Reckoning Night
Reckoning Night has a firmer edge than the cheerful speed often associated with Sonata Arctica. The melodies remain large and the choruses still invite a singalong, but there is more unease in the music. The band explore darker territory and occasionally take a less predictable route through a song. That gives the album more to offer than a collection of fast power-metal tracks.
Misplaced demonstrates the balance immediately. The pace is quick and the vocal line direct, while the organ adds another colour behind the heavier playing. Keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg makes his first studio-album appearance with the band here. His contribution changes the sound without overturning the familiar relationship between voice, guitar and keyboards. The production leaves enough clarity to follow those individual parts.
My Selene is among the easiest songs to connect with. Its melody moves naturally and needs little explanation. Wildfire supplies a sharper, angrier energy. The longer White Pearl, Black Oceans... gives the band room for a more dramatic story and a broader arrangement. Tony Kakko handles those different demands well: he can give a chorus force, then make a quieter passage feel convincing too.
The less familiar turns do not always produce the strongest results. The unusual structure of The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Real Puppet makes it less immediately appealing than the highlights. The modest ballad Shamandalie works precisely because the band leave enough space around it. After the busier material, that simpler approach is useful.
Reckoning Night succeeds because its added ambition rarely damages its accessibility. Vocal harmonies, fast instrumental passages and a clear sound keep everything connected. Sonata Arctica sound interested in new possibilities, with enough strong choruses to bring their established audience along.
