Over the years there is no doubt that Sonata Arctica have released some really powerful melodic metal albums, but it is also true they have released some which have not really been up to standard, and their last album, 2019’s ‘Talviyö’ is one of those. Given they have had the same line-up since 2013, and this was the third from the same musicians it did have me worried they had lost their way as opposed to having a blip. It has been five years since then (excluding the two acoustic releases), and here we find the band moving in a more symphonic direction which is also far more commercial (and make same think of Abba for some weird reason).

This is a band who started off in the power metal scene who somehow are keeping the punch and drive but have also moved far more into pop. Take “Dark Empath” for example, there are some powerful elements here and there but also plenty of instances where it sounds very much as if it has been designed to be played on daytime radio. The guys originally formed as long ago as 1996, changing names a few times, and back when they were Tricky Beans they were more into pop/rock than Stratovarius-inspired power metal with hints of Nightwish, and in many ways it appears they are reverting. This is not an unpleasant album, but it is not what I expect from these guys as they are pushing the metal too far to one side, and while I prefer this to the last one I wish we could hear more of ‘Ecliptica’ in what they are doing as when they let rip they show there is still a great metal band here attempting to break the shackles of pop.

Rating: 7/10

Links:
https://www.sonataarctica.info/
https://label.atomicfire-records.com/