Written by Aylee_Bodom on 07.07.2007 at 21:12

Written by Dark Cornatus on 26.06.2007 at 02:33

I havent heard Unia yet, its not exactly on my 'must buy' list due to 75% negativeness from others. I will prob get it someday to complete my collection.

I agree with Woodsy, 'Ecliptica' and 'Silence ' define the band, and they really were a brilliant new band at the time, 'Winterhearts Guild' was decent, a little repetitive though. 'Reckoning Night' was very disappointing, despite songs like White Pearl Black Oceans and even Wildfire.

I just find them boring now though, like many have said, my tastes are broader and they arent a band that you can listen to for long.

I totally agree with you. I've already heard Unia, and I'd say it's even more disappointing than Reckoning Night. So yah, if you buy it, do it just to complete your collection. It's a pity, cause I really liked their old style.

Surely the album is a dissapointment , also for me. But afterall it's not so bad when you listen it twice or more. And Tony ,i think, has already promised to give up the progressive stuff of SA which this album represents if it doesnt satisfy the fans

Written by [user id=24776] on 10.07.2007 at 15:12

Written by Aylee_Bodom on 07.07.2007 at 21:12

Written by Dark Cornatus on 26.06.2007 at 02:33

I havent heard Unia yet, its not exactly on my 'must buy' list due to 75% negativeness from others. I will prob get it someday to complete my collection.

I agree with Woodsy, 'Ecliptica' and 'Silence ' define the band, and they really were a brilliant new band at the time, 'Winterhearts Guild' was decent, a little repetitive though. 'Reckoning Night' was very disappointing, despite songs like White Pearl Black Oceans and even Wildfire.

I just find them boring now though, like many have said, my tastes are broader and they arent a band that you can listen to for long.

I totally agree with you. I've already heard Unia, and I'd say it's even more disappointing than Reckoning Night. So yah, if you buy it, do it just to complete your collection. It's a pity, cause I really liked their old style.

Surely the album is a dissapointment , also for me. But afterall it's not so bad when you listen it twice or more. And Tony ,i think, has already promised to give up the progressive stuff of SA which this album represents if it doesnt satisfy the fans

Oh really? then we should make them know as soon as possible that we're not satisified =D No seriously, if now they want to move on and try different things, it's not a good idea to make them be stuck in a kind of music they want to change. Otherwise they'll try going back to their old style but won't really feel or enjoy it, and therefore their new stuff won't keep being as good as their old stuff.

Written by Dark Cornatus on 26.06.2007 at 02:33

I havent heard Unia yet, its not exactly on my 'must buy' list due to 75% negativeness from others. I will prob get it someday to complete my collection.

I agree with Woodsy, 'Ecliptica' and 'Silence ' define the band, and they really were a brilliant new band at the time, 'Winterhearts Guild' was decent, a little repetitive though. 'Reckoning Night' was very disappointing, despite songs like White Pearl Black Oceans and even Wildfire.

I just find them boring now though, like many have said, my tastes are broader and they arent a band that you can listen to for long.

I agree with you there. Sonata Arctica is a band that doesn't have a good 'listening life', at least for me. I mean, I can listen to a few songs here and there, but entire albums just don't capture my attention like they used to. Though, songs like 'Fullmoon' and 'Black Sheep' and 'Wolf & Raven' continue to be damn good, and it's because of those killers that I continue to call myself a fan.

Unia isn't getting any better for me, even after I've tried letting it grow on me and whatever. It point-blank sucks.

Written by Judas on 11.07.2007 at 13:23

Written by Dark Cornatus on 26.06.2007 at 02:33

I havent heard Unia yet, its not exactly on my 'must buy' list due to 75% negativeness from others. I will prob get it someday to complete my collection.

I agree with Woodsy, 'Ecliptica' and 'Silence ' define the band, and they really were a brilliant new band at the time, 'Winterhearts Guild' was decent, a little repetitive though. 'Reckoning Night' was very disappointing, despite songs like White Pearl Black Oceans and even Wildfire.

I just find them boring now though, like many have said, my tastes are broader and they arent a band that you can listen to for long.

I agree with you there. Sonata Arctica is a band that doesn't have a good 'listening life', at least for me. I mean, I can listen to a few songs here and there, but entire albums just don't capture my attention like they used to. Though, songs like 'Fullmoon' and 'Black Sheep' and 'Wolf & Raven' continue to be damn good, and it's because of those killers that I continue to call myself a fan.

Unia isn't getting any better for me, even after I've tried letting it grow on me and whatever. It point-blank sucks.

Yeh your pretty much like me.

Im going to put off buying the album for awhile i think, clearly im hardly going to enjoy it to the bad speculations from the fans so it can wait.

Well, you seem a lot disappointed by "Unia" .It's weird becaus Unia has been certified gold in Finland for sales in excess of 15,000 copies. This brings the band's total number of gold albums to seven, with their debut LP, "Ecliptica", and "best-of" compilation, "The Collection", reaching gold status in the past few weeks.

And what's this talking about reckoning night being a disappointment, I dont know about that. It's different from it's predecessors but songs like Don't say a word , White pearls black ocean , boy who wanted to be a real puppet and others are somehow lyrically so much more developed and emotional than the past hits. Only dissappointment SA has ever managed to done is Unia.

I think Sonata Arctica could find someone much better than Tony Kakko... he's okay, very good during his best moments. Technically though, I don't consider him to be a good vocalist, especially not live.

one of the best bands i really loved...

Written by Warman on 13.07.2007 at 16:12

I think Sonata Arctica could find someone much better than Tony Kakko... he's okay, very good during his best moments. Technically though, I don't consider him to be a good vocalist, especially not live.

Now what's wrong with Tony , you can't seriously say that he has a bad voice or are you just meaning his live performance

I love all of Sonata Arctica's albums EXCEPT Unia. They've been my favorite melodic power band since I got Ecliptica a few years back. Eventhough a lot of fans seemed to be disappointed with The Reckoning Night I still think it's a superb album. However, I can't get into Unia at all. There's no memorable melody, no out standing song and the lyric of some songs are down right ridiculous.

Well..at least they've given me 4 amazing albums to listen to so I still rank them as my favourite band. I just hope they can be back on track with the next album.

Written by [user id=24776] on 12.07.2007 at 19:25

And what's this talking about reckoning night being a disappointment, I dont know about that. It's different from it's predecessors but songs like Don't say a word , White pearls black ocean , boy who wanted to be a real puppet and others are somehow lyrically so much more developed and emotional than the past hits. Only dissappointment SA has ever managed to done is Unia.

Agree. Glad I'm not the only one who think that.

Written by [user id=24776] on 14.07.2007 at 18:33

Written by Warman on 13.07.2007 at 16:12

I think Sonata Arctica could find someone much better than Tony Kakko... he's okay, very good during his best moments. Technically though, I don't consider him to be a good vocalist, especially not live.

Now what's wrong with Tony , you can't seriously say that he has a bad voice or are you just meaning his live performance

Well, I surely don't consider him to be great... and yes, I mostly meant his live performances.

Written by Warman on 13.07.2007 at 16:12

I think Sonata Arctica could find someone much better than Tony Kakko... he's okay, very good during his best moments. Technically though, I don't consider him to be a good vocalist, especially not live.

Yah that's what I've been told...His live performances leave a lot to be desired. I couldn't believe it...well, in fact, I didn't want to :p Anyway, I'll find out by myself in November.

Written by Aylee_Bodom on 21.07.2007 at 01:46

Written by Warman on 13.07.2007 at 16:12

I think Sonata Arctica could find someone much better than Tony Kakko... he's okay, very good during his best moments. Technically though, I don't consider him to be a good vocalist, especially not live.

Yah that's what I've been told...His live performances leave a lot to be desired. I couldn't believe it...well, in fact, I didn't want to :p Anyway, I'll find out by myself in November.

Yes, we'll find out in November ... although I already saw Sonata Arctica live when they came last year supporting Doro. Actually, I found them amazing ("Eighth Commandment" and "FullMoon" were perfect and almost made me cry), although I missed "Wolf & Raven" in the end. I hope they will play that one in their Madrid gig.

I must say I'm shocked! All these months I've just been waiting for Jani to return to the gigs and still yesterday I wished he'd show up and play the gig. And now he'll never be part of Sonata Arctica anymore. Elias plays well and he's been a great replacement, so I guess I just have to get used to him being a full member of Sonata Arctica. Yesterday's gig was wonderful and no matter what people here say, I think Tony is a great singer both on the albums and live.

Sonata Arctica is a good band to listen to in small doses. They have several great songs, but , they are not the best power band ever. And I want to double Ernotar's statement on Jani and Elias.

Written by Ernotar on 06.08.2007 at 16:18

I must say I'm shocked! All these months I've just been waiting for Jani to return to the gigs and still yesterday I wished he'd show up and play the gig. And now he'll never be part of Sonata Arctica anymore. Elias plays well and he's been a great replacement, so I guess I just have to get used to him being a full member of Sonata Arctica. Yesterday's gig was wonderful and no matter what people here say, I think Tony is a great singer both on the albums and live.

Yeah it's sad Jani left. But anyhow, do you remember the set list?

I'm always so excited on the gigs that I tend to forget half of it. I try to put the songs I remember here (not in any order though).

In Black And White
Paid In Full
Victoria's Secret
Tallulah
FullMoon
Caleb
Black Sheep
It won't Fade
Don't Say A Word
The Cage
Vodka Song & Nukkumatti

For your information Woodsy, the Unia album is just one album, and they've said (or at least Tony, the mastermind) that there won't be another album like Unia. It's a once in a lifetime album. Something they needed to do, or else they wouldn't be today. They almost split-up after the Reckoning Night tour, and they needed to do something different. That's the whole thing about Unia. A different album. Not different in that way to "earn money" as many of you probably think now. But it's different as so they needed to do something other than the music they've played all the time before. We now what they can play, so they wanted to show another side of them, a side that we didn't knew. And by knowing that, you shouldn't give up on them just yet.

And about Jani, sure is a terrible loss. But that's the facts, and hopefully Elias will show up equally good. And if he hadn't been he sure wouldn't been chosen by the band as a replacement for Jani.

I were really surprised and dissapointed in Unia when I first time listened it through, but now after I have listened it through many times I find it quite interesting. It's good that they wanna try something new and hear them playing differend songs from old ones. But still I like Reckoning Night to be their best album. It's sad that Jani left and their music changed, but really this could (or will) start something new for that band. I have always been huge Sonata Arctica fan and I always will be. So I will really wait what they will do in the future.

Yeah too bad Jani left but as LostSoul said: what if this could mean something new (and better) for SA? It could happen you know. Changes aren't always bad

I managed to get my question through to one magazine where Tony was interviewed. I asked him, if the song "It Won't Fade" on the new album was written about Jani and he answered that it indeed is. He also said that they haven't seen each other in a long time with Jani, but if he'd see Jani somewhere, he'd have no problem talking with him. I'm glad to hear that the situation isn't as bad as it first sounded. I'm gonna see Sonata Arctica live once again in December and now I'll probably be able to welcome Elias to the band.

I personally love all the SA albums including Unia. I really didn't like Unia that much at first but it did indeed grow on me. It might even be my favorite but I refuse to state that so quickly with any new album. We shall see if it stands the test of time and is still my favorite album once the "newness" has worn off.

Don't get me wrong, I love the "safe" songs - i.e. the old, fast solorific ones you can mention in any metal forum without getting flamed. But I also have always loved the slower, more progressive songs that were not quite as obviously progressive as in Unia. To me it seems a rather natural progression for the band, it really doesn't seem that shocking. And honestly I'd be very bored if they made Wolf and Raven over and over again for ten years.

I do miss Jani though, no argement there!

I always stuck my nose up at Sonata Arctica but a few days ago (for some unknown reason) I gave "Silence" another go.. and I quite liked it..
thats all.. hahahaha

and they all lived happily ever after,
the end

MetalTeamUK.net recently conducted an interview with Tony Kakko discussing guitatrist's departure. You can find the interview here, and by clicking on the interview button on the left in the opened page.

Hate to be a drag but Unia flat out sucks. One of the worst albums ever, and I cannot see how it is even considered power metal, apart from the song "The Vice", which is pretty good. The rest of the album is just contemporary bullshit. It's nauseatingly bad.

Ecliptica is classic, and fucking rules. Silence is excellent as well, though not as good. Each album has consistently been worse than the one preceding it; to the point where they flat out suck. That's my 2 cents.

men i love sonata arctica and all, one of the best bands in the world but i have to say this, last album Unia sucks, is pure s**t, really gay songs, almost pop, im dissapointed, but i still waiting that the next album they take back teh old style again

Written by [user id=26018] on 04.10.2007 at 03:39

Hate to be a drag but Unia flat out sucks. One of the worst albums ever, and I cannot see how it is even considered power metal, apart from the song "The Vice", which is pretty good. The rest of the album is just contemporary bullshit. It's nauseatingly bad.

Written by [user id=21519] on 14.10.2007 at 06:02

men i love sonata arctica and all, one of the best bands in the world but i have to say this, last album Unia sucks, is pure s**t, really gay songs, almost pop, im dissapointed, but i still waiting that the next album they take back teh old style again

I strongly disagree with both of you. Unia is a disappointing album if you expected it to be another Power Metal blockbuster full of powerful, energetic, brilliant classics like San Sebastian, My Selene, Wolf & Raven or Kingdom for a Heart (my four favourite Sonata Arctica songs along with "UnOpened" and "Last Drop Falls"), and I am pretty sure that all of us are aware of this. Nevertheless, why should we consider it Power Metal? There are no extreme differences between fast and slow-paced rhythms, no catchy choruses except maybe in It Won't Fade, no surreal fantasy lyrics at all. In fact, Symphony X's new album, Paradise Lost, is much closer to Power Metal than this. In my opinion, if you feel forced to put Unia into a specific genre, it should be Heavy Metal with a remarkable touch of Prog. "Gay songs"? "Pop"? "Contemporary bullshit"? There are not so many albums like Unia, full of amazing keyboard ("Caleb", "The Vice") and bass mastery ("Paid in Full", "The Harvest"). My first overview of this album showed me how mature Sonata Arctica's sound had become since their last Reckoning Night, which I disliked in spite of those great songs, "Ain't Your Fairytale" and "My Selene". However, I agree that they have not written a decent ballad since The Misery (back in the "Winterheart's Guild" days), and The Worlds Forgotten, The Worlds Forbidden is undoubtedly their worst song. Ever.

Sonata Arctica is great on stage i just saw em last month and i was amazed. too bad jani left the band because he is like the most talented young guitar player,, or at least i believe that, yes even more than alexi i'd say at least more original. Ecliptica and Silence are masterpieces, Winterhearts and Reckoning night are ok but Unia mmmm i just like a few tracks

Quote:
I strongly disagree with both of you. Unia is a disappointing album if you expected it to be another Power Metal blockbuster full of powerful, energetic, brilliant classics like San Sebastian, My Selene, Wolf & Raven or Kingdom for a Heart (my four favourite Sonata Arctica songs along with "UnOpened" and "Last Drop Falls"), and I am pretty sure that all of us are aware of this. Nevertheless, why should we consider it Power Metal? There are no extreme differences between fast and slow-paced rhythms, no catchy choruses except maybe in It Won't Fade, no surreal fantasy lyrics at all. In fact, Symphony X's new album, Paradise Lost, is much closer to Power Metal than this. In my opinion, if you feel forced to put Unia into a specific genre, it should be Heavy Metal with a remarkable touch of Prog. "Gay songs"? "Pop"? "Contemporary bullshit"? There are not so many albums like Unia, full of amazing keyboard ("Caleb", "The Vice") and bass mastery ("Paid in Full", "The Harvest"). My first overview of this album showed me how mature Sonata Arctica's sound had become since their last Reckoning Night, which I disliked in spite of those great songs, "Ain't Your Fairytale" and "My Selene". However, I agree that they have not written a decent ballad since The Misery (back in the "Winterheart's Guild" days), and The Worlds Forgotten, The Worlds Forbidden is undoubtedly their worst song. Ever.

Dude yur are right in all that, its just that im really disapointed, they have excellents songs like wolf nad raven and all that songs you mentiones, but unia dont have a song like that, not a song that makes me feel excited, maybe its just a bad cd, im sure they will release a new album that have excellente song like the old ones, but for now, i just cant listen to unia, i just dont like it. we have different oppinions but i respect that