Sonata Arctica (FIN)
Sonata Arctica has been preaching the gospel of Finnish metal abroad for decades. They have released 10 albums of which the latest The Ninth Hour is a return to more straightforward power metal and ballads after experimenting with genres such as musical, opera, progressive rock and 80's heavy metal. This versatility is, of course, a wonderful asset live. However, the best thing about Sonata Arctica is probably their sincerity: swaying eyes closed or going full speed ahead, they always wear their heart on their sleeve.
