Reviewed by Mark Lawrence

The Arena are based at Ilkeston Christian Centre near Derby and this is their second album. It's a collection of original worship songs designed to capture the "heartbeat" of their church. The songs follow the standard guitar-driven pop sound so common in today's worship set up, they have been written to be sung in a congregational setting and this is reflected in the simple melodies and lyrics, which although are not terribly original are passionate and heartfelt. Unfortunately, production-wise the album has a distinctly "church worship group demo" feel about it. Opener "Passion" and "Unfailing Love" are ruined by off key vocals, indeed throughout, the vocals are often flat and too high in the mix. Elsewhere a penchant for Noel Gallagher-esque guitar solos and percussion that is, on more than one occasion, out of time, does tend to become a bit over-bearing. There are some brighter moments though; the piano-driven "Beautiful" is one standout. But this is unlikely to travel far beyond Ilkeston Christian Centre itself.

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