This matter is so important to me that I'm starting a new topic on it. I hope you guys don't think I'm off my rocker (pun implied).
Ascension, the last song on Contagion, is my alltime favorite song. When I hear it, I'm simply extracted out of any situation that I'm in, no exception. The atmosphere, the full organ, the singing bass, the fine rhythm guitar, the marked drums, Rob's momentous vocals, the transcendent lyrics, topped with the concluding angelic "I see creation"; it all "conspires" to devour me completely.
I love all of Contagion, and when Ascension runs out, I simply have to press repeat; I just want more and more of it.
Does anybody recognise this?
Nicky.
Yup absolutely.
Arena were very wise to put Ascension at the end of the disc. It will make you reach for the repeat button indeed.
If you like Contagion I hope you have heard Contagious and Contagium?
> If you like Contagion I hope you have heard Contagious and Contagium?
Betcha, and the songs there are as wonderful as the those on Contagion. And my screensaver reminds me of my favorite band and album.
I think that one of the reasons why Arena is a band for the few is their very puzzling lyrics, probably the most puzzling that I've encountered in prog. And it's pretty freaked out to send out a full CD and then two supplemental CD's (Thesaurus style) to let the fans juggle with putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
With a lot of effort, I've now acquired a still rather blurred picture of what Contagion is about, but I'm still missing a lot of pieces. Can anyone tell me where I can maybe find these last pieces?
Nicky.
I actually like Cutting the Cards more than Ascension, so to me it's not the best end for an album, but still, a GREAT end it is!
Quote from: Nicky007 on Thu, 2007-05-10, 11:15:20
> If you like Contagion I hope you have heard Contagious and Contagium?
Betcha, and the songs there are as wonderful as the those on Contagion. And my screensaver reminds me of my favorite band and album.
I think that one of the reasons why Arena is a band for the few is their very puzzling lyrics, probably the most puzzling that I've encountered in prog. And it's pretty freaked out to send out a full CD and then two supplemental CD's (Thesaurus style) to let the fans juggle with putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
With a lot of effort, I've now acquired a still rather blurred picture of what Contagion is about, but I'm still missing a lot of pieces. Can anyone tell me where I can maybe find these last pieces?
Nicky.
Take a look at these links:
Highly Contagious - A Contagion Preview (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/albums/albums_cont_preview.htm)
Contagion - The Adventure (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/albums/albums_cont_adventure.htm)
Contagion - The Impact (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/albums/albums_cont_impact.htm)
Contagion - The Guide (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/albums/albums_cont_guide.htm)
Contagion - The Journey (studio diary) (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/albums/albums_cont_the-journey.htm)
Introductory Interview (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/follow/follow_contagion_interview.htm)
Contagion 1 (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/follow/follow_contagion_01.htm)
Contagion 2 (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/follow/follow_contagion_02.htm)
Contagion 3 (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/follow/follow_contagion_03.htm)
Contagion 4 (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/follow/follow_contagion_04.htm)
Contagion Short Story (http://www.verglas.com/cage%5Fpage/login/follow/follow_contagion_story.htm)
That's everything you need to know about Contagion! ;)
Thanks a lot, PH. Here there's masses of useful information.
Nicky.
Quote from: Appelmoes?? on Thu, 2007-05-10, 12:47:47
I actually like Cutting the Cards more than Ascension, so to me it's not the best end for an album, but still, a GREAT end it is!
I have to agree here. The quartet "City of Lanterns", "Riding the Tide", "Mea Culpa" and "Cutting the Cards" is already the Climax of the album for me... Ascension has always had the slight character of the last peppermint - that's just my impression :D
Phew, I'm not the only one :D
Interesting how different we are, although all three of us (PH, Peter, and I) love Arena's music.
But all of Contagion is wonderfull. There's not one boring moment, even including all the extra material.
And it's not that I only go for sentimental stuff (which is how one could characterise Ascension; or peppermints, as you say, Peter). I'm also a succor for Redemption and Zero Hour, who are rather hard-driven.
It's just that, hm, Ascension does something very, very special for me. Maybe that's the sort of music that I hope the angels will sing for me in heaven :)
Nicky.
Quote from: Nicky007 on Fri, 2007-05-11, 12:35:50
I'm also a succor for Redemption and Zero Hour, who are rather hard-driven.
I've never heard of these songs. Are they of the Contagion session?
Quote from: Appelmoes?? on Fri, 2007-05-11, 20:32:11
I've never heard of these songs. Are they of the Contagion session?
I think Nicky means the bands Redemption and Zero Hour by that. Two metal bands from the States. Like them both by the way especially Redemption. 8)
Zero Hour has a Myspace site: http://www.myspace.com/zerohourband
Redemption probably have too but am too lazy to search for it. ;)
By the way, if this all hasn't got anything to do with Ascension, which on a side note is a great song and a good way to end a album though i miss a solo (wink ;)), than don't mind my rather long non-ascensionish reply. :P
Quote from: maddox on Fri, 2007-05-11, 21:21:16
I think Nicky means the bands Redemption and Zero Hour by that. Two metal bands from the States. Like them both by the way especially Redemption. 8)
Zero Hour has a Myspace site: http://www.myspace.com/zerohourband
Redemption probably have too but am too lazy to search for it. ;)
By the way, if this all hasn't got anything to do with Ascension, which on a side note is a great song and a good way to end a album though i miss a solo (wink ;)), than don't mind my rather long non-ascensionish reply. :P
The live version has a killer guitar solo... I hope they will add that into the Max, I think there's plenty of time to do that. The release date is 2015 or so, was it?
;)
Quote from: PH on Fri, 2007-05-11, 21:31:05
The live version has a killer guitar solo... I hope they will add that into the Max, I think there's plenty of time to do that. The release date is 2015 or so, was it?
;)
Surely before the new Guns 'n Roses album called Chinese Delaycracy. ;D
> I think Nicky means the bands Redemption and Zero Hour by that. Two metal bands from the States.
Hey, you guys better start opening up to some American prog. The American revolution was 250 years ago, and they've been an independent country since then, and they've done pretty well, i.a. with prog.
Redemption's Fullness Of Time is a masterpiece. You can read my review at Amazon (UK & US).
All of Zero Hour's four albums are tremendous, so start with anyone of them.
Nicky.
Quote from: Nicky007 on Sat, 2007-05-12, 10:08:36
> I think Nicky means the bands Redemption and Zero Hour by that. Two metal bands from the States.
Hey, you guys better start opening up to some American prog. The American revolution was 250 years ago, and they've been an independent country since then, and they've done pretty well, i.a. with prog.
Redemption's Fullness Of Time is a masterpiece. You can read my review at Amazon (UK & US).
All of Zero Hour's four albums are tremendous, so start with anyone of them.
Nicky.
Well, actually i do know Redemption. It's with Ray Alder, vocalist from Fates Warning which i happen to like a lot too. ;)
The Fullness Of Time is indeed very good. Quite metalish but somehow it does reminds me a lot of FW. Have you heard the new album The Origins Of Ruin?
Only heard a few snippets and one track (Stratagem) of Zero Hour and although i like the music, i don't really like the vocals. :-\
Maddox, don't take my lines personally. I was just trying to be funny.
I have listened to Origins four times now. I'll have to spin it many more times before making a responsible statement on it, but at this point, I think I can say that Origins is a bit too much a rehash of Fullness, and Ray sounds tired (well, with all that he's been through, and a lousy income presently; he has a lot of power on Fullness). Particularly the lyrics don't really bring anything new. But it's a great album anyhow, simply because Redemption is an assembly of some of the US' most exciting musicians, and Nick van Dyk is a creative composer. They played a mindblowing concert at Headway at Easter (Redemption / Easter ...).
I'm a big fan of Fates Warning too. I enjoy all of their albums, particularly A Pleasant Shade Of Grey, which I consider a masterpiece on par with Arena's and Floyds's best.
I consider Ray Alder to be one of the greatest rock singers ever (so I've purchased everything with him that I could get my hands on).
Zero Hour is one of the groups that one has to be most patient with. I think the only proper procedure is to get an album with them, take it in small portions initially (2-3 songs), and then let the music grow on one. If one is real serious about music (like you and I), I promise, with some effort, the music will blossom.
It's interesting that Jasun (guitar) and Troy (bass) Tipton are twins. It was a fantastic experience to see them live at Headway. Their coordination was so precise that that in itself was engrossing. The singer and drummer were also excellent, and the music was captivating.
Nicky.
Quote from: maddox on Fri, 2007-05-11, 21:21:16
By the way, if this all hasn't got anything to do with Ascension, which on a side note is a great song and a good way to end a album though i miss a solo (wink ;)), than don't mind my rather long non-ascensionish reply. :P
I did an interview with John Mitchell for The Cage a couple of years ago, and one of my questions was why there wasn't a guitarsolo at the end of Ascension on the album since they played a solo at the end of it at the gigs. His answer was something like:
"We basically didn't want to repeat ourselves. There was a guitarsolo at the end of Solomon, there was a
big guitarsolo at the end of The Visitor, and although it sounds nice, we just didn't want to end this album with a guitarsolo again."
Hope that's helpful to some of you...
Tom
When it's guitar solo's I really love reapeating...
And the solo at the end of the Visitor is one of the best, but I always felt that the last bit of it had to be at the end of the Hanging Tree.
Quote from: The Butterfly Man on Tue, 2007-05-15, 13:37:03"We basically didn't want to repeat ourselves. There was a guitarsolo at the end of Solomon, there was a big guitarsolo at the end of The Visitor, and although it sounds nice, we just didn't want to end this album with a guitarsolo again."
You didn't kick him in the face (twice), grabbed his tongue rolled it around his body, spin him like a spinning top, stuck his eyes out, run over him with an elephant and asked him "What did you say again?"
Quote from: PH on Tue, 2007-05-15, 22:42:36
You didn't kick him in the face (twice), grabbed his tongue rolled it around his body, spin him like a spinning top, stuck his eyes out, run over him with an elephant and asked him "What did you say again?"
No otherwise we would not have had Pepper's Ghost by now. Or maybe we would have, but without John Mitchell on guitar... ;)
Tom
BTW: THIS IS MY 100TH POST ON THIS FORUM!!! HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!
Quote from: The Butterfly Man on Tue, 2007-05-15, 23:55:30
BTW: THIS IS MY 100TH POST ON THIS FORUM!!! HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!
:D
Congrats, Tom. *horns*
And it only took you two years. :D
Quote from: The Butterfly Man on Tue, 2007-05-15, 23:55:30BTW: THIS IS MY 100TH POST ON THIS FORUM!!! HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations!!! ;D
Promise us you will post more now! ;)
::)
Quote from: PH on Wed, 2007-05-16, 19:42:31
Congratulations!!! ;D
Promise us you will post more now! ;)
::)
Haha thanks, and okay, I'll try to post more..... ;D
Tom (already at 103!!! :o)
Tomorrow it's Ascension Day over here in the Netherlands *horns*
(No, it's not an Arena Celebration :()
Quote from: Appelmoes?? on Wed, 2007-05-16, 21:40:37
Tomorrow it's Ascension Day over here in the Netherlands *horns*
(No, it's not an Arena Celebration :()
Not only in The Netherlands! :o
Jesus didn't ascend to heaven in the Netherlands or something. It's international.
Tsk tsk tsk. ;)
Personally speaking, I think it's a strange celebration.
"YAY! We're celebrating that our Lord and Saviour left us alone!"
What kind of celebration is that? Please explain to me...
I do understand Christmas (the birth of Jesus Christ) and Easter (the resurrection of Christ). Those are very celebrational days ofcourse! Very happy!
Pentecost is also very happy, where christians celebrate that the Holy Spirit came into every believing christian.
Or "good friday"... You can't say to someone "Happy good friday!" That's just so wrong! :(
But since people don't have to work on these days we think of them as holidays! (Holy Days!!)
> Jesus didn't ascend to heaven in the Netherlands or something.
I thought that He stomped down the land when he jumped up.
Nicky.
Quote from: PH on Wed, 2007-05-16, 21:56:30
Not only in The Netherlands! :o
Jesus didn't ascend to heaven in the Netherlands or something. It's international.
Tsk tsk tsk. ;)
Personally speaking, I think it's a strange celebration.
"YAY! We're celebrating that our Lord and Saviour left us alone!"
What kind of celebration is that? Please explain to me...
I do understand Christmas (the birth of Jesus Christ) and Easter (the resurrection of Christ). Those are very celebrational days ofcourse! Very happy!
Pentecost is also very happy, where christians celebrate that the Holy Spirit came into every believing christian.
Oh, and I meant that over here in the Netherlands we celebrate it by having a day of off work (most people), but that's not the case in all countries ;)
So, Appelmoes??, now that it's Ascension Day, it may be the right time for The Great Revelation: So what is the deep mysterious bond between The Most Holy stewed apples (Appelmoes) and Arena?
Nicky.
It's very easy really: They make good music, I like good music. ;D
... and your surname is Appelmoes, like Chrstistchrstianchrst Appelmoes?
Nicky.
???
Quote from: Nicky007 on Thu, 2007-05-17, 12:58:09
Chrstistchrstianchrst
Nice word for scrabble. 8)
;D
I was just making a bit of fun of your native tongue. Got a lot of freaky thoughts going through my mind.
I guess in the Netherlands it really makes sense when you say, "Don't talk while you eat."
Just listened to if-then-else by The Gathering and wondered whether you could call it prog, but that discussion belongs under a different topic.
Yeah, scrabble, never really got to learn that game. Studied maths for four years at the Uni, and that satisfied my interest for logical pursuits.
Nicky.
I think The Gathering is way too boring to be progmusic, all their songs are the same
I like all the songs that arena does I do have a few faves tho... like moviedrome from emortal?? the band is soo awsome tho it kinna took me awhile to get use to but they rock!!
Rick