IMMORTAL?

This album had the tough task to try to top or equal its predecessor, the masterpiece-like The Visitor, to me an almost impossible challenge because The Visitor is their magnum opus. Well, they had to go for next best then and that would be come near it.

The album starts with the pretty fierce Chosen, a good opener (3,5*) followed by the ballad Waiting for the Flood, I personally believe ballads are not Arena's strongest point, I love their epics and they make very good rocking songs or songs with a shining Clive Nolan but ballads, not really. It's nice but that's all (3*). Next up is the first epical song, The Butterfly Man, a bit of a slow song with mysterious mood about it but a very good composition (4,25*). Ghost in the Firewall is another quite slow song but by far not as good as the previous, some interesting keyboard contribution by Nolan (3,25*). Climbing the Net is an accessible song resembling the shorter tracks on their first two albums, a bit retro to their old days more or less, fine track (3,5*). Moviedrome is a terrific epic, not only one of my favourite Arena songs of all time but even one of my all time ever favourites by any band. Speaks for itself that this one gets full score by me (5*). I think this one is even better than Solomon and Sirens, two songs that made me fall in love with this band. Closing track Friday's dream is the second ballad, also not really great just as the previous but slightly better (3,25*).

So that makes an overall average of 3,7, worthy of 4 stars without hesitation.