derthomas, 7 days ago (edited 2 days ago)

UPDATE ⚡

Almost one year has passed since I completed my #Tool #Metaljourney and it is time for an update.

I listened a lot to #FearInoculum over the course of the last year and it didn't stop to grow on me. I even made my peace with the segue songs.

By now it is clear to me that it is a masterpiece tier album and it deserves a 4.5 out of 5 rating.

This also means, it surpasses Ænima in my album ranking:

1. 10,000 Days 5
2. Lateralus 4.5
3. Fear Inoculum 4.5
4. Ænima 4
5. Undertow 4

derthomas, 3 months ago

8/n
Continuing my #TesseracT #Metaljourney with #Sonder and

🎵 Luminary
https://song.link/y/Pr9IHSBGdK0

After 3 albums the #GrowerOrBlower (copyright @trendskater ) meter indicates "Blower", but maybe that changes now?

#TomsMusic

derthomas, 13 days ago

22/n

hm... yeah... Pariah's Child doesn't move me much, but this is a decent song:

🎵 Half A Marathon Man by Sonata Arctica
https://song.link/y/wP6ycFFv8-U

"X Marks The Spot" is also interesting.

#TomsMusic #SonataArctica #Metaljourney

derthomas, 11 days ago

34/n

Clear Cold Beyond was on its way to a 4 star rating (=great) , but then comes the second half that brings back the corny ballads (Teardrops, The Best Things, title track) and my rating drops to a (still good) 3.5/5.

Man there's so much potential for real greatness - but at least for me- they ruin it with their Diseny movie soundtrack stuff.

🎵 Angel Defiled by Sonata Arctica
https://song.link/at/i/1716785653

#TomsMusic #SonataArctica #Metaljourney

derthomas, 13 days ago

21/n

Yesterday's path on my #SonataArctica #Metaljourney ended with an all time low. Let's forget that and start fresh with "Pariah's Child", Sonata Arctica's 8th studio album.

It doesn't start with an intro track, but with a quite old school #PowerMetal song:

🎵 The Wolves Die Young
https://song.link/y/YkuAYc2H1JE

...which 3 minutes in sounds like it could be on the soundtrack of Frozen (which I never watched).

#TomsMusic

derthomas, 11 days ago

32/n

Here we are, "Clear Cold Beyond", the most recent #SonataArctica album and also the last album in my #Metaljourney

And it starts of great 🤘

🎵 First In Line Sonata Arctica
https://song.link/y/uQdTQm9Jq20

#TomsMusic

derthomas, 14 days ago (edited 7 days ago)

20/n

Nope nope nope.

"Don't Be Mean" is one of the shittiest songs and "Stones Grow Her Name" one the worst albums I have listened to in a long time.

1 out of 5 starts (the lowest rating since I started rating).

Dear #SonataArctica stop doing that now or I will stop my #Metaljourney for the first time ever!

Ranking:

1. Unia 3.5
2. The Days of Grays 3
3. Reckoning Night 2.5
4. Winterheart's Guild 2.5
5. Silence 2.5
6. Ecliptica 2.5
7. Stones Grow Her Name 1

#TomsMusic

derthomas, 12 days ago

30/n

Hey what's that? I like that one! 👇

🎵 Ismo's Got Good Reactors by Sonata Arctica
https://song.link/y/q-l_JLBJVPw

That's some really nice guitar works and.... and probaly my favourite #SonataArctica song on my #Metaljourney

But that song title confuses me tbh. Is Ismo the finish energy provider? And what reactors do they use that ares so good? 🤔

#TomsMusic

derthomas, 13 days ago

27/n

Addon to The Ninth Hour...

@Dad_Wood you made me listen to this band... you made me listen to THIS FUCKING SONG??? 👇

https://song.link/y/JwMH1tbayFs

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?

...ok I am a bit dramatic now, they do have good songs and enjoyable albums. But gosh... their lows are really low. And corny.

#TomsMusic #SonataArctica #Metaljourney

derthomas, 13 days ago

26/n

Ok I have to confess, I never liked symphonic melodic metal. I never liked Nightwish or Within Temptation and consorts.

The Ninth Hour is exactly this. And suuuuper cheesy. Cringeworthy cheesy.

It has some good songs in the beginning though, that's why I'll give it 2/5.

Ranking:

1. Unia 3.5
2. Days of Grays 3
3. Reckoning Night 2.5
4. Winterheart's Guild 2.5
5. Silence 2.5
6. Ecliptica 2.5
7. The 9th Hour 2
8. Pariah's Child 2
9. Stones... 1

#TomMusic #SonataArctica #Metaljourney

derthomas, 12 days ago

29/n

Ok, so far Talviyö is less corny symphonicy than the previous albums. It's more on the hard rocky ballady side.

🎵 Storm The Armada by #SonataArctica
https://song.link/at/i/1471621326

I'd still wish for another Unia though...

#TomsMusic #Metaljourney

derthomas, 14 days ago

19/n

I think Stones Grow Her Name is the romantic comedy in Sonata Arctica's discography.

Not a good one to be honest.

🎵 The Day
https://song.link/y/LfOQetCDu9k

#TomsMusic #SonataArctica #Metaljourney

derthomas, 12 days ago

31/n

Talviyö closes with a typical Sonata Arctica style balad, however overall the album is less corny than the previous ones

There's some nice riffing which makes this album really enjoyable.

Overall a solid 3/5

https://album.link/y/OLAK5uy_mRanOGK8ck3YlMBImvh6viW6cudcdO5Vg

Ranking:

1. Unia 3.5
2. Days of Grays 3
3. Talviyö 3
4. Reckoning Night 2.5
5. Winterheart's Guild 2.5
6. Silence 2.5
7. Ecliptica 2.5
8. The 9th Hour 2
9. Pariah's Child 2
10. Stones Grow Her Name 1

#TomsMusic #SonataArctica #Metaljourney

derthomas, 11 days ago

33/n

3 songs in and Clear Cold Beyond is already my favourite Sonata Arctica album.

The riffs hit harder, the pace is fast, the cheesy stuff is very reduced and the vocals are less annoying.

🎵 Shah Mat by #SonataArctica
https://song.link/y/149wEiyRQCk

...ok, not so fast, because it happened before that their albums started of great, only to develop into corny snoozefest later on.

But I am very optimistic with this one!

#TomsMusic #Metaljourney

derthomas, 11 days ago (edited 7 days ago)

35/n

That was a wild ride with Sonata Arctica!

High highs, really low lows.

Clear Cold Beyond almost made the top spot. But only almost.

So, here is my final #SonataArctica #Metaljourney album ranking:

1. Unia 3.5
2. Clear Cold Beyond 3.5
3. Days of Grays 3
4. Talviyö 3
5. Reckoning Night 2.5
6. Winterheart's Guild 2.5
7. Silence 2.5
8. Ecliptica 2.5
9. The 9th Hour 2
10. Pariah's Child 2
11. Stones Grow Her Name 1

And here is my Best Of playlist:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxxhndMTmJ3M0Ljhbz8sONoYDGIk5Q2cl&feature=shared

#TomsMusic

derthomas, 13 days ago (edited 12 days ago)

23/n

Pariah's Child sounds like Sonata Arctica are auditioning for the soundtrack of a Disney Movie (Frozen?).

I mean, listen to this...

🎵 Larger Than Life by #SonataArctica
https://song.link/y/C_pOpTyMszw

2 out of 5 <insert Blayne Smith skull rating joke here>

Yeah that's not for me.

Ranking:

1. Unia 3.5
2. The Days of Grays 3
3. Reckoning Night 2.5
4. Winterheart's Guild 2.5
5. Silence 2.5
6. Ecliptica 2.5
7. Pariah's Child 2
8. Stones Grow Her Name 1

#TomsMusic #Metaljourney

derthomas, 12 days ago

28/n

Two albums left on my #SonataArctica #Metaljourney and I am wondering if they'll be able to make me like them again.

The album is called Talviyö and starts with a message from the sun.

🎵 Message from the Sun by Sonata Arctica
https://song.link/y/gEq5oTmycGY

#TomsMusic

derthomas, 13 days ago

24/n

Moving on. The next album on my #SonataArctica #Metaljourney is "The Ninth Hour". After two terrible dissapointments, I am hoping for the best.

🎵 Closer To An Animal
https://song.link/y/_AEFmWBTJ7A

#TomsMusic

derthomas, 13 days ago

25/n

I enjoyed the first half of "The Ninth Hour".

And then comes this...

🎵 Candle Lawns by #SonataArctica
https://song.link/y/b_kDlAA5i2A

...and my toenails are all curled up.

#TomsMusic #Metaljourney

derthomas, 3 months ago

3/n

Coincidentially today's #TuneTuesday prompt is #GhostStorySongs
by @HauntedOwlbear (share a song that's a ghost or campfire tale with us), and I think King Diamond offers lots of songs that would fit here, but this one...

"Molly Is Living There With Her Dolls
And They Are Alive...Wait And See"

🎵 Haunted by #KingDiamond
https://song.link/y/uTsa0KZRnAs

...I'd shat my pants if anyone would have told me that story when I was I kid.

Now I wanna see my mommy 😰

#TomsMusic #Metaljourney