First of all, I've got to get it off my chest: I'm a SONATA ARCTICA fan. I've been following their work for many years however, before I am a musician, I'm an honest woman so I promise to give an honest opinion about "Stones Grow Her Name".

So over the years, SONATA ARCTICA has been able to take its fans through "Ecliptica", "Silence", "Winterheart's Guild" and many more. The common component is the fantasy world décor which was used by the lyrics and the keyboards. However, "Stones Grow Her Name" is a different look for SONATA ARCTICA:This is not a concept album. Every track has its own story line, its own décor. "Stones Grow Her Name" is a combination of Melodic Metal, Power Metal and Hard Rock / Heavy Metal. This combination is something that will take time to get used to but I believe that changes are always for the best.

I have a big problem with one of the tracks: "Cinderblox". So yeah, it's very cool that SONATA ARCTICA uses electric violin sounds but when it becomes a song that sounds like a country song for the hillbillies and has no connection to the album, it creates a problem. Maybe they tried to create a new genre: "Power Melodic Country Metal"...

The guitar and keyboard solos are amazingly great in each track. The beauty about the drums work is the change of the tempo most of the time which is even more challenging to music lovers who knows to appreciate good music and a great Metal album.

However, the credit must go to Tony Kakko. If you'd listen to previous SONATA ARCTICA albums you'd hear that Mr. Kakko has an amazing vocal range and power. "Stones Grow Her Name" has made me realized that it is not enough to own a great voice, for a vocalist, but to have credibility. So basically if Tony Kakko will sing to me that 1+1=3 and most chances that I'll believe him.

In conclusion, SONATA ARCTICA's "Stones Grow Her Name" is a diversified album and a good one. The use of the violin could have been nice if it had a place in a ballad. So "I have a right" to tell you that if you've got "Shitload of money", you should get "Stones Grow Her Name".