CONTAGION

"Contagion" is ARENA's fifth studio outing, and represents a very powerful and evocative concept album full of IMHO ARENA's most fulfilling music yet. In the land of neo-prog is very very hard to find a tighter band than ARENA and although the band at times sound over the top they do kick big time. On "Contagion" ARENA have delivered an intimate album of connected songs which gives the listener a feeling of a concept album which deals with the fight against a deadly virus threatening the entire civilization. As you would expect the album is graced with the founding combo of Mick Pointer and Clive Nolan and this time all returning members Ian Salmon (bass), John Mitchell (guitars) and vocals of Rob Sowden. This album is clearly Sowden's spotlight with a wonderfully vast array of vocal mixes and pungent lyrics.