THE THEORY OF MOLECULAR INHERITANCE

Arena founded in 1995, a mega group at the time with members from Marillion, Pendragon and Asia initially. A powerful neo, the 3rd generation of prog rock after Genesis and Marillion. The heaviness of their sound has in my opinion oriented the prog towards metal for the greater good. This is their 10th opus with the contribution of Damien Wilson who has worked for Landmarq, Threshold, Headspace, Maiden United and Ayreon; it lacked a major group, it's done with Arena. 'Time Capsule' and synths forward, iron rhythm of Mick and Kylan, egosilated voice of Damian it goes fast and heavy! Uncompromising prog with this instrumentation and voice melting pot; Clive almost steps back to let John and his 6-string unleash a first solo that makes me shiver, it's still simple when the music is done well; hypnotic title with a warm, divine final ah ah ah. 'The Equation (The Science of Magic)' segues into my wood- burning piano to give way to Damien; Clive's break and Damien's revival, that's it, he's incorporated into the group as if he had been there from the start; a fat, viscous Moog reinforces the feeling of a job well done; the rhythm is heavy, nervous, makes you want to see them in concert...that's good the sound is between the sound of 1995 and that of 2022, magnificent. Damien uses his voice on different registers to break up the usual verse- chorus; the finale is explosive. 'Twenty One Grams' heartbeat, Kylan's dark bass, Mick is recognizable with his many caressed drums; Damian sings to a mermaid, castrato tune, I hope he will appreciate given the place of excellence they were given before; well, an angel, maybe it will be better. It goes up halfway with this Clive solo that makes me raise my last two hairs, it's really good at the instrumentation level, the atmosphere reminds me for a time of the dark metallic wanderings of the Riverside, I melt; final where the keyboard shows that it can be a centerpiece in a prog band these days. 'Confession' and the Genesis ballad on a piano-voice basis, the time to recover from the dose of unloaded musical adrenaline. I feared a lambda album, warned by a chronicler friend of the potential bomb that this album represented, I remain stuck for the moment. 'The Heiligenstadt Legacy' with Damien on a statement from Ludwig van Beethoven's will bequeathed to his brothers, an angelic voice boosted again by Clive's divine, solemn piano. An emotive voice, sensitive before explosion where it is found in its more usual register; John oozes his guitar notes, they fall from the sky; a crescendo where the power of the guitar goes hand in hand with the captivating voice.

'Field of Sinners' starts with oblivion, undead cries? Then a Marillion Fish-era synth, I like that already; it's latent, explosive, a pure product of Arena with the keyboard pads, with this feeling that Clive has 3 hands; the most progressive title in my opinion, less melodic, more search for musical atmospheres; I'm thinking back to 'The Visitor', it's well done, nervous, it makes my head move, I'm definitely seduced from the first listen, rare for me and John's machine-gunner solo isn't going to make me change my mind . 'Pure of Heart' ah this tune to The Passions, yes by far but the music has this fabulous thing that it brings back many memories; well it goes up and I find the energetic Arena with the intro that warms your ears, the one you don't know when it's not going to stop. Damien tumbles, choppy voice on a metallic riff then his high voice à la Jon Anderson 'Drama' era; the synths deliver far then closer with a break before launching John; the final hard riff revives Damien on high choruses, explosion before 'Under the Microscope' and a robot comes to introduce the longest title; only 7 minutes but given the hook between each track, the pleasant impression of having long songs. Good 2 minute warm-up before the climb; fat, twirling synths, it flows everywhere, the guitar gets involved, we go full force into the world of Lewis Caroll with nursery rhymes that we suppose are extravagant but I don't want to go under the microscope; the final instrumental with endless Gary Moore air guitar; a chilling crescendical title. 'Integration' forms a clean break, title apart voice and piano, it rests the ears, Damien still in value; a ballad that nay a fight of keyboards and strings that starts suddenly; Clive does nervous Pendragon, Arena, neo-neo fruity prog, yes some will still say that I mix food and music? but music can be spiritual food. 'Part of You' classic riff with a majestic, emphatic hit; superb climb that reminds us that in prog there is progression, a moment of musical distraction where you don't know where the musicians are going to take you; it's composed, researched, John tortures his guitar, Damien sings on Clive's keyboards securing the atmosphere that Kylan and Mick have undermined; solo spurting on the machine-gunned bass, simple but perfect, gripping, bringing adrenaline, sweat, emotion. 'Life Goes On' on 'The Exorcist' not possible! Ah yes Mike? Oldfield is listening he might sit down and listen interested; culmination of this flawless album where each title is linked to the next, a concept that does not look like it; the most agreed title in my opinion, everything is in place and I feel like I have already listened to it.

Arena that I had never reviewed, I who fell into the pot with their 'Songs', I who always fear to review an album before its release, I started... and I did well. This album is in my top 2022, no matter what we say in view of the perfect millimeter association between the guitar, the keyboards, the rhythmic bass and the voice of Damien. I will listen to the other albums without any problem again, I feared too much vocal presence, I am doubly reassured and enthusiastic. Clive had to be sure to wink at me. Note the artwork of David WYATT who had already worked for 'Contagion' and 'Pepper's Ghost'.