I’m no more a connoisseur of cheese than I am an expert on power metal, but I do know that as far as cheesy power metal-ness goes, Sonata Arctica are the stilton of such things. Yet, I will readily admit to having a soft spot for the Finns, having seen the band twice (of my own accord, I hasten to add) and owning several of their albums. It was their 2004 release Reckoning Night that introduced me to the band, enchanting me with their child-like world of wonder and fairy-tale-esque charm of songs like ‘The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Real Puppet,’ and if I had to choose just one power metal album to take with me to a desert island, this would without a doubt be the one I would choose.
I’m well aware that many of the power metal elite will refute me on this, arguing that their earlier stuff is where it’s at and sure enough they have done some great songs throughout their career. The likes of ‘Wolf and Raven’ ‘Victoria’s Secret’ and ‘8th Commandment’ cannot be faulted and so it was a real shame to see the standards decline with 2007’s uber-disappointing ‘Unia.’ Any band with the longevity to last 10+ years is allowed one turkey, for which they will be forgiven once they bounce back with a redeeming follow up and I was all willing to give Sonata Arctica the benefit of the doubt and really prayed I would be able to shower a heap of praise upon this album, but alas with The Days Of Greys we see the boys have slid from colour, to black and white…and have faded to a turgid shade of grey.
I’m not one to judge quality of song purely on speed, and I’d take something mid-paced but exciting any day over the stuff that is speedy but soulless (not that I would have ever accused SA of being soulless). Once upon a time Sonata Arctica were known for lightning fast solos and racing keyboard flourishes that put Mozart to shame, and it was to be expected that sooner or later they would grow up and slow down to a pace less exhaustive. That’s fine with me; Reckoning Night was certainly a sign of a band that had matured and evolved past that crude obsession with speed and it paid off.
To be perfectly frank, this is all rather dreary. Take ‘Breathing’ for example, which is so bland I almost wish I would stop breathing! The ballad has long been a staple of the SA oeuvre and they have always done these exceptionally well but the ballads on this album are really lacking the verve of the likes of ‘Talullah,’ and rather tracks such as ‘Juliet’ plods along peripatetically….and let’s just say I never thought I’d compare any metal vocalist to Ronan Keating, but on hearing ‘As If The World Wasn’t Ending’ I am proven wrong!
I do find a few of the numbers here grow on me after a few listens. ‘Deathaura’ especially has a dreamy, childlike wonder that is owed largely to the fairytale keyboards and pretty female vocals while it soon kicks in with symphonic bombast. The female vocals are a nice touch here, and on ‘No Dream Can Heal A Broken Heart’ I do like the folksy delivery. This track also has a fairly heavy guitar sound that plays off against the symphonic keyboards which add atmosphere and are a pleasant reminder of what the band used to be. ‘The Last Amazing Greys’ is equally a sign that it’s not all bad, as a rather nice symphonic layer winds around the core elements which come off with a sturdy crunch. It has the iridescence that too much here is lacking; it’s as pretty and sparkly as any diamond and once it gets going it’s deliriously catchy.
‘Flag In The Ground’ returns to a fast pace that Sonata Arctica fans will recognise though it just lacks some of the spark of older songs. As ever Tony Kakko’s vocals are well executed and saccharine in delivery, but it’s a shame the songwriting is no longer doing them any justice and sadly I have to say that I will not be buying this album when it gets official release, and rather I will continue to enjoy their older albums and live performances and create a world of delirium where Sonata Arctica still haven’t lost it.
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