ARK

ARK
BURN THE SUN (2001)
320 KBPS

Ark is beyond a shadow of a doubt one of progressive metal's most progressive bands. That might sound weird, since you'd figure that prog metal is progressive by virtue of nomenclature. However, it's not always true. The existence of the glut of lame Dream Theater clones out there seems to me a case in point. Here, the simple fact that there's virtually no Dream Theater comparison possible means that Ark has attained something rare in the progressive metal genre -- they are completely unique.
This is Ark's second album. As brilliant and original as the debut was, this is better. On a flat basis of originality, it stands a bit lower than the debut, but the songwriting here is simply jaw-dropping and the production quality flawless. While the song structures are usually pretty ordinary (namely the lyrical structures), the encompassing music is so diverse that it never feels streamlined at all. Individually, Ark is comprised of phenomenal musicians possessing chops and writing talent. Tore Ostby has thrust himself into the leadership race of best progressive metal guitarist. The man's style, tone, and technique are varied, unique, and precise. His playing ranges from the flaring leads of "Heal the Waters" to the bubbly flamenco plucking of "Just a Little." His stock of heavy riffs are much more diverse and interesting than the staple prog metal "chugga-chug" riffs. The awe-inspiring drummer John Macaluso unleashes ceaselessly complex rhythms with enough restraint that it isn't pretentious. Bassist Randy Coven and keyboardist Mats Olausson don't seem to be permanent band members, but they make an impression as more than just "session players." (Coven's bass is particularly great.)
Vocalist Jorne Lande is astonishing. Yes, he does sound like David Cloverdale at times, but one can't leave it at that. He possesses tremendous range and the dynamics of his voice are just incredible. If you listened to "Absolute Zero," "Just a Little," and "Torn," one might not immediately recognize that it's the same man singing. He does throw in some hack 80s rock bits like "baby" and "yeah!" but it seems to mesh so well. His emotional power is truly sincere...just listen to "Missing You." So diverse is Lande's singing that aside from the Cloverdale influence, I hear elements of Bono, Dio, Sting, and lots of classic rock singers. Not every one likes Lande's voice, which I understand. I think he's an incredible singer, though, and he mostly sounds better and more diverse here than on the debut. It's also nice to see a prog metal band vocalist who isn't a tenth-rate James LaBrie or Geoff Tate clone. All in all, he's a vocalist of matchless depth and richness.
Burn the Sun deals out first-class progressive songs with focused fury, locking into an energetic groove that is the band's engine. The album is nearly unparalleled in diversity. In under an hour, there are 80s power ballads ("Feed the Fire"), soaring prog metal pieces ("Torn"), fierce rockers of simmering dynamics ("Heal the Waters," "Burn the Sun"), aggressive metal ("Noose"), delicious flamenco-based pop/rock ("Just a Little"), and finally an epic mega-ballad ("Missing You"). This last song, "Missing You," ends the album on a tender note, accentuated by orchestral keyboards and glowing pianos. It builds to a powerful, involving anthem of longing and romance. Ostby's solo is sensuous and stirring, and the heavier riffs near the end emphasize Lande's aching vocal. One of my other favorites is "Torn", a short polyrhythmic fury with a massive chorus.
With songwriting so outstandingly good and progressive, the fact that the production is killer is absolutely the icing on the cake. Burn the Sun should score a reward for having one of the best productions in progressive metal. The buzzing guitar riffs of the debut are replaced with an edgier, thicker sound. The clarity is incredible (I can hear every note on bass). But this is no sparkling AOR production...this mix has power! It's raw, but it doesn't sound messy.
The word of Ark's greatness must be spread throughout the progressive metal world. If you don't have Ark's albums, you're simply not hearing some of the best music the genre has to offer.

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1. Heal the Waters
2. Torn
3. Burn the Sun
4. Resurrection
5. Absolute Zero
6. Just a Little
7. Waking Hour
8. Noose
9. Feed the Fire
10. I Bleed
11. Missing You