawest one: 8th Commandment, FullMoon, Picturing the Past, and Destruction Preventer prove it. Also some lyrics prove it. "Letter to Dana": "I Promise You I Won't Write Again Till the Sun Sets Behind Your Grave." and "Kingdom for a Heart" tells probably about Satan: "King of the Land, Ruler of the Seas"...There's some really fast track in this album: "Blank File", "8th Commandent", "Picturing the Past", "FullMoon", "Kingdom for a Heart", and the only single that was released from this album "UnOpened". The lyrics are from different topics: there's about Internet (Blank File), love (My Land, Letter to Dana, UnOpened, Kingdom for a Heart?), religious songs (8th Commandment, Picturing the Past, Destruction Preventer, Kingdom for a heart?), wars (Replica), superstious topic (FullMoon). All the other are true fast melodic heavy metal except the ballad "Letter to Dana" and the power ballad "Replica".
Stars: UnOpened, Replica, My Land

If you live in Northern Finland, you have to play fast or you'll freeze. Sonata Arctica has paid attention to this advice!
Their debut album opening track "Blank File" is so quick that Tony Kakko has even difficulties to sing it in gigs. Kakko has said that one of his most important models is Stratovarius's Visions album. Double pedals and music style has taken for Stratovarius.
But it's ok because Kakko has found his own personal way to make music and Sonata Arctica is not a cheap Strato-copy. This album is surely one of the convincing debuts I have ever heard.
Tony tells us many interesting stories about computers, Satan, war, love and liars. Lyrics are not write without mind and heart in spite of that fact that they aren't real stories. Band plays well together and sounds are pure and clear. If you like heavy ballads your favourite tracks will be My Land, Replica and FullMoon. They are allready classics, which Sonata fans want to listen over and over again. Unfortunaly, Tony has bored to Replica and My Land. That's why he sings these songs in gig one after another. My personal favourites are Kingdom For A Heart and Letter to Dana, which are absolutely five stars songs. Kingdom For A Heart is a quick and keybords leading song. I think it has written for Satan, but you can make your own bottom lines. Letter to Dana is tribute to Dana Scully ( The X-files )
Personaly,I like most flute in this song. All in all, there is no bad tracks for Eclictica album. Keep going boys!