Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
As much as they qualify for all of the negative (read: repetitive) stereotypes of melodic European power metal, Finland's Sonata Arctica somehow manage to suppress the cheese factor to a point where fans of more challenging and aggressive heavy metal can actually stomach their albums. 2005's Reckoning Night is one such triumph, and although the precise reasons behind this remain as unexplainable as ever (possibly vocalist Tony Kakko's more-honest-than-operatic delivery?), the fact is, not only does it prove surprisingly likeable for power metal haters, it naturally qualifies as potentially genre-topping stuff for power metal lovers. "Blinded No More" and "Shamandalie" are picture-perfect melodic metal singles, no doubt destined to climb chars across Scandinavia, Germany and Japan, while similarly mid-paced heritage metal anthems such as "Don't Say a Word" and "White Pearl, Black Oceans" manner their authenticity with just enough progressive rock touches (Kansas, big-time) to keep listeners interested. Even the mockery-begging "The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Real Puppet" manages to pull the rug out from under cynics' feet with its irresistible hooks, leaving it up to the thrash-intensive "Wildfire" to hog such honors instead with its silly spoken fantasy intro. Along the same lines, as usual it's the all-out speed-fests like "Misplaced" and "Fairytale" that curiously proffer the least compelling results, their maddeningly mechanical percussion base and seemingly identically building refrains blurring into oblivion with annoying reliability. But Sonata Arctica manage to sweeten the pot a little here, too, thanks to their creative and original solos -- on guitar as well as on keyboards. In the end, Reckoning Night's greatest achievement is simultaneously representing the best of what power metal has to offer, while qualifying as a very guilty pleasure for metal fans who swear they hate the style. [Note: Certain versions of Reckoning Night contain an acoustic jam entitled "Wrecking the Sphere" as a bonus track.]
© Eduardo Rivadavia /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $17.49/month
Tony Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist - Toni Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Kakko, Composer, Lyricist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Tony Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist - Toni Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Kakko, Composer, Lyricist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Tony Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist - Toni Kakko, Composer, Lyricist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Tony Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist - Toni Kakko, Composer, Lyricist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Tony Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist - Toni Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Kakko, Composer, Lyricist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Tony Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist - Toni Kakko, Composer, Lyricist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Jani Liimatainen, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Tony Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist - Toni Kakko, Composer, Lyricist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Tony Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist - Toni Kakko, Composer, Lyricist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Tony Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Sonata Arctica, MainArtist - Toni Kakko, Composer, Lyricist - Kakko, Composer, Lyricist
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2004 Atomic Fire
Album review
As much as they qualify for all of the negative (read: repetitive) stereotypes of melodic European power metal, Finland's Sonata Arctica somehow manage to suppress the cheese factor to a point where fans of more challenging and aggressive heavy metal can actually stomach their albums. 2005's Reckoning Night is one such triumph, and although the precise reasons behind this remain as unexplainable as ever (possibly vocalist Tony Kakko's more-honest-than-operatic delivery?), the fact is, not only does it prove surprisingly likeable for power metal haters, it naturally qualifies as potentially genre-topping stuff for power metal lovers. "Blinded No More" and "Shamandalie" are picture-perfect melodic metal singles, no doubt destined to climb chars across Scandinavia, Germany and Japan, while similarly mid-paced heritage metal anthems such as "Don't Say a Word" and "White Pearl, Black Oceans" manner their authenticity with just enough progressive rock touches (Kansas, big-time) to keep listeners interested. Even the mockery-begging "The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Real Puppet" manages to pull the rug out from under cynics' feet with its irresistible hooks, leaving it up to the thrash-intensive "Wildfire" to hog such honors instead with its silly spoken fantasy intro. Along the same lines, as usual it's the all-out speed-fests like "Misplaced" and "Fairytale" that curiously proffer the least compelling results, their maddeningly mechanical percussion base and seemingly identically building refrains blurring into oblivion with annoying reliability. But Sonata Arctica manage to sweeten the pot a little here, too, thanks to their creative and original solos -- on guitar as well as on keyboards. In the end, Reckoning Night's greatest achievement is simultaneously representing the best of what power metal has to offer, while qualifying as a very guilty pleasure for metal fans who swear they hate the style. [Note: Certain versions of Reckoning Night contain an acoustic jam entitled "Wrecking the Sphere" as a bonus track.]
© Eduardo Rivadavia /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:55:23
- Main artists: Sonata Arctica
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Atomic Fire
- Genre: Metal
© 2018 Atomic Fire ℗ 2018 Atomic Fire
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.