ARENA

The musical backing here is squarely in the metal-tinged neo-prog style the band have been offering up since Contagion, but it's Wilson's exceptional vocals which really push this over the finish line, making it perhaps the grandest album Arena have ever offered up. The sheer compatibility of the band's established approach and Wilson's well-honed talents shines through, and it's enough to make you want to hear Wilson's renditions of other Arena tracks as well, since I can't think of a single song in their back catalogue which would not become even more compelling with him on the mic.

THE THEORY OF MOLECULAR INHERITANCE is the band's 10th album from longtime band members drummer Mick Pointer and keyboardist Clive Nolan. Returning from the previous "Double Vision" is long time guitarist John Mitchell and newer but now well established bassist Kylan Amos. Continuing the modern trend of neo-prog hybridization with the heavier aspects of modern progressive metal, THE THEORY OF MOLECULAR INHERITANCE too blurs the lines between the synthesizer-laden characteristics which launched neo-prog into its own prog subgenre and the more caustic contrast of the world of heavy guitar distortion of the world of modern metal.

At just over an hour's worth of quality material on display, THEORY offers 11 tracks with a deluxe edition offering a bonus CD with one extra track and instrumental versions of the tracks on the main album. With a renewed sense of vigor and a bit of that chomping at the bit feeling due to the two year delay courtesy of the 2020 world pandemic, ARENA's latest offering may have arrived later than expected but pretty much follows in the trajectory of albums being released every three to four years. As always ARENA exercises restraint and focuses on quality over quantity and once again delivers an above average slice of prog metal-tinged neo-prog that unleashes all the expected larger than life melodies, all-encompassing keyboard omnipresence and the ability to suck you in and keep you hooked for the album's entirety.

As with many neo-prog albums, ARENA included, THE THEORY OF MOLECULAR INHERITANCE is one of those nerdy pseudo-concept albums that dances around a central storyline but remains nebulous enough for individual interpretation. Purportedly tackling the theory of entanglement and other quantum concepts, the lyrical content crafts an emotional connection to the world of the abstract through its strong melodic hooks, soaring synthesized expansiveness and the heavier than usual implementation of metal guitar heft including staccato guitar stomps as well as the expect neo-sweeps that are almost a mandatory feature in this nook of the greater prog universe.

It goes without saying that Damian Wilson was the absolute right choice as new lead vocalist for this dynamic English act as stellar neo-prog is primarily animated by a competent and charismatic vocalist in the vein of classic Fish-era Marillion. Wilson has more than proved himself as a seasoned veteran in some of the most demanding prog metal bands on the scene these days and feels equally at home in the world of metal-tinged neo-prog which increasingly has become more entwined in the world of prog metal in recent years. The results are no less than spectacular and although i've never disliked any of the vocalists ARENA has employed in its ten album run, Wilson seems to have the perfect vocal style which suits the music to a T.

ARENA is certainly one of the top dogs in the world of neo-prog and THE THEORY OF MOLECULAR INHERITANCE keeps the band relevant in an ever changing world where musical acts come and go. ARENA has showed not only a strong propensity for crafting a traditional standard but has also proved to adapt to the necessary changes that keep it relevant in the 21st century. While i wouldn't call this latest offering as accomplished in terms of songwriting as past glories such as "Contagion" or "The Visitor?," nevertheless this Surrey sensation has proven once again why it is remains neo-prog royalty with an uncanny consistency and the ability to attract some of the best vocalists the world of prog has to offer. Another excellent album that gets extra credit for wrapping it all up with stunningly beautiful album cover art.

From Rapture onwards, a somewhat more varied sound creeps in, the band spreading their wings a touch more and bringing back more of their progressive influences now that Manzi has been given a big spotlight moment to introduce him. John Mitchell's guitar work keeps things heavy, Mick Pointer on drums is joined by John Jowitt on bass to reunite the rhythm section of Pride and The Visitor, and Clive Nolan's keyboard work takes in sound ranging from the 1980s heyday of neo-prog to more modern sounds which help keep things fresh. As is often the case with Arena, this isn't absolutely top-tier classic neo-prog stuff, but it's certainly an entertaining exercise in the genre and worth a listen unless you outright dislike the style.

However, 'The Theory of Molecular Inheritance' was released in 2022 to reignite hope for the band's fans!

Thanks to the addition of an exceptional singer with a unique voice, Damian Wilson, known primarily for his work with Threshold, Clive Nolan and Mick Pointer have produced a series of exceptionally high-quality songs, pure neo-prog of the finest vintage, which will delight lovers of this sub-genre.

The only downsides to note might be the abundance of mid-tempo and introspective songs, which occasionally slow down the album's pace. However, this is offset by Wilson's superb performance and the excellent instrumental work, with Nolan and Mitchell shining as always, perfect on their respective instruments.

So, if like me, you thought Arena was finished, I urge you to listen to this album, which undoubtedly returns them to the neo-prog Olympus, where they should never have left. Just typical Arena in their finest fort. Nothing more, nothing less!

Top tracks: The Equation (one of the songs that leaves the best impression on the first listen), Field of Sinners (reminiscent of some of the best moments of the excellent Pepper's Ghost), Pure of Heart (a tremendous chorus, with a vibrant Damian Wilson), Integration (the track where Nolan shines most intensely), and Under the Microscope (Mitchell's final solo might be the best of his entire career).

My Rating: ****

For some reason I get the feeling that the production of the album lacks something, that the music doesn't sound clean enough, and that tarnishes the overall result a bit.

However, it is still an excellent work, with very good songs and a good mix of power and melodies. Personally, The Equation has been my favorite song, and if I had to tell a person to listen to how Arena sounds with their new singer, this would be the song I would choose for the first contact.

The curiosity for Damian's debut was high among fans of the band as well as the broader progressive rock/metal community, who recognizes in Damian Wilson one of the most significant voices in the genre. Unsurprisingly, the singer steals the scene here with a stellar performance that is worthy of all the accolades he has received over the years. Switching with ease between powerful, high-pitch belting and mellow singing, Damian is a perfect fit for Arena's eclectic sound. The Brits have always balanced their neo-prog roots with a penchant for heavier and more metallic atmospheres, at time even close to the classic Iron Maiden sound. The new album is no exception, as it alternates softer melodic moments with heavier sections, which at times even approach the stylings of modern prog metal acts like Haken ("Twenty-One Grams"). Elsewhere, Arena usher in subtle hard-rock/AOR influences, like on the chorus of "Pure of Heart" or in the gloriously melodic coda of "Life Goes On". The end result is a satisfyingly varied collection of songs that navigates a vast universe of prog-adjacent styles with taste and class.

Surprisingly given their considerable duration, the 11 songs of this LP are fairly compact and chorus-centric, favouring a streamlined form with repeated verse/chorus sequences rather than more elaborated and extravagant structures. The arrangements tend to vary over the duration of a song, although many tracks share a common template in the alternation between soft, sparsely arranged verses and heavier, fuller choruses. After a while, this approach becomes slightly repetitive, which is why a song like "Field of Sinners", with its upbeat tempo and weird James Bond movie soundtrack vibes, feels so fresh and welcome. Arguably, more injections of diversity in the songwriting and arrangements would have done good to this record, which at over 60 minutes of length tends to plod ever so slightly as it enters the second half.

Despite these misgivings, I'd lie if I said that I have not been spinning The Theory of Molecular Inheritance madly since I got hold of the CD. With its utterly addictive melodies, this is one of those albums that naturally call for repeated listens, not only as a way to fully appreciate its content, but also for the pure pleasure of listening over and over again to a great set of tunes, performed excellently and sung by a phenomenal frontman.

[Originally written for The Metal Observer]

A solid album for sure, but also one whose initial impression fades away after repeated listens, it is one of these records you can definitely appreciate for what it is, but the passing of time, with the ageing of the album, indicates that you do not have too much use for it, when compared to other releases by the same artist. Apart from this, I would probably never understand that horrendous cover art showing this software-manipulated nausea-causing image of a double-eyed, double-mouthed red-eyed man. Kind of fits the music, especially the ominous, spookier tones, but by itself it is a really bad album art.

Yes, there is a major 22-minute epic closing off the album, and I would say that this is the best track on 'Double Vision', but apart from this one and the pretty solid opener 'Zhivago Wolf', the rest of the songs do not excite as much as older material by Arena. Good by itself, but far from being too special, too daring, necessarily groundbreaking, this album takes its righteous spot as one of the fine releases by the Surrey neo-prog masters. Still, I would go on to call it somewhat safe, keeping in mind that this is the band responsible for 'The Visitor' and 'Contagion', two tremendous releases.

Technical and melodic, this album is simply a collection of very good songs composed by one of the most seasoned collectives out there, also seeing Arena go back a bit to the album presentation format of their heyday when their releases featured a huge number of shorter and more straightforward songs, as opposed to what we are usually used to when we talk about a prog rock band. It is really pleasant to see them applying their darker sounds and sometimes ominous tone to compositions that have strong heavy metal leanings with elements of symphonic rock, experimental rock or electronic rock. Among the highlights on here, one could not omit the mighty opener 'The Great Escape', the really heavy 'Rapture', or the more lush soundscapes of 'One Last Au Revoir'; 'Echoes of the Fall' and 'Burning Down' are also among the songs that sound the most convincing.

This is no 'Contagion', nor it is 'The Visitor' - it is a fine album by a great band, nothing too special, nothing too shabby. Just a display of power, capabilities, and will to continue to be creative.