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Marko Paasikoski
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. As of 2024, the band has released eleven full-length albums (three via Spinefarm Records, eight via Nuclear Blast, and one via Atomic Fire), their most recent being ''Clear Cold Beyond'' in March 2024. Biography Formation and early years (1996–1999) The band was founded by drummer Tommy Portimo and guitarists Jani Liimatainen and Marko Paasikoski in Kemi. At the end of 1995, lead vocalist Tony Kakko was added and bassist Pentti Peura joined in early 1996. Originally named Tricky Beans, they played ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kemi
Kemi (; ; ; ) is a cities of Finland, town and municipalities of Finland, municipality of Finland. It is located approximately from the city of Tornio and the Finland–Sweden border, Swedish border. The distance to Oulu is to the south and to Rovaniemi is to the northeast. It was founded in 1869 by a decree of the Emperor of Russia, Emperor Alexander II of Russia because of its proximity to a deepwater port. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which are water. The population density is . According to current statistics, Kemi has the highest number of Drug-related crime, drug crimes than any other town in Finland. This is thought to be due to its proximity to the Swedish border and the Illegal drug trade, drug smuggling that occurs across it. History World War II hostage crisis During World War II, after Finland signed the Moscow Armistice and found itself involved in the Lapland War against its former German ally, German forces at the beginning of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spin Doctors
Spin Doctors are an American alternative rock band from New York City, best known for their early 1990s hits "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart at No. 7 and No. 17, respectively. The band currently consists of Chris Barron (lead vocals), Eric Schenkman (guitar and vocals), Aaron Comess (drums and keyboards) and Jack Daley (bass). History The group originated in the late 1980s in New York City, originally as a band called Trucking Company; this band included Canadian guitarist Eric Schenkman, harmonicist John Popper, and later vocalist Chris Barron, who was Popper's Princeton, New Jersey high school friend. Popper left this side project to focus on his main gig with Blues Traveler full-time. With a name change to Spin Doctors, as well as the addition of Aaron Comess on drums and Mark White (bassist), Mark White on bass, the classic lineup was in place by the spring of 1989.Barron’s broth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jens Johansson
Jens Ola Johansson (born 2 November 1963 in Stockholm) is a Swedish keyboardist and pianist. Jens got famous in the early 80's when he and his brother Anders (drums) joined Yngwie Malmsteen's "Rising Force". Jens is the son of the Swedish Jazz pianist Jan Johansson. Jens has also worked with the guitar player Allan Holdsworth. He's currently working with the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and Ritchie Blackmore's rock project Rainbow. He is notable for his high-speed and technical skills in the style of neoclassical , fusion and rock. Biography Johansson is son of Swedish jazz pianist Jan Johansson and brother of Ex- HammerFall drummer Anders Johansson. He is highly influenced by classic rock keyboardists like Don Airey, Eddie Jobson and Jon Lord. In 1982, the classically trained Johansson left the jazz fusion band Slem and joined the Swedish metal band Silver Mountain, which also included Anders. In 1983 he left Sweden for California and joined guitarist Yngwie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Winterheart's Guild
''Winterheart's Guild'' is the third studio album by the power metal band Sonata Arctica. It was released in 2003 through Spinefarm Records. In a 2014 interview, vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter Tony Kakko said inspiration for writing "The Ruins of My Life" came from the film ''Braveheart''. In 2019, he would refer to the album's recording process as a "nightmare" because he only had "two or three" songs ready when the band went in the studio. Reception ''Loudwire'' named the album at eleventh in their list "Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time." ''Metal Hammer'' also included it in their 2016 list of 10 essential power metal albums. Track listing All songs written by Tony Kakko Personnel * Tony Kakko – vocals, keyboards * Jani Liimatainen – guitar * Marko Paasikoski – bass guitar * Tommy Portimo – drums * Jens Johansson – keyboard solos on "The Cage", "Silver Tongue", "Victoria's Secret" and "Champagne Bath" Technical personnel *Recorded by Ahti Kortelainen a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Americas
The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a single continent, the Americas or America is the 2nd largest continent by area after Asia, and is the 3rd largest continent by population. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with their Lists of islands of the Americas, associated islands, the Americas cover 8% of Earth's total surface area and 28.4% of its land area. The topography is dominated by the American Cordillera, a long chain of mountains that runs the length of the west coast. The flatter eastern side of the Americas is dominated by large river basins, such as the Amazon basin, Amazon, St. Lawrence River–Great Lakes, Mississippi River System, Mississippi, and Río de la Plata Basin, La Plata basins. Since the Americ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a German power metal band from Hamburg, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from power metal band Helloween, in 1989. He is the band's lead vocalist, guitarist and chief songwriter. Between 1990 and 2014, Gamma Ray recorded eleven studio albums. History Formation In 1988, after four years with the German power metal band Helloween, guitarist and songwriter Kai Hansen decided to leave the group. Hansen claimed that Helloween had become too big for him to handle, although the group's troubles with financial issues and their record company, Noise Records, most likely played a part as well. He proceeded to do some studio work with German power metal band Blind Guardian and, in 1989, decided to form his own project with longtime friend Ralf Scheepers, former vocalist of the band Tyran Pace. This two-man project grew into a four-man band with the addition of Uwe Wessel on bass and Mathias Burchardt on drums. This was the first lineup of Gamma Ray, bea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Silence (Sonata Arctica Album)
''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 on bass, who returned to the band the previous year. Stratovarius lead singer Timo Kotipelto sang guest vocals on the album. Concept and themes The cover art, featuring a landscape divided into night, summer and winter, was meant to depict nature. However, Tony explained that the cover was not supposed to feature too much symbolism, except for the footprints leading away from the campfire. He explained: The title of the album was at first supposed to be longer, but Kakko's then-girlfriend suggested "silence" and he reflected on how important silence was for him: The second track "Weballergy" is considered by Kakko to be a sequel to ''Ecliptica'''s "Blank File", as both of them cover the theme of Internet privacy. "The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ecliptica
''Ecliptica'' is the first full-length album by the power metal band Sonata Arctica. It was released in 1999 through Spinefarm Records in Europe and through Century Media Records, Century Media in the United States. It is the band's only album featuring bassist Janne Kivilahti. In 2016, vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter Tony Kakko described the album as "like the extension of our demo, we didn't know what we were doing so that reflects on the album and makes kind of cute if you will." In 2017, ''Loudwire'' ranked it as the 16th best power metal album of all time. Songs and themes Regarding the track "Blank File", which covers the topic of Internet privacy, privacy on the Internet, vocalist Tony Kakko once stated: The theme would be again mentioned in the band's next album, ''Silence (Sonata Arctica album), Silence'', on the track "Weballergy". In the song "Letter to Dana", the title character, Dana O'Hara, is named after ''The X-Files'''s Dana Scully. 15th anniversa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
UnOpened
''Ecliptica'' is the first full-length album by the power metal band Sonata Arctica. It was released in 1999 through Spinefarm Records in Europe and through Century Media in the United States. It is the band's only album featuring bassist Janne Kivilahti. In 2016, vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter Tony Kakko described the album as "like the extension of our demo, we didn't know what we were doing so that reflects on the album and makes kind of cute if you will." In 2017, ''Loudwire'' ranked it as the 16th best power metal album of all time. Songs and themes Regarding the track "Blank File", which covers the topic of privacy on the Internet, vocalist Tony Kakko once stated: The theme would be again mentioned in the band's next album, ''Silence'', on the track "Weballergy". In the song "Letter to Dana", the title character, Dana O'Hara, is named after ''The X-Files'''s Dana Scully. 15th anniversary re-recording In 2014, Sonata Arctica announced through their Facebo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spinefarm
Spinefarm Records is an international record label. Founded in Finland in 1990, Spinefarm was acquired by Universal Music Group in 2002. History Spinefarm Records began as a mailorder distribution company, founded by Riku Pääkkönen. The company evolved into a record label for Finnish acts such as Nightwish, Children of Bodom, and Sonata Arctica. Since 2002, Spinefarm has been part of Universal Music Group, but operates as an independent business unit. Pääkkönen sold the original Ranka publishing catalog to Warner/Chappell Music in 2008, including several songs by Spinefarm acts like Children Of Bodom, Finntroll, and Nightwish. Former Roadrunner Records President Jonas Nachsin was appointed Spinefarm's General Manager - Worldwide in 2013. Spinefarm/UMG acquired the English label Candlelight Records in late 2015. In 2017, Spinefarm Music Group announced the launch of the country, blues, and southern rock-oriented Snakefarm Records. Bands As of 2025, Spinefarm Music ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stratovarius
Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band. Formed in 1984, they have released sixteen studio albums, six DVDs and six live albums. The band's line-up has changed many times, with no founding member left since the departure of drummer Tuomo Lassila in 1995, and no member from their early recording days left following guitarist Timo Tolkki's departure in 2008. Currently, the longest standing member is singer Timo Kotipelto, who joined in 1994. The band was founded in August 1984 as Black Water, consisting of Lassila as singer and drummer, guitarist Staffan Stråhlman, bassist John Vihervä, and, later, keyboardist Antti Ikonen. In Summer 1985, the band changed its name to Stratovarius, which was soon followed by line-up changes. Tolkki replaced Stråhlman and with this line-up, the band released its first album '' Fright Night'' in 1989, with Tolkki as sole songwriter. While going through many bassists, the band released the albums '' Twilight Time'' in 1992 and '' Dreamspace ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
