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Arena - The Visitor CD (album) cover

THE VISITOR

Arena

 

Neo-Prog

4.10 | 777 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

genbanks
4 stars Great Album! Not so prog as Songs from the lion's cage, but great. Here we have not long tracks and not much instrumentals, but is a superb conceptual album. Mitchel's riffs are the true highlight of the album, just as his electric and acoustic solos. Nolan keys are ok, but in a small doses than in the first album. IMO the best tracks are:

The opening A CRACK IN THE ICE. Opens really powerful. A mixed of hard and melodyc tunes, even with some acoustic interlude. Excellent.

DOUBLE VISION is an amazing track. It starts with a superb counterpoint between guitars and keyboards. The keyboard motive is pure prog at its best.

HANGING TREE is a stunning ballad with a fantastic chorus. After the interlude the chorus returns with all its power. Great lyrics and an ending with a superb guitar solo.

IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE is an old Arena style song. Here Nolan takes the first place with his keyboards solo work, A heavy piece mainly instrumental.

SERENITY is a little gem by Mitchel. This electric guitar solo (a la Gilmour) is incredible.

ENEMY WITHOUT is the catchy one. Over a moved rhythm the band developed an extraordinary guitar riff. The melody line by Wrightson is just amazing.

THE VISITOR. The album ends with a superb guitar solo in the Hanging tree motive, but much longer.

The rest are really good too.

Not 5 because is not so prog as Lion's Cage, but highly recomended

genbanks | 4/5 |

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