Recently the great British pomp rock band Magnum have recorded their sixteenth studio album! They were quite influential in the eighties particularly for the melodic hard rock genre. Magnum still consists of founding members Tony Clarkin (guitars, vocals) and Bob Catley (vocals), Mark Stanway (keyboards), Al Barrow (bass) and Harry James (drums). The album has been released in three different formats: a limited digipack edition, a vinyl LP and a standard jewel case CD. In the press information the band stated that this new album is a continuation of their previous release The Visitation (2011). When I compare this CD to the previous one I agree with that statement, especially as far as the sound quality and the production are concerned. The new album contains eleven tracks. The opening track All The Dreamers contains a remarkable melodic chorus line, which makes this piece a nice choice as an opener. You can feel the energy they have built up over the last 35 years! Next track Blood Red Laughter is also stunning; it reminds me of my school days and the carefree sound of hard rock. Didn't Like You Anyway starts with keyboard strings followed by the guitar melody changing it into a catchy song in a march-like tempo. So Let It Rain is the first single of the album which is a good example of classic rock. Dance Of The Black Tattoo is my favourite track, because it's rather heavy, while Putting Things In Place is a classic rock ballad. Shadow Town, Broken Promises, See How They Fall and From Within are typical Magnum songs that contain quite some similarities with previous albums. I would like to recommend On The 13th Day to people who appreciate Asia, Pallas and Saga. ***+ Zafer Yüksel (edited by Peter Willemsen) Where to buy? |
