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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning., 17 Dec 2002
The core membership of Ark are Jorn Lande (ex-Millenium, Company of Snakes and Yngwie Malmsteen tour band), who can sing like David Coverdale, but fuller, richer, more versatile, Tore Ostby (ex-Conception), who can compete with Yngwie for speed and also quotes Al Di Meola as an influence, and John Macaluso (ex-TNT and Malmsteen again), who is one of the best drummers I've ever heard. They wrote the material, then recruited Randy Coven (fretless bass, ALSO ex Yngwie and solo artist) and Mats Olaussen (keys, AGAIN ex-Yngwie!!!!) to fill out the sound.And the result is absolutely fantastic. Hard rock, sometimes metal, always melodic, progressive elements, but well constructed songs and choruses, long complex instrumental parts with the whole band (even vocals) contributing. Heal The Waters is a storming rocker, with Jorn at his Coverdale best, complex rhythm patterns and a killer riff. Plus a great keys/guitar duel, and a strategically placed spinning coin (you've got to hear it - fantastic!). Torn brings to mind U2 and even The Alarm, plus some great fretless work by Randy. Burn The Sun is probably the most straightforward song, a rocker, and a good solid one it is too. Resurrection starts as a ballad, with an underlying latin feel (that acoustic guitar) before the chorus kicks in, then the tempo changes and before you know it we're off into instrumental heaven, and a massive climax from the drums. Absolute Zero starts with Jorn sounding like an amalgamation between Robert Plant and Bjork (I'm serious!), the chorus is more straightforward, and then the "proggy" bit flies off in new directions. Great stuff. Just A Little is very latin, with a bit of Seal, and I love it to bits. The guitar is very interesting, mainly acoustic until the final third, the bass out of this world, and the keyboard solo is almost Greek. Waking Hour is a moody atmospheric piece, very spaceous and full of keys. Noose is a fast rocker, with great guitar breaks, and a growling vocal. Feed The Fire starts deceptively slow, then kicks into gear for the verse, the chorus is more mellow and full of feeling + space. I Bleed is another mid-tempo tune, atmospheric and dramatic, with thoughtful vocals, and a bit of a dreamy mid-section. Missing You finishes off the CD, a huge song, over 9 minutes long, with a haunting chorus, several changes in feel from mellow to out and out thrash, but all within a good structured composition, and the main theme is never lost. Jorn's vocals are excellent, the bass/drum groove drives through the piece, keys all over the place, and tasteful guitar, not too much, just right. I can't say enough about this CD, anyone who likes rock/metal, good instrumental work, and likes to be challenged, GET THIS NOW!!
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~ Jorn
~ Russell Allen
~ Circus Maximus
~ Jorn
~ Russell Allen
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