Sonata Arctica – Clear Cold Beyond
Reviewed By: Georgina Strilakos
Review Score: 9.0
Finnish Power Metal combo Sonata Arctica formed in 1995, and it didn’t take long for the group to jump to the forefront of the Scandinavian scene.
The group’s complex and ambitious sound is quite remarkable, especially considering the band actually started as Tricky Beans when they were playing hard rock tunes! Needless to say, they eventually settled into a different musical identity, fully embracing their power metal persona to great effect and acclaim.
Led by vocalist and songwriter Tony Kakko, Sonata Arctica‘s music continued to evolve, embracing traditional heavy metal elements with power influences, meaning a stronger focus on melody and song arrangement. Inspired by fellow Finnish bands such as Stratovarius, the group combined their metal core with other elements, including grandiose orchestral scores, symphonic arrangements, and even synthesizers, in order to add more layers to its sound.
The group’s most recent studio work, Clear Cold Beyond, Is a perfect example of the band’s ongoing search for size and depth in its music. The album is going to be the group’s eleventh full-length, marking a huge milestone for the band.
Clear Cold Beyond features eleveb songs, including the single ‘First In Line’, which was actually released on October 12, 2023. With this record, the band expressed a desire to return to a heavier sound after exploring more of its textural side in some of its previous works. In light of a return to live performances, the group especially felt the need for some high-energy material that would have an impact on stage.
The single ‘First In Line’ is a perfect example of how the band approaches their aforementioned mission statement, as it packs a huge punch from the get-go. The fast-paced drum intro follows a melodic yet energetic segment, where orchestral elements blend in with big rhythm guitars and roaring bass tones.
The vocals come in at about thirty-eight seconds in, soaring through the big guitars and choral parts, echoing the old-school sound of the band but not necessarily going for a nostalgic vibe.
In conclusion, Clear Cold Beyond is a very diverse album, which seems to be an attempt from the band to look back on all of its era, and create something that would accurately represent all the creative nuances that made its sound and legacy so enduring.
The Clear Cold Beyond drops on March 8th via Atomic Fire Records.