siLLy puPPy
Clive Nolan’s original intent for the “Contagion” album from his band ARENA was for it to be a double album with several instrumental tracks appearing at certain points in the album for there to be a smoother flow between the segments that spell out the storyline. But the record label had other ideas and the band was forced to scrap the idea and instead trim the album down to a single disc and with the leftovers created two separate EPs released simultaneously with the “Contagion” album.
There are several head scratchers about this decision of how to release these extras though. First of all instead of releasing one compilation album of the seven extra tracks, they were instead issued on two different releases, one called “Contagious” and this other edition CONTAGIUM which features the three leftover tracks “On The Edge Of Despair,” “The March Of Time” and “Confrontation.” In addition there is the “Special Remix Of Salamander” which sounds more like a psytrance meets hard rock track with plenty of mellotrons turned up to the max. There are also some multimedia additions that includes a video of “Painted Man,” some ghost vocals that tell the story as well as a tour photo gallery and screensaver.
Like on “Contagious,” these leftovers are quite decent quality listens but this EP as well has been made quite irrelevant since these leftover tracks found a new home on the 2013 anniversary re-issue called “Contagion Max” which featured all of the extra tracks in their proper place on the album as originally intended in its double disc form. The only track that has never found a new home is the remix of “Salamander” and it is hardly worthy of making this bunch of tracks relevant as the “Contagion Max” places the tracks that matter in their proper context.