Winterheart's Guild Explained

Winterheart's Guild
Type:	album
Artist:	Sonata Arctica
Cover:	Winterheartsguild.jpg
Released:	21 February 2003
Recorded:	September – November 2002
Studio:	Tico Tico Studio
Genre:	Power metal, symphonic metal
Length:	54:57
Label:	Spinefarm
Producer:	Sonata Arctica
Prev Title:	Songs of Silence – Live in Tokyo
Prev Year:	2002
Next Title:	Reckoning Night
Next Year:	2004

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.^[1] 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.^[2]

Reception

Loudwire named the album at eleventh in their list "Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time."^[3] Metal Hammer also included it in their 2016 list of 10 essential power metal albums.^[4]

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 at Tico Tico Studios in September–November 2002
• Mixed by Mikko Karmila at Finnvox Studios and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in November–December 2002.
• Produced by Sonata Arctica

External links

• Album info
• Lyrics at Rawrix.net

Notes and References

1. Web site: Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica) Interview. Sabrina. Elise. February 25, 2014. Metal Chest Of Wonders. May 31, 2017.
2. Web site: Giffin . Brian . SONATA ARCTICA // A Little Understanding . Hysteria Magazine . Hysteria Media PTY LTD . 7 September 2019 . 3 September 2019.
3. Web site: Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time. DiVita. Joe. July 5, 2017. Loudwire. August 22, 2019.
4. Web site: The 10 essential power metal albums. Lawson. Dom. October 19, 2016. Metal Hammer. August 18, 2019.
5. Book: Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Oricon Entertainment. Roppongi, Tokyo. 2006. 4-87131-077-9. ja.