Rock, Metal

Magnum - Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow (2007)

2017-02-22T16:05:11Z

Magnum - Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow (2007)


01. When We Were Younger (7:00)
02. Eyes Wide Open (5:54)
03. Like Brothers We Stand (5:35)
04. Out Of The Shadows (6:59)
05. Dragons Are Real (5:21)
06. Inside Your Head (6:01)
07. Be Strong (5:40)
08. Thank You For The Day (5:11)
09. Your Lies (4:35)
10. Desperate Times (5:23)
11. You'll Never Sleep (5:00)
12. Like Brothers We Stand (Radio Edit) (Bonus Track For Japan) (3:33)

Tony Clarkin – guitar
Bob Catley – vocals
Al Barrow – bass guitar
Mark Stanway – keyboards
Jimmy Copley – drums
+
Jim Lea — violin (on "You'll Never Sleep")

In recent times it has become popular for classic bands to record follow-ups to their most well- regarded albums from their early days. Eloy's Ocean 2, Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime 2, Ian Anderson's Thick As A Brick 2, and Rick Wakeman's Return To The Centre Of The Earth, are just a few examples. Magnum's Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow is the follow-up to their classic On A Storyteller's Night album from 1985. The original album has never been my favourite Magnum album, and it is even disputable whether it really is the classic Magnum album, even if it certainly are among their most popular and significant ones. Other candidates are Chase The Dragon and Wings Of Heaven.

The style is indeed more similar here to that of On A Storyteller's Night than to anything they have done in the years between. Or before, for that matter. This is good news for those who liked the 1985 album, but it is not necessarily good news for Prog fans. Arguably, the most progressive Magnum albums were the pre-On A Storyteller's Night ones. And even some songs from their later albums were far more proggy than anything from On A Storyteller's Night (the excellent Don't Wake The Lion from Wings Of Heaven being the prime example).

I guess that some Magnum fans will regard the present album as a return to form, but for me it is not better than their previous two studio efforts Brand New Morning and Breath Of Life. But of course it is better than their weak 90's albums! The quality of the songs on Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow is not low at all and there are indeed some nice moments here, the nostalgic opener When We Were Younger being one. Still, I cannot give this album the same rating as the 1985 album, or some other of the band's better albums from the 80's and 70's. --- SouthSideoftheSky, progarchives.com,/

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Magnum - The Valley Of Tears - The Ballads (2017)

2017-01-11T14:30:42Z

Magnum - The Valley Of Tears - The Ballads (2017)


01. Dream About You [Remastered]
02. Back In Your Arms Again [Newly Re-Recorded Version]
03. The Valley Of Tears [Remixed, Remastered]
04. Broken Wheel [Newly Re-Recorded Version]
05. A Face In The Crowd [Remixed, Remastered]
06. Your Dreams Won't Die [Remastered]
07. Lonely Night [Acoustic Version] [Newly Re-Recorded]
08. The Last Frontier [Remixed, Remastered]
09. Putting Things In Place [Remixed, Remastered]
10. When The World Comes Down [Live]

Tony Clarkin – guitars
Bob Catley – vocals
Mark Stanway – keyboards
Al Barrow – bass
Harry James – drums

Renowned not only for their powerful rock songs but also for countless moving ballads, British rock icons MAGNUM are set to surprise their fans with a very special release at the very beginning of the coming year. Due on January 6, 2017 (U.S. and Canada on January 20, 2017), "The Valley Of Tears - The Ballads" is an album featuring ten of the band's most accomplished ballads, all of them remastered and in parts even newly re-recorded and remixed.

Guitarist, composer and producer Tony Clarkin states: "The release of this album was originally inspired by my daughter. A few months ago she asked me, 'MAGNUM have so many beautiful quiet numbers. Why don't you put together a compilation highlighting some of the most powerful tracks?' Olly Hahn of Steamhammer/SPV was immediately taken by the concept, so I set down to work on it."

"The Valley Of Tears - The Ballads" contains material from the band's different creative phases. Along with remastered versions of more recent ballads from albums such as "Into The Valley Of The Moonkings", "The Visitation" and the current studio recording "Sacred Blood - Divine Lies", there will also be a newly re-recorded acoustic version of their classic "Lonely Night" and a new haunting live version of their hit "When The World Comes Down" from their 1986 cult recording "Vigilante".

The release will be supported by selected shows in the U.K. and Ireland during the run-up to Christmas and a German/Swiss tour where Tony Clarkin and Bob Catley join the "Rock Meets Classic" tour from March 30, 2017. Some more festivals for summer 2017 will be announced shortly. --- blabbermouth.net

Hankies at the ready, it’s the tearjerker of compilations. One of the most gratifying things about the rock scene in Britain in the last decade or so has been the real renaissance of Magnum. The Brummie melodic/power metal band (call them what you like it all fits) have released a string of great records over the last few years.

Just this year they stuck out the phenomenal “Sacred Blood ‘Divine’ Lies album to rather cement their reputation as one of the best – and most enduring – of outfits.

“Your Dreams Won’t Die” one of the tracks from “…. Lies” appears on this too. “Valley Of Tears – The Ballads” (it’s title comes from a song on the 2014 “Escape From The Shadow Garden” album), and that in itself is interesting, as in common with a few on here, it’s remastered (and to be fair you can tell as it does sound perfect in this form.

As the album title suggests, though, this is a collection of Magnum’s ballads. No one writes them quite like Tony Clarkin either, and there’s no one who delivers these lines like the legend that is Bob Catley, which makes this kinda cool.

The gorgeous cover art indicates that there’s plenty of thought gone into this too, and it’s not the rag bag collection it would have been in some hands. Magnum simply have too much class for that, and anyway, the idea for the album came from Clarkin’s daughter, so it is just a bit personal too.

Amongst its ten tracks are new versions of three – “Broken Wheel” from the 1992 album “Sleepwalking” is perhaps the best of these – but as you’d except from a band like this, then they are not hugely different from the originals, more subtle changes, and “Back In Your Arms” from the “Rock Art” album at the start of the 21st century has been spruced up, given a makeover and sounds less dated than it did.

The others are mostly remixed and remastered – and therefore if we are honest for completestists only – save for its closing song, a brand spanking new live version of “When The World Comes Down” – originally from the 86 classic “Vigilante” album, which is quite superb.

Ultimately, is “Valley Of Tears – The Ballads” going to change your life? No. Is it going to fill the gap until the next Magnum album? Perhaps. Does it showcase some of the brilliant songs of one the best bands this country has got? Absolutely.

Magnum’s labour of love – in all meanings of the phrase – therefore deserves your attention. --- maximumvolumemusic.com

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Magnum – Escape From Shadow Garden (2014)

2014-03-23T16:46:03Z

Magnum – Escape From Shadow Garden (2014)


1. Magnum – Live Til’ You Die [06:28]
2. Magnum – Unwritten Sacrifice [05:28]
3. Magnum – Falling For The Big Plan [05:58]
4. Magnum – Crying In The Rain [05:45]
5. Magnum – Too Many Clowns [04:35]
6. Magnum – Midnight Angel [07:18]
7. Magnum – The Art Of Compromise [05:00]
8. Magnum – Don’t Fall Asleep [05:58]
9. Magnum – Wisdom’s Had Its Day [04:43]
10. Magnum – Burning River [04:43]
11. Magnum – The Valley Of Tears [06:39]

Bob Catley — Vocals
Tony Clarkin — Guitar & Vocals
Mark Stanway — Keyboards
Al Barrow — Bass Guitar
Harry James — Drums & Percussion

The Birmingham-based Magnum belongs in the particular league of privileged bands, after the last few decades they’re a band who does not need to prove anything anymore, and simply live up to their well-deserved reputation. For the audience enamored with their trademark Pomp Rock style and at least familiar with their 2012 On The 13th Day album, its follow-up – their newest and soon-to-be-released Escape From The Shadow Garden – will be a perfect continuation of this musical journey.

Starting off with the epic six minutes long opener, “Live ‘Til You Die,” Magnum blends their progressive and melodic rock influences together, a homage to their classic 1980s records. Similarly powerful is the significant part of the tracks on Escape From The Shadow Garden, “Falling For The Big Plan” is one of the highlights among them, with its well-crafted chorus and captivating, catchy melody.

The others are more modern-sounding “Crying In The Rain” and “Too Many Clowns,” both incredibly dynamic with the big marching drum sound of the former and a crunchy, aggressive guitar riff of the latter. There is also “Burning River”, which is a fine rocker with a distinguishable 1980’s feel to it, as well as some modern touches here and there, and “The Art Of Compromise”, initially a ballad-esque slow-down which soon evolves into a powerful keyboard-driven (and much 1980s-alike) track in vein of classic Magnum songs, such as “Sometime Love.”

Interesting is “Midnight Angel” with its acoustic intro, pounding keyboard sound and no monotony in spite of length (thanks to the surprising change of pace throughout the whole track). Apart from these, there is a place for charming, yet incredibly powerful ballads on the album as well (“Unwritten Sacrifice,” “Wisdom Had Its Day,” “Don’t Fall Asleep” and the final “The Valley Of Tears”).

Magnum’s Escape From The Shadow Garden follows a critically-acclaimed and well-received predecessor, the album thought by many to be one of the band’s better if not best – and nevertheless remains a strong rival in this competition. It features a classic, keyboard-driven Pomp Rock sound, and yet at the same time, with its dense production, sounds fresh enough for a contemporary listener. Bob Catley’s vocals are as good as ever, shining throughout the whole record – especially in the soaring power ballads – and being completed by the brilliant instrumental performances. Another great album of 2014, and highly recommended not only for Magnum die-hard fans. --- Alexandra Mrozowska, hardrockhaven.net

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