Arena - Unquiet sky afterthoughts and Review

20 years for the group of Pointer, Nolan and Mitchell. 20 years of neo prog métal, a genre by itself.
 Now with a new bass player here comes the new album with new Vocalist Paul Manzi.


The new album, concept like the last one is based on the short story Casting the runes (which you can read here).
The songs, much like the previous album are rather short ones without an epic like the band used to do.
They seem primarly composed by Pointer and Nolan, Mitchell, being on his Lonely Robot album, managed to still placed great crystal like soli here and there.
 The album flows strangely as right after the kick ass opener, the band gives us a oddly and yet powerful slow song, very moving before re-attacking. As usual the songs are a testimony to the writing skill of the creative force, leaning a bit to the metal with Pointer hammering on his drums.
 Of course the band does not reinvent its sound. It is still the neo prog metallish they created and perfected for the last 20 years.
Mitchell delivers still great solos and rythmns, a truly underrated guitarist in Prog world.
But the bigger asset comes from Paul Manzi who delivers, either powervul vocals and intimate, with this second album he can truly make his claim as Arena's best vocalist so far.
The album in itself does not really gives itself away but cautious and regular listenings makes it shine as a great melodic constructed album with solid songwriting and good performers.
 A good addition to the band, a good jumping point to néophytes and maybe not the best but definitly a great sum of what the band can achieve, just behind the golden duo of the Visitor and Contagion to my opinion.

Toward the blue Horizon - RIP Piotr Grudzinski

Really sad way to start back this blog and writings.
 Just learn the sudden passing of the Riverside guitarist Piotr Grudzinski.

This year has been sadly firmly entrenched in the death of several peoples from the culture and the music.
I was gutted by David Bowie's death but this one, though as untimely as David's, really strikes me.
Because I knew Piotr.
Not as close as friend or other guys, even in the band, but I knew him.
We shook hands, talked a bit but I was around a couple of times. He was more "real" to me than Bowie.

I discovered Riverside on their second album and when they came to Paris, I think it was the first tiime ever to play my city. It was before the happy few in one of the caves of the ex-locomotive. I helped them with the loading of the mini van they were in. Happy memories (except for Michal facking KORG keyboards....^^)
Shared some beer afterwards.

I went to all their Parisian concerts. Piotr was (and still is, on the records) a great guitarist , very gilmourian in his feeling.

We went to the Prognation @sea cruise and sunbathed next to each other (and the Jolly fellows who toured with them once...)

I saw him in July 2015 shake a hand while watching other bands in Be Prog in Barcelona.

Last time was in Paris in October 2015 for the last album. All bearded he was.

I wish I could have exchanged more. I'm at loss of words.
My deepest sinceres condoleances goes to his friends and family.  I will now just shed a tear, thinking of a guy almost my age, very talented and nice who went toward the blue horizon too soon; listening to your glistering sounds..

You'll stay in my memories  in my head.
And you'll be missed Piotr.