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SONGS FROM THE LION'S CAGE
When the idea of Clive Nolan and Mick Pointer collaborating on a project was first thought of I'll bet they didn't realise the impact on the Prog scene such a suggestion would have - Arena were born and 'Songs From
the Lions Cage' was the result. The original line up for this album consisted of John Carson on vocals, Keith More on guitars, Cliff Orsi on bass and the aforementioned Nolan and Pointer responsible for the
writing credits. Of all the vaunted Prog Super-groups perhaps Arena had the best chance of success, with its feet in two of the most popular camps of the genre. 'Songs...' is a well crafted and genuinely
entertaining album with production by Mike Stobbie.
The interest generated by the return of Mick Pointer certainly aided the project, although at the time there may have been concerns as to the long term future of the band as after Mick's departure from Marillion he had built up a thriving business (fitting kitchens). However they certainly created a new niche with this album.
I personally find the album not as instant as some of their later work and in places it feels a little laboured, but that I am sure was as a result of the band needing to find their feet. From the outset with
the track 'Out of the Wilderness' you are aware of the likeness of John Carson's vocals to Fish and, I understand that at the time, there was some criticism levelled at the band - although, in fact, John's vocals
have a far greater range than Fish's. The 'Crying for Help' series of tracks make their first appearance and tracks like 'Jericho' and 'Solomon' prove the stature of John in his own right and they still remain
firm favourites with live audiences, along with my personal favourite 'Valley of the Kings'.
'Songs from the Lions Cage' is an album of great depth. If you give it time you will understand that it serves as part of the framework for the band that Arena were to become. It is very hard to review an
album with the benefit of hindsight but I feel 'Songs...' serves as an great introduction to possibly THE prog band of the nineties and it is an invaluable piece of a jigsaw that you may want to complete for yourself
Bryan 9/5/99
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PRIDE
A year after 'Songs from the Lions Cage' came 'Pride'.
In the intervening year the band had undergone two line-up changes - gone were John Carson and Cliff Orsi to be replaced by the excellent John Jowitt on bass, drafted in from 'IQ', and the previously unknown Paul Wrightson on vocals. A transition in band line-up this early on could have signalled the death-nail of a very promising band but it actually had the reverse effect. It gave the band a fresh impetus and what a difference it made; 'Pride' is a wonderful album, from the pumping opening of 'Welcome to the Cage' there is a renewed vigour about the band, everything seems more urgent, the rhythm section is far tighter and this is certainly a stunning debut for Paul. There is, unquestionably, no "difficult second album syndrome here" The gladiatorial theme that started with 'Songs...' continued here and the whole album has an anthemic quality that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and listen.
'The Crying for Help' series continues and we are treated to four more pieces.
But the album is elevated to a new level with the haunting 'Medusa' - a real show stopper and one that still features in live performances. You cannot fail to be impressed with the production of this album, it is a real triumph of the genre. 'Crying for Help Pt VII' is a piece of pure theatre with Paul's vocals allowed full reign without any accompaniment and as the track subsides it neatly segues into the track 'Fools Gold' which features some terrific guitar. The album closes with my personal favourite 'Sirens' weighing in at nearly 14 minutes it is an audio assault on the senses. Once again we are treated to the talents of Mr Nolan who confirms his place as one of the best keyboard players in his field.
Overall 'Pride' is a far more instant album than its predecessor and it features a series of musicians at the top of their game. The introduction of Messrs. Jowitt and Wrightson re-lighting the flame that was
lit when Arena was born and was nearly snuffed out when they lost two members so early on.
Bryan 9/5/99
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THE CRY
The 'Crying for Help' series of songs were always intended to be listened to as a single piece of music, following the classical ideal of a theme with variations - however, plans often go astray and instead the songs
first appeared (renumbered and out of their original sequence) as musical interludes between the more intense vocal numbers on the first two Arena albums. 'Crying for Help 1-4' were on 'Songs from the Lions
Cage', while numbers five to eight came out on 'Pride' and, as a consequence, there is a good chance that many fans have never really considered the true merits of these compositions.
'The Cry' however, puts the record straight.
For the first time these tracks were reunited, in their correct sequence, and renamed into the bargain; but make no mistake, this is far beyond being a simple compilation album, because although three of the tracks are still in their original format, four have been re-recorded in new versions - and if that were not enough there are three songs that have never been released before, into the bargain!
Opening with a short piano piece, 'Theme' is one of the new tracks - the sleeve notes state that it represents a 'statement of the original theme that formed the basis of all the CFH series' - it was intended for
release on 'Songs....', it never actually appeared and was subsequently recorded for this CD. Next comes 'The Cry', a re-recording of CFH7 which was originally recorded as an acapella number but this,
alternative, version has an acoustic guitar accompaniment, which is very effective.
This is followed by 'The Offering' and 'Problem Line' (CFH5 & 3 respectively), both of these are unchanged and appear in their original guise. The fifth track, 'Isolation' is a superb acoustic guitar piece which is performed with an almost classical guitar style. It is clearly a variation on 'Only Child' and, I believe, is the first piece written by guitarist, John Mitchell to appear on an Arena work. 'Fallen Idols' (CFH2) is another re-recording. This has a gentle simplicity and it imparts a serene uplifting quality. 'Guidance' is CFH8, again in it's original format.
'Only Child' (CFH4) is a track well known to fans of the band, what is, perhaps, not so well known is that this song started life many years before the concept of Arena was dreamed up - it is based on the song 'Round
and Round' by The Cast (one of Clive Nolan's earlier projects)! Here, the song has been re-recorded with Steve Rothery guesting on guitar lead - this is one of the classic Arena songs, but in my mind it
suffers slightly from the over emphasis placed on some of the lyrics by Paul Wrightson.
In my opinion, and taste comes into this in a big way, the vocal delivery misses the much purer sound that the original vocalist, John Carson, instilled into the piece. 'Stolen Promise' is another new version, this time of CFH6. The final track 'The Healer' is another new piece for 'The Cry', although anyone who has ever seen the band live will be very familiar with the song, written by Nolan/Pointer/Jowitt, this is a great song - yet it seems almost out of place in the context of the rest of this work - I really like the overall effect of this one, and although some people may think that the vocals sound too much like early Marillion, I for one do not have a problem with this!
'The Cry' really is a masterpiece in many ways: certainly it caused me to re-evaluate, as a single entity, a series of musical pieces that, as interludes, I had found intensely annoying, but which as a unit make up a
great work which
has an almost operatic intensity at times.
Predominantly instrumental in its structure this really shows off Arena's wide musical talents and despite it's shorter than average play length, this is a work well worth buying!
Simon 16 July 99
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WELCOME TO THE STAGE
There are those who would say that after only two and a half albums it was far too early to do a live album - the half being the 'Crying For Help' mini album. But the fact is that live Arena are very, very good
and, with all the technology out there, if there had not been an official release there would have been no shortage of unofficial ones, so the band made the decision to release the album of their high profile show
at Le D'Auteuil in Canada. What we have with this release is the band performing tracks from the preceding two albums in order to have a recording of Paul Wrightson's renditions of the John Carson material.
There is no doubt that all these tracks stand up live and, it is fair to say, that the band do themselves justice with their performances. The energy is there for all to hear and certainly tracks like 'Valley
of the Kings' and 'Soloman' have new life - and as for 'Welcome to the Cage' well let's just say the enjoyment within is almost tangible.
All the tracks in fact have an edge that can only be captured when played live and they are, for all to hear, with this CD. As live albums go this has to up there with the best of them and if you are sceptical about buying the earlier releases this serves as an ideal introduction to Arena.
Bryan 12/5/99
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THE VISITOR
I have to start by saying that this album has been one of the hardest I have ever had to review. Not because of bad performances or the like, but simply because I cannot imagine this album being bettered.
From start to finish this is a consummate example of what the Progressive Rock 'Concept' album should be about. Thankfully it does not suffer, like many of its contemporaries, by being over-long - it would
have been very easy, I imagine, to extend this to a double album. Arena resisted the temptation and the project is elevated by this, what we are have is an hour of uncompromising drama.
The premise of 'The Visitor' is that of a man on the edge of suicide - maybe. I say maybe because most of the band have a different take on the exact meaning, once you have heard the album I have no doubt that you will have your own interpretation.
The album starts with the pulsating beat that seems to emulate a heartbeat, and is to be found throughout the album. This leads us in to the opening track, 'A Crack In The Ice', the overture of the album.
This sets the scene of a man left bruised and broken by the rigors of life with his subconscious willing him to end it all - daring him to pass through the ice. In 'Pins and Needles' we find that, frozen by the icy water, the feelings within our victim are hanging on by a thread, he sees a tunnel of light beckoning but, whilst his spirit is urging him towards it, his mind is not ready to take the plunge. In 'Double Vision' his imagination plays tricks and he sees a face he recalls, but from where? After 'Elea' which features some wonderful guitar we reach 'The Hanging Tree', a brooding piece in which our 'hero', weighed down with guilt perhaps, judges and convicts himself. In the wonderful 'A State of Grace' we learn that our victim felt rejected by religion at a time when, maybe, a few kind words might have helped. It's not until we get to '(Don't Forget To) Breathe' that we ascertain that, at the point of death, The Visitor will escort you to your doom - "Your Heart just stopped ... and now you're mine" - whatever that fate may be. The sublime guitar work in the track 'Serenity' goes to prove the brilliance of John Mitchell and is a fitting prelude to probably the most beautiful track on the album. "Tears in the Rain" is simply gorgeous and the lyrics are beyond praise - it appears that our victim now recalls a lost love, he is the clown whose tears remain behind the painted smile.
The climax of 'the Visitor' comes in three parts, firstly 'Enemy Without', with its whispered opening and complaints of broken promises, the chorus is as catchy as anything I have ever heard and you cannot help
singing along. After the rattling chorus of 'Don't Let The Child Die Here' the heartbeat returns and we're into a higher gear with 'Running From Damascus' which takes us back to where we started - on the ice,
with the light and a sympathetic hand offering to lead us to the other side: the chorus tells us that the victim is rising (towards heaven?) but he can also feel his heart begin to burn (hell?).
'The Visitor' is the closing track and it brings all the themes together, but as the track fades the heartbeat emerges again and ultimately flat-lines - so does our victim die? We asked the man with the plan, Clive Nolan, and he said "no, he didn't die" - but I am not so sure.
This album is a masterpiece - you cannot fail to be moved by it. A classic tale of isolation but with that twist so typical of Mr Nolan's psychotic imagination - anyone know a good analyst?!!
Bryan and Marisa 18/5/99
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