Sonata Arctica - Days of Grays

[mayhem-for-all]

Just got back from seeing Sonata....tired....just gonna post the setlist while I remember, but that's all.

(somewhat in order)

Everything Fades to Gray (intro)
Paid in Full
Black Sheep
Full Moon
As if the World Wasn't Ending
Last Drop Falls
Caleb
Replica
The Last Amazing Grays
White Pearls, Black Oceans
It Won't Fade
Flag in the Ground
The Cage

Encore:
In Black and White
Don't say a Word

As if the world wasn't ending
Tony said in an interview that they only rehearsed Juliet, Deda Skin and the Two single songs for the first part of the tour.

well I don't doubt you maybe there was a mistake in the interview or something.

[Burning Reflection]

^ Actually, after the song was over Tony said that was "like the world premiere of that song"

Dude I gotta say over all they were good, tony looked like he was having a lot of fun, but they totally fucked up It won't fade. It was either Henrik or Tony that fucked up, but Tony walked up to Henrik with a gaping mouth and slouched shoulders.... almost didn't sing for half a minute. I totally lost them in the song and it may have been Tony that forgot the lyrics. Tony also messed up the lyrics on Last Drop Falls. He was saying that traveling has taken its toll, that it was their first show and he was feeling like he was getting sick. Either way doesn't change the fact that the other songs were played really well some I thought even better live than on the album. Stoked I get to see them again today!

[mayhem-for-all]

They are quite a good live band I hear.
It is nice news there going to be a new live DvD next year.

[fernandotcl]

Yea, this has been an amazing year, great releases.

When Unia was released I was really skeptical. It was very different from Reckoning Night, it was darker and I simply couldn't get it. I became addicted to Reckoning Night the first time I listened to it, and I listened to it several times in a row for a long time. Now I forgot about Unia after the first time I listened to it and only realized how great it was after having listened to it several times.

Back to this album, Tony never sounded this good before, his voice is bold and yet natural (As If The World Wasn't Ending, The Truth Is Out There). The multilayered vocals are also better than ever. I don't like non-operatic female vocals in general, but Johanna is a perfect fit, and I think her vocals really enhance the whole experience.

Overall the album flows better than Unia. Unia had a lot of good stuff, but I always have the feeling that it's an unfinished experiment, an unpolished work. On the other hand, The Last Amazing Grays is grandiose and complete. While some say it's darker, I think Unia sounded darker and more artificial.

It's hard to try to compare it against other Sonata Arctica albums. It's very different from anything prior to Reckoning Night, and Reckoning Night was a masterpiece. I'd say it's 90% as great as Reckoning Night once you get used to it, which is pretty damn good.

They're certainly on the right track. I see this album as the natural progression of a band that is getting more and more mature, learning from the good and bad things from the previous albums and adding some diversity from very unusual sources, making the whole experience very unique and refreshing.

The good: Tony's voice is better than ever. The album is a complete, polished piece of art.
The bad: Deathaura belongs in Unia. No easy listening.

Highlights: The Last Amazing Grays, Zeros, In The Dark

1. Everything Fades To Gray (Instrumental): -/-
2. Deathaura: 5/10
3. The Last Amazing Grays: 10/10
4. Flag In The Ground: 9/10
5. Breathing: 7/10
6. Zeros: 9.5/10
7. The Dead Skin: 9/10
8. Juliet: 8/10
9. No Dream Can Heal A Broken Heart: 9/10
10. As If The World Wasn't Ending: 9.5/10
11. The Truth Is Out There: 9/10
12. Everything Fades To Gray: 8/10
13. In The Dark (Bonus): 9.5/10

I didn't rate the first song because I consider it to be a purely introductory song.

Per-track: 9.3
Overall: 9.5

I'm buying this ASAP. :headbang:

[mayhem-for-all]

Deathaura is just great.
Well maybe not the best song of the album or the best long song by them but good.
It was quite progresssive and definately the fastest song on the album.
and at least it had some killer choir and instrumental parts.

Not arguing this is just my opinnion and I understand if you don't like the song.

[Burning Reflection]

I've listened to it 3 times and I gotta say over all so far I don't like it. It lacks a punch, guitar solos and at times is too dreary. People complained that AoA lacked power , well this album is just as slow or even slower and less symphonic than that. I always liked Tony's lyrics, but even then they seemed like a step down from previous works. I still like the lyrics and they are better than a lot of other band's, but I mean the reoccurring theme of "turning to gray" is not that great of a lyrical concept (a similar color/life concept lyrically in AoA's "Into the Future" was "we're screaming in silence, but dreaming in color, we're fire!" I like so much better for example) I don't really like all the layering of vocals it sounds over produced in a fake bad way. I didn't like AoA at first but now I love it, hopefully that will be the case with this album. Definitely will give the album another try.

[mayhem-for-all]

The theme is actually death.
thats what everything fades to gray is about.
and there is quite a lot speed on some songs.
Deathaura is really fast.

[nefertari]

I've listened to it 3 times and I gotta say over all so far I don't like it. It lacks a punch, guitar solos and at times is too dreary. People complained that AoA lacked power , well this album is just as slow or even slower and less symphonic than that. I always liked Tony's lyrics, but even then they seemed like a step down from previous works. I still like the lyrics and they are better than a lot of other band's, but I mean the reoccurring theme of "turning to gray" is not that great of a lyrical concept (a similar color/life concept lyrically in AoA's "Into the Future" was "we're screaming in silence, but dreaming in color, we're fire!" I like so much better for example) I don't really like all the layering of vocals it sounds over produced in a fake bad way. I didn't like AoA at first but now I love it, hopefully that will be the case with this album. Definitely will give the album another try.

I agree totally