DOUBLE VISION

Another album in Arena's now-customary style, offering up more theatrical neo-prog with an uncanny atmosphere. Clive Nolan's sensibilities as a songwriter are once again let loose, and whilst for the most part the general approach of recent albums by them still applies, they do throw in The Legend of Elijah Shade at the end - a 22 minute epic and a mini- musical in its own right. The section titles (Veritas/I Am Here/Saevi Manes/It Lies/Tenebrae/Omens/Redemption) spell out "VISITOR" and some other lyrical nods suggest a semi-sequel (or prequel?) to that album, whilst in terms of size it's the first time the band have turned out an epic track (as opposed to weaving together individual tracks) since Moviedrome on Immortal? - so old-school Arena fans will no doubt rejoice, but at the same time the track is strong enough to avoid being a mere exercise in length for its own sake.