Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Prog | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 162 / 7-8-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 7/10 | Label: Plastic Head | Autor: WS
In 2003 Arena didn't want all the material they had written for their fifth studio album to end up in a double album. Now this decision has been revised and now you can experience "Contagion" as a great opus with all the tracks released on the EPs "Contagious" and "Contagium" in the originally planned track order. 16 became 23 pieces. The dark, driving and metal-heavy "Witch Hunt" still opens the song series. "Painted Man" has pomp and theatre-rock characteristics. With the instrumental "The Vanishing Act" comes the first "new" song of "Contagiuos" in between, which gives the concept album more depth. Through John Mitchell's guitar "This Way Madness Lies" reached Genesis greatness. The fact that the dramaturgically indispensable "The Hour Glass" was once omitted now seems hardly understandable. The longer you immerse yourself in the album, the clearer it becomes that only "Contagium Max" is the 'real deal'. "I Spy" offers acoustic impregnated Mitsing-Folk-Prog. CD 2 can then no longer quite maintain the level of the first CD.
Top track: Witch Hunt
