He has settled in quite nicely and does a great job in one of the most difficult positions for any band.Īfter the opening interlude Prelude To Reckoning, the band rips into the speedy Misplaced from Reckoning Night. Several albums back, they hired keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg which allowed vocalist Tony Kakko to step out from behind the keyboards to become the front man for the band. In a genre that was once dominated by Stratovarius, the consistent song writing and ever-improving sound of Sonata Arctica has many fans considering them to be a notch above their predecessors. Sonata Arctica have been a solid force in the speedy, melodic progressive metal genre ever since their amazing debut album Ecliptica in 1998. Those who have seen them know all too well just what a solid live band that Sonata Arctica is and with the camera angles, great live sound and a solid all-round set list, this is the next best thing to being there. Recorded in Tokyo Japan in February of 2005 on the Reckoning Night world tour, this gives fans of the band who have never seen them live a chance to see them in action. It's content with resting in the power metal garden as a slight variation from its siblings, one that will fascinate some and disinterest others.For The Sake Of Revenge marks the first live DVD release by the Finnish prog/power metal masters. Winterheart's Guild, by comparison, is less florally inclined. Ecliptica made them look like a standard bouquet, while Silence allowed them to rise with sharp hues aplenty. Sonata Arctica altered their approach on Winterheart's Guild just enough to be distinguishable from its predecessors, but not to the point of straying from their roots. At that point it begins to feel like settling into a new home as a child you're not so certain of the shift in territory, but in time, you become acquainted and learn to accept the change in both structure and color. There's less of that instant-satisfaction vibe Silence bathed itself in, which means Winterheart's Guild can benefit from repeat listenings. It's a double-edge sword, since more atmosphere means less excitement. Opener "Abandoned, Pleased, Brainwashed, Exploited" paints a representative picture of the entire album, showing that the band do have some grasp of restraint. A few moments aside, this was, at the time, the band's most composed album. Sonata Arctica strived for a more deliberate sound, swapping Silence's whim for method. Despite Winterheart's Guild's lack of exuberance, it managed to match (even succeed) its predecessors in one area: stylistic resolve. Otherwise, Winterheart's Guild offers few moments of surprise.Ĭuriously missing from this particular entry is a batch of pulse-pounding tracks, similar in vein to "Blank File," "Weballergy" and "Black Sheep." Remove "Champagne Bath" and the remaining material would be consistent enough to almost sound monotone. If only this bridge had been used on "The Misery" or "Broken," where the damage would've been easier to ignore. One of the few outright flamboyant moments is a comical shift in "Champagne Bath," turning it from a track of promise to a moment of disconcertment. That's not to say the grand, cheesy qualities characteristic of Sonata Arctica and their respective genre(s) were abandoned, they were just present without drawing as much attention. Winterheart's Guild sees Sonata Arctica separate a bit from their grandiose side and gravitate towards a bleaker shade, evidenced most prominently on "Gravenimage." A track like this would normally escalate on either Silence or Ecliptica, but here it turns to wallowing. Truth be told, such doubts wouldn't have been completely unfounded, either. But at the time, listener's couldn't be blamed if they held some degree of skepticism heading into Winterheart's Guild. Of course, anyone acquainted with Sonata Arctica's history knows this isn't necessarily the case. It was as if the turn of the century brought the fluke of a metal band immediately reaching their peak. In the span of just two albums, the Finnish act found an outfit of comfort and appeal. The band's sophomoric effort worked so effectively, it began to feel like a spoiling affair. Moving though Sonata Arctica's discography after Silence is an interesting experience. Review Summary: Maturation through repression.