Who is Sonata Arctica?

Sonata Arctica is a Power Metal musical act from Finland, formed in 1999

Sonata Arctica

BIOGRAPHY

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Sonata Arctica (1999-present): a Power Metal band from Kemi, Finland.

t would be with Eliptica (1999) that Finnish act Sonata Arctica would open with their debut album under the membership of Jani Liimatainen (guitars/songwriting: tracks 3, 4, 9), Janne Kivilahti (bass), Tommy Portimo (drums) and Tony Kakko (vocals/keyboards/songwriting/lyrics). It would be followed by the aptly titled Successor EP the following year featuring Mikko Härkin on keyboards. These recordings would mark the first non-demo efforts by this act who formerly went under the names Tricky Beans (1996-1999) and Tricky Means (1999) who only managed to release demos; the name change to Sonata Arctica occurring when the membership changed direction to a more power metal style from a more standard rock.

Marko Paasikoski assumed bass for Silence and Orientation EP (2001 both). After the Songs of Silence - Live in Tokyo live album in 2002, Winterheart's Guild (2003) followed.

With Takatalvi EP (2003), Don't Say a Word EP (2004) and Reckoning Night (2004), Henrik Klingenberg took over keyboards. Several compilations followed before Unia would arrive in 2007.

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For The Days of Grays (2009) and Stones Grow Her Name (2012) Elias Viljanen assumed guitars from Liimatainen until Pariah's Child (2014) arrived featuring Pasi Kauppinen on bass. In 2014 the act celebrated its 15th anniversary with the aptly titled Ecliptica - Revisited (15th Anniversary Edition). The Ninth Hour (2016), Talviyö (2019), Acoustic Adventures - Volume One (2022), Acoustic Adventures - Volume Two (2022) and Clear Cold Beyond (2024) followed.

Footnotes: Paasikoski was second guitarist on the band's first three demos under the Tricky Beans name, but he left before their final demo to rejoin when the band reformed in time for the Successor EP.
A PC role-playing video game titled 'Winterheart's Guild' went into development by Zelian Games with a release planned for 2007. Sonata Arctica's music was intended to be used as the soundtrack to the game with the band members as playable characters, but the project was cancelled.
Kakko also sings for Northern Kings, an '80s pop cover project.

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