Sonata Arctica preview

Sonata Arctica
Metro, Chicago
Friday, September 21, 2007

Some time ago, the editorial staff at Illinois Entertainer received a few scathing, handwritten letters scolding our coverage choices. It seems this fellow, who didn’t bother backing his criticism with a name, felt CD reviews by acts like “Scoop The Poop Dogg” were pointless when you could simply fill your pages with the latest and greatest from the Nordic heavy metal scene. One act in particular he was extremely upset we hadn’t dedicated ink to was Finland power metalers Sonata Arctica. Well, this one is for you, buddy!

We wonder, though, what our anonymous pen pal thinks of Sonata Arctica’s new album, Uria (Nuclear Blast). Because apparently it has some longtime fans groaning. They don’t like the commercialism, it seems, of songs like “Under Your Tree” and “Paid In Full.” Too slick; too hooky; too hard rock for their favorite power metalers, they say. Not fast enough and not thrashy enough are two more arguments being made on various metal message boards. Vocalist/keyboardist Tony Kakko is obviously receiving the brunt of it – he writes most the material – and now that longtime guitarist Jani Liimatainen is gone, it could only get worse for him. Liimatainen was one of the band’s founders in 1996 (then going by the ridiculous Tricky Beans), but was cut loose earlier this year, possibly due to his failure to fulfill his military duty in Finland, and the subsequent turmoil it caused the Sonata Arctica. Finland’s military operates on a conscription system where all males older than 18 years are required to serve between six and 12 months. Elias Viljanen has assumed Liimatainen’s vacated position.

The Agonist and Cellador open.

– Trevor Fisher

Click here to download Sonata Arctica’s “In Black And White.”

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly