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"Those who appreciated "Songs from the Lions Cage" will not be disappointed by this "Pride" which is another solid foundation stone for a band that will be one of the safe values of neo-progressive rock in the 2000s."
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3/5
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This second Arena album is built on the same model as their first, namely 5 independent titles separated by 4 episodes of the "Crying for Help" suite. In terms of differences, the most obvious is the change of line up. Two new members join the band, Paul Wrightson on vocals and John Jowitt on bass, who will remain with Arena until "The Visitor".
Musically, this opus is without surprise and this is undoubtedly the main criticism we can make of it. The "Crying for Help" 5, 6 and 8 are instrumentals that are pleasant but not very deep Nolaneries. The seventh part of "Crying for Help" is totally different, it is an a capella vocal exercise that unfortunately is served by poor sound recording and/or a lack of Wrightson experience, as it lets you hear annoying breath sounds. In the rest of the compositions, we find the creative signature of the Nolan/Pointer pair, a neo prog that is not without reminiscent of Marillion Fish era, but with a color that is unique to it.
Arena's music is more modern, punctuated by more metal guitar riffs and the resemblance is mainly due to the narrative phrasing of the song. But isn't this precisely a particularity of this branch of progressive music where Peter Gabriel and Fish excelled, as well as some current neo-prog men such as Peter Nicholls. If we appreciate the short pieces built around the song, "Welcome to the Cage" and "Medusa" are the titles to listen to first. On the other hand, if you prefer long, more symphonic compositions with multiple changes of rhythm and atmosphere, you can refer to "Empire of a Thousand Days", "Fool's Gold" and its melotron tracks, and the magnificent "Sirens" which is the biggest track on this album.
Those who appreciated "Songs from the Lions Cage" will not be disappointed by this "Pride" which is another solid foundation stone for a band that will be one of the safe values of neo-progressive rock in the 2000s. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Welcome To The Cage - 4:14
02. Crying For Help 5 - 2:33
03. Empire Of A Thousand Days - 9:34
04. Crying For Help 6 - 2:53
05. Medusa - 4:28
06. Crying For Help 7 - 3:04
07. Fool's Gold - 9:37
08. Crying For Help 8 - 5:12
09. Sirens - 13:42
LINEUP:
Clive Nolan: Claviers
John Jowitt: Basse
Keith More: Guitares
Mick Pointer: Batterie
Paul Wrightson: Chant
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READERS
3.6/5 (8 view(s))
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STAFF:
3.6/5 (9 view(s))
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