Sonata wins for me. I enjoy them both but Sonata puts on a mad live show and I find myself listening to them alot more then i ever have stratovarius.

Though choice. I'd go with Sonata, Stratovarius varies too much.

Definetly Sonata! Kakko's voice it's beatiful

That´s a hard one.. But i go with Sonata, I love kakho´s voice! and the whole stalker thing is really awesome..

I'm not a big fan of either band, but I prefer Sonata, so they got my vote too.

I vote for Sonata Arctica too, I love their creativity. Great Keyboard, great guitar, great voice, so they got my vote.

I've never liked Stratovarius, so it's clear my vote goes for Sonata Arctica. Good idea, since it's (or it was - GMT +3) the international day of Flower metal (m.etal, dammit, m-e-t-a-l!), maybe I should get back to the past and try to listen to Sonata Arctica.

There's no album from sonata arctica as good as visions by stratovarius! i love both bands, but i definitely vote for stratovarius!

Man this is a good one and I think they both have equally talented Musicians, but in this case I think it comes down to personal preference, and Sonata with Janni wins for me

Between the two, I would have to say Startovarius. Though some of their songs are a little....Ech, I still love their guitar solos and lyrics.

Early Sonata was liek Strato but weird enough Strato has never been like Sonata.
I prefer Stratovarius. Timo Tolkki has always been and still is my most repected and possibly favourite musician and TK is one of my favourite vocalists.

Sonata still being a good band (and they are geeting better by every album) has never done anything like Destiny or Visions.
Their stuff is very different.

Stratovarius all the way! IMO Kotipelto has a waaay better voice then Kakko.

I prefer Sonata's singer over Strato, but musically Stratovarius are much more diverse as skillful i think. Sonata's music tends to become a little boring after a while largely because it is typical Power Metal, which isn't necessarily a bad thing unless it is pretty much all that a band dose. Strato vary much more muscially

Yeah my vote goes for stratovarius visions and destiny realy good albums!! but i also like OLD sonata arctica till winterheart's guild but then they chage alot i think thers just a few songs that i like from the new stuff.

Strato Wins for me.. easy

I just prefer their sound in general
especially for songs like Speed of Lights, Eagleheart, Stratosphere, Destiny ... ... ... ...
They rock

Well for the battle of these two singers I have to add that Kotipelto is way better technically and much more experienced too.
But Still I understand if some prefer Kakko as his technique and voice are very different and not bad at all.

I guess Sonata Arctica for me, one of the few Power Metal bands I still like and sometimes listen to nowadays(and the one that got me fully into metal), I used to like Stratovarius a lot, but I got bored, their last good album was Destiny, but one thing that I can't deny is that Stratovarius live kicks a lot, they are excellent as a live band, and Sonata are also good live, but nowhere as good as Strato is live.

Strange question for me. My vote - 100 % Stratovarius. Per my opinion they stay on a level higher , than Sonata in all aspects. Sonata was just a followers. Nothing original - just Strato's clone (maybe the best one on first two albums , but clone ). Stratovarius have in their discography really great ( masterpieces ) albums - Episode and Visions. Sonata's best albums can be described just as " very good ".

Haha this one I can't answer since I love them both<3

Stratovarius have always had the overall better songs imo. They have released alot of filler, but i think at least all their albums with Tolki have at least a few awesome songs. My favourite albums are Fourth Dimension, Visions, Episode and Destiny. I love Sonata Arctica's first 3 albums especially Silence, but not enough to outdo Stratovarius.

I think Sonata Arctica's melodies owns all ^^

Sonata definitely copied over a lot of their style from strat, but sonata's songs tend to have more depth and be more re-listenable

unfortunately both bands have pumped out mostly filler in recent times though

I don't like Stratovarius ! because they are very glad

Love both bands. But I like Sonata more. Therefore they get my vote.

Stratovarius lacks imagination in the songwriting department and as far as vocals go, Kotipelto tries too hard singing the higher notes. Sonata is far superior when it comes to lyrics, songwriting and vocals. Listening to Strato doesn't make me feel anything at all, but Sonata's albums - especially Reckoning Night (White Pearl Black Oceans) - is an emotional rollercoster. Sorry, Stratovarius, but you do nothing for me.

I put my vote on Stratovarius. I love both bands... but Stratovarius are more original. They have been around earlier, so it can be looked at that Sonata are primarily inspired by the Stratovarius sound. I think Episode and Visions are timeless albums and some of the best power metal ever released. (My opinion of course - not everyone will think that). Theres something about the band that is still very underrated..They began in the 80's with Helloween... and they still get the sales of an underground band. For me Sonata is more mainstream, and that takes me longer to appreciate. I also think Strato take the musicianship alot further - and the instrumentation. For me, Sonata's lyrics are harder to connect to and always seem depressing. Stratovarius have written more positive stuff, and not restricted the lyrics to people in relationships. The album art for the bands is a bit less related, but I even prefer the artwork of Stratovarius. So that band it is.

Stratovarius's material from "Episode" to "Infinite" is much better than anything Sonata have ever done, imo. I never liked Sonata at all, and even less now that they're turning to a pop-ish band for teenage girls.

Though I will admit I don't like Strato at all either nowadays and stopped listening to this band about ten years ago. What I mean is I liked Strato long long ago, when I still liked Powermetal. But there's no way I can stand it now. Last time I heard a Strato song, my reaction was "WTF, how is it possible that I ever enjoyed this kind of music"? There's very very little Powermetal I can stand now. I pretty much hate the whole genre.

Stratovarius....!!!!
Is the best band of power metal inthe world

Stratovarius all they way. But wow! This poll is so even! 202 vs 201! And that's when I voted. Thats really interesting...

Sonata Arctica all the way