Sonata Arctica

Silence

Power-Prog at its finest.

Review Score:

(10/10)
Where Dream Theater meets Blind Guardian. Stratovarius going through a wormhole. Video game music from a much cooler universe.

I'm trying to come up with a way to accurately describe the music on "Silence," a 62-minute (well, 62 minutes and 2 seconds to be precise) offering of . . . something . . . from Finnish metal masters Sonata Arctica. This album is brilliant. Where should I begin?

Should I talk about the top-notch musicianship? The soaring, emotion-drenched vocals? The seizure-inducing lead guitar work? The solid rhythm section and stunning synth soundscapes that underly every track? The personal, real-world lyrics (which come as a breath of fresh air for this genre; don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Blind Guardian, but the fantasy lyrics can get kind of goofy after a while)?

This album is everything prog- and power-metal should be. Complex, emotional, intense, and melodic. The surprisingly young Jani Liimatainen is one of the most impressive guitarists I've heard so far. If you don't believe me, check out "Black Sheep" and "Wolf & Raven."

And where would any power-prog band be without a soft side? Sonata Arctica is one of the few bands I've listened to lately that can play a really emotional piano-ballad without sounding really, really cheesy. That's an accomplishment in and of itself.

There is one minor blemish on this otherwise amazing listening experience: the intro to "The End Of This Chapter" may very well be one of the corniest, cheesiest, downright stupidest things I've ever heard on a recording. But DO NOT let that deter you from buying this album. 30 seconds of cheese to 61:32 of genius ain't a bad ratio.

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