Successor [Import]

Sonata Arctica | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 17, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Spine
• ASIN: B0000506FY
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,857 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Fullmoon (Edit)

2. Still Loving You

3. I Want Out

4. San Sebastian

5. Shy

6. Replica (Live)

7. My Land (Live)

Editorial Reviews

Asian version of 2000 compilation for the Scandinavian metal act includes covers, 'Still Loving You' (Scorpions), ' I Want Out' (Helloween), studio tracks & live material recorded June 16th, 2000 at Provinssirock Festival, Seinajoki, Finland. Includes 2 b --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff from an amazing band!, December 26, 2001

By 

The Wickerman (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Successor (Audio CD)

I've already said this before, but I must say it again. I'm very glad I discovered this band. If not for the internet, and the positive reviews written by the great reviewers on this site (Phaylon and Markgugs in particular), I would have never known anything about this band. Thanks, guys.

Anyway, "Successor" is an Ep album containing seven songs: an edited version of "Full Moon" (it's just a little shorter, I think they cut out the intro), two covers ("Still Loving You", by the Scorpions and "I Want Out", by Helloween), two new songs, and two live tracks. 30 minutes of great music.

I would say that the Scorpions cover was what initially attracted me to this album. That was already a great song, but I knew SA doing it would be a thousand times better. Well, it's good, maybe not all that much better. They sped it up, for one thing, and made into more of a power metal type song. I would liked to have heard it done exactly like the original, but oh well. I guess that's not too exciting to do it that way. The Helloween cover is great. I'm not too familiar with that band, but I'd guess this version is not too far a deviation from the original, and is every bit as good and then some. The two new songs, "San Sebastian" and "Shy", are great too. "San Sebastian" is a high-speed power metal track that just rocks good and hard. "Shy" is kind of a weird, but strangely touching ballad. It's mostly acoustic, and fairly emotional (but who is this Dana person he keeps writing about?). It could have been better, but it isn't bad. The live tracks ("Replica" and "My Land") are great too, almost a match for the recordings. The only bad thing is the quality. In certain parts, you can't hear the vocals that well, and the keyboards don't sound quite right. It sounds like it may have been an outdoor venue. One good thing is that you can hear the bass better than on the recordings (not that it's all that impressive). But hey, it still got me wishing I could see them in concert (even though I'm sure they'll NEVER come to America!).

All in all, a great album. If you are a fan of this band, you must own this. Don't start with it (get one of their studio albums first), but after that, get this. I have ordered "Silence", and can't wait to get it. I know it's gonna be great. Hail Metal!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FOR SONATA'S FANS, October 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Successor (Audio CD)

All the songs that sonata's fans are looking for:

1- FullMoon(Edit) - No differencies,just shorter. 2- Still Loving You (Scorpions Cover) - Much better than the original Scorpions' version. 3- I Want Out(Helloween Cover) - Helloween classic. Great version. 4- San Sebastian - New song. Fast and melodic. 5- Shy - Fine ballad from "Agre Pamppers" demo. 6- Replica(LIVE) - Faster than the "normal" version, nice solos! 7- My Land(LIVE) - The best Sonata music (fantastic solos)

Great influences from Stratovarius & Hellowenn(with Michael Kiske)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How cool is this, May 23, 2004

By 

"aiylyn" (Washington, Mi United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Successor (Audio CD)

I'll get straight to my primary point: I'm a sucker for ballads, and "Shy" is probably Sonata Arctica's best venture in this area despite tough competition from their other albums. It seems to be a bridge that connects Letter to Dana from Ecliptica with The End of This Chapter from Silence in a loose thematic chain; although it could just be a stretch of my imagination (I theorize also that Fullmoon, Wolf and Raven, and the Cage are a similar chain).

Apart from this, we get a slightly clipped Fullmoon (a little bit of the beginning has been cut), a good but forgettable rendition of Still Loving You, a speedy and well done take on I Want Out, and the album's standout track: San Sebastien, a rowdy, energetic number that boasts catchy vocal melodies, athletic drumming, and some impressive soloing from the guitars and keyboards (You will notice that the keyboard effect has been changed and the odd fill before the final section was cut for the Silence version). Two pleasant live tracks round out this EP, essentially a snack between Ecliptica and Silence, and a fully satisfying one at that.