Stones Grow Her Name [Deluxe Edition] [Bonus Track]

by Sonata Arctica

Overview

Having seemingly reached the limits of their experimental comfort zone with the more progressive and/or aggressive tendencies of recent albums, Finland's Sonata Arctica retreated to safer melodic metal terrain on 2012's Stones Grow Her Name. In fact, so "safe" that metal barely appears in the picture at times. Granted, thanks to their copious displays of instrumental technique, lavish synthetic string sections, heavyweight staccato guitar riffs, and overactive drums (not to mention head-scratching eco-friendly lyric concepts?), isolated tracks like "Losing My Insanity" and parts two and three of the "Wildfire" suite check off both the prog and power metal boxes (one can't be quite sure which box is checked by the banjo-infused oddity "Cinderblox"). But notwithstanding the ballsy title of "Shitload o' Money" (see also the dark irony of "Alone in Heaven") and Euro-defining keyboard overkill, predominant radio-oriented tunes like "Only the Broken Hearts (Make You Beautiful)," "I Have a Right," and "The Day" essentially straddle the gossamer-thin partition between L.A. glam rock and AOR (also see the intolerably schmaltzy ballad "Don't Be Mean") -- ultimately reflecting the 1980s' commercial values and ultra-glossy production aesthetic. In short: pop-metal, new millennium style. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as Sonata Arctica always seem to carry this style off as well as anyone else. And as long as their loyal fans share the band's appreciation for such saccharine (by metal standards, at least) but undeniably infectious sonic ingredients, everyone should go home happy with Stones Grow Her Name. [A Deluxe Edition added a bonus track.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia

Product Details

Release Date:	05/22/2012
Label:	Atomic Fire / Nuclear Blast
UPC:	0727361286187
Rank:	105791

Tracks

1. Only the Broken Hearts (Make You Beautiful)
2. Shitload O' Money
3. Losing My Insanity
4. Somewhere Close to You
5. I Have a Right
6. Alone in Heaven
7. The Day
8. Cinderblox
9. Don't Be Mean
10. Wildfire, Pt. 2: One with the Mountain
11. Wildfire, Pt. 3: Wildfire Town, Population: 0
12. Tonight I Dance Alone

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sonata Arctica   Primary Artist
Timo Kotipelto   Vocals (Background)
Peter Engberg   Banjo,Viola Caipira,Guitar (Acoustic)
Nino Laurenne   Vocals (Background)
Mika Myllaeri   Trumpet
Lauri Valkonen   Double Bass
Pekka Kuusisto   Violin
Tapsa Ollonen   Drums
Masi Hukari   Drums
Sol Engelhardt   Drums
Perttu Korteniemi   Drums
Anna Lavender   Spoken Word
Mediocre Media Ogre Choir   Vocals

Technical Credits

Ralf Speiter   Stage Sound
Tony Kakko   Arranger,Composer,Lyricist,Producer
Nino Laurenne   Engineer
Mikko Karmila   Mixing
Ahti Kortelainen   Engineer,Additional Production
Svante Forsbaeck   Mastering
Joerg Neubart "Neubi"   Tour Manager
Pasi Kauppinen   Engineer
Janne Pitkaenen   Illustrations
Gina Pitkaenen   Illustrations
Jim Feeney   Stage Sound
Terhi Ylimaeinen   Photography
Gerrit Wissdorf   Tour Manager
Jukka Wahlsten   Additional Production
Larry Longsleeve   Merchandising
Mikko P. Mustonen   Orchestration
Heikki Pietikaeinen   Backline Technician
Ville Haeivaelae   Stage Sound
Ari Arvola   Pyrotechnics
Antti Punkki   Tour Manager,Lighting Design,Production Manager
Tapsa Ollonen   Tour Manager
Masi Hukari   Engineer,Proof Reading,Additional Production
Paul Gilliam   Merchandising
Brian Warner   Merchandising
Petri Ahvenainen   Engineer
Mediocre Media Ogre Choir   Additional Music
Sonata Arctica   Arranger,Producer