Keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg of the Finnish melodic metal band SONATA ARCTICA has issued the following update:

“So far we have about half of the new SONATA ARCTICA record in shape, so we’re missing some songs, as usual. In April we start recording, and, as before, me and Tony are working at our home studios while the other guys record at more ‘professional’ studios, and by the end of May everything should be recorded and we’re ready to mix and master. I know a lot of you are really eager to hear what the album sounds like and probably the speculations have already started on the forums, etc. I can only say that it’s a bit darker and maybe not so complex as ‘Unia’. Nevertheless, it’s definitely not a back-to-the-roots album with fast power metal. All the trademark SONATA stuff is on there, solos, lots of singing some slower songs. Actually, I can hardly wait to hear how it turns out myself.

“Next fall we start to tour again, it will once again be a massive effort and going all over the world… at least once. We’ll be starting the world tour in…..shit, I can’t say that yet. Anyway, there’ll be a lot of new places and even more of places we’ve already been to.”

The record is due in September 2009 via Nuclear Blast Records.