The new SONATA ARCTICA album will be titled Stones Grow Her Name, and will be released on May 18th via Nuclear Blast Records



Tracklist

Spoiler: show

1.Only The Broken Hearts (Make You Beautiful)
2.Shitload of Money
3.Losing My Insanity
4.Somewhere Close To You
5.I Have A Right
6.Alone In Heaven
7.The Day
8.Cinderblox
9.Don't Be Mean
10.Wildfire II
11.Wildfire III

Tony Kakko: "Our newest adventure is only a final touch short of being ready. The recordings went extremely well and the mixing is in schedule. Have to say I am enjoying myself greatly. I've had a very hard and work filled two year period writing the songs while touring extensively with our previous album "The Days of Grays". But it has all been worth it! Yet again we are introducing new things to keep the music alive and interesting. New elements, styles and new moods, talented guest artists and ideas for the enjoyment of the loyal friends of our music. Can't wait for you to get your hands and ears on "Stones Grow Her Name"! Hope to see you all again on tour! Be well!"

Gunnar Sauermann, journalist of the German "Metal Hammer" was one of the first media guys, listening to the rough mix, presented at the FME last weekend. He comments: "Sonata Arctica was never more exiting and more versatile, as on "Stones Grow Her Name". Every single song is a hit!".

"What a great blend of their well-known catchiness and slightly new musical challenges! 'Stones Grow Her Name' will amaze you! Never it was that epic and refreshing! You will be led away on a compelling journey, leading you through ultimate sing-along tracks, country feels with a twist and a larger-than-life grand finale!"

I loved the direction they've taken with the last two albums, so really looking forward to this one, didn't expect another album so soon.

We're not doing it for the money...

...We're doing it for a SHITLOAD of money!

Wow, those are some awful titles. What am I even supposed to make of those? WTF are these songs going to be about?

Don't be mean, Emp.

Eh, I agree with him. They made me laugh though, so I'll give them that.

YAY!

Track #9

I got your joke the first time but I didn't think it was funny

Don't worry Nahsil, I thought it was funny.

Anyway, yeah, this will probably be shit.

Just when I thought this band couldn't get any more lame.

I didnt know anyone even listened to this. I learn something everyday.

I'm hoping it will actually be great and unique and stuff, but yeah the song titles will make it really hard to justify liking this one even if it isn't as crap as the presentation makes it out to be.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this is gonna be terrible. Quite a risky prediction, eh? I'm betting a shitload of money on it.

I liked Days of Grays quite a bit, so I want to be excited, but...

"Shitload of Money"? Really? Really?!

You're dead on though the band has always sucked and always will be terrible. That is unless you are into that frilly shirt euro power crap.

Shitload Of Money (ft. Lil Wayne)

Shitload 'a money an' bitches, yao!

Unless I really love the early tracks, I may skip this one. I liked The Days of Grays but it and Unia haven't fully grabbed me.

And what is it with bands and shitty titles now? As if the new Nightwish and Van Halen song titles weren't weird enough...

What are they playing, glam metal now? and track 2 should say "Feat. Pitbull"

Weird titles, but i'm more interested in their music. I'm waiting for a very bland Power Metal album.

I really like Sonata Arctica, but seriously, is it so hard for bands nowadays to come up with titles that at least sound like song titles?? I'm not really expecting anything great from this, even though I love Unia and The Days of Grays had a few pretty fucking awesome songs.

I don't see myself thinking any more highly of this band with this new release, somehow. If anything I see me thinking less of them.

The importance of quality song titles is highly overrated.

And I like the artwork, except for the head....why the hell is her head an apple? But yeah, I'm pretty skeptical about the quality of the music here, doubtful it'll be any better than the last 2. The two Wildfire tracks offer a bit of hope, but probably not.

Wildfire II and III? 'look guys, we're the Metallica of power metal'! Yeah their inspiration really is gone.

No, see, the "Unforgiven" tracks were all on different albums, but Wildfire II and III are both on the same album! It's totally different! What I actually thought was "oh God, it's that retarded Caleb storyline all over again..." (Although I do have a pet theory that "Wildfire" is related to the Caleb songs, with the spoken vocals from Nik van Eckmann, but let's just leave it at that.)

But yeah, not promising. Considering the mid-tempo crapshoot that was Unia and the botched return to power metal that was The Days of Grays, I'm not hoping for much (especially those awful song titles and that awful album name). Go back to doing what you're good at, guys. That's almost certainly not going to happen with this, though, because the cover just screams "WE ARE ARTSY NOW GAIZ".

LOL.

Metallica isn't even the first or only other band to do these series songs. What about Overkill? Or Rush's "Fear" songs? Or Swallow the Sun's "Horror" songs?

This better be an improvement from The Days of Grays. I actually tolerated Unia but The Days of Grays felt like a snoozefest to me. I'll listen to the new album either way but I do have to say this: Shitload of Money? Seriously, guys?

The other examples have the benefit of being different songs. I mention Metallica because "The Unforgiven II" is basically just a rehash, and "The Unforgiven III" is completely unnecessary, especially as it has little to do with the other two. It's a decent song that didn't need any sequels. Hopefully, Sonata can avoid that trap, but I'm not betting on it.

God damn, I like SA, but titles like "Shitload of Money" and "Don't be Mean" make me want to stab myself. Every single track title is retarded. How the hell is that even possible?

Based on a pre-listening session report "Shitload of Money" has Edguy-ishly ironic lyrics (whatever that means, I don't listen to them), while "Somewhere Close to You" is one of the heaviest SA songs. Overall the article describes the album as the heaviest and most mid-tempo SA album.

Source

So Sonata may go all Hellfire Club on us?

I have a soft spot for Sonata (and for Edguy), and I don't care about the titles, although I'm curious about what the track nine is about.

They're already trying to get some mercy from the audience with Don't be mean.

This looks terrible... But I'll probably still enjoy the hell out of it. Not surprised with the direction shown thus far.

Blimey.

...the ridiculousness of it all means I'm going to have to at least give it a listen.

ahahah, I lol'ed hard!! it just made my day! thanks sonata artica, you guys rule!

no listen ever.

So... Unia meets Hellfire Club? This is gonna suck. By the way, "Edguy-ishly ironic lyrics" means "lame jokes about sex", but I'd probably take "Lavatory Love Machine" over this any day.

Well since Edguy is excellent it might actually be great if that report isn't just paid praise made to sell the album. The last few Edguy albums are easily some of the better European melodic metal of the last few years.

Now I really don't care about Sonata Arctica. I really don't. I don't think I've even ever heard 3 songs by the band.

But please, please tell me they actually titled a song "Shitload of Money". Holy balls fuck did they actually title a song with that?

To be fair, Sonata Arctica gave up on the whole "euro power" thing on Unia and I don't think they're ever coming back to it. There are bands like Stratovarius and Dreamtale who release one album of slowed-down "heavy" shit before reverting back to "speedy riffs and keyboards everywhere", but I think SA has passed the point of no return. We will never get another Ecliptica or Silence.

I'm just curious to see what kind of demented shit they come up with for a music video.