Sonata Arctica

Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1996. Their later works (most notably Unia and a few tracks on Reckoning Night) contain some elements typical of progressive metal.

The band was founded by Tony Kakko, Jani Liimatainen, Marko Paasikoski, Tommy Portimo and Pentti Peura in Kemi in 1996. Originally named Tricky Beans, they played hard rock rather than the power metal with which they grew to fame. During their early career, they recorded three demos which were never sent to any recording label — Friend 'till the End, Agre Pamppers and PeaceMaker.

In 1997 the band changed their name to Tricky Means, and from that point until 1999 their style was thoroughly worked upon and ultimately was drastically changed, acquiring strong emphasis on the keyboard melodies and relying on an easily distinguishable rhythm line maintained both by the bass and the guitar. Vocalist Tony Kakko developed a clean singing style which relies both on falsetto and tenor voices and second guitarist Marko Paasikoski left the band. Tony has stated that the change of sound was influenced by fellow Finnish power metal band Stratovarius.[2]

In 1999, the band recorded a demo entitled FullMoon in Kemi's Tico Tico Studios, which was their first real metal recording. The line-up consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Tony Kakko, guitarist Jani Liimatainen, bassist Janne Kivilahti and drummer Tommy Portimo. The demo was sent to Spinefarm Records by a friend of the band and a recording deal soon followed, during which the band changed its name to Sonata Arctica.

onata Arctica is currently working on a new album.[5] Henrik stated that the new album will be in the same vein as Unia, but not as complex.[5] In an interview, Tony Kakko stated that a single will be released in August, and the album itself in September.

The band will also be touring with DragonForce for the third U.S. leg of the Ultra Beatdown tour.

On July 9, the band revealed via their website that the title of their new album is The Days of Grays, and that it will be released in Europe on September 18, 2009 and in North America on September 22nd. A tracklist and the album's art was also revealed. The album will be released as a standard CD jewelcase as well as as a limited edition 2CD digipak which includes the bonus track "In the Dark" and a bonus CD, with orchestral versions of seven of the songs of the album.

(Wikipedia) http://www.myspace.com/sonataarctica