A decade later................

[Constable Hogweed]

..............How do fellow forum members feel about "Songs from the lions cage" for me it still stands up as a great prog album. It certainly wasn't groundbreaking as for new proggy ideas, but taking it for what it is, the musicianship all round is brilliant, and even more importantly the songs are very strong. I still rate "Solomon" as one of the greatest prog epics, and the whole sound and feel of the album is as fresh and vibrant in 2005 as it was in 1995

Your thoughts?

[Appelmoes??]

You actually described my thoughts very well SftLC was the 3th Arena alnum I had bought. First Contagion and then BaB (to check out if they were any good live and here some sobngs from different albums) IMHO it's the 2nd best album of Arena (I have stated somewhere else that I think PG is 2nd best, but I have changed my opinion )

[The Voyager]

   Beyond doubt, it's still one of their best albums ever. 

[Moonloop]

Yeah, agreed. To be honest, I still play the first two more than the others, although "Pepper's Ghost" has prompted me to revisit "Contagion" etc...

[Mark Jan]

For me also one of their best albums. The Visitor is their best, but I think Songs will be second. Especially the last 20 minutes with the beautiful Crying for help IV and the impressive and great Solomon, after The Hanging tree Arena's second best song.

[thespy]

the visitor is my favorite with songs from the lions cage 2nd. i'm very disappointed with the new direction the band is taking. i do not like the new pepper's ghost nor did i like immortal? i am not swayed by good reviews and such but only by what moves me. btw, after immortal?, contagion sounded like a masterpiece...
i do think solomon is arena's best song, especially the ending...

[Simtere]

Well, to liven things up a little here (and with the greatest respect for the views of others) I have to say that contrary to popular opinion I rarely if ever listen to any Arena prior to The Visitor as to me it sounds very dated and not particularly original.  'Songs' is an album I have never particularly enjoyed and only hold on to because I like to have the complete collection.  Also unlike the previous poster, I much prefer the way direction the band are now moving in.  I like the harder edge that began with Immortal, continued with Contagion and further evolved with Pepper's Ghost.  Surely the whole point about being progressive is to move on, to change and develop musical styles not to stay in a backwater.  This holds true of all bands, not just Arena. 

Please don't slam me for this view -- it's just an opinion and I am as enttled to hold it as the next person is allowed to have their opinion 

[Moonloop]

Please don't slam me for this view -- it's just an opinion and I am as enttled to hold it as the next person is allowed to have their opinion 

Wouldn't dream of it - the vastly differing opinions on (basically) the same subject are what makes forums interesting 

[Peter]

Well, to liven things up a little here (and with the greatest respect for the views of others) I have to say that contrary to popular opinion I rarely if ever listen to any Arena prior to The Visitor as to me it sounds very dated and not particularly original.  'Songs' is an album I have never particularly enjoyed and only hold on to because I like to have the complete collection.  Also unlike the previous poster, I much prefer the way direction the band are now moving in.  I like the harder edge that began with Immortal, continued with Contagion and further evolved with Pepper's Ghost.  Surely the whole point about being progressive is to move on, to change and develop musical styles not to stay in a backwater.  This holds true of all bands, not just Arena.

100% Ack.

[Peter]

Wouldn't dream of it - the vastly differing opinions on (basically) the same subject are what makes forums interesting 

again, 100% Ack! 


and no, I'm not simply trying to raise my post count artificially.... 

[gelert]

and no, I'm not simply trying to raise my post count artificially.... 

50% Ack...!

[Moonloop]

50% Ack...!

[JJ II]

Funnily enough, I never tend to listen to SFTLC anymore, nor to Pride... I don't know why, maybe it's because I know the songs by heart now or that I find the later work more interesting, or that the live-shows and live-albums are much more intense.
Maybe I should go back to the old CD-rack and dust them off. I recently listened to Fools Gold, which was one of my fav's back then, but I found it not half as exiting now. Apparently my taste has changed or Arena's level has risen....

[Peter]

Funnily enough, I never tend to listen to SFTLC anymore, nor to Pride... I don't know why, maybe it's because I know the songs by heart now or that I find the later work more interesting, or that the live-shows and live-albums are much more intense.
Maybe I should go back to the old CD-rack and dust them off. I recently listened to Fools Gold, which was one of my fav's back then, but I found it not half as exiting now. Apparently my taste has changed or Arena's level has risen....

Same here... I must confess, I don't even own the older albums.... *duck*

[Appelmoes??]

  I'm stunned Peter!

[Peter]

I'm stunned Peter!

should I feel bad now?
well, I'm a die-hard fan, nevertheless...

[Moonloop]

well, I'm a die-hard fan, nevertheless...

Part-timer, more like 

You can still buy them you know, go on, redeem yourself in the eyes of your fellow fans and forum buddies. You can then start a thread on how you were shamed into completing your collection of studio albums 

No, no....... don't reply..........order them NOW 

[Deenfan]

I was never highly impressed by "Songs from the lion's cage". I started off with "Pride" when that was just released, and loved it. Somewhere between then and the release of "Immortal", I bought the debut, and I have never regretted buying it. There are great moments on there. And nothing is poor by any stretch of the notion. Yet, I established that for me every album was better than the one before, something that held true until PG came along. I'm not decided yet, but like I've said elsewhere, it takes some damned effort to top Contagion in this house.

On my computer, I've got all my favourite songs as mp3's that I play through MusicMatch Jukebox. And I'm looking at it right now, and I've only ripped Cfh II & IV and Jericho from the debut. I really never took off on Solomon. It's good, but not in the top three off that album. Of course, I put on the actual album now and again, and it doesn't hurt. The only thing that hurts is the acapella thing on Pride.

Since I feel more nostalgia about "The visitor" than the debut, it's not a great big tear jerker to pull it up today.

[Herben]

The only thing that hurts is the acapella thing on Pride.

Why would that hurt You, there's also a version with music on the "The Cry" album or a live version on the version on the "breakfast in Biarritz" version (my favourite version). But the acapella has something special with the echo in it, gives it something special. It's just like the song" Vrouw Haverkamp" by Normaal, You don't need music in that song, it speaks for itselves.

[erik]

Songs... still holds a very special place for me, the album it all started with... I remember how thrilled I was when I just got it. Still love the massive sound, the killer intro of Out Of The Wilderness, the many anthemic, classic Arena moments it contains...

At the same time, I hardly ever put it on! Suppose you most often grab the most recent albums, so the new ones are always crowding out the previous efforts, especially when the band keeps raising the bar.

Well, let's use this opportunity to try to rank the albums, suppose my list would be as follows:

1. Contagion (beyond any doubt)
2. The Visitor (beyond any doubt)
3. Songs From The Lions Cage (now it's getting complicated)
4. Immortal? / Pepper's Ghost (it's a tie)
5. Pride (here I'm sure again)

Bit fuzzy in spots 3-4..

[keyboardistmatt]

Arena have come a long way since "Songs From The Lions Cage".  I generally like the newer stuff more...

[Guillermo]

For me also one of their best albums. The Visitor is their best, but I think Songs will be second.

I agree

[Wilford Jr.]

Arena have come a long way since "Songs From The Lions Cage".  I generally like the newer stuff more...

I agree also that I like the newer stuff a bit more but I still listen to the older albums.  There are still some great songs on them also!!!