Omega

Omega is a work on which the reunited original-lineup ASIA layered grand keyboards, neat guitar and expansive choruses, binding a progressive sensibility to AOR melodic sense. Even within a large sonic image the melody is always clear, and the songs proceed while keeping refined undulation. Inheriting the momentum of the restart on Phoenix, the band develops an even more confident expression. John Wetton’s emotive voice and Geoff Downes’ layered keyboards give the songs firm drama. The appeal of this record lies precisely in the constructive beauty of the songs and the calm breathing of the playing behind the flashy arrangement. Showing that the reunion was not a one-off project but led to continued creation, it is a rewarding record conveying the fullness of a matured original lineup — a grown-up melodic-rock work that competes through worked-out melody and the quality of the playing rather than flash.