Sonata Arctica
 

Finnish metal band, maybe not as popular as Nightwish and Children of Bodom but, IMO, they're a lot better.

Highlight is the lyrics, definitely, although the music is also awesome. And Tony Kakko, despite the slightly odd surname (he is Finnish so it can be excused), has an awesome voice.

Best songs? A lot, but these are a good place to start:

Still Loving You (a cover of the Scorpions song - made it heavy and fast!)
Letter to Dana (slow track, but one of the few songs I can honestly classify as being beautiful...)
Victoria's Secret (as well as being named after an underwear chain it's totally awesome)
The Power Of One/End Of This Chapter/Destruction Preventer/White Pearl, Black Ocean (all 8 minutes, or longer, each telling a story of sorts...WPBO is the most tragic song I've ever heard, kinda tears you up to listen to it...while being totally compelling)
Don't Say A Word (sequel of The End Of This Chapter, continues the story being told. Awesome in every way.)
My Selene (only non-cover song that Tony Kakko didn't write - this was written by Jani, the guitarist...based on a story from Greek mythology)
Black Sheep (the first song I heard - really cool, maybe the worst lyrics of all of them while still having great lyrics :P)
The Misery (as the title says, this is NOT a happy song. Very slow, something you have to be in the mood for.)

Anyway, yeah, check them out. Now.

Ecliptica is an awesome album.

The Misery is one of my favorite songs. This band is sweet live as well.

Yeah...I have the newest live album, it's cool. They've only ever done one gig in the UK, which I was supposed to go to but eventually missed.

I have most of their albums...I have Ecliptica, Silence, Reckoning Night and For The Sake Of Revenge. I intend to get Winterheart's Guild at some point soon, and, if I can find it, Succesor. Won't bother with Songs of Silence.

While we're on this topic, Moley, if you read this - I want Ecliptica and Silence back! I don't think you've ever even listened to them.

EDIT: Ooh, just checked their website; they've got the new album's tracklisting up!

http://www.sonataarctica.info/graphic/uniacover.jpg

Tracklist:

01. In Black And White
02. Paid In Full
03. For The Sake Of Revenge
04. It Won't Fade
05. Under Your Tree
06. Caleb
07. The Vice
08. My Dream's But A Drop Of Fuel For A Nightmare
09. The Harvest
10. The Worlds Forgotten, The Words Forbidden
11. Fly With The Black Swan
12. Good Enough Is Good Enough


Some of these sound interesting, especially The Worlds Forgotten, It Won't Fade and The Vice.

Interesting there's a song called For The Sake Of Revenge when that was the previous (live) album's title, and there was no song of that name on there...

This band is SOOOO much fun to listen to.

they r a really good band
 

they are a really good band dose any one know if they are gonna be in Ireland ne time soon

Since they've only ever done one UK gig ever, in Birmingham in 2005, I highly doubt it. All this year they've got gigs in America and Finland, but nothing even vaguely UK like.

Soo Epic....soooooo Epic