CONTAGIOUS

I listen to a lot of EPs. I think they're a good way to get a general introduction to an unfamiliar band. I had read a lot about Arena, and knew that they're often compared to Marillion with more metal influences. I hear the similarities mostly in John Mitchell's guitar playing and Rob Sowden's singing. That was enough to pique my interest, so I checked out this CONTAGIOUS EP along with the related CONTAGIUM EP. Both EPs contain songs that didn't quite fit on the full CONTAGION album.

The best songs on CONTAGIOUS are "I Spy" and "The Hour Glass". I find the remaining material a little repetitive. "Witch Hunt" is a terrific song, but the original version is far better than this unnecessary remix. I realize that testing out an unfamiliar band would not be the rating standard for many of this sight's visitors, who may listen to more neo-prog than me. This EP does give a general impression of what Arena is about, but CONTAGIUM and the original CONTAGION album are stronger. Definitely explore them first.