I Have a Right

One of the most maddening perceptions that some metal fans seem to have about their favorite bands is that they should never change style or get “out” of the metal genre, which on one level is understandable – these fans only really like a certain band’s metal output and do not find their non-metal output to be satisfying. But on the other hand, it’s really insulting to try and tell these bands to stop being creative and only stick to one regressive and restrictive style of music, and certainly does not help the metal scene much at all. Perhaps the epitomizing example of this phenomenon, Finland’s Sonata Arctica continues to buck expectations and just release whatever the hell they want.

I mean, I get it; some people just don’t dig songs like “I Have a Right.” This is a pop-metal song with a big, melodic chorus, some agreeable keyboards and the only really metal element being the slightly jagged downtuned riffing, which really is not even much of a focus here. Tony Kakko’s lyrics are centered on a very hippie-like notion that every child should have a right to “be seen, be heard, be loved and be free,” as the lyrics repeat, and the artistic statement is channeled through the music through a ton of repetition of the chorus, taking up most of the four and a half minutes of the song even. On paper that sounds absolutely dreadful, but Kakko is a talented songwriter and makes it engaging by changing up the inflection he sings in and adding new lyrics as the song goes on – it’s actually very dynamic in a very subtle way. The last minute or so builds up to a very engaging choir-section that is just as wondrous as anything they wrote in the Silence era.

So while even though most of the song is just the chorus repeated over and over, it’s still a very well done song, and is quite addictive once you get past how jarring it is. Despite the accessibility of it all, this is a very experimental and oddball little tune, and I like that about it. It’s also really, really catchy.

And yes, the lyrics are pretty sappy, but it’s still a well done anthem and delivered in an interesting way. It’s a pop song with pop-esque lyrics, but Kakko’s songwriting makes it stand out and his bold vocals elevate the song way above your average crap used in a Red Cross commercial or something. He is one of my favorite singers in general, with a huge charismatic presence, a great ear for melody and an endless well of emotions ranging from sorrow to joy to anger to madness all in the same album, and while I have not heard the entirety of their upcoming opus Stones Grow Her Name, it’s a safe bet that it will have the daring and experimental genius of this band in full.

Sonata Arctica is never going back to power metal, not fully, no matter how many people tell them they were only good at that. People will always complain when a band like this changes their style, and unfortunately so – this fear of change is a very harmful and regressive way to look at art. The way I see it, the band's old material isn't disappearing; you can go back and listen to it whenever you want. So let bands like this continue to defy the rules and create weird new things and experiment as they please! But I digress - mileage will vary on how much people actually like this new stuff from Sonata Arctica, but I’m firmly with them as long as they keep making such evocative music like this. Eagerly awaiting the next album.