sibbabami.blogspot.com: Sonata Arctica

Sonata Arctica

Location :Finland
Website :http://www.sonataarctica.info/
Genre(s) :Power
..:: Biography ::..
Sonata Arctica was born in 1996 on the edge of the world, in northern Finish town of Kemi. The very first incarnation of the band was named Tricky Beans. As Tricky Beans, the group produced three demos (Friend till the End, Agre Pamppers and PeaceMaker) and played twice in Jyrki Sähkösirkus. After some personnel changes in 1997, the outfit changed their name to Tricky Means. Let it be know to the Metal community that initially the band experimented in musical styles far from heavy metal.

Turning the page in 1999, Tricky Means recorded new demo "FullMoon" in Tico Tico Studios located in their hometown, Kemi. At the time of recording the line-up consisted of: Tony (vocals/keys), Jani (guitars), Tommy (drums), and Janne (bass). This new demo was the first exploration of the band in heavy metal waters. Band's trademark sound of fast, melodic and keyboard oriented heavy metal with clear and high vocals was born. As fate would have it and with help from Ahti Kortelainen of Tico-Tico Studio, the "FullMoon" demo found its way to the premier metal label of Finland, Spinefarm. At the same time Tricky Means became Sonata Arctica.

Summer of 1999 brought us the first single from Sonata Arctica - UnOpened. The title song was simultaneously included in Metalliliitto 1999 compilation CD. Two furious tracks from the single, UnOpened and Mary-Lou marked the arrival of SA to power metal community. Of course, not everything went smoothly. During the first mix/pressing of UnOpened single, Track 1, UnOpened, was unintentionally slowed down. The mistake was discovered shortly after the first batch of disks was sent to music stores. Entire first pressing was recalled. Approximately 200 copies from that first run were sold and are now considered rare collector's items.

Autumn of 1999 marked the release of the very first full-length album, Ecliptica. Initially released in Finland, other countries quickly followed. Widely successful, Ecliptica opened doors for Sonata Arctica to participate in two tribute records. 'I Want Out' for Helloween tribute album "Keepers of Jericho" and 'Still Loving You' for Scorpions tribute, "A Tribute to the Scorpions" were both kick-ass versions of originals.

Soon after the release of Ecliptica, band's mastermind Tony Kakko decided to concentrate more on singing, as opposed to trying to sing and play keyboards at the same time. Mikko Harkin (ex-Kenziner) joined the band to releif Tony from keys and to allow the front man to roam the stage. This change allowed for much more energetic live shows. It introduced a new capability for Sonata Arctica - to have two keyboard players simultaneously, adding a new cool twist to the live sound.

..:: Discography::..
UnOpened (single) - 1999

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Janne Kivilahti (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Ecliptica - 1999

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Janne Kivilahti (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Succesor (mini CD) - 2000

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Janne Kivilahti (Bass)
Mikko Harkin (Keyboards)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Wolf and Raven (single) - 2001

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Mikko Harkin (Keyboards)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)
Silence - 2001

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Mikko Harkin (Keyboards)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Orientation (mini CD) - 2001

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Mikko Harkin (Keyboards)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Last Drop Falls (single) - 2001

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Mikko Harkin (Keyboards)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Songs of Silence (Live in Tokyo) - 2002

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Mikko Harkin (Keyboards)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Victoria's Secret (single) - 2003

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Jens Johansson (Keyboard)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)
Winterheart's Guild - २००३

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Jens Johansson (Keyboard)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Broken (single) - 2003

Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Mikko Harkin (Keyboards)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Takatalvi (ep) - 2003

Henrik Klingenberg (Keyboards)
Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Janne Kivilahti (Bass)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Mikko Harkin (Keyboards)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Don't Say a Word (ep) - 2004

Henrik Klingenberg (Keyboards)
Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)
Reckoning Night - 2004

Henrik Klingenberg (Keyboards)
Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

Shamandalie (single) - 2004

Henrik Klingenberg (Keyboards)
Jani Liimatainen (Guitar)
Marko Paasikoski (Bass)
Tommy Portimo (Drums)
Tony Kakko (Vocals, Keyboard)

For the Sake of Revenge (live) - 2006