****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I have been a progressive/AOR rock fan since the '60's, having listened to The Moody Blues since their first hit "Go Now" (1964 and of course their Days of Future Past Album in 1967) and having seen Yes in concert in '71. This album, "Harlequins of Light" by Arc Angel (Jeff Cannata) is a creative, imaginative, excellently written, recorded and produced album representing a wide range of styles that would include The Moody Blues, Yes, Styx, Kansas and Genesis to mention a few. I just downloaded the album a few hours ago and am completely hooked but I haven't been able to get the band line up yet (other the fact that Frontiers requested Jeff Cannata formerly of Jasper Wrath to record with them). The instrumentation is phenomenal and expertly performed. The interplay between instruments is absolutely orchestral in it's presentation. Though the album contains some of the best metal rock guitar I've heard, I would not classify the album completely as a hard rock or metal album exclusively but more as a symphonic art/metal/rock. Jeff Cannata expertly combines progressive art rock with metal and hard rock elements in such a way that they accent each other and contribute to the whole composition of each song and the album. The title track, "Harlequins of Light" though completely original sounding, reminds me of a Genesis/ELO symphony that is spiritual in it's presentation. The lyrics are intriguingly imaginative as a warning of coming end times dangers. Jeff Cannata structures his vocals very similarly to those of early Styx and Yes intertwined with guitar and keyboard punctuations, keeping each song line thematically interesting and catchy. Track 2: "As Far As The Eye Can See" sounds like a combination of Asia/Styx/Yes and is lyrically simple but full of some great ear candy. Track 3: "War (Battle Wounds of Life) sounds as if Cannata used some Billy Joel styling/phraseology (from Joel's 1989 "Storm Front" album) in laying out this amazing tune that lyrically speaks of the "wounds of life" that though they harm us and hurt us at the time received, they "form" us into our future selves. Some amazing metal guitar fills in this tune. Throughout the album the drumming is driving and artful in it's presentation without being overbearing (Cannata is an experienced drummer and vocalist though he is a bona-fide multi-talented instrumentalist in his own right). Track 4: "Voices of the Illuminati" is an lyrically intriguing song that is almost religious in it's ideology but is still an artwork of symphonic rock 'n' roll. Track 5:"Through the Night" is a laid back,keyboard driven,love ballad that was the hardest for me to take an interest in because it is the most pop oriented tune on the album but still sounded like Genesis or Mike Rutherford's "Mechanics." Track 6: "Amnesia..." is very Mike + The Mechanics sounding in it's lyrical phrasing and song layout. Track 7: "Fortune Teller 2" has a strong Ambrosia like sound crossed with some Moody Blues phrasing and interplay of instruments and lyrical ideas. Again the album is rather Pop-rock-ish throughout tracks 5-8...Track 8: "California Daze" aptly captures the "west coast" sound throughout the vocals, lyrics, and instrumental ideas. Cannata brings us back to a more progressive art rock in track 9, " Tonight...Forever" with emotion filled piano punctuated with Moody Blues vocal and lyrical style with Rick Derringer styled power chording and lead fills. Track 10: "Get To You" is a Tommy Shaw/Phil Collins/Styx styled art rock shorty punctuated with keyboards and emotive acoustic & electric guitar fills. Track 11: "Diamonds and Gold" is rock lament of the empty desires of chasing riches and is filled with some excellent lead guitar styling. Finally track 12: "Legend of the Mary Celeste" is a imaginative picture in sound of the voyage of the ship "Mary Celeste" and is orchestrated with Styx styled keyboards and phraseology. I truly enjoyed my first six plays of the album because it is filled with excellent guitar fills and great keyboard and drum work. Cannata's effort here only suffers from some of the songs that tend to wallow in the pop-rock arena instead of staying with the powerful symphonic art metal rock of the first 4 tracks. But the album as a whole is very enjoyable due to the wide range of styles presented. Jeff Cannata's Ark Angel is definitely different from the southern blues rock of Arc Angels founded by Doyle Bramhal II. Cannata's work should also be differentiated from another group "Arkangel" founded by Kemper Crabb with only one album called "Warrior" (1980) which is a very unique religious rock oriented album.
