UNIA- A REVIEW BY ADDY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SPECS
Released May 25, 2007
Recorded December 2006-January 2007
Genre Power metal
Length 58:34
Label Nuclear Blast
THE BAND
NAME: Tony Kakko
INSTRUMENT: Vocals, Keyboards
DATE OF BIRTH: May 16th 1975
PRESENTLY LIVING IN: ... Read review
In Black and White Paid in Full For The Sake Of Revenge It Won't Fade Under Your Tree ... more
Caleb The Vice My Dream's But A Drop Of Fuel For A Nightmare The Harvest To Create A Warlike Feel (digi pack bonus track) The Worlds Forgotten The Words Forbidden Fl...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: It is Sonata Arctica.......just Disadvantages: Changed their style for this album, what a shame
UNIA- A REVIEW BY ADDY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
==SPECS==
Released May 25, 2007
Recorded December 2006-January 2007
Genre Power metal
Length 58:34
Label Nuclear Blast
==THE BAND==
NAME: Tony Kakko
INSTRUMENT: Vocals, Keyboards
DATE OF BIRTH: May 16th 1975
PRESENTLY LIVING IN: Finland
JOINED SONATA ARCTICA: 1996
...BIRTH: September 5th 1981
PRESENTLY LIVING IN: Kemi
JOINED SONATA ARCTICA: Original member
NAME: Marko Paasikoski
INSTRUMENT: Bass
DATE OF BIRTH: June 10th 1978
PRESENTLY LIVING IN: Kemi, Finland
JOINED SONATA ARCTICA: Summer 2000
NAME: Henrik "Lance" Klingenberg
INSTRUMENT: Keyboards
DATE OF BIRTH: October 21st 1978
PRESENTLY LIVING IN: Kokkola more
UNIA- A REVIEW BY ADDY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SPECS
Released May 25, 2007 Recorded December 2006-January 2007 Genre Power metal Length 58:34 Label Nuclear Blast
THE BAND
NAME: Tony Kakko INSTRUMENT: Vocals, Keyboards DATE OF BIRTH: May 16th 1975 PRESENTLY LIVING IN: Finland JOINED SONATA ARCTICA: 1996
NAME: Tommy Portimo INSTRUMENT: Drums DATE OF BIRTH: September 5th 1981 PRESENTLY LIVING IN: Kemi JOINED SONATA ARCTICA: Original member
NAME: Marko Paasikoski INSTRUMENT: Bass DATE OF BIRTH: June 10th 1978 PRESENTLY LIVING IN: Kemi, Finland JOINED SONATA ARCTICA: Summer 2000
NAME: Henrik "Lance" Klingenberg INSTRUMENT: Keyboards DATE OF BIRTH: October 21st 1978 PRESENTLY LIVING IN: Kokkola
NAME: Elias "E.Vil" Viljanen INSTRUMENT: Guitar DATE OF BIRTH: 8th of July 1975 PRESENTLY LIVING IN: Pirkkala
TRACK LISTINGS
"In Black and White" − 5:03 "Paid in Full" − 4:24 "For the Sake of Revenge" − 3:23 "It Won't Fade" − 5:58 "Under Your Tree" − 5:14 "Caleb" − 6:16 "The Vice" − 4:08 "My Dream's but a Drop of Fuel for a Nightmare" − 6:13 "The Harvest" − 4:18 "To Create a Warlike Feel" − 5:03 "The Worlds Forgotten, the Words Forbidden" − 2:57 "Fly with the Black Swan" − 5:08 "Good Enough Is Good Enough" − 5:32 "They Follow" − 4:50 "Out in the Fields (Gary Moore cover)" − 4:06 "My Dream's but a Drop of Fuel for a Nightmare - Instrumental" − 7:11
MY OPINION
I admit i may be being a little harsh, but i was disappointed quite by this album. The fact of the matter is that Sonata Arctica are my favourite band and i love all their other albums. Yet, sadly this album is different from all the rest. Unlike the bands other albums this one seems darker, harder and even much more moodier. I adore the diversity of the power metal ballads and more uptempo tracks from prior albums with tracks such as "Full Moon", "Last Drop Falls" and "Tallulah" but this album is just so different.
It may feel wonderful to Sonata Arctica to be re-inventing themselves, but i am of the opinion "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" I rushed to buy this album but if you feel you must own it, pay as cheap as possible. If you are a great fan of the older Sonata Arctica stuff be warned you may be disappointed. In its own right it is ok as an album and thus those buying this as a first Sonata Arcitica album and not being familiar with their other work will likely enjoy it, but for me a big thumbs down.
Advantages: Great first half, slight new direction for the band. Disadvantages: Second half is not so good.
While Unia is a great album in its own right, it is a little different to the previous albums. It almost feels like it is split into 2 halves. When i first listened to it the songs on the first half (before "The harvest") are quite catchy after a few listens but in a different way to the catchyness of Ecliptica and Winterhearts guild. There seems to be a much darker feel to the rest of the album with a lot more tense, minor, dischordant almost and ... ...the final song "Good enough is good enough" which takes you back to "Tallulah" but with less piano and more strings. If you like songs that are more like "Wildfire" then "The vice" is a great song to listen to, but if you are a fan of the more meaningful love-esque songs then definately "For the sake of revenge" and "Paid in full" which could practically lead on to each other themewise. If you like storytelling songs like "White Pearl Black Oceans" ...
klelvin 10.07.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Unia - Sonata Arctica
Advantages: Catchy, well produced Disadvantages: off the bands beaten track, takes getting used to
For Sonata Arctica this album is... unusual. Not they're the most normal band in the world to begin with, but this.... is plain wierd!
I bought the album thinking it was going to be more of their trademark high speed power metal, but its really not... its more geared towards the technical side of things - changes from 4/4 to 3/4 and back again, lots of - as tony once put it - vocal masturbation, and suprisingly catchy lyrics.
Most sonata albums ... ...scruff of the neck and shaken them into submission while the pretty colours went off in your synapses. This one, on the other hand, takes a while to get settled in, and takes some getting used to. Give it a few listens before you make your mind up and you'll find yourself walkign along humming the tunes without realising it!
So, their most unusual offering to date, but probably the most successful in my eyes - Brilliant vocals, catchy rhythms and ...
demonbarak 15.05.2008
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Unia - Sonata Arctica
Advantages: Amazing musical talent is certainly displayed here. Disadvantages: Some tracks seem a little misplaced.
...riffs and growls of singing. Unia takes more of a relaxed pace, taking you hand-in-hand through it's tracks and gently guiding you through. You will not get instant gratification with this album, but give it a chance and a few more listens and you'll certainly reap the rewards. Excellent production value and an almost dream-like quality to the songs, Unia is something that deserves to be listened to more than once. ...
MirrorSarie 09.09.2009
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Unia - Sonata Arctica
Originality
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Quality and consistency...
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Reviews which might be of interest for "Unia - Sonata Arctica"
Advantages: Has some songs that are worth listening to Disadvantages: Not as good as previous work
This album has been both praised and critisized by long term SonataArctica fans and if you are a first time listener, I would recommend listening to "Ecliptica" or "Silence", which are two of their earlier albums and will give you a taste of the type of music that they usually produce.
This album is different from the others that they have made. The others you could just listen to once and they would be instantly memorable and incredibly compelling. Unia may take a while to settle into, but when you have listened to it a few times, you begin to understand the subtleties that the band have integrated into their songs and gives us more reason to praise them for being one of the best power metal bands in the world. It may not seem like it at first, but they still have their fast paced, heart racing songs and dark, lyrical ballads that ...
Sonata Arctica: Tony Kakko (vocals, keyboards); Jani Liimatainen (guitar); Henrik Klingenberg (Hammond b-3 organ, keyboards); Marko Paasikoski (bass guitar); Tommy Portimo (drums). Additional personnel: JARKKO MARTIKAINEN (vocals); Milla V (spoken vocals); Peter Engberg (acoustic guitar, bouzouki, cavaquinho, harp); Kati Nienela (violin, viola); Elar Kuiv (violin); Anna-Lenna Kangas (viola); Thomas Airola (cello); Oskari Hannula (double bass); Tarja Vanhala, Tuomas Airola, Starbuck.
Titles on disc 1
1.
In Black And White
2.
Paid In Full
3.
For The Sake Of Revenge
4.
It Won't Fade
5.
Under Your Tree
6.
Caleb
7.
Vice
8.
My Dreams
9.
Havest
10.
Worlds Forgotten The Worlds Forbidden
11.
Fly With The Black Swan
12.
Good Enough Is Good Enough
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
03/05/2007
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