Arena

Arena is a second-era work on which ASIA, while keeping keyboard-led drama, increased its sonic color using acoustic guitar and percussion. Big melodies and longer construction line up, presenting the band’s sense of scale from an angle slightly different from the old ASIA image. Centered on Geoff Downes’ keyboards and John Payne’s singing, the sound spreads in a more experimental, varied direction. Within a refined AOR feel, nuances of Latin and Middle-Eastern rhythm slip in, and a distinctive air drifts over the work. The more carefully you follow the layers of sound, the more the exploratory spirit of Payne-era ASIA surfaces. Consistent in seeking to win through the album’s overall flow and texture rather than aiming for flashy hits, it is a flavorful record reflecting the band’s inquisitive side, with Downes’ skill in bringing varied elements together as a single work standing out.