Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band formed in Kemi. The group originally began as a hard rock band under the name “Tricky Beans”, later changing to “Tricky Means”, before adopting the name Sonata Arctica when they shifted toward a power metal style. The band’s lineup has changed over time, but key members have included vocalist Tony Kakko, drummer Tommy Portimo, keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg, guitarist Elias Viljanen, and bassist Pasi Kauppinen.
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Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band formed in Kemi. The group originally began as a hard rock band under the name “Tricky Beans”, later changing to “Tricky Means”, before adopting the name Sonata Arctica when they shifted toward a power metal style. The band’s lineup has changed over time, but key members have included vocalist Tony Kakko, drummer Tommy Portimo, keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg, guitarist Elias Viljanen, and bassist Pasi Kauppinen. All members except Portimo have also contributed backing vocals at various points. The band was formed in the mid-1990s by drummer Tommy Portimo and guitarists Jani Liimatainen and Marko Paasikoski, with vocalist Tony Kakko joining later. Initially, the group played hard rock and recorded early demos that were not submitted to record labels. After early lineup changes, including the departure of bassist Pentti Peura and guitarist Marko Paasikoski, the band shifted stylistically toward melodic power metal with a strong emphasis on keyboards and melodic guitar work. Influences included other Finnish power metal bands such as Stratovarius. The band adopted the name Sonata Arctica before signing a three-album deal with Spinefarm Records. Sonata Arctica’s early recorded output included a 1997 demo titled “FullMoon”, which led to a recording contract. Their debut single “UnOpened” was released in 1999, followed by their debut album “Ecliptica” later that year. The album gained international attention and established the band within the power metal scene. Keyboardist Mikko Härkin joined for touring following the album’s release. In 2001, Sonata Arctica released their second album, “Silence”, followed by extensive touring in Europe, Japan, and the Americas. A live album, “Songs of Silence”, was released in 2002. Härkin left the band later that year. For their third album, “Winterheart’s Guild” (2003), Jens Johansson contributed keyboard solos during recording, and Henrik Klingenberg joined as the band’s permanent keyboardist. In 2004, Sonata Arctica opened for Iron Maiden in Japan and released the album “Reckoning Night”, which achieved commercial success in Finland. The band later released the live album and DVD “For the Sake of Revenge” in 2006 and a compilation album, “The End of This Chapter”, after moving from Spinefarm Records to Nuclear Blast. The album “Unia” was released in 2007, followed by guitarist Jani Liimatainen’s departure and replacement by Elias Viljanen. In 2009, the band released “The Days of Grays”, which continued a darker and more progressive musical direction. Touring during this period included international shows with bands such as DragonForce and Ensiferum. In 2012, Sonata Arctica released “Stones Grow Her Name”, which marked a shift toward a more straightforward and less complex sound compared to its immediate predecessors. The live DVD “Live in Finland” was released in 2011. In 2014, bassist Marko Paasikoski left the band and was replaced by Pasi Kauppinen. That same year, Sonata Arctica released “Pariah’s Child”, which was stylistically closer to their earlier power metal sound. The band also re-recorded their debut album “Ecliptica” in 2014. In 2016, they released “The Ninth Hour”, followed in 2019 by “Talviyö”. In 2024, Sonata Arctica released their eleventh studio album, “Clear Cold Beyond”, continuing their long-running activity as one of Finland’s prominent power metal bands. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonata_Arctica Studio albums Ecliptica (1999) Silence (2001) Winterheart's Guild (2003) Reckoning Night (2004) Unia (2007) The Days of Grays (2009) Stones Grow Her Name (2012) Pariah's Child (2014) The Ninth Hour (2016) Talviyö (2019) Clear Cold Beyond (2024)
