Sonata Arctica Songs Ranked

Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, Finland. Created as a hard rock band named Tricky Beans, they later changed to Tricky Means and finally to Sonata Arctica, when they shifted to power metal. The current line-up consists of singer, keyboardist, and songwriter Tony Kakko, guitarist Elias Viljanen, bass guitarist Pasi Kauppinen, keyboardist, and keytarist Henrik Klingenberg, and drummer Tommy Portimo. All the musicians of the band’s history except Portimao also acted as backing vocalists. As of 2019, the band has released ten full-length albums (three via Spinefarm Records and seven via Nuclear Blast), their most recent being Talviyö on September 6, 2019. Here are all of the Sonata Arctica songs ranked.

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20. The End of This Chapter (The End of This Chapter, 2005)

“A song about old love now regretfully left behind. “I tell you that past times won’t die, I tell you that old lies are alive”. Lines about despair and sorrow after a love that most likely went bad (Love due to expire too long time ago, kill me, please kill me before) with emotional piano tune and superb overall music.”

19. The Misery (Winterheart’s Guild, 2003)

“The idea of it being to a pen does quite explain a lot of this song to me. I think it is definitely about writing, though. I have always thought of it being about the writer’s Muse. She inspires him to write because he is hopelessly in love with her but it hurts to love her because he cannot have her. This pain is what gives him fuel to write, however, so it is a tragic paradox. I dunno, just my take on it.”

18. My Land (Ecliptica, 1999)

“Now what we have here is a song that starts as a ballad. “We hate ballads!”, you say. I know. I hate ballads too. But behold. The guitar riff by an 18-year-old dude called Jani Liimatainen at time 0:34-0:44 proves that this is not your typical metal ballad. More like a really slow power metal song. The neo-classical guitar/synthesizer battle at time 1:35-2:07 is way above average too, so listening to this song will do you no harm. Also, the speedy drums/synthesizers at time 3:04 and also at time 3:41 are 100, so at least something was done right here. The best parts of the song are the sudden power metal bursts at time 1:57-2:07, 3:03-3:16 and 3:41-3:51. “My Land” is a textbook example of why all metal bands in the world should play power metal.”

17. Letter to Dana (Ecliptica, 1999)

“If you expect me to like anything Sonata Arctica has ever released, please expect again. What a sucky ballad. I’m pretty sure some of the fans of Sonata Arctica fancy this song, but unfortunately I am not one of them. LTD is a sucky song that should have never been released. Is there anything to like here? Yes there is; The flute in the beginning and in the end. In fact, now that I think about it, if “Letter to Dana” was the only song Sonata Arctica ever made, it would be my favorite SA song of all time. Wait… what?”

See more: Sonata Arctica Albums Ranked

16. Replica (Ecliptica, 1999)

“It is a very good Sonata Arctica song, but Sonata is not as good as Mole G-Cow (the best band in the world obviously) I think every Sonata Arctica fan should try listening to Mole G-Cow, its incredible how good that band is”

15. Black Sheep (Silence, 2001)

“This was my introduction song to this band, the very first that I’ve head it’s been quite a while since that fateful day, yet I still deem this song my favorite and the best they ever had, it’s been many years and I’m still not tired of it!”

14. 8th Commandment (Ecliptica, 1999)

“Power metal again. I am glad. The whole song is power metal, so there’s no need to chop the song into pieces. The use of harpsichord makes the song even more hundred than it actually is. Best song so far.”

13. False News Travels Fast (Silence, 2001)

“This song has some very brilliant modifications to the main melodies occurring here and there in the song, and it really serves to make this a compelling and addicting song. The vocal courses are awesome!”

12. Paid in Full (Unia, 2007)

“Amazing song that manages to be a perfect cross between power-metal and prog metal. It manages to make each chorus slightly different, but with the same amazingly catchy theme.”

11. Don’t Say a Word (Reckoning Night, 2004)

“It has a great and heavy riff and great lyrics, it’s pure energy! It has an awesome solo too! The rhythm constantly is changing and that make the song very dynamic and funny!”

10. The Wolf and Raven (Silence, 2001)

“Intricate guitar work throughout the song. Amazing lyrical content which mirrors the Shakespearean classic, MacBeth. Plus the music video throws a curveball at you at the end of the song.”

9. Shy (Takatalvi, 2003)

“This is so pretty!!! I’m not one for slow ballad meaningful lovey songs, I don’t normally have the patience to listen to them, but this is different, I think this is gorgeous.”

8. San Sebastian (Silence, 2001)

“San Sebastian (Revisited) is one of the fastest songs on here and it is highly infectious with its catchiness. If that woooooaaaaahh section doesn’t get you singing along then you might be dead. This song is about chasing a girl that is out of his league and being burned by her. It is a fun track and full of youthful energy. Sometimes when you are infatuated with a girl, you kind of put yourself in this type of mindstate where even a smile from her can make you just so happy that you want to jump out of your skin for the rest of the day. This song captures that youthful love like no other song I have heard.”

7. Tallulah (Silence, 2001)

“The best song of Sonata Arctica hands down, beautiful ballad and the lyrics just get to you every single time. This should be a must if you listen to any of Sonatas albums.”

See more: Metallica Albums Ranked

6. Kingdom for a Heart (Ecliptica, 1999)

“Power metal is easily the most underrated genre of all time. Just listen to this song to get an idea how awesome a power metal song can be, when it has been done right. The Yngwie Malmsteen influences don’t hurt the song either.”

5. Victorias Secret (Winterheart’s Guild, 2003)

“The chorus itself is likeable in that it is simple, yet as it hits you hard with the bone-tapping “And it’s not my secret! ” you are blown away by the sheer indications of what meaning of the song is possible… a meaning besides beauty. Yes, it is a beautiful song, because the hardest hitting songs are those that hit you hard effectively and in the right bodily and emotional locations. This one does just that. And besides beauty…this song achieves on my level because it is all-forgiving and has a spot for itself in innocence, and then it also somehow feasts on insurmountable drive and red, hot passionate fury, disguised as happy thoughts and happy things…”

4. The Cage (Winterheart’s Guild, 2003)

“This song is just amazing, the first time I heard it, I was in tears because of how good it was, Sonata Arctica are the best band ever made. Best keyboard and rhythm work done by the band yet!”

3. My Selene (Reckoning Night, 2004)

“Beautiful, poetic, and whimsical lryics rooted in Western mythology. Combined with the up-tempo power metal style and impressive vocal performance that made early Sonata Arctica great, this is the most emotionally moving and impressive piece by them in my opinion.”

2. White Pearl, Black Oceans (Reckoning Night, 2004)

“Quite simply a captivating piece that pulls the listener into the world, providing such fantastic imagery that even in the comparatively limited words of a song a full story is fleshed out.”

1. Full Moon (Ecliptica, 1999)

“This song is one of the most amazing things I have heard in my entire life, the first time I heard it I was just astonished and I re-played it so, so many times and I have yet to get tired of it, I would recommend this song to pretty much everyone.”