Sonata Arctica – The Days Of Grays

Disappointment beyond logic. That’s what comes to my mind in the case of the last album of Finland’s Sonata Arctica. It is such times that make you wonder if you are deeply mistaken, you are the bad guy of the situation here and it just came in a rush hour. So when you are about to listen to it again, not only you can’t change your mind, but also you wonder why you put yourself to such a test and waste of time.

Sonata Arctica was once a very good band, who cares if they sounded like the great Stratovarius? Albums like ”Ecliptica”, ”Silence”, or even the great ”Winterheart’s Guild” are releases full of quality, with the band proving its worth numerous times and with the best possible way. Since the previous album ”Unia”, they have decided to change their style a lot and not be characterized anymore as a typical power metal band.

The problem is clearly to the songs though. While ”Unia” was much more bearable, ”The Days Of Grays” lacks identity, character and above all, inspiration. It gets so tiring from the beginning, that is is still rolling to my mind how can someone put up with this album for about an hour. If it was the first time I was listening to them, or even if they were a newcoming band, I could say it was just a bad moment and nothing else matters.

This time, it is serious. While this year has been characterized by either great comebacks or disappointments, this was the last nail in the coffin, the last drop falls into a full glass and makes it overrun. But this glass is filled with anger, as there still are expectations from this band. Even the vocalist Tony Kakko, one of the best voices of all times, seems out of place and time, no nerve at all, no color in his singing, it seems everything fell apart.

I thought the last Brainstorm album was bad, but nothing could predict this one. I am so sorry that I might distract you from diving deep into this album. Perhaps some of you will like it more than me, I really hope you will. One thing I am sure about is that there is no chance in listening to this again anymore. Hoping that on the next record they will have a shock that will wake them up, this is the worst they could ever give us.