Sonata Arctica - Talviyö (2019)

Unleashing their latest lively effort, today we have Sonata Arctica and their 10th full-length release “Talviyö”. The band’s characteristic Power Metal sound gets a certain Pop/Rock edge in this very entertaining release. Feature eleven tracks and nearly one hour of music, these Finns keep things interesting with a wide variety of moods, allowing listeners to be fully challenged and rewarded by their music.

Leading with the dreamy “Message from the Sun”, the angelic choirs and subtle keyboards nicely lead into a catchy Power Metal onslaught. As always, Tony Kakko’s vocals nicely harmonize the very ethereal music in this release. With a certain funky Psych Rock influences in the opening of “Whirlwind”, the band unleashes their characteristic catchiness in this lovely piece. “Cold” is one of our favorite tracks in this release thanks to its darker and more dramatic edge, contrasting with the throbbing bass guitar line and powerful guitars.

For those looking for epic melodies, “Storm the Armada” has a very interesting progression from Power Metal passages to more Ayreon-esque Space Prog Rock elements. Two of the best tracks in this release are the lush instrumental “Ismo's Got Good Reactors” and dramatic closer “A Little Less Understanding”. For those looking for the signature Sonata Arctica tracks, “Who Failed The Most” and “Demon’s Cage” will satisfy your cravings.

Overall, “Talviyö” is a release that plays on the band’s strengths while trying out some new elements and keeping things fresh. For those looking for something radically different, they won’t find it here, but if you are a timeless fan of the band, this is the release for you. Over the years Sonata Arctica has been refining their sound and in this release they are firing on all cylinders, so be sure to check it out.

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release: September 6th, 2019

Genre: Power Metal

Country: Finland