Sonata Arctica was once penned as a bubbly happy rival to country mates and fellow power pomp rockers, Stratovarius. Six albums later and the label is not so certain anymore. Actually, it fell completely off and someone stepped on it. This band has come light years away from that first debut disc, but with a natural progression that one could see coming after the more contemplative masterwork called "Unia" from 2007. Their latest delves into a darker array of emotions and tells a few tales along the way in "The Days of Grays", which is rather content to stay in that inbetween shade without poking into the abyss in black or the ecstacy of white.

For production, the disc is crystal clear, even when they are pushing the established boundaries with breaking ground tracks like "Zeroes" which disregards a great deal of power metal cliches. This one warps all the conventions (including the vocal lines) and blasts a perverse amount of effects, settling into a punkish pop modern metal conclusion. It's just as confused as the listener and manages to also be intriguing as well. Tony Kakko can sing - he can sing most singers under the table and beyond with his rich voice that is dappled in emotion. Emotion that washes over your heart and pulls the strings of your soul out and just breaks them, when the fancy overtakes him that is. Kakko's singing is always enchanting, whether it is to advance the depression in one of those hopeless ballads or kicking along at an incredible pace and playing a miraculous number of parts as in "Deathaura". Johanna Kurkela adds another layer of shadow with her counterpoint female vocals that are sultry, inviting and just the slightest bit fey. Guitars are spot on, keyboards are set to stun as on "No Dream Can Heal A broken Heart", and the rhythm section is as tight as ever. Epics are on hand and in full force as well. There is no doubt this is Sonata, it's just a solemn, grown up version of the band.

And why not? "Juliet" can be tagged as macably strange and beautiful, a one-sided love about a stalker, yet it retains their trademarks through it all.  Trippy sections that seem as warped as the tale told, drums thumping grandly, and a grand twisting serpentine feel throughout. "Flag In the Ground" is pure progressive touched power metal, lean and crackling through its adrenaline high as a kind of double drumming madness seeps in.  Dynamite epic and harking back to those "Winterhearts Guild" days of yore. "The Last AmaZing Grays" also whips along at light speed and features at its heart, a popping chorus and great performances all around.

Then there's "Breathing" which unremorsefully snaps your heart into and stomps on it, for its melancholic broken feel that is brought to life so gorgeously by Kakko. His performance makes the song and takes your breath away and doesn't give it back. Poignant and lovely, it is so very morosely gray. The creepy music box opener of "As If The World Wasn't Ending" explodes into an array of haughty, progressive balladry.

"Deathaura" is perhaps the album's keystone, being a much more daring tune than the offbeat "Zeroes", and by the time it reaches its finale, one feels a sense of absolute exhaustion. As progressive as anything heard lately, and taking those elements to its extremes, "Deathaura" plays out like a love story and a witch hunt. Drawing you into its world is the female vocals of Johanna who casts the warning amongst an atmosphere of anticipation, before the song whirls you away on a fantastic journey through witch burning, damnation and heresy. Wicked pacing, time changes, frenetic periods that border on madness, and a strangely addictive guitar solo buried amongst the changing winds of this rapid, epic tornado, "Deathaura" is not easily digested, nor forgotten. It seems fashioned from pieces of Blind Guardian and Nightwish and is simply fantastic for those that have the patience and tenacity to stay with it till its end.

And then there is "In the Dark" which is a kind of gorgeous magic.  Those that bought the U.S. version of this album are going to be crying into their CD case and liner notes, because it does NOT include this song.  Only the Europeans get this track, and it is a damn shame, because Sonata fans are missing what is likely one of the greatest things they have ever released. It blends this moody atmosphere set by heart throbbing bass and thick rhythm riffing, centered expertly with the magnificent, elegant vocals of Kakko.  Tony absolutely outdoes himself here, bringing a world of love, passion and magic alive by creating this romantic, mystical universe with a bold brush of that lovely moon. The chorus is a sparkling spiderweb of vocals glittering across the thick, harsh guitar chords and the weaving keyboards. A bonus track, but an essential song for the album.  "You can have my broken midnight moon, if you give me  your broken heart, and I will give you something real and golden, we can make this life the finest art..."

"The Days of Grays" is an ambitious disc that seems to have no happy moments, no sunshines and rainbows, and certainly no wistful "Kingdoms for a Heart". Yet it does dissect relationships like one would poke and prod detachedly at insect remains simply for the curiosity of that which is dead and dying, or hopelessly broken as relationships often find themselves in death's throes. Death is also a key theme in the lyrics and love beyond life. Kakko's performance here is absolutely outstanding, and continues the trend from "Unia" of being the dominating force of the disc. This is one contemplative power/progressive combo that you surely cannot afford to miss, and an outstanding accomplishment for Sonata Arctica.

Written by Alanna
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
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Ratings

Alanna: 9/10

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