Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Asia
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2014
Running time: 63:22
Rating: 3/5
»High Voltage« is yet another live document from the legendary British AOR heavyweights Asia, who returned to the scene in 2007 with the classic line-up of Wetton, Hove, Downes and Palmer. As the title of the live document already hints, the recording comes from the British festival held in London’s Victoria Park, where Asia played on July 24, 2010. So the recording surfaces four years later. In the meantime, Howe has left the band and been replaced by Sam Coulson, and in March 2014 the band put out a new studio album called »Gravitas«. So this is a live document from the promo cycle of the album »Omega« (2010), which is represented on this recording by the song I Believe.
Asia played mid-bill, with a little under an hour at their disposal. So they decided on an interesting move: they played their famous debut studio album »Asia«, released in (1982), in its entirety. To this day it has sold a hefty nine million copies. In that sense, »High Voltage« is definitely a special official document for the band, because up to the day of the High Voltage festival show, Asia had never played the album »Asia« in full on a concert stage in their career.
Sadly, this recording offers a glimpse of a tired, worn-out band. It shows especially in John Wetton’s vocal impoverishment and in strikingly mediocre vocal harmonies! True, Asia didn’t count on this recording ever getting an official release at the time of the show, but just like every year, the 2010 edition of the High Voltage festival was carefully recorded to tape. Even the opening Only Time Will Tell shows John Wetton’s visibly tired and worn vocal (his strength wavers noticeably through the verses), the following Wildest Dreams doesn’t fix the impression, and the realization of just how threadbare the vocal harmonies are in One Step Closer is downright chilling, with Howe literally drowning out Wetton’s lead vocal. In this song, Howe’s below-average droning (hand on heart, he’s seriously wrecked a few solo studio releases with it over his career) triggers a string of annoyances and, as a result, makes it unlistenable. Wetton remains unnoticeable and unrecognizable throughout the song. Years simply take their toll. Geoff Downes also got the short end of the stick in the overall mix, as his keyboards often come across as completely inferior, and so does his backing vocal, mostly run through a vocoder. From around the fifth track, Time Again, Wetton finally warms up his vocal cords enough to sound more convincing and occasionally remind us of his glory days.
Carl Palmer is the only member who delivers his best. His drumming adds plenty of novelties to the songs of the album »Asia«, which you feel especially in the transitional passages, particularly in the more dynamic numbers like the outstanding Cutting it Fine, definitely the artistic peak of the album »Asia«. Palmer is surely the brightest spot of this concert, and with his concentrated sound and playing he is the factor of great tightness and energy flux on what was otherwise not the best day out for the famous AOR greats. Palmer’s commitment and sheer drive save this live document! Palmer also carves out a short drum solo within the song Here Comes the Feeling.
The tracks of the album »Asia« aren’t played in order but mixed up across the set. Naturally, the final crescendo of the show is the super-hit and eternal radio evergreen Heat of the Moment. »High Voltage« is thus a live document that trades more or less on the band’s big name, clinging to old glory. In terms of quality, High voltage doesn’t meet the standards we’re used to and that are expected from a band of Asia’s caliber. And yet. The document is by no means bad; with such musical masters it simply can’t be bad. But it does carry a few flaws in sound and performance (the vocals), which certainly don’t do the band any credit. Evidently, though, the tolerance thresholds of the AOR perfectionists have eased over the years, and the quartet made peace with the label and allowed it to use this recording for an official release. Above all, High Voltage is a nice keepsake for everyone who might have caught this Asia show on the stage of the High Voltage festival in 2010.
Line-up
John Wetton – vocals and bass guitar
Geoff Downes – keyboards
Steve Howe – electric, acoustic and steel guitar
Carl Palmer – drums and percussion
Production
Asia
Track list
1. Only Time Will Tell
2. Wildest Dreams
3. One Step Closer
4. An Extraordinary Life
5. Time Again
6. Cutting It Fine
7- Without You
8. I Believe
9. Here Comes The Feeling
10. Sole Survivor
11. Heat Of The Moment
