Being one of the top European heavy/power metal acts entails sacrifices, consistency & inspiration. Sonata Arctica have proved all these years, since 1999, that they had what it takes to go further. Since, “Ecliptica” is considered to be a “classic” heavy/power metal album, not only by me, but also time has shown so… they’ve got nothing to prove to anyone any longer.
I have been following the band since their debut… but I always had in mind they could release something without staying on the European heavy/power safe waters. They have set the pace in every album they have released… but for the sake of their die-hard fans they didn’t think or they weren’t bold enough to try out something like that in the previous years. Deep inside, I was quite sure they would do it one day… they owned it to themselves as well as the fans, who like evolution and musical variety; in a few words, a different yet metal album.
I think this time came… and “Stones Grow Her Name” may be diverse but not quite exactly what we (I) had been waiting for from SA. This is indeed a varied work as it has heavy, power, melodic, folk, atmospheric & progressive pieces of music… but it lacks creativity, imagination & catchiness. Certain songs like: “I Have A Right” (amazing song with smart lyrics – one of the best SA have delivered in years), the touching ballad “Don’t Be Mean” & the wonderful emotional tune “Alone in Heaven” are stunning and represent the variety of the album… some others like: the pop metal “Shitload of Money”, the odd “Cinderblox” with the use of banjo (!) are truly unlucky moments and insipid songs generally… while the rest: “Only The Broken Hearts (Make You Beautiful)”, the cover to “Losing My Insanity” (originally by Ari Koivunen, although Tony kakko was one of the songwriters), “Somewhere Close To You”, “The Day”, “Wildfire, Part II - One With The Mountain” & “Wildfire, Part III - Wildfire Town, Population 0” (we never meant Sonata to go progressive… but more melodious and heavy-not so power metal)… are rather indifferent, generic & not memorable.
I had been waiting for over a decade now a new, fresh, diverse, heavy, inspired & melodic album by Sonata Arctica… and even though “Stones Grow Her Name” is rather on the right way… it does not have the consistent songwriting, the imagination and the inspiration so as to be that fantastic & groundbreaking album… I was longing for at least. There are two ways for SA from now on… whether they continue the path they have taken with “Stones Grow Her Name”, fix any faults and deliver an inspiring work by any means or they go back to their safe previous path… and keep delivering just good Euro heavy/power music in order to please the power metal freaks and keep it going… I’m actually curious to see… which road they will choose to go to…
I have been following the band since their debut… but I always had in mind they could release something without staying on the European heavy/power safe waters. They have set the pace in every album they have released… but for the sake of their die-hard fans they didn’t think or they weren’t bold enough to try out something like that in the previous years. Deep inside, I was quite sure they would do it one day… they owned it to themselves as well as the fans, who like evolution and musical variety; in a few words, a different yet metal album.
I think this time came… and “Stones Grow Her Name” may be diverse but not quite exactly what we (I) had been waiting for from SA. This is indeed a varied work as it has heavy, power, melodic, folk, atmospheric & progressive pieces of music… but it lacks creativity, imagination & catchiness. Certain songs like: “I Have A Right” (amazing song with smart lyrics – one of the best SA have delivered in years), the touching ballad “Don’t Be Mean” & the wonderful emotional tune “Alone in Heaven” are stunning and represent the variety of the album… some others like: the pop metal “Shitload of Money”, the odd “Cinderblox” with the use of banjo (!) are truly unlucky moments and insipid songs generally… while the rest: “Only The Broken Hearts (Make You Beautiful)”, the cover to “Losing My Insanity” (originally by Ari Koivunen, although Tony kakko was one of the songwriters), “Somewhere Close To You”, “The Day”, “Wildfire, Part II - One With The Mountain” & “Wildfire, Part III - Wildfire Town, Population 0” (we never meant Sonata to go progressive… but more melodious and heavy-not so power metal)… are rather indifferent, generic & not memorable.
I had been waiting for over a decade now a new, fresh, diverse, heavy, inspired & melodic album by Sonata Arctica… and even though “Stones Grow Her Name” is rather on the right way… it does not have the consistent songwriting, the imagination and the inspiration so as to be that fantastic & groundbreaking album… I was longing for at least. There are two ways for SA from now on… whether they continue the path they have taken with “Stones Grow Her Name”, fix any faults and deliver an inspiring work by any means or they go back to their safe previous path… and keep delivering just good Euro heavy/power music in order to please the power metal freaks and keep it going… I’m actually curious to see… which road they will choose to go to…
