Sonata Arctica | en

Arctica are primarily Kim Stanley and Lloyd Cox. They record songs made up on the spot, with a microphone hanging from a lightbulb in a 100% improvised fashion. Nothing is taken away or censored and what you hear was completely created in the moment with no beforehand thought or writing. On hugely rare occasions, Arctica play live with the assistance of Loz Hancock(drums) and Michael Gammon(bass). When they play live it is completely improvised, aided by a few scale discussions. 2. ambient group from U.k. .

Sonata Arctica was formed in 1996 on the edge of the world, in the northern Finnish town of Kemi. Originally formed as Tricky Beans, they released few demos and as they got the contract they had to change their name. In 1999 the band recorded a new demo "FullMoon" in Tico Tico Studios located in their hometown, Kemi. At the time of recording the line-up consisted of: Tony (vocals/keys), Jani (guitars), Tommy (drums), and Janne (bass). This new demo was the first exploration for the band in heavy metal waters. The band's trademark sound of fast, melodic and keyboard oriented...

Although best known for their dub versions, it has to be noted that their very dubs are re-engineered from masters with the same high ranking quality. "Waiting in dub" seems to be their showcase track, but the original "Waiting is done" is of an equivalent standard. Information about the band focuses on a lot of self-promotion and advertising. Their attitude to life matters in general gets revealed via a lot of banter with fans and fellow artists on some forums, with a notable absence of linear biographical data. These ongoing threads of discussion do convey a remarkable warmth and personal...