Sonata Arctica - Unia
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CD Details
Artist: Sonata ArcticaEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2007-05-22
Music Label: Nuclear Blast Americ
Product features:
- SONATA ARCTICA UNIA
- In Black And White
- Paid In Full
- For the Sake Of Revenge
- It Won't Fade
- Under Your Tree
- Caleb
- The Vice
- My Dream's But a Drop Of Fuel For a Nightmare
- The Harvest
- The Worlds Forgotten, the Words Forbidden
- Fly With the Black Swan
- Good Enough Is Good Enough
- Out In the Fields
Music reviews of Unia
Music Review: A few setbacks, but a very solid work...
Rating: 4 Stars
The band's fifth album so far, here we have mature singing and sound execution. This album is an evolution of Reckoning Night, yes, more progressive and more baleful, brilliantly baleful! Listening to their changes throughout time, it was quite obvious that the band would reach this point, a point where eerie-melancholic ambience and deeply metaphorical lyrics become distinguished. There are no speedy songs in this album, no catchy choruses either and no harmonious fantasy - there are mid-paced songs and some ballads, each providing a sense of complexity and odd development. With this album we hear things the other way around: Progressive Metal with slight influences of Power Metal, not the other way die-hard fans were expecting. Fear not, the band has still that chill in the air, that fantasy that needs time to be found, and that catchiness that can be obtained by reflecting on each song. Although greatly Progressive, the band is in heart and soul Power Metal, I have no doubts about that! Now its time to review the 13 songs of the album; prepare yourself for another journey, this time, taken to the edge:
1) In black and white - mystic yet distorted intro, we get to witness that things deeply change with this album. Guitars are strong, choruses are edgy, and rare keyboard sound will now play a major role. We have slight orchestra in this track which makes the heaviness of this song interesting. Decent guitar solo and sore vocals, I think this track proves that perhaps different is actually excellent. I give this song an A.
2) Paid in full - mid-paced song progressing into a ballad, emotional lyrics and vocals make it sound great! The keyboards are vivid and melancholic alike, they sound like winter for sure. I truly love the 2:05 mark all the way to 2:30, the vocals are flirting and sinister. This piece does its job well, it earns an A.
3) For the sake of revenge - I found this to be some variation of Broken and Blinded no more. This track goes on quick and repetitive (that is my view of course). The vocals make it passable. I give this song a C.
4) It won't fade - we have another wolf song right here. Powerful lyrics, deep vocals, and good band performance - the sound is mysterious and devious (treason is a topic here). What made it go down a bit was the ambience sound in the middle; I think it did not go with the song's message. A well fought B.
5) Under your tree - a power-ballad with harmonious elements in it. The lyrics are interesting and different while the vocals are touching. Not your Sonata Arctica old school ballad, but fine. I give it a B.
6) Caleb - spine-chilling intro and cryptic storyline, this has to be the same character from The end of this chapter and Don't say a word (it is a prequel). This song keeps the fantasy-sound element while the vocals provide intensity and solitude fused. Things turn beautifully evil from the 3:16 mark forth, awesome song, sad keyboard ending! I just admire the waltz part of this song. Well deserved A.
7) The vice - gothic and enchantingly morbid, this song is deeply metaphorical. Excellent changes and dramatic keyboards, the singing is almost perfect and frightening! Somehow, this song makes me feel cold, I think the title and the mood sets it all. I really love the ending, it is that beautiful and psychotic. This odd track earns an A.
8) My dream's but a drop of fuel for a nightmare - I found this song very curious because in the first time of my life I had to give it a few listens to appreciate such. Vocals are energetic and quite teasing while the sound is oddly fantasy-like (reminds me of Alice in Wonderland). The song truly makes you feel trapped inside a dream or nightmare, a constant changing of both! This good progressive opus earns an A.
9) The harvest - quite intense and old school (old school in terms of reflecting previous Sonata Arctica sound). The vocals are melodic, that is until the chorus charges in, things get abrupt and fierce. The solo is also raging. Decent metaphor in the lyrics, it gives the song certain malice. I give this track an A.
10) The worlds forgotten, the words forbidden - short and dramatic, in my view I consider this to be some sort of opening for the following track. As a song, I did not find much or feel much. I hope you like it better. I give this one a C.
11) Fly with the black swan - modern-like metal sound with forlorn keyboard resonance execution. The vocals are between enchanting and rough, I sensed some distorted feel. I think a bit more intensity and charisma could have made it a masterpiece. Really loved the sad chorus, this piece receives a B+.
12) Good enough is good enough - beautiful ballad, not a power-ballad! Violins give this song a caring touch. Vocals are tender while at the same time they keep a sense of pain and yearning, it is incredible to witness how the singer can play with his voice in this song. Again, in this case different is better. I give this sweet piece an A
13) Out in the fields - this song is the band's bonus track. Sounds cool to me, it resembles the band's previous material in terms of sound and vocals - decent solo in this one. It gives you the feeling of being in a war, hence the title and lyrics. This closer earns an A.
In the end, I give this album a 3.4 which is a well fought B(recommended). It is evident that the band wanted a drastic change, defining themselves as a Power-Progressive sounding band. What they are good at is dark emotion and haunting ambience, in a major manner they prove it well here (they do it very uniquely and very maturely). The only down-point in my view is that when they try to experiment too much with sound and vocals, they get a bit lost in production and focus - example of this is their third album, Winterheart's Guild. I think that their true identity lies within Reckoning Night, if they can keep their attention and skill there, then everything will turn out magnificent. Although this album does not possess the strength of previous works, it is decent and executed differently - such execution makes it worthy of listening and analyzing (it might take a few spins to do the trick, but if you are patient and open-minded, you will appreciate it). It took me at least a week to reflect and adore the difference, solid effort! I suggest you buy the album if you are very objective or if you are a true fan of the band, like me. With this said, thanks for reading my review!
Description of Unia
Japanese release of the fifth studio album from legendary metal band, Sontata Arctica. This version includes three bonus tracks, 'The Follow', 'Out In The Fields', & a instrumental version of 'My Dream's But A Drop Of Fuel For A Nightmare'. JVC. 2007.Hard Rock & Metal CDs
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