Hard work has always been the key to success – but it won’t get you anywhere without a good dose of both unmistakable trademarks and ever-renewing innovation. From the beginning of their career on, SONATA ARCTICA have understood and implemented this formula, resulting in a total of album sales figures beyond the staggeringly high 600.000 copies mark for their six previous albums, beginning with the soon-to-be power metal classic “Ecliptica” in 1999 and ending with 2009’s almost progressive yet still doubtlessly Sonata-esque “The Days Of Grays” album. With this amazing success story on their tail – including gold statuses for all of their albums plus their compilation record and the first live DVD »For The Sake Of Revenge« (2006) in Finland on top of the aforementioned – expectations on the new, seventh studio record were high. Which stylistic direction would it take?
Recorded in various studios all over Finland, mixed by Mikko Karmila at Sonic Pump Studios and mastered at Chartmakers by Svante Forsbäck, “Stones Grow Her Name” achieves the impossible: Plainly audible it takes a big step forward while reaching at least equally far into the band’s past, combining only the best of the early works’ catchiness with experimental approaches as presented from “Unia” (2007) on in eleven incomparably well-written musical pearls. It is the blend of true metallic roughness (`Shitload O`Money´), extremely catchy choruses (`Losing My Insanity´), anthems of heavenly dignity (`Alone In Heaven´) and highly emotional ballads ( `Don’t Be Mean´), built on an in-depth lyrical foundation and presented with a maximum of passion, that gives you the impression of listening to more than just music. In every line and every word, every guitar riff, keyboard solo and drum pattern there is something to discover. Open your hearts to SONATA ARCTICAs most eclectic work to date – and let “Stones Grow Her Name” become the love of your life!
