Sonata Arctica are currently getting ready to release their eighth full-length album Pariah’s Child, but did you know that 2014 also marks fifteen years since the release of their debut album Ecliptica? To get you in the mood of things ahead of the release of their upcoming album, we thought now would be a good time to revisit the album where it started.
Whilst the band have now taken a more progressive route and don’t limit themselves to just the one genre, the band’s beginnings was firmly rooted within the power metal genre and Ecliptica is a fine example of this.
As a debut release, you really can’t go wrong with it and there’s a lot of promise in the ten tracks – you really do get the feeling that the band are destined for big things as you listen to it and whilst there’s nothing tremendously groundbreaking about the release, the sheer potential is there and it’s clear that the band consists of capable and talented musicians, which is something that has remained constant with the band, even after lineup changes.
Picturing The Past is a great example of the amount of talent this album is brimming with and it has great sweeping guitar lines that add a lot to the song, in addition to the dual guitar and keyboard solos that almost feel like the two instruments are communicating with one another – something that has now become somewhat of a staple of the band’s sound. Of course, there are weaker songs, such Letter To Dana, which is one of those songs that never quite manages to grab you, but the band have since reworked the track acoustically and it really works in that style, so it goes to show that you shouldn’t necessarily write off a song straight away.
A decent first release from Sonata Arctica – although listening back to it, you can see how far they’ve come since then!
6/10
Keep an eye out for our review of Pariah’s Child – coming soon! For now, you can read our exclusive first interview with the band’s new bassist Pasi here.
