SA:Recording the new album week 2

25.4. Monday

Back in business after the weekend, which seemed oddly short. I guess it was as long

as they usually are but….well, whatever. We arrived in the afternoon and by the end of the day, the first song this week was recorded….we ended quite late so it was bedtime right after that.

26.4. Tuesday

A new song for this day. We actually worked on the (probably) longest song on the album, clocking in at around 10min. It took us the whole day and we didn’t make it all the way through…almost though…does that count ?

27.4. Wednesday

I started the day by playing a solo for one of the songs we’d done earlier, before it was time to work on the next one. As you can see my entries start to repeat themselves, that’s mainly because the days do that as well. A typical day in the studio so far has gone more or less like this: Wake up, breakfast etc , then listen through the song of the day, when Tommy is tracking the drums , I figure out what to play in the other room and by the time he’s done it’s usually time for lunch. Next up is then Elias and/or Pasi and after they’re done, I track the keyboards….by the time all that has happened it’s already evening…sometimes early and sometimes late. The rest of the day is spent watching TV or Netflix and just hanging out….and that’s about it, a typical day in the studio.

Oh, the glamour ;-) It is however nice to see how the album starts to take shape, little by little, piece by piece….I wonder how it will turn out…but in a couple of months, we’ll know…and you guys have to wait some more before it’s out…

28.4. Thursday

Slept a bit longer than usual, woke up around 10 which is really late for me unless I’m on tour. Anyways, another day and another song…pretty much the standard thing as described above. In the evening I played a couple of piano parts to some of the songs we’d done earlier when I didn’t have my piano here…so at the moment we have the basic tracks for 7 songs down….not too bad for 2 weeks in the studio, when you take into account that Monday and Friday are travel days so we actually only work 4 days a week ;-) In the evening we had the time to watch some ice-hockey and then it was time to pack our bags and be ready to go back home tomorrow.

29.4. Friday

Up and about at around 0900 and after the usual morning routine we headed towards the train and a week off. So far we’ve recorded 7 songs so the album is well on it’s way, it’s really taking shape faster than ever before which of course is nice since we’re on

a deadline here ;-)

Have a nice weekend & we’ll be back in a couple of weeks.

cheers,

Henkka

SA:Recording the new album week 1

18.4. Monday

Just a bit less than two weeks ago we came home from the North-American Tour but

no rest for the wicked. Got on the train in the morning with Tommy and headed towards

Kokkola and Studio57. Upon arrival we had lunch and then headed to the studio and started to setup our gear. Tero our trusty backline man had sent out the stuff we had with us on tour so it was just up to us to set it up the way we wanted. The rest of the evening was spent learning the first song that we’ll be recording, a slow one seemed the best way to start these sessions.

19.4. Tuesday

Woke up rather early and managed to check out the final minutes of the SJS-LAK game. After breakfast it was time to check out some stuff on the slow songs before Elias and Pasi arrived and we started to rehearse with the full band. The way we plan to work on this album is that we learn one song, then record it before proceeding to the next one. At the moment Tony is still in his home studio writing more stuff for us to play, meanwhile we’re arranging and recording the basic tracks for the songs we’ve got. It’s really fun to try this new method of working, personally I think that one should change the process a bit with every album so one doesn’t get bored or stuck doing the same thing over and over again. Anyways, we spent the day rehearsing and recording the slow song and got pretty much everything done. I still have to do some piano overdubs since my piano is still at home, gotta get it here next week or something. Ended the night with some TV stuff, ice-hockey etc….Tomorrow it’s time for the next song !!

20.4. Wednesday

Still waking up early but I don’t mind ;-)  Checked the NHL scores from last night and after breakfast and showers etc we started to work on the next song. Things are progressing really fast at the moment, which of course is nice. Before noon we already had the drums recorded and then proceeded to do the guitars, bass and keyboards. By the end of the day, all the basic tracks were done and it was time to focus on TV, netflix and what have you. A nice day at the office, once again ;-) As for the direction of the new album or the style of the songs, I’ve learned from my mistakes and won’t try to describe them too much. You’ll hear the stuff in the fall when the album comes out, it

will be great though….

21.4. Thursday

Another day, another song ;-) Today we started working on a more artistic thing, the drums were done around noon and then it was time to get some lunch. In the afternoon we tracked the guitars and bass and early in the evening it was my turn to lay down some keyboard tracks….by the end of the evening we had all the basic tracks done and it was time to watch some more ice-hockey and have a few beers. Tomorrow we’ll leave towards home and relaxing for the weekend. 3 songs down on the first week, not too shabby  I must say. Next week we got some more songs to do as well as some piano overdubs.

22.4. Friday

Up in the morning, listened through some stuff and then headed to the train up north

with Tommy. Have a nice weekend !!

cheers,

Henkka

Sonata Arctica: Pictures from the North-American Spring Tour 2016

Here are some random pics from the tour, enjoy !!!

Some last minute programming in the hotel on the first morning of the tour, 

should have done this at home but...shit happens.

My first breakfast on this tour....

The container, 2016 never forget , never repeat ;-)

I think this is the venue in Pittsburgh but I'm not sure.

I slept here for 48 nights...the coffin.

Some venue somewhere ;-) , maybe in Canada.

Got a new toy, didn't use this too much on this tour though,

better try again next time.

Backstage somewhere, this was a bit freaky but a really

great echo !!

Upstairs @The Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee..shitty picture but maybe

you get the idea...

Off-day in Minnesota, going to the game.

Pre-game selfie with Tuomas.

Panthers @ Wild ....

Checking out the "backstage" , and NOT standing on the logo.

With #64, Mr.Granlund.

...just about to enter...

Tony getting exited, soundchecks are the best !!!

Driving through Canada, this pic could be from Finland...really...

Mikko controlling space in Canada.

Just to keep me warm, I'm a Rangers fan...really.

Time to read before going to bed.

Testing Merels guitar backstage, aftershow.

A nice drawing that I got from a fan.

Fish and Chips during the extra off-day we got when NW canceled

a show due to severe illness.

Reno, Nevada.

...going backstage in Reno.....

....and finding this popcorn-thing there ;-)

Nightwish playing in Reno.

Elias getting ready for the photo-shoot in Los Angeles.

We drove up to the mountains from Pasadena...

....or something.....nice view though....

Pasi posing for his single shots...or at least getting ready...

...my god it was beautiful...and cold, for some reason

it's always cold when we take promo-pics.

Meeting new friends, H-P from the Dudesons checking

in aftershow in Anaheim, CA.

No idea where, it's seems like a good morning though, maybe

it was in Tucson, AZ.

Albaquerque or however it's spelled. Breaking Bad off-day......

Ready for dinner during the off-day....actually this was before lunch, I think.

Guitar-techs unite during the tourdinner !! Tero & Antti.

Colorado Springs, walking around with Tony in the afternoon.

...and he lured me into this antique shop....

...where I got totally excited about these Tesla Lamps.

Being mysterious in the container...the only way to be, really !

Finally got my new keytar, which eventually was lost ;-)

Another venue somewhere....

...and NW playing, hey now I know, this was in Kansas City.

I can't explain this, just wanted to make sure I don't lose the pic,

so I post it here as a failsafe.

I found a new shirt ;-)

A really old custom built organ at the venue in San Antonio, TX.

NOLA, going out....

...to Bourbon street, like all the other tourists ;-)

Nightcap of the day...which day you ask ? No idea.

Panama City Beach, FL, off-day, walking around...

...taking photos of Pasis and Mikkos asses.

...and some local houses....

....more beach....

....and more....

...and more....

...and then some pics from the pier....

...and another one....

...and another one...

...heck, I'll just show you the video instead ;-)

Afterwards we needed this, because naturally some of us got sunburn,

actually all 3 of us...

NW in Tampa, last show of their tour !!

We switched sides on stage, so I got a new position...

...to watch Tony's ass from.

Hotelroom in Buffalo during the off-day, are you sure there's enough

shampoo and soap for everyone ?

The pool at the same hotel...they also had a sauna...or

something they called a sauna....never mind.

We found this place in Toronto close to the Opera House,

really great food !!!

Somehow this ended up on the wall of the container...WTF ?

Deep Purple redwine, always a winner !!

Going for breakfast in NYC.

Backstage toilet in NYC...I think I'm gonna have to hold it.

With #15 of the Devils, Tuomo Ruutu. Aftershow in NYC.

Waiting for the last flight back home @ Finnair Lounge, Helsinki.

That's about it , on Monday we'll be back in the studio, I'll post something from there !!

cheers,

Henkka