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░ ██ ██ Artist: Arena ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Double Vision █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2018 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2019-02-22 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Verglas Music ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ Arena, a band that in many ways was brought █
█ together by a running joke in an underground █
█ fanzine, which led directly to Mick Pointer █
█ realising that there was quite a vibrant prog █
█ scene. In turn he was introduced to Clive Nolan, █
█ and the rest as they say, is history. The debut █
█ 'Songs From The Lion's Cage' was released in 1995, █
█ and the jokes soon started about never being at █
█ far left or far right on a band photo as you would █
█ be the next to leave, but the guys have been █
█ stable now for quite some times, with the same █
█ line-up since 2011's 'The Seventh Degree of █
█ Separation'. That was the last album I heard, as █
█ for some reason I missed 2015's 'The Unquiet Sky', █
█ although I have been listening to quite a lot of █
█ Clive's other works, as well as releases featuring █
█ guitarist John Mitchell (the line-up being █
█ completed by singer Paul Manzi and bassist Kylan █
█ Amos). █
█ Having played Clive's 'Alchemy' so much that it is █
█ almost worn out (according to LastFM it is my █
█ second most played album since I joined that site █
█ in 2007, behind only Camel's 'The Snow Goose), █
█ plus having known him for more than quarter of a █
█ century (I feel old) and having most of his █
█ projects, I was really looking forward to this █
█ album, and I wasn't disappointed. While Arena are █
█ first and foremost a progressive rock band, what I █
█ found fascinating with this album is the amount of █
█ theatricality within it. Paul Manzi surely has one █
█ of the most expressive and emotive voices around, █
█ and his relationship with Clive is long-standing █
█ in this and other projects, and they have an █
█ innate understanding of what is needed to take a █
█ song to the next level. There are times when I am █
█ clearly reminded of his performance on the █
█ aforementioned 'Alchemy', such is the power of his █
█ storytelling. █
█ But, this is very much a band album, although it █
█ obviously has been heavily influenced by Clive who █
█ wrote or co-wrote every songs and provided all the █
█ lyrics, but Mick is playing better than ever, █
█ Kylan has a great sliding style that really suits █
█ the music. Then on top of it all there is the █
█ incomparable John Mitchell. He may not have been █
█ the original guitarist (who was Keith More, █
█ ex-Asia, for the first two albums) but he has been █
█ there for twenty years now, during which time he █
█ has built a considerable reputation as one of the █
█ finest guitarists in the scene, and I don't think █
█ anyone was really surprised when he joined It █
█ Bites. He knows when to riff and drive the music █
█ along, when to provide solos, when to use █
█ restraint and when to just let the music rock. █
█ Here we are in 2018 and both Galahad and Arena █
█ have this year released possibly the finest albums █
█ of their careers, only time will fully be able to █
█ judge that, showing that although they were in the █
█ underground scene in the Nineties, playing all the █
█ dives that entailed due to no publicity (or █
█ internet!), they are ready and able to reap the █
█ rewards of keeping going when others have given █
█ up. This is a stunning album, one that all █
█ progheads need to discover at once if not sooner. █
█ I loved it the very first time I played it, and it █
█ has only got better the more I listen to it. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ After a couple of albums of more concise songs, █
█ the band is back with songs of epic scale. Arena █
█ has always been critical about their own █
█ compositions and the production. There are not █
█ many bands that can produce albums exempts of █
█ ordinary songs. "Double Vision" has seen the light █
█ after 1 year and a half of preparation. The first █
█ song has a dark intro and we can feel the epic █
█ style with symphonic passages. In the song "The █
█ Mirror Lies" we have a spacey Pink Floyd keyboard █
█ part of Clive that bright things up the █
█ straightforward first part of the song that ends █
█ nicely with some heavy guitars and a brief █
█ acoustic part. "Scars" brings some majestic █
█ keyboards lines and a long instrumental section. I █
█ am not sure if this song is a suite of "Crying for █
█ Help" because of the lyrics but it's a different █
█ atmosphere for sure. "Red Eyes" is a dark song █
█ with some of the heaviest stuff of the album where █
█ Clive is leading the way a while before stopping █
█ suddenly into a short calm ending. The song has █
█ some special vocals effect and a clear influence █
█ from the band Muse. "Poisoned" is a fine acoustic █
█ ballad to give a breather into this stormy music. █
█ And how can be an Arena album without an epic song █
█ at the end with countless tempo shifts, moods, and █
█ atmospheres where the intensity is always kept. █
█ Clive is going from the piano to the keys to █
█ finish in a pure Rick Wakeman style with the █
█ church organ. This is a solid 4.5 stars, time will █
█ tell if it stands out for being one of their best. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ In the early 2K's, I would've bet a sack of nuts █
█ Arena was hands down the best band around. I █
█ bought everything they produced (DVD included) and █
█ saw them in concert; yes, I was an Arena machine. █
█ They had so much to offer: incredible melodies, █
█ mouth-watering keyboard solos, dramatic singers, █
█ emot emotionnal guitar solos and dark, brooding █
█ artworks that could not do wrong. They delivered █
█ from the star start a series of (dire I say, very) █
█ enjoyable albums filled with everything you want. █
█ Let's be frank, 7th Degrees and the Unquiet Sky █
█ were (to our amazement) duds and I lost interest, █
█ di disappointed that one of my favorite bands lost █
█ it's mojo. And how! What happened?! The reason █
█ they de delivered 2 wet blankets back to back █
█ still eludes me today. Sometimes your muse takes a █
█ break and le leaves you alone, it happens (it did █
█ for Van Halen, Tori Amos and The Cure). █
█ Just like M.Night Shayamalan, Arena are back with █
█ rejuvenated energy and Double Vision doesn't █
█ disappoint. The curse seems to have vanished and █
█ they kick it Contagion style right away with the █
█ best songs they offered us since more than decade. █
█ The recipe is working again, and they hit major █
█ points with their super-duper-enjoyable epic 'The █
█ Legend of...', full of...er...everything I love █
█ about them them. What bombastic, catchy melodies █
█ and effortless time changes! Yummers! █
█ Once again, what happened?! They are back in super █
█ shape and the Shayamalan curse is off...good fo █
█ for us. █
█ Now that's what I call a freakin' comeback!! █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Like it or not, I am the best chance you got... █
█ and that is returning to the ''original'' Arena █
█ song-writing. The 2-album ''gap'' where the band █
█ deviated from their trademark sound seems to have █
█ disappeared with the release of Double Vision. I █
█ first approached this with cynicism after the two █
█ previous efforts, which left me indifferent. █
█ There is here reference to the ''Pepper's Ghost'' █
█ era of Rob Snowden - to my ears, THE reference █
█ vocalist for the band. And although Paul Manzi █
█ does not reach the theatrical grandeur of Rob, in █
█ this album he seems to have adjusted to the new █
█ (old) style of the band to deliver much more epic █
█ melodies and songs veiled in some mystery - and █
█ consequently, interest - for us poor listeners. █
█ Double Vision delivers signature Neo Prog of the █
█ 90's with emphatic guitar riffing and lush - but █
█ balanced - keyboard playing by Clive Nolan. █
█ It does seem that the chemistry is back (or was it █
█ a conscious decision to revert to the old, safe █
█ and sound, style?). Not groundbreaking as the █
█ 90s/00s releases but still a very solid and █
█ well-played album, an excellent addition to the █
█ Arena catalogue. What next? Stick to the proven █
█ recipe or try something new? █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ The latest incarnation of popular British Neo-Prog █
█ band Arena has been in place for seven years now, █
█ and 2018's `Double Vision' marks the third album █
█ fronted by superior vocalist Paul Manzi for the █
█ group. While `Double Vision' may not quite be the █
█ big leap forward in sophistication that 2015's █
█ `The Unquiet Sky' was in comparison to the █
█ previous song-based (but actually rather █
█ underrated!) `The Seventh Degree of Separation' █
█ that kicked of this era, it still confidently █
█ marries the heavy guitars and shadowy gothic █
█ keyboards of this current version but now fuses █
█ them again to the lengthier prog epics of Arena's █
█ early days. While the album may not be a █
█ narrative-driven concept work, all of the seven █
█ pieces here share a similarly icy air, heightened █
█ emotion and surreal darker lyrics to maintain a █
█ stylistically similar mood the entire disc. █
█ The curiously titled `Zhivago Wolf' is a punchy █
█ opener fuelled by Clive Nolan's mysterious icy █
█ synths and John Mitchell's snarling guitars, the █
█ piece detailing the way memories can be distorted █
█ over time only to seem more real than ever before. █
█ Vocalist Paul Manzi reels off a feverish string of █
█ stream-of-consciousness fragmented imagery and the █
█ band tear off into an up-tempo sprint behind Kylon █
█ Amos' pulsing bass and Mick Pointer's thrashing █
█ drums in the final moments. `The Mirror Lies', █
█ detailing the `emperor's new clothes' syndrome of █
█ those who believe their own hype, might feature █
█ big organ blasts and crushing riffing, but some █
█ calmer guitars and soothing ambient synth washes █
█ throughout harken back to the prettiest earliest █
█ Arena moments, and it also holds a catchy █
█ chest-beating chorus perfectly delivered by █
█ Manzi's soaring voice (and just listen for Clive's █
█ wavering keyboard break in the middle!). █
█ Synths elegantly shimmer throughout `Scars' behind █
█ Manzi's pleading introspective voice, but it's █
█ really a showcase for John Mitchell's █
█ stadium-sized guitar soloing that rages with █
█ purpose, and muscular riffing around trippy █
█ electronic ripples burn throughout `Paradise Of █
█ Thieves' that also reveals another superb chorus. █
█ Bombastic organ menace and biting heavy guitars █
█ are perfect for conveying the hideous world of █
█ online sexual grooming in `Red Eyes', and lyrics █
█ like `Virtually invisible to you, spinning out my █
█ charms and promises, I can walk right into any █
█ room,' are deeply confronting. `Poisoned' is then █
█ classy and emotional ballad for lost loved ones, a █
█ true standout moment for Manzi on a disc that █
█ constantly highlights this charismatic singer. █
█ It's then onto a closing epic (oh, as if prog fans █
█ dig those!), and the near-twenty-three minute `The █
█ Legend Of Elijah Shade' continues some story █
█ elements introduced on Arena's rightly cherished █
█ masterwork from twenty years ago, `The Visitor', a █
█ title often placed alongside other highly-regarded █
█ Neo-Prog works such as IQ's `Subterranea' `Twelfth █
█ Night's `Fact and Fiction' and Pendragon's `The █
█ Masquerade Overture'. Actually it's more a █
█ multi-part continuous suite of tunes than a true █
█ epic that would hold recurring themes and █
█ reprising passages, but pantomime-like grandness █
█ (similar to the wonderful stage shows that Nolan █
█ spends a lot of time on these days), ghostly piano █
█ ballads, boisterous harder rockers and uneasy █
█ gothic touches are all peppered with the █
█ theatrical vocal delivery, rousing choruses and █
█ surreal words the band do so well. There's no █
█ shortage of runaway keyboard soloing, and passages █
█ of sweetly chiming guitars and pretty synths █
█ instantly embrace the more romantic moments of the █
█ early albums once more, making the piece █
█ everything Arena do so well, and it maintains the █
█ great momentum and suitably dramatic build they █
█ excel at. █
█ Arena here manage to marry the new with the old, █
█ but crucially without making it sound like a lazy █
█ retreat due to lack of inspiration. It's certainly █
█ not a challenging reinvention for the group, nor █
█ is it ever particularly subtle, but strong tunes, █
█ melodic arrangements, robust singing and an █
█ atmospheric instrumental backing all help make █
█ `Double Vision' a deceptively powerful and █
█ effective addition to the Arena discography that █
█ many of their fans will adore. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand █
█ it?s a bit of a disappointment: the album is basic █
█ a bunch of songs, with the group becoming a wee █
█ bit too predictable musically. There?s nothing █
█ really new and even the "epic" The Legend Of █
█ Elijah Shade (22 minutes and 39 seconds in length) █
█ is little more than a bunch of small songs cobbled █
█ together with no real continuity or coherence in █
█ terms of what an epic should be. Only the final █
█ part does show Arena?s in all its power and glory █
█ at the emotional fade, but then it?s too little █
█ too late. And it only serves to show how █
█ innovative and moving this band once was. On the █
█ other hand, let?s face it: the songs may not be █
█ that original, but, boy, are they good! And, if █
█ you are not not very demanding, it?s a darn good █
█ album of fine stuff. █
█ Yes, it?s hard for me to listen to Double Vision █
█ without comparing to their masterpieces The █
█ Visitor or Contagion. Even the previous The █
█ Unquiet Sky (2015) is better than this one. Only █
█ occasionally you hear a (brief) keyboard solo form █
█ Clive Nolan. Again there are no instrumentals. █
█ Fine, it is still far better than the disastrous █
█ 'The Seventh Degree of Separation' of 2011, but █
█ that is not the hardest thing to do for talented █
█ guys like Arena. Another good news is the fact █
█ that Paul Manzi is singing better than ever. The █
█ guy is a fantastic vocalist and since The Unquiet █
█ Sky he got the spirit of Nolan?s dark lyrics and █
█ themes. My point is: it?s a good album, with very █
█ good songs and has almost all the elements we know █
█ and love from this band (unlike The Seventh...). █
█ Still... I really wish they had come up with █
█ something more adventurous and progressive, but █
█ you can?t have everything. █
█ Conclusion: Not their best stuff, but very far █
█ from being a dud. Good songs, sometimes very good, █
█ but I can not say it is essential. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Zhivago Wolf 4:47 ░
░ 2. The Mirror Lies 6:57 ░
░ 3. Scars 5:16 ░
░ 4. Paradise of Thieves 5:10 ░
░ 5. Red Eyes 6:40 ░
░ 6. Poisoned 4:27 ░
░ 7. The Legend of Elijah Shade 22:39 ░
░ 55:56 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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