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October 12, 2008 |
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01. Bedlam Fayre
02. Smoke And Mirrors
03. The Shattered Room
04. The Eyes Of Lara Moon
05. Tantalus
06. Purgatory Road
07. Opera Fanatica
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ARENA: a place where great battles are fought, where gladiators pit their might against man-eating lions and each other. ARENA, the band, don't write music that will make you raise your sword and ride down your enemies, and the most ferocious lion I can liken their songs to is Simba from the LION KING (baby Simba). "Pepper's Ghost" is the latest album from these UK progressive rockers, who've been releasing albums since '95. Although I've never been a fan of QUEEN-influenced, prog-rock, I know that many people will eat this album up, and ask for seconds.
For benchmark purposes, let me compare this album to another of the same style. A month ago, I reviewed the disc "2005", by (un)METAL MAJESTY. In terms of musicianship, songwriting, riffs, vocals, and any other category you can think of, ARENA blow METAL MAJESTY away like a category 3 tropical storm. And as "Pepper's Ghost" progresses, that storm is upgraded to a category 5 hurricane.
Opener "Bedlam Fayre", kicks off with an undeniably metal riff, and by the 40-second mark, it starts raining keys. The rhythm guitars prop up the catchy verses, while the guitarist slips some succulent leads in between the vocals. Like the other tracks on this disc, "Bedlam Fayre" takes enough twists and turns that the listener is bound to dislike some of the places he or she is taken. I, for one, don't care for the muffled vocals before the chorus, but I'm only forced to hold my nose for a brief moment.
Unlike many prog releases, you don't need a doctorate degree from Harvard Music School to appreciate the music. The playing isn't overly complex at any given moment; it's the variation that keeps things interesting. The solos seem like songs within a song, and aren't just put on the album because "Songs need to have a solo." The keyboardist and guitarist make good tag team partners, sharing the spotlight throughout the disc. If Anne Robinson were reviewing this album, she'd be quick to mention that the vocals of Rob Sowden are the weakest link. Although he's a good singer, his singing lacks that unique flare necessary to compete with the likes of Dickinson or Dio. Overall, the choruses sap much of the metalness from the disc, and I would have preferred roller-coaster crescendos rather than being rocked like a newborn baby.
"Purgatory Road" hits a home run with its STAR ONE-esque chorus, but the album highlight has to be "Opera Fanatica". The track incorporates operatic vocals (male), and the opening riff hits the listener like a freight train, showing that ARENA could be a metal band if they really wanted to. I hope on their next album, they embark further down the road less rocky. Prog-rock isn't my thing, but ARENA's latest album is nothing to sneeze at (even if it does have "Pepper" in its title).
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