Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, Finland. Created as a hard rock band named Tricky Beans, they later changed to Tricky Means and finally to Sonata Arctica, when they shifted to power metal. The current lineup consists of drummer Tommy Portimo, lead singer Tony Kakko, keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg, guitarist Elias Viljanen and bassist Pasi Kauppinen. All the musicians of the band's history except Portimo also acted as backing vocalists.
Over the Hills and Far Away is the first EP by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 25 June 2001 through Spinefarm Records in Finland, and Drakkar Records in the rest of Europe. It was also released by Toy's Factory in Japan and Century Media Records in the US. Bassist Sami Vänskä left the band after its recording, due to musical differences between him and Tuomas Holopainen. He was replaced by the bassist and male vocalist, Marko Hietala.
Silence is the second full-length album by Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica, released in 2001 through Spinefarm Records. It is the only studio album to feature keyboardist Mikko Härkin, and the first album with original member Marko Paasikoski, who returned to the band the previous year. Stratovarius lead singer Timo Kotipelto sang guest vocals on the album.
Toni Kristian "Tony" Kakko is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative lead of the band Sonata Arctica since 1996.
Juha-Pekka "JP" Leppäluoto is a Finnish musician. He was in the band Charon until the summer of 2011 as a vocalist and songwriter. He also formed the band Harmaja as a vocalist, guitar player and songwriter. They released three albums. Together with Marko Hietala, Tony Kakko, and Jarkko Ahola, he was also in the band Northern Kings as a vocalist. He provided vocals for the first release from the band Poisonblack, which featured members from several other Finnish rock bands, and also sang in the band Dark Sarah, first as a guest, and then as an official member for one album cycle, before stepping away to focus on a solo career, although he still provides guest vocals for the band. In 2020 he released his first solo album, titled Piilevää pimeää.
Ari Koivunen is a Finnish heavy metal singer who rose to fame as the winner of the Finnish singing competition Idols in 2007. He was the vocalist of the Finnish heavy metal band Amoral from 2008 to 2017. Beside he has worked with many musical projects already before and also after Amoral disbanded.
Northern Kings is a Finnish symphonic metal cover supergroup, made up of four well known musicians: Jarkko Ahola from Teräsbetoni, ex-Dreamtale, Marko Hietala from Tarot, ex-Nightwish, Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica and Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto from Charon and Harmaja.
The New Dark Age is the third studio album by the Finnish heavy metal band Kiuas. The album was released through Spinefarm Records on March 12, 2008 for Finland with new dates to be announced for other areas. The song, "Conqueror", directed by Owe Lingwall was shot as a music video on February 18, 2008. "Of Sacrifice, Loss and Reward" was released on February 20 as a single in Finland and topped the Finnish charts at number 1. The single will include two other songs and a Japanese bonus track exclusively to the single and Japan only. The album cover was designed by Niklas Sundin of Cabin Fever Media, and guitarist for Dark Tranquillity. It is of an original renaissance woodcut illustration with the portrayal of Kiuas' band members as the "five" Horsemen of the Apocalypse. A second music video for "The Decaying Doctrine" was again directed by Owe Lingwall.
Amberian Dawn is a Finnish symphonic power metal band, formed in 2006 by Tuomas Seppälä and Tommi Kuri. As of 2023, Amberian Dawn had released nine studio albums, four singles and twelve music videos.
Rethroned is the second studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Northern Kings. It was released on November 19, 2008, as a CD in Finland and to download via the European iTunes Store. Upon release, the album entered the Finnish charts at number 16. The album was released in Japan on February 25, 2009, with the Michael Jackson cover "They Don't Care About Us" as a bonus track. The iTunes edition included also the orchestral version of "They Don't Care About Us".
Polaris is the twelfth studio album by power metal band Stratovarius, released on 15 May 2009. It is the first Stratovarius album to feature bassist Lauri Porra and guitarist Matias Kupiainen, following former bassist Jari Kainulainen's departure from the band in 2005 and former guitarist Timo Tolkki's departure in 2008.
Heidi Parviainen is a Finnish heavy metal singer and lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Dark Sarah.
Circus Black is the fourth full-length album by Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn.
Stones Grow Her Name is the 7th full-length studio album by Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica. It was released in Finland on May 16, 2012, in Europe on May 18, 2012, in North America on May 22, 2012 and in Japan on May 23, 2012. It was the last album to feature longtime bassist Marko Paasikoski.
Re-Evolution is the fifth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Amberian Dawn. This album contains re-recorded songs from their past four albums; River of Tuoni (2008), The Clouds of Northland Thunder (2009), End of Eden (2010), and Circus Black (2012), each of the tracks remastered with lyrics performed by the band's new vocalist, Päivi "Capri" Virkkunen.
Pariah's Child is the eighth studio album by Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica. It was released on 28 March 2014 by Nuclear Blast. It is the first Sonata Arctica release with new bassist Pasi Kauppinen, who replaced Marko Paasikoski.
Raskasta Joulua is a music project from Finland in which diverse artists have recorded traditional Christmas carols and Christmas hits in a heavy metal style. "Raskasta joulua" is a term in Finnish which means "heavy Christmas" in English. The concept was founded by guitarist Erkka Korhonen in 2004. Many notable Finnish metal vocalists have appeared on Raskasta Joulua albums and tours, including Marko Hietala, Jarkko Ahola, Ari Koivunen, Juha-Pekka Leppaluoto and Tony Kakko.
Dark Sarah is a Finnish symphonic metal band created by Heidi Parviainen, after her departure from Finnish metal band Amberian Dawn in 2012. Their style is often described as "cinematic metal".
The Ninth Hour is the ninth studio album by Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica. It was released on 7 October 2016 by Nuclear Blast.
Talviyö is the tenth studio album by Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica. It was released on 6 September 2019 by Nuclear Blast.
