Metal Reviews

There are no more typical fastpaced songs a la San Sebastian or Wolf and Raven since they definately decided to choose a much more progressive direction. Do you think they managed well to capture fresh new ideas with the new album and that this style change did only good for the band or do you wish they would have choosen a more typical SA sound? The first time i heard sonata arctica, i instantly fell in love with their music, however, this new one definately needs many spins and after hearing it the first time i must admit i was so disapointed that i probably only listened to it once after that. However, I am not really intrested in that kind of music and I don't think it is what I want to hear when I put on a SA record.

I dont think the new album is really all THAT bad, but for me it is their worst and I would have preferred more of the same from them, but thats not for me or anyone but the band members to decide, so whatever. I'll go elsewhere for my speed needs.

No I don't. Stick what you're good at and what got you into music. Don't sell out or be different for the sake of being different.



Edit - I am with silentman though, I don't think the new album is that bad.

No their new cds never leave my player for ages this one has.

No I don't.

I wish there was a "Kinda" option, but I chose yes. I think it could be much better, but I have nothing against trying new things because any real musician is going to get bored playing the same style all the time just to appease a few fans who like the previous style. That's almost as bad as selling out to commericalism in my eyes because it's maintaining a status quo just to avoid losing some fans' sales. If someone is a true musician, they're going to grow and experiment with ideas. That being said though, sometimes the result is disappointing not just due to fans being against the change, but also because said album may be mid-experimentation and not the final product of their upcoming plans. It may also include styles the band just doesn't end up being very good at in some cases.

I like much of the new album, but the new sound needs work if they really intend to be more of a progressive band.

NO MORE FAST SONGS?!

WHAT THE FUCK??

Nope. The new album has its moments, but overall it's their weakest outing by far. I hate to sound all conservative and narrow-minded, but I gotta say I miss the old speedy Sonata Arctica. I do like some of their older mid-paced songs as well, like My Land, The End of This Chapter and Broken, but for the most part it seems they've forgotten how to write those kind of songs too, unfortunately.

:[

Their fast songs were what they were all about. Their slow songs, albeit a little overwraght, were pretty good, but their fast songs delivered the serious Power Metal goods. I can't imagine having even a casual interest in a Sonata Arctica album with no fast songs.

I don't have a problem with the slower SA tracks they have some great ones on previous cds. At times I really don't know what they are trying to do with this cd it's such a mixture. Was listening to Rapsody's 2nd cd SOEL in car today first time in ages and it's so much better then their latest stuff suppose some bands change for the better but a lot for the worst.

I prefer the older stuff, but Unia is pretty cool.

i am one of the guys who thinks that they have gone downhill since Ecliptica.

Ecliptica had the faster and most out there songs. Then Silence came and had some still fast but not as fast and out there songs. Then Winterhearts had a bit of speed, but more traditional power metal style. never bothered with reckoning, and i listened to unia at a party and didn't care for it.

I want the copy this guy reviewed? mine must be different.

http://www.revelationz.net/index.asp?ID=2254

"Jaw droppingly complex compositions like 'My Dreams...' and 'The World's Forgotten...' seem to follow thick and fast, overtaking our ability to keep up, tipping our poor brains into meltdown."



"No question, 'Unia' is Sonata Arctica's magnum opus."

To answer your question, his copy was the japanese version, not that it matters much. But I would also like to quote a few more lines from that site/review to add to your quotes.


and later...


For me, I've never felt excited about SA's music until this last album. It's all a matter of personal taste.

What the hell? Complex? No, boring is the word for it. What a douche.

Well I have never felt so unexcited listening to one of their albums.
Their first three got me excited played them to death.

Unia is on my top albums of the year right now? how can you not like it?

Wait... I'm confused. Are you asking us if... or are you... I'm just confused.

There's no standout tracks. Actually there are hardly any parts on the album that stands out, mostly it's all just a grey mess, floating together to form a motionless and unispired whole. What used to be good about Sonata, the catchy melodies, intense speed and the big choruses are gone. What is left is.. well, nothing much really.

Unia may not be in my top metal albums of the year, but its not as bad as what some people are saying. And the ones who are giving it the worst rap are the ones who wishes every album was exactly like Ecliptica. It is Tony Kakko himself who didnt want any fast songs on this album. It was Tony Kakko himself who said he didnt want every album to repeat the previous ones.

To call Unia motionless and uninspired is laughable. Unia held my interest better than it did their last two albums, but i'm not saying that it is better than those albums. I thought it was refreshing to hear something different from Sonata Arctica, rather the same stuff over and over.

Unia still has some catchy melodies, but just not as many as before. No speedy songs...thats fine. The album is suited better without them. Imagine how more chaotic and unstructured the songs could have been if they were fast, it wouldnt have worked at all. Yeah there are parts which didnt work, whether it was just overdone or too much going on, but the ones that did are pretty good. You just need a bit of time for it to grow on you. Im not saying its a masterpiece...i'm just saying thats its better than whats being said about it around here. 72-75/100

My review on this album will be up on metalcdratings sometime in mid-July