Reviews Archiv 517

... and there he is again, the man with the coolest eyeglimpse in Rock'n'Roll Business and the most photogenic line ever.- Yeah well, maybe George Clooney is as well. Although, I'm always looking forward to yet another photoshoot, when this band comes along every now and then. No glamrocker can pose better than Tony, but believe me, Sonata Arctica are everything else as one of these half dead sleazerock bands from the late Eightiees. No, actually these nordern lights from somewhere in the middle of Finlands tundra, stand for clear powermetal, but with a pretty modern touch. And they are somehow different compared to our good old german true metal groups, who are existing on the edge of a soupbowl, like the glamrockers. However, these fins stand for a fresh version of this style. And their fans, who's age are drifting somewhere between 16 and 30, do associate with the individuals of the band and of course the music.

And yes, the recepy has gone down well, because all ingredients have been mixed perfectly, not so much because of Tony Kakkos dreaming bedroom glimpse, although that one again is brilliant for the photography eye.
Anyway back to the action, where you can realize pretty quickly, that the place is absolutely crowded. In our case here in Munich it means about 1.200 fans at the Backstage Werk.

Starting off with Winterborn, who's home country is also the land of the elks and the midnightsun. And the name themselves the coldest Heavy Metal Band on Earth - however we can understand this.

In any case our frosties are going now since 2004 to melt down the equator with their two icicles 'Cold Reality' and 'Farewell To Saints'
yes okay, first of all to water our european scene. But 'till this very day our Suomi tenor Teemu Koskela and his company have melted the glacier maybe in Bavaria or Toskany, just to name a few. Let's put it that way, I do miss a little a certain individuality what's up to their Lappland tango, this certain note, making my ears glow up to 150 or more and save myself of drowning in monotony.

I have to admit though, very positively does the voice - and both guitars handled by Pasi Vapola and Antti Hokkala sound.

Apart from that, I just have to say, Winterborn should rather give another bit to the global warming in the musical sense, and not tending to reach the absolut freezing point. Hottest band on earth still sounds better than the coldest act, doesn't ?!
They are on the right way, no doubt about that. - It's just still a little icy.

http://www.winterborn.info/

For Sonata Arctica that road is already burning in high flames.

And you do know these exotic gurus, who walk barefoot across glowing coalds and don't show a single injury or blister and most of
all no pain. That's what the success-story of these fins remind me off, who have developed so great under the midnight sun. I mean,
this special sun, they are used to anyway their whole life. - "Whoever wants to get some sleep up at our place, just needs to close their curtains - yes we do have these kind of things up there as well". That's what Tony mentioned in our small talk before the show.
To get it straight, Sonata Arctica have removed their own curtain for quite a while now. And platinstatus has become sort of a matter of course on all their yet released records.

The Gourmet Dinner tonight includes a healthy cut through the cake, starting with the icing named 'Flag In The Ground', continuing with a marcipane egg - 'Paid In Full', 'till the cream filling a.k.a. 'Juliet' and last but not least 'Cage'
Thanks god music doesn't have any calories, otherwise we'de weigh at least 5 pounds more tomorrow morning.

The big plus of the fins is definately their paradise bird on vocal micro, yep the one with the bedroom glimpse, who even gets posthum Enrico Caruso on his knees. Yes, maybe what's up to the individual fashion design, Tony had take some more lessons :-))) but on the other hand his sexy espirit helps a lot to let the arctic ice flow down on all these kids here und drown them in their enthusiasm.

Towards the end of the event, I do get the clue about his favour for Queen. Because with his monologue to 'We Will Rock You' including the audiance to sing along, Tony sets one more goal onto the adrenalin - quecksilver on the scale of popularity. Nothing against the rest of the boys in the gang and what's up to their musical talents, exspecially what's up to the keybord player. But when some figaro like Mr. Kakko owns most of the stage for himself up there, the the rest hasn't got a good stand to profile themselves in the right position, apart from their brilliant musical imput of course. Never mind, as long as the rhythm and the tune is right. And that's what it definately a 150 percent does.

Let's hope and wish for this metalband, who have recognised the signs of time very well and goes well along with a younger audiance, that next time they will play a much bigger venue. And most of all let's hope, that also older friends of this - meanwhile dusty 80s metal, open their eyes and ears for newer and young rockacts - and don't show any ignorance.
Believe me, even nowadays, there are some good bands around, - like...yeah like Sonata Arctica for instance.

http://www.sonataarctica.info
PS:.... hey and please never forget your bedrook eyeglimpse - Tony :-)))