Along with the release of the sixth studio album, “The Days Of Grays”, the Official SONATA ARCTICA website got a facelift and a number of updates. The new album has been added to the discography section, some new audio samples, new promotional photos, and the video to “Flag In The Ground” can also be found on the website now. Last but not least the band member profiles were updated as well… believe it or not!

Release dates:
Finland & Japan: 16.09.2009
Europe: 18.09.2009
North America: 22.09.2009

The summer festivals and the Sonata Arctica Open Air were just the beginning…

SONATA ARCTICA will start with the first leg of their tour in support of the new album at Monterrey Metal Fest in Mexico on September 16th, followed by a tour in support of DragonForce through North America with seven additional headliner shows. After a short break the touring continues throughout Europe and at the turn of the year the band will play their first shows ever in Australia including a New Year’s Eve gig at Screamfest in Sydney!

See below how some of Europe’s metal magazines rated SONATA ARCTICA’s new album “The Days of Grays”:

Metal Hammer (D) 7/7
Terrorizer (UK) 9/10
Metal.de (D) 9/10
Rock Hard (D) 8,5/10
Rock It (D) 8,5/10
Rock City News (D) 8/9
Legacy (D) 12/15
Spark (CZ) 6/6
Rock Hard (F) 8/10
Soundi (FIN) 4/5

“A rollercoaster ride in intensity and harmony through dreamlike
sonic landscapes.” –  Janne Strang, Hufvudstadsbladet FIN

“Back to the roots, more progressive, more accomplished, less dark.
 The new masterpiece of 2009.” – Metal Obs FRANCE

We have teamed up with our long time partner, Royal Artist Club, to bring you an exclusive opportunity to win some great, autographed prizes. Be sure to check out our blog at the link below for instructions on the Sonata Arctica Caption Competition.

SONATA ARCTICA’s new single THE LAST AMAZING GRAYS entered the official Finnish single charts at #4 this week (edit: on the second week it climbed up to #3!).

The bands’ keyboardist Henkka comments:

“Our last single Paid in Full took the pole position so naturally the only way from no.1 is down 😀 Right now we’re rehearsing new songs for our upcoming US-tour so there’s really not too much time to dwell on these kinds of things anyway. We’ve played through around half of the songs from the album and there will be some cool surprises in the setlist. It’s been around 10 months since our last proper tour so we’re really excited about getting back on the road. Cheers !!”

Both the single The Last Amazing Grays and the video song Flag In The Ground can also be heard on the band’s MySpace site now.

The SONATA ARCTICA artwork contest has come to an end and the band have picked their personal favorites!

The WINNING piece will be the new artwork for the SONATA ARCTICA promotional single “Flag In The Ground” and was done by: SIMO HEIKKINEN (Finland)!
Congratulations!
 
2nd winner: Artwork done by Dilyana Delcheva (Bulgaria)
3rd winner: Artwork done by Rodrigo Larreteguy (Argentina)
 
Commented singer TONY KAKKO:

“On behalf of the whole Sonata Arctica, I would like to thank all of you, who sent artwork suggestions for our promotional single “Flag In The Ground”! Fantastic!
The range of different ideas and styles was staggering and our decision was far from easy. I think at the end we all had our own personal favorites!
But there can be only one! In this case one winner, one 2nd and one 3rd.
So we actually had to build an extremely complex voting system to come up with the winner and even then it was not all that easy.
And honestly, I think you are all winners, and you should think so too. You worked hard to complete the artwork in extremely limited time frame.
And you did it. Ovations.
As I am writing this message, I still only have the artwork jpg’s with different names and no idea who is behind which work.
Just so you will know; if the winner happens to be my mother, it is simply because her work was THE BEST!

Without any drum rolls, behold! The mighty winner! The best of the best of the best!
Thank you people!
See you on tour!“
 
~Tony – Sonata Arctica
 
The single “Flag In The Ground” will have its premiere on the band´s MySpace page on September 4th! Do not miss!

The new album “The Days Of Grays” will be out on September 18th via Nuclear Blast!

Finnish melodic metal heroes SONATA ARCTICA have launched a fan contest where people can design the cover artwork of the upcoming promotional single to the song “Flag In The Ground”.

Commented mainman Tony Kakko:

“People, attention! Now here’s your big chance to make an impact to the whole music industry! Or at least all Sonata fans! Create a cover for our promotional single and have your artwork printed on a cardboard for promotional use like radios, clubs etc.
The Song is called “Flag In The Ground”, which also going to be our video song. It’s an uplifting story about a young couple fighting their way to freedom and their own land in North-America back in early 1800’s. Join the race, have fun, create us a cover art work and win! Do it today!
Good luck!
Best regards,
~ Tony – Sonata Arctica”

The artwork chosen as the best from all participants will be the new cover of the promotional single of “Flag In The Ground”. The winner will also get tickets to a Sonata Arctica show at one of the upcoming tourdates as well as to meet the band! 2nd and 3rd winners will get exclusively signed Sonata Arctica stuff!

The artwork can be sent to: SonataArctica@nuclearblast.de

Specs:
Format: JPG
Res: 300 dpi
Colours: RGB
Size: 20 x 20 cm
Be part of the SONATA ARCTICA family!
Deadline for this contest is August 10th, 2009!

The new album “The Days Of Grays” will be out on September 18th via Nuclear Blast Records!
www.nuclearblast.de
www.sonataarctica.info
www.myspace.com/sonataarctica
www.myspace.com/nuclearblasteurope

LEGAL NOTE:

For the content that you transfer as possible Sonata Arctica “Flag in the ground” cover on this website including intellectual property rights and all parts included photos, graphics etc. (“Delivery Materials”), you specifically give us the following permission: you grant us a exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide and timely unlimited license to use any content that you post here in connection with Sonata Arctica “Flag in the ground” (“SP License”).

This SP License ends for all contents when we publish the winner, except for the cover we chose to use, for which shall be agreed the following:

Any and all of the services of the winner to be rendered hereunder, including without limitation, the Delivery Materials are agreed hereto to be “Works Made for Hire”, as this term is defined under German Law. In this regard, we and you further acknowledge, understand and agree that any and all rights, titles, and interest in and to the Delivery Materials are assigned to us. The parties hereto further acknowledge and agree that your work is specially ordered and commissioned by us for use, without limitation, as contributions to collective works and/or as part of certain audio / audio visual works and all kind of merchandise products.
As a consequence, we shall have the sole and exclusive irrevocable right, in perpetuity, to use, exploit, advertise, exhibit, distribute and/or otherwise turn to account, or refrain there from, any or all of the foregoing results and proceeds of your services in any and all formats, now or hereinafter devised, throughout the universe, as Company, in its sole discretion, shall determine, including without limitation, in all formats of records / audio and/or audio visual media, interactive media, multimedia media, Internet, on-line services, print media, motion pictures, video clips and/or broadcast media and all kind of band merchandise.
In the event any of such results and proceeds are determined not be a “Work Made for Hire” than you hereby exclusively, immediately and irrevocably assign to us, in perpetuity, all rights, titles, interests and copyrights, including without limitation, all renewals and extensions thereof, in and to such results and proceeds. We shall further have the sole, exclusive and irrevocable right of all visual elements used in the creation of the cover including the right to change, but not limited to, the colours, brightness etc. We shall have no obligation whatsoever to utilize the results and proceeds of your services hereunder; our sole obligation shall be to provide the following compensation: The winner will get as compensation besides meeting the band and tickets to one of their shows, one free sample of all products that will be manufactured with his cover.

SONATA ARCTICA have unveiled the new artwork, track listing as well as the album title of their forthcoming album.

“THE DAYS OF GRAYS” will see a worldwide release (excluding Asia) through Nuclear Blast Records on September 18th, 2009 (September 16th in Finland and September 22nd in the USA).

Formats / track listing:
Ltd. 2CD-Digipak:

1. Everything Fades To Gray (Instrumental)
2. Deathaura
3. The Last Amazing Grays
4. Flag In The Ground
5. Breathing
6. Zeroes
7. The Dead Skin
8. Juliet
9. No Dream Can Heal A Broken Heart
10. As If The World Wasn’t Ending
11. The Truth Is Out There
12. Everything Fades To Gray (full version)

Bonus Track:

1. In The Dark

Bonus CD: track listing TBA.

CD Jewelcase:

1. Everything Fades To Gray (Instrumental)
2. Deathaura
3. The Last Amazing Grays
4. Flag In The Ground
5. Breathing
6. Zeroes
7. The Dead Skin
8. Juliet
9. No Dream Can Heal A Broken Heart
10. As If The World Wasn’t Ending
11. The Truth Is Out There
12. Everything Fades To Gray (full version)

A few more shows for the USA/Canada tour have been confirmed. All those are Sonata Arctica headliner shows without Dragonforce.

17.09.2009 (USA) The Jumping Turtle, San Marcos
12.10.2009 (USA) Webster Theater, Hartford
13.10.2009 (USA) Rex Theater, Pittsburgh
15.10.2009 (CAN) Music Hall, London
16.10.2009 (USA) Peabody’s, Cleveland
17.10.2009 (USA) Uncle Pleasant’s, Louisville
18.10.2009 (USA) The Rave, Milwaukee

Sonata Arctica will be touring the U.S. and Canada in September/October 2009 supporting Dragonforce (UK) together with Taking Dawn (USA).
The confirmed tourdates are below. More dates will be added to the list as soon as they are confirmed.

18.09.2009 (USA) House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA
19.09.2009 (USA) Regency Center @ The Grand, San Francisco, CA
20.09.2009 (USA) Roseland Theater, Portland, OR
21.09.2009 (CAN) Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver
23.09.2009 (CAN) Edmonton Events Centre, Edmonton
24.09.2009 (CAN) MacEwan Hall Ballroom, Calgary
25.09.2009 (CAN) Odeon Events Centre, Saskatoon
26.09.2009 (CAN) Burton Cummings, Winnipeg
28.09.2009 (USA) Beaumont, Kansas City, MO
29.09.2009 (USA) The Cabooze, Minneapolis, MN
30.09.2009 (USA) House of Blues, Chicago, IL
02.10.2009 (CAN) Sound Academy, Toronto
03.10.2009 (CAN) Le Medley, Montréal
04.10.2009 (CAN) Theatre Imperial, Québec City
06.10.2009 (USA) The Fillmore @ Irving Plaza, New York City, NY
07.10.2009 (USA) Ram’s Head Live, Baltimore, MD
09.10.2009 (USA) The Palladium, Worcester, MA
10.10.2009 (USA) The Chance Theater, Poughkeepsie, NY
11.10.2009 (USA) Theatre of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Elias ‘Evil’ Viljanen’s brand new solo album Fire – Hearted is now available for pre-order at Sonata Arctica’s Official webshop!

The album features singing from Tony Kakko and Marco Hietala from Nightwish!

Get yours now!