The signings of prog-rock-pop-metal acts to Frontiers continues. Here’s another one of those – Arc Of Life. This band/ project consists of a Yes-connected line-up which is probably a wet dream for fans of progressive, symphonic Hard Rock/Melodic Rock. Singer Jon Davidson and bassist/vocalist Billy Sherwood are both in the current line-up of Yes, drummer Jay Schellen – also in Unruly Child and once in Hurricane – is Yes’ touring drummer and guitarist Jimmy Haun has played on the album Union (1991) and in Conspiracy with Chris Squire, leaving Sound Of Contact keyboarder Dave Kerzner the odd man out here. Personally, I admit that Yes is a band that has always been in my musical periphery and even though I do like some this stuff, symphonic prog-rock isn’t exactly my choice of daily listen. That said, it’s an impressive bunch of musicians that constitutes this band.
Opening in a soft-ish but uptempo way with the pop-prog-rocker “Life Has A Way”, we get a smooth and pretty easy-listened number with clear AOR references. There are clear nods towards Yes, of course, but also the pop smoothness of a band like Asia. The proggier moments comes in with some faster paced passages here and there. It’s a good song that sticks without flooring me. “Talking With Siri” follows in the footsteps of Yes’ mid 80’s and holds a clinical synth sound and computerized voices among some AOR melodies and a pop-groove and a progressive outlook. It’s a song I’m not sure whether I like or not – it do sport some catchy melodies and chorus hooks but it’s not radio-friendly at all. I guess it’s an ok tune.
Leading single “You Make It Real” is one damn catchy number, obviously written as a single with the aim of air-play – and again Asia comes to mind. It’s a pretty straight-forward number with only slight twists of prog where mid 80’s Yes comes up for air – think Trevor Rabin’s balladry and you’re pretty close. I really dig this tune and the hit-potential is everywhere. “Until Further Notice” throws some big, meaty Hard Rock riffs our way and the rhythmic groove is carried by a solid beat, chunky bass-lines and a memorable main-melody. The big chorus sticks right off the bat and as a whole, this tune sounds like – a very good – leftover from a Yes album like the underrated Big Generator (1987). I certainly don’t mind that.
“The Magic Of It All” starts out slow on a ballad note but speeds up fast and throws in lots of prog-rock elements. It’s a rhythmic number with lots of time-changes but it’s still pretty smooth, especially the main vocal-melody. As a whole, I find the song decent but a bit hard to grab a hold of which in turn makes it a bit forgettable. “Just In Sight” is a pop-rocker with a chunky rhythm which mixes AOR melodies with proggy arrangements and a darker atmosphere, heavier touches and some Eastern sounds and it alters between uptempo and slower parts. With the addition of a big soundscape, bigger melodies and a damn catchy chorus, the song is a real winner – very good.
Second single “I Want To Know You Better” is more of straight ahead AOR tune with a big chunk of Pop inserted. The progressive moments are nowhere to be found but we get a chunky organ-solo instead which is a bit of a contrast to the radio-friendly pop-arrangements. That said, I like this song a lot, especially when they go all Asia on us in the vocal-melodies. It’s a catchy pearl that sticks at first listen. “Locked Down” – you don’t have to a genius to figure out what it’s about – takes on a bigger groove and more progressive arrangements. It’s a long tune, almost 10 minutes and it has a more complex nature in it’s structure. It’s built on a meaty riff and a solid backbone of a rhythm but it’s also quite smooth when it comes to melodies and even though the chorus might be seen as catchy it’s still not. A good song.
“Therefore We Are”, also close to 10 minutes, takes off as a poppy rocker with juicy groove, both upbeat and with a crispy live-feel where both the prog-rock elements and striking melodies shine through. The song then slows down to a more laid-back and down-beat passage before it stomps back up into the prog-rock groove it started with. Big keyboards blends with some edgy guitars and some great bass-work from Sherwood. It’s a driven, again more complex and heavier tune with a big Yes-touch. That said, I like the song but it fails to grab me fully. Closing track “The End Game” is a heavy and darkening slow-burner, progressive but with a lighter main-melody and a grandiose soundscape. At times the tune reminds me of mid 80’s Yes meets Promised Land era Queensrÿche, both melodic, bombastic and aggressive. A splendid closer.
As a whole, a good prog-pop-rock record where the band mixes plain and direct AOR-like melodies with technical playing, off-beats and time-changes. There are heavier moments but this isn’t even close to any Metal vibes but on the other hand, it never gets too smooth or Pop either. These guys are obviously terrific musicians which at times makes the record a bit hard to grasp and even though I like all the songs, some tunes tends to fall off the way-side when it comes to memorability. It’s a grower but as this genre isn’t my first choice of music, there still are few tracks that I still can’t embrace fully. That said, I do enjoy giving the album a spin every now and then.
6/10
Tracklist:
1. Life Has A Way
2. Talking With Siri
3. You Make It Real
4. Until Further Notice
5. The Magic Of It All
6. Just In Sight
7. I Want To Know You Better
8. Locked Down
9. Therefore We Are
10. The End Game
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