Arion, symphonic prog band

Any website links would be appreciated, so that we of the Symphonic prog team can get an idea...

OK, found some...

http://www.geocities.com/genesisrafael/arion.html


Edited by Ghost Rider - August 14 2006 at 08:59

I know ARION's 2001 album, titled like the band itself, and I really enjoy it: beautiful and well-crafted music. Good symphonic prog.

Hi, Ghost Rider:

I'd be glad to talk to you. But I don't have your msn. I'm quite a freshman here. Everything's quite new to me. I still don't know how to contact most of the people on this site. (but I love it!)

Best wishes

Tarcísio Moura

After Cesar started this thread and sent me a PM I took the time to listen all the self titled album because I trust very much in his opinion and reached some conclusions:

Tarcisio Moura wrote: Dear Ivan: Thank you very mucj for writing. It's a pleasure to know you. About Arion's classification, I still have my doubts. The only neo prog compenent in their sound are some guitar solos. The rest is either symphonic rock with jazz, classical and brazilian elements. But to me it is less importante the category than to the group to be included in Progarchives, regardless the classification. If you guys decide it is neo prog, so be it. It is only important for the people who likes prog music to get to know this band. Thank you very much for your atention and time Best regards Tarcísio B. Moura

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Tarcisio Moura wrote: Dear Ivan: Thank you very mucj for writing. It's a pleasure to know you. About Arion's classification, I still have my doubts. The only neo prog compenent in their sound are some guitar solos. The rest is either symphonic rock with jazz, classical and brazilian elements. But to me it is less importante the category than to the group to be included in Progarchives, regardless the classification. If you guys decide it is neo prog, so be it. It is only important for the people who likes prog music to get to know this band. Thank you very much for your atention and time Best regards Tarcísio B. Moura   No Tarcisio, thank you, the pleasure is all mine  and welcome to the Forum.   I'm sure Arion will be added because it's Prog, IMO is really predominant Neo with a lot of Brazilian elements, tomorrow I will be adding a thread in the Collaborators section for the addition and asking for feedback, if I get some legal link with samples (I have one album but legally not allowed to share it) I will also publish it for feedback.   It would be a big advanvce if you who are familiar send me by PM a biography of the band.   Thanks   Iván

On second thought, I think that the neo label wouldn't be unaccurate for ARION. And consider this, this label doesn't have to bear a pejorative connotation: it all depends on the individual prog lover's criterium. Unlike bands such as Castillo di Atlante, Dogma, Quaterna Réquiem or Anglagard, the polished flavors of Arion's music makes it closer to neo than to traditional symphonic prog, at least in a way. Additionally, you could say that the inclusion of Brazilian folk colors and acoustic elements brings some new particular texture to the neo sound. Not all neo has to be derivative from old-school Marillion, IQ or Pendragon. There's the fine example of The Watch, from Italy, whose neo sound bears influences from KC and VdGG together with Genesis and contemporary pychedelic rock. Also, bands such as Discipline and Daghmar (I don't buy that art rock label that the yhave so carellessly been granted here in the Archives), as well as Versus X, show that neo (the most innovative neo, that is) can comprise potential new trends within itself.

Dear Cesar:

Thanks for your explanations. I know how hard it is to find the right label for a band, (if there's such a thing). I still think both neo prog and synphonic prog (or even Art rock) to be rather a mixed bag, with quite different bands coexisting side by side in the same genre. Well, at least to me Arionh's music is closer to what is called generally symphonic prog than neo, but I understand the ones who think otherwise. The guitar solos are very much Rothery-like, there's no denying in it, but the overall sound is too much in the vein of the great 70's bands like Yes, ELP and Renassaince. They are melodic and maybe not too experimental, or simply weird enough,l for some ears, but so were so many classic records by those aforementioned bands. Anyway, I like neo, as much as I like symphonic prog, or art rock, or whatever you call it, as long as the music is good. And I think Arion's music is very good and strong. It's prog and original (ok, not totally original, but who is really?). And they released this fabulous CD in a country with very little tradition on prog music, and even less support from recording companies or the media.  I met this guys in one of their concerts, talked to them and realised how much they loved the music which inspired them. The fact that no one in Brazil cared or believed in an orginal and sophisticated prog band didn't stop them to go out and release this little gem. No wonder they were so praised by the few who heard it, here, in Europe or Japan (where all the copies sent were quickly sold out). That's why I want them in this site. Neo, symphonic, art? You name it! It's progressive music, it's good.

And I thank God there are some people out there who still cares for good music. God bless this site and the hard working people of believers who does a great job here.

Best regards

Tarcísio Moura

I humbly insist on giving the symphonic progressive label to ARION and let the neo specialists' team take care of any other bands around.

P.S. I think that if Renaissance released its first albums nowadays they'd be called neo prog. And even Yes and Genesis would face similar problems (at least with their first 2 releases).