85%
Sonata Arctica—Silence (2001)
Details
Recorded at Tico Tico Studio during autumn 2000 and spring 2001. Mixed and mastered at Finnvox Studios in April 2001. I reviewed the 2008 remastered edition.
Band
- Tony Kakko—Vocals and keyboards (additional)
- Mika Niilonen—Spoken parts.
- Jani Liimatainen—Guitars
- Marko Paasikoski—Bass
- Mikko Härkin—Keyboards
- Mikko Karmila—Grand piano on tracks 4 and 11
- Tommy Portimo—Drums
Tracks
- …of silence
- Weballergy
- False news travel fast
- The end of this chapter
- Black sheep
- Land of the free
- Last drop falls
- San Sebastian (revisited)
- Sing in silence
- Revontulet (instrumental)
- Tallulah
- Wolf & raven
- The power of one
Review
More of the same from Finland’s power metal quartet (now a quintet on this album). Melodic, poppy AOR-style, Helloween-flavoured power metal with power ballads aplenty and souring, widdly guitar solos.
The album opens with “…of silence” (track 1): padding keyboards and a mildly cheesy spoken vocal. “… of Stonehenge”.
“Weballergy” (track 2) is the sequel to the opening track from their debut, “Blank file”, which continues the theme of web privacy.
There are some nice mid-paced songs such as “Sing in silence” (track 9) and “Tallulah” (track 11) which really help break up the album and introduce a new dimension and depth to Sonata Arctica’s sound.
“The power of one” (track 14)—which was originally the album’s closing track, and lasts 11′ 36″—it closes with white noise, then silence, and then a few seconds before the track ends, a deep voice speaks something like “I didn’t fucking touch the mic, hold on!”
Conclusion
For a tricky second album, Sonata Arctica seemed to have pulled this off pretty well. In many ways it’s a solid continuation of the good work put into their debut Ecliptica (1999).
I’d be interested to hear what they are doing now.
Review score: 85%