PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
The term overdone or unnecessary is thrown around a lot lately. But wow, is this trash an example of it! I love the original and 2008 version of this “Ecliptica” ; Sonata Arctica are one of my favourite bands but this has ruined my opinion of them for a while. If you want a remastered version of “Ecliptica” get the 2008 Remastered Edition it is my personal favourite and Sonata should have left it there. There was no need for this cash-grabbing piece of crap.
The songs are recorded and/or remastered to such an extent that they sound like a they’re performed by a different band with worse vocals. There is no bite or edge to these songs. I don’t understand why a band would ruin an stellar album like this. It makes no sense to me.
There are some good points to this album, it’s still crap, but it has some good parts. The keyboards and atmospheric instruments sound superior on this release. And I love the new intro to “My Land” and “Replica”. Plus, the new guitar licks in “Replica” are great too. But that’s where the good points stop.
Overall, this album sounds like a bad pop album and is an even worse showing when compared to the 2008 version. Which makes everything sound awesome and you should buy that right now.
The vocal choices made by Tony Kakko are awful. They are just so very awful! Every track has completely overdone and over produced vocal tracks. Kakko is a great vocalist but I can’t stand him here. The sound engineer managed to make me hate my favourite thing about this album and Sonata as a whole.
What about the songs that you love from this album? Well prepare to hate them. They ruined “Full Moon”, yes the intro is awesome, but the kick in the track is gone and it plays like a bland lame duck ballad. “Letter To Dana” is hammed up and becomes something so far removed from that it’ll make you cringe.
There is no passion in any of the tracks it feels like a “paint by the numbers” rethread of the material that was fine to begin with. Again, this is a pointless album that has no other intention to make money and cash in on what was already a great offering. I am a huge Sonata Arctica but I hate this version of “Ecliptica”.
Avoid this at all costs; I am upset that Sonata Artica would defile their masterwork like this. This is the one of the worst album of 2014 in my opinion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV1PLEo7wBY
“Ecliptica – Revisited: 15th Anniversary Edition” was released on July 24th via Nuclear Blast.
Tracks:
1. Blank File
2. My Land
3. 8th Commandment
4. Replica
5. Kingdom for a Heart
6. FullMoon
7. Letter to Dana
8. UnOpened
9. Picturing the Past
10. Destruction Preventer
Current members:
Tommy Portimo – drums
Tony Kakko – lead vocals, keyboards
Henrik Klingenberg – keyboards, keytar, backing vocals
Elias Viljanen – guitars, backing vocals
Pasi Kauppinen – bass
Links:
- £10.99
