▄█████▄ ░█████▄ ▄████▄░█▄ ░█▄ ▄█████▄ ███▄██ ▄██ ▄█▄ ▄██████ ▄█▄ ▄███ ░████░██▀████▓ ▀██ ▄██░▀█████ ████ ███▓ ██████▓██ ▓███████ ███▓░▀█▀████ ███▓ ███▓ ▓███░ ██ ██▄ ▄██▓██ ▓███▓██░ ▓███░███░███████████▄ ███░███░ ███░ ▄███ ███ ▄█▀░ ████████░██ █████████▄ ▓██░███ ███▓█████████ ███████ ███ ███░ ███████ ███▓ ░██ ██ ██████▓ ░██ ▀██ ███░███▓██████ ███▓███ ███ ███ ████████░███░ ███ ██▄ ██▓███░ ██▄ ██░██▓ ███ ▀▀████ ███░███ ███ ███ ███▓░███████░ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███▓██▓██░ ███ ▓████ ███ ███ ▓██▓ ███ ███░ ▓██████ ███ ▓████ ▓██▄ ▓████████ ███ ▓███ ███ ███ ███░███ ███ ░██████ ███ ░████ ░███ ███▓███▓ ███ ░███ ███ ███ ██▓███ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███ ▓██▄ ███░███░ ███ ███ ███ ███ ░█████ ███ ██▓░██▄ ███ ▓█▀ ▓██▄ ███ ██░ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ░███▀ ░█▀ ██░ ██ ░█▀ ░███▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█▀ ███░ ░█▀ ██▀ ██░ ▄██▀ ░█▄ ▄███▀ ░██ ░ ██ ▓░ ▓░ ██░ ▓█░ ░█▀ ▀█░ ░█▓ ░ ██ ██ 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 ░ ░ ▒ ▒ ▓ █ ░ ▓ ░ ■ █▄ ░ ██ ▀█▄░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▓ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ░▄██░ ░ ▀████▓█▄▄█████████▓░ ███ ███▓░ █████████▄▄██████▀ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▒███████▀▀ ▀████████▒ ░████████▀ ▀▀███████░▓▀▓ ■ ░ ▄█░█▀▀▄████▄▓ ▀█▀ █▓░ ▒▓█ ▀█▀ ▄████▄ ▀███▄░ ▄█▀░ ░███▀▀▀███▄ ▀█▒ ██▓ ██ ▓█▀ ▄███▀▀▀███░ ▀█░ █▀ ▓██▓ ▄███ ▀█▓ ████ ▒█▀ ▓███▄ ▓██▓ ▀█▓ █▀ ▓██░ ▒██████▓ ▀█ █▓ █▀ ▓██████▒ ░██▓ ▀█ ▒ ▄██ ░███ ▓███▓ ▀░██░▀ ▓███░ ███ ██▄ ▒ ░█▀ ███ ▄▀ ███▄ ▓████▒ ▄███▀▄ ███ ▀█░ ▓█▀ ▄██▄█▀ ░ ██████████████ ▀█▄ ██▄ ▀█▓ █▀ ████▀█▄▓░▄█ ▀██████▀ █▄▓░▄█▀█▄██ ▀█▓ ░ ▄ ██▀ ▀████▀ ▀█▓▀██ ▀████▀ ▀███ ▄ ▒ █░█▓ ██░ █░ █ ░██ ▀██▒█ ███░ ▒█░ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░█▒ ▓███ ░ ▓██ ░ ██▓ ██░ ░██ █▒ ░ ░█ ▀█ █▀ ▓ ░ ░