Arena-The Visitor (1998)

The third album by the British band Arena is one of the most acclaimed and praised neo-progressive records, an admirable work of intelligent fusion composed of exuberant melodies and vibrant rock under an intricate and passionate musicianship. In this new release, the band introduced a new guitarist, John Mitchell, who replaced Keith Moore, becoming a key figure with his heavy riffs and tremendous melodic solos. Added to this are the haunting keyboards of the group's leader, Clive Nolan, who creates multi-layered sounds, grandiose orchestrations, and dreamlike, spacey synthesizers. For his part, Paul Wrightson's passionate, expressive, yet delicate vocals greatly contribute to this concept album reflecting why it is one of the greatest neo-progressive records in history.