As many already know, our guitarist Jani Liimatainen has been absent from the line-up this spring and summer.
The reason was his messing around with his compulsory military/civil/prison duty, or rather,
complete failure to take care of it.

This matter, and everything that goes with it, caused a split between Jani and the other band members.
This split was impossible to mend without Jani's help and co-operation.

Therefore we would like to make known the following:
During fall of '06 and spring of '07, Jani's personal matters and actions drove us to a situation
where we had no option but to ask Jani to leave the band.

Jani was notified of this in May, and the separation was amicable. We wanted to give Jani the
chance to get his life together before making this public, which is why we didn't make this
announcement earlier. We wish Jani well on his chosen path.

"Show must go on", so, facing the facts, we hereby humbly announce that Elias Viljanen
is from this day forward a full and official member of Sonata Arctica.

Throughout this summer, on many occasions, Elias has shown himself to be able to fill
the big boots Jani left behind.

We hope our friends and our fans understand that this was the only choice left for us to make so
that our band could continue. Sonata Arctica has always been, and always will be, more than the
sum of its parts. The band has become for us a way of life, a lifeline that simply can not be cut off.

A long "Unia" -tour lies in front of us.
We extend Elias a warm welcome to the Sonata family, and we hope the fans will, too.
Sonata Arctica is whole again.

See you on the road!

Best regards,
~Tony, Tommy, Marko, and Henrik

Sonata Arctica will be back in Italy for a single show in Milan on the 19th of Novembre. which will be part of the new European Tour of the band.

Unia (Album)

Release Date: 25/05/2007

Tracklist:
01. In Black And White
02. Paid In Full
03. For The Sake Of Revenge
04. It Won't Fade
05. Under Your Tree
06. Caleb
07. The Vice
08. My Dream's But A Drop Of Fuel For A Nightmare
09. The Harvest
10. The Worlds Forgotten, The Words Forbidden
11. Fly With The Black Swan
12. Good Enough Is Good Enough

Artwork

Paid In Full (Single)

Release Date: 27/04/2007

Tracklist:
01. Paid in Full (radio edit)
02. Out in the Fields (Gary Moore cover)
03. Paid in Full

Artwork

Jani won't be able to take part in some of the gigs scheduled by the band. The following statemente by the guitarist has been published on the official site.

"Unfortunately, we have come to a situation in where I'm unable to play SONATA ARCTICA's scheduled gigs this spring. The reason for this is that I have to fulfill my civic duties. The band will, in any case, perform the agreed gigs with a substitute guitarist and I'm sure he will meet the high standards the fans expect from SONATA ARCTICA's gigs. I hope I'll be able to return to the band as soon as possible, because the tour break has already taken too long and I miss the sweaty nights on stage and the sweaty days in the tour bus! I want to wish a nice spring to all fans; hopefully we will meet soon!"

The new album from Sonata Arctica, to be released on 25th of May for Nuclear Blast, will be titled "Unia".

The new Sonata Arctica Best Of will be released on the 15th on November.
There will be two version of it, the limited one containing a bonus DVD with some video clip.

Tracklist:
CD
1. The Ruins of My Life
2. 8th Commandment
3. Don't Say A Word
4. Victoria's Secret
5. Tallulah
6. Wolf & Raven
7. Black Sheep
8. Broken
9. Kingdom for a Heart
10. FullMoon
11. My Land (2006 re-make)
12. The Cage
13. Last Drop Falls
14. UnOpened
15. San Sebastian (Revisited)
16. Ain't Your Fairytale
17. Replica (2006 re-make)

DVD
* Wolf & Raven (promotional video)
* 8th Commandment (live at Tavastia)
* My Land (live at Tavastia)



The album can be pre-ordered from the Official webshop.

From some weeks has been opened the Sonata Arctica's webshop where you can find their albums, and all the merchandise of the band. Take a look!

From some days on the official site a Rehearsal Diary concerning the new album is being published!

After a long period without updates, due in part to holydays in part to my lazynes (^^''), here are some recent news:

The live DVD "For The Sake Of Revenge" has become gold in Finalnd. It's the 4th time for Sonata to reach gold after "Silence", "Winterheart's Guild" and "Reckoning Night".

WarnerMusic Finland will publish for the end of the year a compilation titled "Raskasta Joulua" containing some classic Christmas' songs performed by famous artists.
Tony Kakko will have a part in it together with Marco Hietala (Nightwish, Tarot), Antony Parviainen (Machine Men), Jarkko Ahola (Teräsbetoni) and Ville Tuomi (Suburban Tribe)!
At the moment there are no more info about the tracklist and the song Tony will sing.

(Thanks to Sonata Arctica France for some of the info)

Sonata will has been confirmed to play in August at two festival in Finalnd: "Ankkarock" on the 5th and "Rock To The River" on the 13th.