Sonata Arctica ~ Unia

Okay - I realize that many Sonata Arctica fans don't appreciate this new album. It certainly is their darkest and most progressive material to date.

But I like it. I found that it took a little while to grow on me - but this album now sits as my favorite from them.

What is your take on this album? Hate it? Love it? Let's discuss...

I like it! Don't quite love it like their earlier stuff but my like is very strong. Just saw them in concert last week and the Unia stuff plays very well live. If you are expecting classic SA and can't have it any other way Unia will disappoint....but I like it!

Well it is ok for me I tend to like their older material best!

Wargod48

NP: Black Betty - S/T

I still think their debut was their best. The new one just lacked melody to me. I think without that special melodic nature element in their music they fall into the hordes of other pm bands that are 'there'...

alex

Well it is ok for me I tend to like their older material best!

Wargod48

NP: Black Betty - S/T

I like it. I never thought S.A. were a "dark" band.

I really like Unia. It has a very warm and somewhat mellow feel to it, which is quite a fefreshing change from them just repeating themselves for another album.

It's good but none of the songs are as catchy and memorable as the ones on Reckoning Night. It takes some time to really get into it.

Took me awhile to get to okay terms with it. I still think their debut is their best by far. They did release so many compilations and singles afterwards there was a time I almost puked when seeing yet another "new EP" release.

P.S. ooops! I didnt know they fired their gutarist this summer, haha

Yeah, this one is definitely a 'grower'. If you just give it one or two spins - you might not like it too much.

I kept coming back to it though - and by about my 3rd or 4rth spin - I was hooked.

The melody is there - you just have to dig for it.

I heard this one again today - and it seems to get better and better with each new spin.

Anyone else have this? Like it?

blackieboy wrote:

I heard this one again today - and it seems to get better and better with each new spin.

That is exactly what it does. It's a different kind of album, more subtle, but very good. You just gotta give it some extra spins.

Eyesore wrote:

blackieboy wrote:

I heard this one again today - and it seems to get better and better with each new spin.

That is exactly what it does. It's a different kind of album, more subtle, but very good. You just gotta give it some extra spins.

Exactly, I've given it more spins and must say it is a great album, I really like their cover of Gary Moore's Out In The Fields.

I love it. for surther info, check out my website.

Yeah, this is a cd that when I first got it - I almost shelved it in the vault until later discovery. But I decided to give it one more 'courtesy spin' and that's when it started growing on me.

Since then I've taken it out of the vault about once a week or so. Now I'm hooked. This is definitely my favorite album from them.

I am now convinced that this is one of the top released of the year. At first I didn't find anything that grabbed me like on Reckoning Night so I waited a while before a gave it another spin and started to appreciate it more. Third time and I liked it. In the past week I've listened to it two more times and now I love it. I heard someone say that they sound like their trying to follow Rhapsody and that is bullocks IMO, if anything I'd say it more closely resembles Nightwish with male vocals (even then it is still different and origional) which is not too far fetched, SA has worked with Nightwish in the past after all.

DallasBlack wrote:

I am now convinced that this is one of the top released of the year. At first I didn't find anything that grabbed me like on Reckoning Night so I waited a while before a gave it another spin and started to appreciate it more. Third time and I liked it. In the past week I've listened to it two more times and now I love it. I heard someone say that they sound like their trying to follow Rhapsody and that is bullocks IMO, if anything I'd say it more closely resembles Nightwish with male vocals (even then it is still different and origional) which is not too far fetched, SA has worked with Nightwish in the past after all.

I agree. Their new album is NOTHING like Rhapsody. I love this new album for what it is.

To me, this album is very original - very unique. I would describe it as a power metal Queen.

I know that might seem 'far fetched', but this album brings to mind the Queen harmonies and progressive attributes. Plus it's power metal ... that's my conclusion on it. Easily one of the best albums of the year.

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play is by far my favorite album of the year though.

Anybody else have "Unia"?

This is actually my introduction to this band, a strange place to start I guess. But what you say is true. It sounds sorta unwieldy at first, but it has a sort of "cuteness" that really grows on you. A very unusual album.

Glad you like it SAHB!!

Guess I have to spin it some more. I`ve had it for a while, but still not loving it, I like it fine, but not their best imo.
But often those albums that takes some time to get into, are among my favourites in the long run, so I hope it grows on me to blackieboy

Olafsto wrote:

Guess I have to spin it some more. I`ve had it for a while, but still not loving it, I like it fine, but not their best imo.
But often those albums that takes some time to get into, are among my favourites in the long run, so I hope it grows on me to blackieboy

I could see how it's not for everyone. It is kinda different. I think one reason I like it is that some of the lyrical themes I can kinda relate to right now. It's more the stories than the music for me.

SAHB Healer wrote:

This is actually my introduction to this band, a strange place to start I guess. But what you say is true. It sounds sorta unwieldy at first, but it has a sort of "cuteness" that really grows on you. A very unusual album.

A bit of thread resurrection here.... Just got this album, and it's also my first SA album. From what I've heard of their earlier music, this is quite a marked departure, and I can understand older fans not liking it too much. I've given it a few spins, and it is starting to grow on me. Definitely unusual, but that's not necessarily bad.