Sonata Arctica, Leaves’ Eyes, and Omnium Gatherum
El Corazon, Seattle, WA
11.29.16

Sonata Arctica brought their brand of Finnish power prog metal to Seattle’s El Corazon, in support of their new 2016 release The Ninth Hour. Their unique tour package came with a lineup that would be almost too stylistically diverse to work in Europe, but does so here. The addition of Leaves’ Eyes (Germany) and Omnium Gatherum (Finland) made for a great night of metal.

Offering up the progressive, melodic death metal of their 2016 album, Grey Heavens, Omnium Gatherum came out swinging. The 6-piece delivered a blistering set of crushing songs, and vocalist Jukka Pelkonen engaged the crowd with his devil horns and smiles.

Leaves’ Eyes, hailing from Germany, is made up of members from Atrocity and new Finnish soprano singer Elina Siirala. Their style of music was a major contrast to OG as they played more of a symphonic Viking metal sound, in support of their newest release, Fires In The North.

Siirala’s vocal range and Alexander Krull’s deep screaming death growls created a sound they described as “beauty and the beast.” At one point Krull yelled “I want to hear the biggest Viking roar. Spread your hands and let me hear you! We are one united international metal family.”

While Siirala’s voice was incredible, she seemed to have some technical difficulties. Given the band’s much-publicized split with former founding singer Liv Kristine in the beginning of 2016, and this being Siirala’s first time in the States with the band, it was forgivable. Her voice is very different than Kristine’s but still works well with the Norse/Viking songs. Closing with “Blazing Waters,” Krull came out in full Viking garb brandishing a sword while the band did their best to avoid the swings while performing.

Sonata Arctica are never disappointing live. Tony Kakko is such a vocal powerhouse with such a vast range. He commanded the stage, taking us through the set while guitarist Elias Viljanen and bassist Pasi Kauppinen traded position with keyboardist Henrik “Henkka” Klingenberg. It was such a treat watching them rock out, navigate the small stage, and almost forgetting the infamous pole at El Corazon. Tommy Portimo laid down the beat behind a massive drum kit that seemed to take up much of the stage, making things even more challenging.

Near the end of the set, Kakko spoke to the near-sold out crowd about keeping music alive.  “Thank you for buying tickets and merchandise. Keeping music alive and supporting live music. You are the ones keeping bands going whether you bought stuff from one of the bands tonight, yesterday or 10 years ago… Thank You!”

The crowd screamed with joy and then he asked for a group chant of “Shut the fuck up Tony,” which they happily obliged. Such a great sense of humor and an adoring crowd. This set was a diverse taste of metal, with each band offering a taste of some of Finnish/German metal at its finest.

Sonata Arctica Set List
Intro
Closer To Animal
Life
Wolves Die Young
In Black And White
Shamandalie / Tallulah
Misery
Fairytale
Full Moon
Among The Shooting Stars
No More Silence Intro + Abandoned, Pleased Brainwashed Exploited
We Are What We Are
The Power Of One
Keeping Music Alive talk
I Have a Right
Don’t Say a Word + Vodka Song

Leaves’ Eyes Set List
Intro
Halvdan The Black
My Destiny
The Waking Eye
Swords In a Rock
Edge of Steel
Take The Devil In Me
Fires In The North
Sacred Vow
Blazing Waters
Mot Fjerne Land

Review and photos by Neil Lim Sang

Sonata Arctica, Leaves’ Eyes, and Omnium Gatherum