It's a double-edge sword, since more atmosphere means less excitement. There's less of that instant-satisfaction vibe Silence bathed itself in, which means Winterheart's Guild can benefit from repeat listenings. At that point it begins to feel like settling into a new home as a child you're not so certain of the shift in territory, but in time, you become acquainted and learn to accept the change in both structure and color. Sonata Arctica altered their approach on Winterheart's Guild just enough to be distinguishable from its predecessors, but not to the point of straying from their roots. Ecliptica made them look like a standard bouquet, while Silence allowed them to rise with sharp hues aplenty. Winterheart's Guild, by comparison, is less florally inclined. It's content with resting in the power metal garden as a slight variation from its siblings, one that will fascinate some and disinterest others.That's gotta be the worst album cover I've ever seen, I kid you not. Guaranteed not to sell very many tour shirts on the road, mark my words. Fortunately, the cover art is not a reflection of the material pressed onto disc. For those that love it when this band travel their Stratovarian "do ya wanna go faster?" groove, you won't be disappointed, because there's plenty of speed to be heard. Of particular note are 'Black Sheep' and 'Land Of The Free', two songs destined to become crowd favourites thanks to some brilliant hooks and earworm melodies.
The album's strongest moments, in my opinion anyway, are featured in the toned-down tracks like 'The End Of This Chapter', 'Sing In Silence' and monster epic 'The Power Of One'.
I dunno, maybe I'm too old to ride this rollercoaster. The album could have done without including a re-recording of 'San Sebastian' (from the Successor EP) and 'Tallulah', as they do nothing but take up valuable space. Expect great things from this band, even if their latest album falls short of greatness.
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