CONTAGION

Ah well, Contagion was a slight disappointment for me. While the production on Contagion is crisp and suitable, the music is not the best that Arena, especially Clive Nolan, considering his background with Pendragon, can offer.

The biggest problem I can find with Contagion (which was apparent on the first listen), is that while there are plenty of keyboards, thoughtful guitar solos, and rhythms, most of the songs are structured as typical rock songs Also, I have to say that Sowden's vocals come off sounding gratingly hard rock and nowhere near as emotional as I would want them. Perhaps the biggest blow I can lay against Contagion (and this is strictly personal, meaning you may not here this at all) is that it sounds similar to and reminds me of Christian hard rock music with slightly veiled savior references. I doubt that this is truly the case, but the thought has been permanently engraved in my mind. This is a unpleasant thought for me indeed, but do not assume that you will find this same quality in Contagion. It's merely a justification for a slightly lower rating. And since this a strictly personal matter for me, feel free to bump the score up a bit, I suppose.

Despite these annoyances, I repeatedly listen to Contagion. The reasons lie in the more interesting songs, notably the instrumentals ("This Way Madness Lies," "On the Box," and "Riding the Tide") because they allow the band to fully flex their musical muscle, without being confined to the prison of a typically-structured rock song. "Cutting the Cards," breaks the mold of the album slightly with a ferocity only glimpsed at previously in the album. Also, I have a bit of a soft spot for the ending song, "Ascension." Though it does contain the bitter aspects of the album I don't enjoy much, it does have a certain grandiose chorus that is nonetheless moving.

For the more Neo-Progressive fan out there, I'd be wary of Contagion. I suggest Tales from the Lion's Cage instead. Since Arena has an ability to appeal to Progressive Metal fans as well, Contagion may be a more suitable album for those listeners. Yet sill, I recommend Pepper's Ghost over Contagion. It isn't a bad album, even from my perspective, but I wouldn't rate Contagion on the same level as the previously mentioned albums. However, please consider giving Contagion a try if you enjoyed those albums. You will probably enjoy it more than I did.