Customer Reviews

Arena

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Arena is not only the best Asia album ever, it is possibly one of the best albums ever released by any progressive rock band. From the beginning to the very end, the music, the lyrics, and the story are stunning. In typical Asia fashion, we are taken into a world filled with magical riffs, melodically mystical keyboard sounds, and emotionally powerful reflective lyrics and words. The cover art was breathtaking as well, as the mythological sides of good and evil are symbolically painted before our eyes, the scene being emmersed in an orangish background, with desert-like post-apocolyptic images being displayed in what appears to be an untimely place, could it be the past or the future? The musical production is quiet but effective. The solemn sounds seem to echo the mood of the cover art and the singer, as well as the album itself. The singer, John Payne is at his best. He doesn't seem to strain as much or scream as loud, he doesn't seem as desperate, there is a comfort in his level, that is both warm and bittersweet. His voice is freely flowing with a silent urgency that echoes through each song with meaning and unspoken emotion. His voice is soothing and mature. Each song is tightly knit into a fabric that intrudes upon your memory and lingers like a scene from a distance time yet to play itself out. At first, one isn't expecting this from Asia, you might expect the sounds of the first albums, or even aqua or aria, but this isn't what you get, instead, its like Asia went from being a teenager to a young adult, with the experience and understanding gained through adversity, overnight. It is different, but still though, the Asia sound remains. Most remeniscent of "Alpha": Asia's second release, Arena is truly progressive rock in it's finest form. Arena, Two Sides Of The Moon, Heaven, Words, Falling, Day Before The Word, Tell Me Why, U Bring Me Down, Turn It Around are all songs with musical diversity, quality sound, craftsmanship, and feeling. Each song is deeper than a first, second or even third take. These are the kinds of songs where you hear something new from each listening, the type of songs that may not impress you at first, but remain scarred in your mind, leaving you hungry for a retake. Songs about humanity, war, love and loss, and finally reconcilation. Most importantly though they all fit together, like a well done movie, seamlessly playing before your ear's and mind's delight. Much like Pink Floyd's "The Wall" or Dream Theatre's "Images And Words", this take of Asia is compact, comprehensive, philosophical, and true to the story it is relaying to the audience. This is poetry set to music, mythology set to music, art set to music, call it what you like but it is truly one of the best albums to be released in quit sometime. Get a copy, you will not be disappointed, and if you are, listen again, you might just change your mind.

This is my all-time favorite CD. The musical variety is excellent. Geoff Downes' great synthesis including a softer feeling organ sound add a warmer feel to the keyboard sound, while Aziz Ibrahim does a great job on guitar. John Payne does his best vocal work to date on songs like "Never" and "Words". The album doesn't have a heavier metalish touch as Aria does, but it should satisfy nonetheless. You NEED to buy this CD, it is EXCELLENT! I've listened to my copy MANY times.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I tend to enjoy the later Asia albums with John Payne on vocals a lot more than the best-selling original Asia material. Who cares that keyboardist/songwriter Geoff Downes was the only original member left in the 90s when the music Asia released was so amazing?

1996's Arena was the band's sixth studio album. At this point it was just Downes, vocalist/bassist John Payne, and a cast of session players, but they still managed to put together another gorgeous melodic rock album. With Arena, the band continued their shift away from radio-friendly pop tunes to achingly beautiful AOR songs. There's still a rock element, but for the most part, moving emotional songs like "Heaven", "Two Sides of the Moon" and the title track are the order of the day. The band also stretches their progressive muscles a bit on lengthier numbers like "The Day Before the War" and "U Bring Me Down". Payne's soulful vocals continue to define this stage of Asia's career, and are a great counterpoint to Downes's keyboards.

If your interest in Asia goes beyond just the band's radio hits of the early 80's, you'd do well to look into the band's 1990's output. Aqua is probably the best place to start, but Arena should please as well. For better or worse the original Asia lineup has since reunited, so we won't be seeing any more albums like Arena.

NOTE: Snapper reissued Arena in 2004 as part of their Snapper Classics line. The reissue features digitally remastered sound, digipack packaging, and the bonus track "That Season", which also appears on Archiva, Vol. 1/Archiva, Vol. 2.

NOTE 2: Arena was reissued again in 2005 by InsideOut. This reissue also features remastered sound, but comes in a jewel case with expanded liner notes and an embossed slipcase. Packaging aside, you get the same tracks as the Snapper reissue plus a live acoustic version of "Two Sides of the Moon". This is obviously the best version of Arena to get. I wish I had known it was on the way when I bought the Snapper reissue in 2004. Oh well.

I am a fan of '80s music, and Asia was one of my favorite bands. This album is superior to anything released by the Wetton/Downes/Palmer/Howe quartet. A good combination of latin beats, pop rock, lounge jazz, and new wave, this album has everything going for it.

Due to the fact that this is my favorite "Asia" album, this recording has several things going for it! A great deal of musical variety, an absolutely impeccable performance, an amazing return to the sound of the "art rock" genre, and songs whose lyrical themes combine well with their musical themes. This recording impressed the heck out of me, the very first time that I listened to it! John Payne, Geoff Downes, Aziz Ibrahim, Michael Sturgis, Elliot Randall, Luis Jardim and Tomoyasu Hotei have created an absolute masterpiece!

Arena is not only the best Asia album ever, it is possibly one of the best albums ever released by any progressive rock band. From the beginning to the very end, the music, the lyrics, and the story are stunning. In typical Asia fashion, we are taken into a world filled with magical riffs, melodically mystical keyboard sounds, and emotionally powerful reflective lyrics and words. The cover art was breathtaking as well, as the mythological sides of good and evil are symbolically painted before our eyes, the scene being emmersed in an orangish background, with desert-like post-apocolyptic images being displayed in what appears to be an untimely place, could it be the past or the future? The musical production is quiet but effective. The solemn sounds seem to echo the mood of the cover art and the singer, as well as the album itself. The singer, John Payne is at his best. He doesn't seem to strain as much or scream as loud, he doesn't seem as desperate, there is a comfort in his level, that is both warm and bittersweet. His voice is freely flowing with a silent urgency that echoes through each song with meaning and unspoken emotion. His voice is soothing and mature. Each song is tightly knit into a fabric that intrudes upon your memory and lingers like a scene from a distance time yet to play itself out. At first, one isn't expecting this from Asia, you might expect the sounds of the first albums, or even aqua or aria, but this isn't what you get, instead, its like Asia went from being a teenager to a young adult, with the experience and understanding gained through adversity, overnight. It is different, but still though, the Asia sound remains. Most remeniscent of "Alpha": Asia's second release, Arena is truly progressive rock in it's finest form. Arena, Two Sides Of The Moon, Heaven, Words, Falling, Day Before The Word, Tell Me Why, U Bring Me Down, Turn It Around are all songs with musical diversity, quality sound, craftsmanship, and feeling. Each song is deeper than a first, second or even third take. These are the kinds of songs where you hear something new from each listening, the type of songs that may not impress you at first, but remain scarred in your mind, leaving you hungry for a retake. Songs about humanity, war, love and loss, and finally reconcilation. Most importantly though they all fit together, like a well done movie, seamlessly playing before your ear's and mind's delight. Much like Pink Floyd's "The Wall" or Dream Theatre's "Images And Words", this take of Asia is compact, comprehensive, philosophical, and true to the story it is relaying to the audience. This is poetry set to music, mythology set to music, art set to music, call it what you like but it is truly one of the best albums to be released in quit sometime. Get a copy, you will not be disappointed, and if you are, listen again, you might just change your mind.

I love this album! This album, Aria, and Aqua are Asia's best albums EVER! If you get this, be warned; U NEED THE REISSUE! So John Payne and Geoff Downes came in 1996 with the idea of "what would Asia sound like in the 70's?" and this album isn't too far from that! I really like this album more than I thought I would. It grew on me IMMENSELY!

Music:

This album has a Latin and international influence. Very nice sound I think.

1. Into the Arena- A nice little Santana-like instrumental. very nice.

2. Arena- A very jazzy song and it also is very amazing. Great song.

3. Heaven- Very pretty song. I love the chorus: "There is a time where; There is No place here; Tell me if you get there; Heaven..." Very good song!

4. Two Sides of the Moon- A very nice song. I like the Asian influence in the instruments.

5. The Day Before the War- This is the longest Asia song ever, but also one of their best. Very progressive, very meaningful, and extremely beautiful in places.

6. Never- A nice mellow song. Very nice intro.

7. Falling- A good song. I like it and it's very catchy.

8. Words- Just like Heaven, a very pretty, mellow song that deserves to be respected. I love the melody of this one.

9. U Bring Me Down- The only song I DON'T like! It's just ok. It doesn't do anything for me...

10. Tell Me Why- Perhaps my favorite song on the album along with Heaven and Words. A very beautiful ballad with the most amazing guitar intro.

11. Turn it Around- Another song in the style of Never and not as good as it but still great.

12. Bella Nova- A nice little instrumental to close the normal edition of the album.

Bonus Tracks:

13. That Season- Why oh why did they not put this on the original release?! Beautiful song, lyrics, everything! I like this one a lot!

14. Two Sides of the Moon [Acoustic]

Verdict: Buy it if you like Santana, any incarnation of Asia, Yes, Dream Theater, or Prog music. Very good album but due to Grunge being the main focus in the 90's, a silently released album.

It took me quite a while to finally get around to buying "Arena". I had purchased "Aura" years ago and loved it. After the disappointment that was, at least for me, "Silent Nation", I was skeptical of their earlier stuff. However, "Arena" is not only good, but VERY good and compares well to what I consider to be the Payne-era masterpiece, "Aura". Lush, melodic and well produced, it's a must buy for any Payne-era Asia fan, or any serious fan of 70's/80's progressive rock. Great guitars, synth and vocals with very solid song writing. It's very interesting just how different Wetton-era and Payne-era Asia is, but they both offer much to be enjoyed. Thumbs up!

Arena is quite a musical journey. It's obvious that the guys have put a lot of work into its making. I consider it to be Asia's most progressive and experimental release. I admit that I didn't pay this album much attention when I first got it. It's an album that tends to grow on you, though. It's quite different from Aria and is in a progressive pop rock direction. Arena contains cohesive and listenable songs that flow well. All of the tunes are good. Geoff Downes really does an impressive job with the keyboards. My favorite aspect of the album is his keyboard playing. It's skilled, atmospheric, and interesting. John Payne does well with the vocals, too. The guitar work is also cool. The album's musicianship, songwriting, and production are solid. Some of the tracks that I like are "Into the Arena," "Turn It Around," and "Bella Nova." "Into the Arena" is an instrumental that starts the album off. It moves nicely, and the guitar and keyboard work are good. "Bella Nova" is an enjoyable keyboard instrumental from Geoff Downes. "Two Sides of the Moon" sports some interesting musical elements, and "The Day Before the War" is progressive and adventurous. "The Day Before the War" is over nine minutes in length. The album cover is impressive. Arena is a good album from Asia. Worth a listen.

This Album is truly better musically , than the past two Asia albums of Aria , and Aqua . Its a great rock progressive album . Geoff Downes is great as usual on his keyboards . John Payne definetly sounds better than the previous two albums , and the lyrics and music are more serious and thought out than Aqua , and especially Aria . The songs ,Arena , Heaven, and Words, as well as Two sides of the moon sound great . I highly recommend this album .