First thing I like about this CD is that it carries 17 tracks, which nowadays you find albums carry less and less tracks for your hard earned cash. This album also come with an additional bonus CD with the music video of Wolf & Raven a gritty more harder progressive metal track, with nice speed guitaring. It most certainly gets the head going. There is also a live on stage showing of 8th Commandment and My land. Both are well recorded considering it is a live concert performance recording.
The first three tracks of the music CD are more uptempo earthy tracks, with Tony Kakko showing the real power of his quality voice. There is some real nice heavier guitaring in these tracks also. Then follows a couple of Sonata Arctica's ballads Victoria's Secret and Tallulah, very classy tracks, nice soft stuff. This album also contains one of my favourite tracks Full Moon, which is a story about a Werewolf. This particular track was used in Pop Idol by one of the winners, it was as I recall Pop Idol Finland. {YOUTUBE shows the video's of this}.
Also on the album is one of my other favourite tracks Last Drop Falls, In one of his concerts Kakko describes this as underwear music. Last drop falls is a slightly heavier ballad about a man who is in love with a philanderous woman, and the song is graphic about her whorish ways. The reference to underwear music comes from the lines in the track where it says, "Everytime I step aside, your ready for another ride, walking in the cool night air, without underwear". The rest of the CD has an healthy balance of many of Sonata Arctica's best music, and it also contains an updated 2006 version of Replica.
This album is a must have for any Sonata Arctica fan but if you have not heard of them before I ask you what are you waiting for? Indulge! One of the wonderful things about power metal is that there is none of the yelling, growling, or shouting. Power metal relies largely on great vocals, and most singers are classically trained. Sometimes the music is slightly speedy and melodic, or anthemic and very catchy. Many power metal bands sing about fantasy things like elves, swords, dragons, etc. The majority of Sonata Arctica music is life orientated, and deals with issues of love, and exceeding yourself, or the passion for a beautiful place etc.
TRACK LISTINGS: The Ruins Of My Life 8th Commandment Don't Say A Word Victoria's Secret Tallulah Wolf & Raven Black Sheep Broken Kingdom For A Heart FullMoon My Land {2006}** The Cage Last Drop Falls UnOpened San Sebastian {Revisited} Ain't Your Fairytale Replica {2006}**
**Previously unreleased tracks
Pictures of Collection 1996-2006, The - Sonata Arctica
Replica
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Aug 23rd, 2007
(Nov 2nd, 2007)
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