A live album that can't live up to its studio counterparts
J. W. Carter | Juneau, AK United States | 07/02/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I got this cd, even shelled out the extra cash to get the bonus disc with the three extra songs. Well, I almost wish I didn't.It's not that I'm dissapointed, though I'm damn close, it's just that the production quality of this CD is very sub-par when compared to live albums by more mainstream bands. Whereas in those albums the audience is just a dull roar(that I actually like) that gets drowned out by the music, this one is almost the opposite. The audience never shuts up, even during the songs. They do this weird sort of "woo woo" chant thing in the middle of the songs. They drown out the music with their annoying cheering. This isn't the only production problem, however.The onstage mixing was pretty bad at parts. Sometimes Toni's voice would be drowned out by the other instruments(but more often by the damn audience), and sometimes instruments just wouldn't be loud enough(like during Last Drop Falls, one of my favorites that I was sorely dissapointed with).Also, a more minor annoyance is that there are no backup singers.Now, what I liked about the album: FullMoon, another one of my favorites, was really awesome. The guitars were really good, especially that little thing they added during the piano solo in the beginning. Although, again, the audience does that annoying cheering thing.The bonus disc was also pretty good. One note however: the first song is not called "Blank Flies", I believe this was a typo on Amazon's part. It's "Blank File" from Ecliptica(if you hadn't already figured that out).Land of the Free is O.K., but Peacemaker is the highlight of the bonus disc. It's almost like a fanfare, very good and totally Sonata Arctica.All in all, only buy this disc if you are a die-hard Sonata Arctica fan(like me). Otherwise, just stick to their studio releases."
What a live album should be
Captain Colon | 09/30/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"To start, I'll say that one of the things I love about Sonata Arctica is their ability to improvise and make their live shows unique and interesting...you could go to two shows on the same tour and come away with something new from each one. I think this album is a great example of the impressive musicmanship of all the members of the band, and I much prefer the versions of the songs on this album to their studio counterparts (then again, I generally prefer live albums regardless, so take that as you will ;) ).
I was somewhat disappointed by the mixing, it suffers from being a fairly typical euro-metal mix in that the bass is generally not loud enough and the bass drum is too loud (this is especially noticable for me in my car...I have the stock system with the bass turned down about 1/3 of the way and the bass drum still cuts through everything. The drums sound okay through headphones but the bass is almost barely discernable on some tracks).
The loud audience may or may not be your thing. If you've ever been to a Sonata concert then you know that audience participation is a big part of the experience, and for me the roar of the audience really helps to convey the energy of their live performances. Every one of the members plays their heart out on this album and I still think it contains their best live works to date.
My standout tracks:
7. Respect the Wilderness - Hey, you can actually hear the bass! Mikko Härkin's keyboard solo is probably my favorite on the album, followed closely by fullmoon.
8. Fullmoon - Simply put...wow. I can barely even listen to the album version anymore. The opening, the roaring audience, the absolutely fantastic solos by both Mikko and guitarist Jani Liimatainen, all come together into...well, it's something...something that makes me want to drop whatever I'm doing, grab my guitar, and rock the out. I will even sing along, pathetically trying to emulate Tony Kakko's impressive vocal range.
10. The Power of One - The definitive Sonata epic, it's actually quite close to the album version, but still different. Lots of extra fills by Jani (who I think is a VERY tasteful player, and rarely if ever overplays) compared to the album version.
12. My Land - Another Sonata classic. Much like fullmoon, you'll find yourself getting odd looks from other drivers as you will most likely end up unconsciously singing along to this one too.
14. Wolf and Raven - One of my favorite overall Sonata tracks. Considered by many to be their "heaviest" song (at the time anyway), it's definitely a rocker. Everyone (band AND audience), really goes all-out for this one. I was slightly disappointed that it was played nearly exactly the same as the album version, but the album version is great to begin with so I can deal :)
As for the bonus disc...both live songs are on par with the rest, though I never really like Land of the Free. Peacemaker is a pretty much a typical Sonata track, so while good, there's nothing particularly worthy of note there.
The audience seems to be a make-it-or-break-it factor for a lot of people. I think it adds so much to the live feel and that the album would definitely not be the same without it. Musicmanship is great all-around, in particular Mikko Härkin, whose duels with Jani Liimatainen are up there with the great Jens Johansson/Yngwie Malmsteen duels of yesteryear. Without his keyboards many of the songs (Respect the Wilderness and Fullmoon come to mind) would not have been half as enjoyable as they are. If you want a pounding live album that brings you the energy of the band AND the audience...one that you can listen to, close your eyes, and imagine yourself front row center, shaking hands with Tony Kakko as Jani and Mikko go at it, then I wholly recommend this album. If a cheering crowd annoys you, you should probably check out...I believe it's the Unopened EP in particular, but I can't recall off the top of my head...but any of their later live tracks, which you'll probably consider more acceptably polished. This is raw, all-out rockin power metal, folks. Take it or leave it.
Docked half a star for the mixing, but 4.5 still rounds up to 5."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1