Though Sonata Arctica is one of those legacy power metal bands that many of us grew up with, their more recent works (say, any time after 2007 and with Jani Liimatainen’s departure from the group) have been paltry offerings at best. Let’s be honest—The Days of Grays and Stones Grow Her Name were not good albums, especially from a band with such superb offerings as Silence and Ecliptica.
However, with the unveiling of this new track, there may be hope for these werewolf-loving Finns yet. With what may be the strongest track to date, Sonata come forth with ‘The Wolves Die Young‘ from the upcoming album Pariah’s Child, due out March 28th.
It’s hard to be too excited, having been burned by the last two albums and roughly 60% of Unia, but there’s a certain charm to ‘The Wolves Die Young’ that inspires hope for these boys still. The theme, that lovely bridge-chorus combination, and that incredible bass part at the beginning make this song soar, but those vocal melodies on the verses and the uninspired riffing are more than enough to drag it down.
Still, there’s something to be said about the positive aspects of the track and it’s hard not to be a little excited about the new album as an old Sonata Arctica fan. Guess we’ll see how it pans out, eh?
-KG