Unia

Sonata Arctica (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2007)
• Original Release Date: May 22, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nuclear Blast Americ
• ASIN: B000OLHGFC
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #81,484 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

1. In Black and White

2. Paid in Full

3. For the Sake of Revenge

4. It Won't Fade

5. Under Your Tree

6. Caleb

7. Vice

8. My Dream's But a Drop of Fuel for a Nightmare

9. Harvest

10. Worlds Forgotten, The Words Forbidden

11. Fly with the Black Swan

12. Good Enough Is Good Enough

13. Out in the Fields [*]

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The most versatile Sonata album yet, more hooky, heavier in many ways, beautiful melodies, bigger production... like soul food!" Tony Kakko - Sonata Arctica. Formed 1996, Sonata Arctica has become extremely successful and has had tours throughout Europe, America and Japan. After the great success of "Reckoning Night" and the 2006 released Live-DVD "For The Sake Of Revenge", the band is up to present their fans and everybody else a new masterpiece of heavy music! Limited Edition Digipack features bonus tracks. Nuclear Blast Records. 2007. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not your Daddy's Sonata, May 24, 2007

By	Ryan Seek "trans-siberian_outcast" (Maricopa, AZ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've never been a huge Sonata Arctica fan, but Unia ain't your Daddy's Sonata Arctica. Virtually gone is the typical Euro-power metal tempo, replaced with some rather excellent songwriting that idles somewhere in the mid-tempo vein. There are plenty of up-tempo sections of songs, so it's not like they've totally wimped out, but I'm sure SA traditionalists and euro-power metal enthusiasts are screaming bloody murder because of the complete absence of the standard repetitive double-bass drumming.

Personally, I love it! I never liked repetitive double-bass drumming anyway. The songwriting is key here. Totally awesome, and quite unique. It's got a strong prog flavor that always keeps it interesting (reminds me of Savatage - Poets & Madmen) while retaining its metal edge throughout with some godly riffs (again reminds me of Savatage - Poets & Madmen). There are quite a few ballad moments sprinkled throughout (which I always felt SA was best at) and they also remind of Jon Oliva's songwriting.

I also hear influences ranging from Therion and Devin Townsend, to Star One (Ayreon) and Kansas. Unia is a very diverse album, much broader and ambitious than anything in their past catalogue. Don't pass this one off as just another Sonata Arctica album. This one gets a gold pedastal in my hallowed hall of fame for brilliant songwriting.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Unia" - Sonata Arctica, May 22, 2007

By	Mick V. Nicholas (Allentown, PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There is really not much that I can say about this album because it is the closest thing to perfection that I believe this band has come to. It has consistency, complexity, originality and intrigue. By about the seventh song I was wondering if I was listening to the same band that made "Reckoning Nights." This album is the most focused and mature release that this band has produced.

Album Run-down:

In Black and White: 9/10 - A wonderful opening track for this particular record. It sets the mood with an abrupt beginning, complexity that is rarely matched and wonderful vocal melodies/harmonies throughout.

Paid In Full: 10/10 - This song is marvelous! The soulful voice and lyrics of Tony really come full force in this track! The melody is wonderful and rather catchy...This is the single for those who didn't know. If you didn't know, it's easy to see that it is after reviewing the entire album.

For The Sake Of Revenge: 8/10 - Whoa...I don't know if the fans were really ready for a song like this. The offbeat vocals with the hallow drumbeat make for a classical and unusual feeling. This is probably the most unique song on this record. It will definitely take a few listens for the average music listener. It is most impressive indeed!

It Won't Fade: 9/10 - This song engages the listener with a crunchy and progressive riff with intense harmonizing and once again, soulful vocals (this time, not so sad..but more angry than "Paid In Full"). This song experiments with ambiance that I don't believe Sonata Arctica has really truly achieved in the past. It's one of the tightest tracks on the album!

Under Your Tree: 10/10 - If there is one thing that Sonata Arctica is good at, it is making an effective and beautiful ballad! This song is no exception to this assumption! With melancholy keyboards starting us off and aiding the hook in this song, it is hard to not feel the emotion and love that pours from Tony and the rest of the band in this one. This is probably the band's most emotional performance yet. Bravo!

Caleb: 9/10 - A strange and intriguing track on this record, indeed! The lyrics are rather cryptic and the melody is a bit unusual. The presence of the keyboard makes the song easily accessible to fans of the old Sonata Arctica but this song is NOT traditional for this band. The crushing repetition of the final riff really gets my blood flowing! This is, in my opinion where the record begins to take a turn for a more eccentric and complex sound. It is well received!

The Vice: 10/10 - This track is quite possibly the greatest song in the history of this band. I know A LOT of people will disagree with me with other awesome tracks such as "Wolf and Raven, "The Cage" and "Full Moon." But, this has the most complex harmonies and musicianship that I have heard from this band AND it maintains structure and focus which is something I feel songs like "Wolf and Raven" were lacking. A marvelous triumph is this song!

My Dreams But a Drop of Fuel for a Nightmare: 9/10 - This is an ambient and eccentric track to say the least! It has very unusual and distinct melodies throughout it with a heavy keyboard presence setting the mood of each progression in the song. It captured my attention because of the complexity and beautiful progression throughout the song.

The Harvest: 8/10 - Well, this one came off as a bit sloppy. It begins with some operatic voice and goes right into a traditional guitar/keyboard combo that I have come to expect from Sonata Arctica. This song runs like a chicken with its head cut off. But, there is a pretty sweet break that has a real kickin' guitar/keyboard solo and spanish guitar lead!

The Worlds Forgotten, The Words Forbidden: 9/10 - Some crazy ambiance right here! I have never heard Sonata Arctica make this type of song. It has processed vocals, the most interesting harmonizing I haven't heard since the days of Alice In Chains and a gorgeous hook that truly pulls you in. It is a beautiful song!

Fly With The Black Swan: 9/10 - This is an immensely uncharacteristic track. I don't have to tell you about the interesting harmonizing since "The Worlds Forgotten..." was more or less a segue into this song. The crunching guitars and powerful vocals keep the listener interested while the keyboards make that eerie atmosphere that it has been doing throughout this album.

Good Enough is Good Enough: 10/10 -This song begins with an orchestra playing a beautiful melody and when Tony comes in..the strings are weeping with his vocals and it creates a classical somber feel that really wraps up this album quite nicely. It is as if they put the record to bed. All I can say is, "ENCORE!"

Out In The Fields (Bonus Track): 9/10 - Looks I got my encore! This track (although it might be a cover? I'm not sure really.) is the closest thing to traditional Sonata Arctica that this album really offers. But, it's a good track to have and it's a lot of fun to listen to!

24 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Dreams & Nightmares, May 28, 2007

By	Reijo Piippula "Rekko" (Turku, Finland) - See all my reviews

Before I start reviewing I have to explain the title "Unia". The Finnish langauge has a word "uni" (pl. "unet") which means "a dream" (dreams). "I dream, I see dreams" is in Finnish "Näen unia". So Sonata Arctica decided to give a Finnish name for the album. Well...I think it's much better title than "Dreams".

Anyway, it's great to notice that Sonata Arctica has taken a new direction. When I got this CD into my hands and listened to it...after first listening I was confused. I never expected such a great album! Although many of the songs didn't stick into my mind (except from the single track "Paid in Full" I was sure that this would be one of SA's best album - maybe even the best. I wouldn't say that this is a commercial album because many of the songs are difficult to like (this could be called "progressive melodic metal"). There's such great guitar, keyboard solos. Some songs remind me of Queen's 70's times. In fact, Tony Kakko (the song writer, the vocalist) says he likes Queen very much. Some songs has impulses from other great albums, like Pink Floyd's "The Wall", Queensrÿche's "Operation: Mindcrime", and Dream Theater's "Images And Words". However Queen II is nearer this album than any other Queen album. There's only three peaceful songs "For the Sake of Revenge", Under Your Tree", and the absolute ballad "Good Enough Is Good Enough". I have to say that ALL THE SONGS ARE GREAT!!! The lyrics are great too...there are mostly about "the dream world".
Stars: It Won't Fade, The Harvest, Paid in Full