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Sonata Arctica: Talviyo

Melodic Progressive Metal

4.5/5.0

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Nuclear Blast Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 28.08.2019 | Released: 06.09.2019

Once more we return to Finland to revisit with long serving melodic metal band, Sonata Arctica. It seems hard to believe 20 years have passed since they dropped their debut album, Ecliptica. Now the band returns with their tenth studio project, Talviyo, Finnish for winter night.

Sonata Arctica

With one spin, you'll rediscover Sonata Arctica's musical creativity. In the past, I might have referred to their music as traditional European power metal, filled with speed and gusto. But lately Sonata Arctica has been giving us songs with some diversity, ranging from more melodic metal rock to melodic progressive metal. Certainly songs such as Message From The Sun and Whirlwind can have some brisk pacing, but they also reverberate with rock rhythm and groove. A song like A Little Less Understanding twists heaviness and speed into a melodic metal rock tune which offers both a catchy melody and chorus for near AOR accessibility. The song is bound to be regular on their live set list, and a fan favorite.

With Who Failed The Most and Demon's Cage you'll find the arrangements led and driven by a bright piano melody, with both songs blurring the line between melodic and progressive metal. For something almost entirely different there's The Last Of The Lambs, essentially mellow and subtle symphonic rock. Perhaps the best conclusion is to simply say that the songs within Sonata Arctica's Talviyo are both eclectic and creative, making the album an intriguing and entertaining listen. Easily recommended.

Eighteenth Hour: Eighteenth Hour

Melodic Heavy Rock

4.5/5.0

About an hour due north and east of Dangerdog HQ lies Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, home to local rock n roll heroes Eighteenth Hour. While they may not be a ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

The songs within Sonata Arctica's Talviyo are both eclectic and creative, making the album an intriguing and entertaining listen. Easily recommended.

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]