Arkarna is one of many post-techno rock bands that attempt to fuse techno with rock & roll, but instead of sounding anything like their contemporaries
Prodigy,
Radiohead,
Chemical Brothers and
DJ Shadow, they sound like descendants of
Jesus Jones. There are hooks on the group's debut,
Fresh Meat, but they are simple and repetitive, and the rhythm tracks lack complexity, while lead vocalist James Barnett's voice is almost annoyingly thin; the single "House on Fire" actually displays them at their worst instead of their best. A few cuts, such as "Eat Me," suggest that the group has the capability of making bright, melodic dance-pop, but there aren't enough similar moments to make
Fresh Meat worthwhile. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine