CHRYSALIS - FORCE FOR THE FOURTH

Again we can enjoy a sexy front cover from the Japanese progrock band Ars Nova, have they turned into the equivalent of Seventies Roxy Music and their 'sex-sells- cover-art-policy'? Anyway, more remarkable is the fact that the trio has become a four piece band because guitar player Satoshi Handa has joined Ars Nova on this album (on 3 tracks). His powerful guitar work is a fresh addition to the wonderful but a bit predictable sound of their last albums: fiery runs in Succubus, fat riffs in Horla Rising and a biting, wah-wah drenched sound in Metamorphose. The interplay between his guitarplay and the sparkling, often bombastic keyboards and dynamic rhythm-section is an exciting extra dimension. The other songs sound as we are used to with Ars Nova: melodic and fluent featuring heavy Hammond organ waves, flashy synthesizer flights and beautiful orchestrations. So here is another fine Ars Nova album, not really surprising after all those years but if you like keyboard driven progrock, this band will please you.

This last Ars Nova album to date, is actually a compilation. But what is interesting is that it is not just a compilation.

All the numbers have been revisited and some sound rather different than their original counterparts. The opening number "Succubus" is as wild as on "Android Domina": lush and bombastic keyboards, but some furious guitar has been added (same applies to "Horla Rising" from "Android Domina" as well). "Horla" features grandiose and melodic synthesizer and it is worth an attentive spin.

During most of their career, the band was limited to a trio (bass, drums and keys), but there was already a change with their previous record "Biogenesis" which featured Arjen Lucassen as a guest; and I have to say that the addition of this instrument is not a bad thing.

There are two songs from their second opus : "Transi" and "Nova". The latter is another highlight of this work. A keyboards firework fully dynamic but melodic as well. A great digest of their work.

The least interesting of this whole compilation effort is "The 42 Gods" from "The Book of Dead". Too much performance oriented IMHHO.

I am also disappointed by the rendition of "Metamorphosis". I far much preferred the original released on "Biogenesis". This is indeed a "Metamorphose" like it is newly called here. The guitar is not well received here. It converts this track too much in a Crimson mood. Too bad because the original work was one of my fave from this band.

This is a pleasant manner to access the band. It allows you to discover their ELP-ish universe and it's up to you to decide if you want to investigate more of their work (of which my preferred album is "Android Domina").

The band announces a new album for the summer of 2008. They are currently recording it and a full time guitar player is now part of the band (Satoshi, the one featured here as well). Hopefully, it will be in the vein of "Android".

Three stars.