Swedish heavy metal newcomers Zonata have been truly undergoing a constant evolution ever since they originally formed in 1998: Quickly recording their debut demo MCD The Copenhagen Tapes, the band received plenty of positive feedback (including impressive direct sales to Japan), soon after appearing on the "Unerhört" unsigned-bands compilation from Germany's leading Metal magazine Rock Hard with the track "Gate Of Fear", prompting plenty of record labels to approach them with interest in future co-operation. Century Media Records got the deal done and Zonata travelled to Germany to record their first album at Stage One Studios with producer Andy Classen. Tunes Of Steel received unanimous praise from the global Heavy Metal circuit (including a domestic release in Japan through JVC) and was often heralded as a front-running successor to the legacy established by the likes of Gamma Ray, Iron Maiden and early Helloween. Time didn't stand still in the realm of these young Borås-based musicians: Following the debut album's release, Zonata directly attacked further songwriting, reduced their line-up to a four-piece when second guitarist Henke Carlsson quit for the well-travelled "musical differences" and with a renewed focus some astounding new demo-tracks were recorded. Zonata felt ready to record again and after checking around for possible studios, they decided to enter Studio Underground in Västerås (Steel Attack, Carnal Forge, No Fun At All, etc.) to lay down eleven new songs and some bonus-track material for their second full-length disc, Reality.

Featuring an impressive step forward in terms of catchy songwriting, major melodies, ever-present bombastic keyboard lines and simply majestic vocal work, Zonata managed to create a very individual and outstanding Heavy Metal saga, influenced by the aforementioned traditional '80s Heavy Metal bands but nevertheless sounding as up-to-date in performance as uprising bands like Edguy and Kamelot. Reality accomplishes Zonata's goals in full: to fully represent their undisputed talent as both musicians and songwriters with an extremely well-suited and powerful production, a stylistic range between the melancholic and monumental ballad type of song ("Life?"), the unforgettable hook-based, midpaced pieces ("Reality", "Divided We Stand" or "Hollow Rain") as well as thundering Speed Metal songs ("Illusion Of Madness", "Forever" and the re-recorded demo track "Gate Of Fear") and is adorned with beautiful packaging courtesy of famed English artist Derek Riggs (Iron Maiden, Stratovarius, etc.).

(source: http://www.tartareandesire.com/bands/Zonata/1779/)