On "Reckoning Night" you can find as well the typical Sonata-style songs like the fast opener "Misplaced" or the power ballad "My Selene" which is as well my favorite song of this album, perhaps because the catchy chorus and great melodies. But there are also some new features on this album, like the keyboards, now played by Henrik Klingenberg, who brought his own influences to the band, or like the choirs you can hear in several songs like "Don't Say A Word" or "The Boy Who Wanted To Be A Real Puppet" and a very special song is "Reckoning Day, Reckoning Night". It's an instrumental song only consisting of piano and some synthesizers which are creating a dark atmosphere and to me it would make a perfect song for a movie soundtrack. The longest song on "Reckoning Night" is a mid-tempo ballad with an epic touch called "White Pearl, Black Ocean" which reminds me a bit of "The Power Of One" or "The Ruins Of My Life" on their past albums. A wonderful song though and one of the most recommendable ones of the album. With "Shamandalie" there is another ballad to be found that could be counted to one of the best ballads every written by vocalist Tony Kakko. Here you can as well hear his Queen-influences at some parts. Of course a song about wolves had to be on this album again as it could be found on every Sonata Arctica album so far (just think of "Full Moon", "Wolf & Raven" and "The Cage") - "Ain't Your Fairytale", and to keep the traditions it's a fast and melodic one again. The weak point of this album, yes it's hard to believe that there is one, is the song called "Wildfire" in my opinion. Nearly as fast as "Misplaced" but with agressive vocals (choirs), so that it doesn't really fit to the other songs on "Reckoning Night".

However, I was more than positively surprised by this album so that it can already be called to be one of the best Melodic Power Metal released that have arrived from Finland this year. You are really missing something if you don't listen to this masterpiece, not only because of the good production. Sonata Arctica have always been walking in the shadows of Finland's Power Metal gods Stratovarius, but now they're standing on their own feet and have grown to a very remarkable band.

written by Silence

Playing time: 52.30