If I knew the first thing about cars (which I don’t), I’m sure that I would be able to describe Sonata Artica in terms like, “reliable” or something like that because they have spent the last eight or so years pumping out fine power/pop metal CD’s in their own unique style. Vocalist Tony Kakko describes Unia as, “the most versatile Sonata album yet, more hooky, heavier in many ways, beautiful melodies, bigger production … like soul food.”  I would tend to agree with much of that (although I’m not sure what he means by soul food) as there are hooks aplenty, it does sound big and the guitars are more prominent than one has come to expect from the band. 

Something that is AWOL though, are the big sing-a-long choruses that has characterised much of their work but it would be dull if they were to make the same album every two years. Let’s see what we’ve got here then.  

What we do have is a collection of songs that work extremely well together and are full of melody, if not quite having a standout song as the last CD did with This Ain’t Your Fairytale. Paid In Full has just been at the top of the Finnish charts and as such must be what the record label consider to be the most commercial song although my personal favourite is the opener In Black and White. 

In parts Unia is deeply atmospheric, almost brooding in a much darker way than we have come to expect from Sonata Artica, however, I am very confident that, as good as it is, Unia is not the album to make the band household names. It has actually taken me a very long time to work out why I feel this and I think it is one of the reasons that they’ve never really made it here in the UK. Words. That’s why. Words. There’s too many of them shoehorned into most of the songs for mass consumption. None of the songs here fit in with what can be considered commercially mainstream despite their endearing melodic qualities. 

Even before its release Unia is causing some controversy amongst fans of the band, some love it whilst some loathe it. Me? I like it but if I were to recommend a CD to help the casual fan “get into” Sonata Artica, this would not be the one I would suggest. Rather like Deano did with the review of Porcupine Tree I feel the urge to point out that The Artica are a band who must be measured against themselves rather than the competition and as such, despite the 8/10 score, Unia is slightly disappointing.

Let us know your views on Unia

Track Listing

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
To Create A Warlike Feel
The Worlds Forgotten, The Words Forbidden
Fly With The Black Swan
Good Enough Is Good Enough

Line Up

Jani Liimatainen - Guitar
Tommy Portimo - Drums
Tony Kakko - Vocals & Keyboards
Marko Paasikoski - Bass
Henrik Klingenberg - Keyboards