Magnum - Escape From The Shadow Garden [320kbps] (2014) [Gorgatz]

Magnum - Escape From The Shadow Garden [320kbps] (2014) [Gorgatz]



- I N F O -

Over the course of a career extending to almost four decades Magnum remains a band that has rarely disappointed. There has always been a refreshing honesty about the Brummies that rose from playing the clubs and pubs of the English Midlands in the mid-1970's to the giddy heights of packing out arenas by the end of the 80's. From their spellbinding debut Kingdom of Madness (1978) through the delights of the Jeff Glixman produced Chase The Dragon (1982) and landmark On A Storyteller's Night (1985), Magnum saw their fan base swell but remained a band that were just as happy to rub shoulders with their audience at the bar as they were wowing the masses at the Monsters of Rock festival. When guitarist and songwriter Tony Clarkin called time in the mid-90's it left a hole that was impossible to fill until, together with vocalist Bob Catley, the pair realised that Magnum had unfinished business and re-launched the band for the twenty first century. A succession of majestic albums has followed since then and Escape from the Shadow Garden might just be the finest one yet.

Right from the off this looks and feels like a Magnum classic, from the archetypal Rodney Matthews inked cover artwork to the windswept introduction provided by keyboardist Mark Stanway that ushers in 'Live 'Til You Die'. And from the moment Uncle Bob sings the opening line he can simply do no wrong; one of the most underrated vocalists of his generation Catley took his inspiration from the great singers of the 60's and has consistently proven himself worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as his heroes. 'Midnight Angel' has that heartfelt sincerity that could only have flowed from the pen of Tony Clarkin, who's skills as a songwriter mature like a wine of the very finest vintage. Solemn, melancholy and austere, 'The Art of Compromise' continues in the tradition of Clarkin's songs having a story to tell, his words brought to life as only Catley can. 'Wisdom's Had Its Day' combines power, pomp and melody and it all seems so effortless and yet, as every fan knows, Clarkin pours his heart and soul into writing every note and word. 'Too Many Clowns' and 'Burning River' are the type of rock solid Magnum barn burners that their audience loves so well, blending chugging riffs and an insistent chorus set to a mid-tempo gallop. And having been responsible for some of the most stirring power ballads of the last thirty-odd years it is hardly surprising that Clarkin can still come up with songs as emotional and moving as 'Don't Fall Asleep' and the closing 'The Valley of Tears', both of which deliver the enduring Magnum message of struggle, faith and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Seventeen studio albums in, Magnum continue to delight. Escape from the Shadow Garden is yet another triumph from one of the UK's most beloved and cherished hard rock bands.

It’s been less than 2 years since MAGNUM’s last album "On The 13th Day" day was released and already the band is gracing our ears with a new release! "Escape From The Shadow Garden" is an album full of great melodic tunes and some serious heavy riffage.

It’s straight to the point with a dramatic string section opening up the album on "Live ‘Till You Die". This gives way to a real classic sounding guitar riff from Tony Clarkin that the legendary vocals of Bob Catley soar over the top of. This is a great start to the album, with lots going on held together by a fantastic rhythm section. There’s plenty of atmospheric keyboards adding drama to the proceedings and lots of different moments of awesome music within this one song alone; a superbly good start to the album!

More keyboards kick things off for "Unwritten Sacrifice", with an emotive lead vocal that really builds a great story. Another awesome chorus is backed by great musicianship to give this song a lot of feeling, building a lot of tension throughout. "Falling For The Big Plan" changes things up a bit with a nice piano melody layered with vocals. The song begins to build up, drums and guitars coming together to form the meat of the song until it reaches a climax with yet another great chorus melody! This is another awesome song, full of twists and turns and some more great atmosphere. An awesome solo serves to punctuate the whole thing too, featuring some nice melodic playing.

"Crying In The Rain" is an awesome song, opening up with some cool bass and guitars playing off of each other before a powerful drum section enters the fray, with more awesome vocals on top. Lots of awesome harmonies and powerful chords power this song along before hitting the grooving main riff of the song, with one of my personal favourite choruses on this one. "Too Many Clowns" is a bit more of a straight up rocker, with an old school bluesy main riff and a very appropriate lead vocal that shows off how dynamic this band really is. There is a lot to rock out to here, with lots of riffs and a nice upbeat feel to the whole thing. The next track kicks things up a notch. "Midnight Angel", with an awesome intro full of classic sounds and a really great performance, gives way to some powerful riffs later on. This is a nice long song, with great lyrics and a hell of a lot of different sections held together by really strong songwriting.

A gentle piano brings us into "The Art Of Compromise", and although it’s starts off softer, the band really builds on the ideas taking it an eventually awesome climax, and they really gel well here too! "Don’t Fall Asleep" begins with a piano and synth mixture before we get another dose of some powerfully emotive Catley vocals. This is a ballad of the album, with some great string sounds and some lovely playing on all fronts. "Wisdom’s Had Its Day" is next up, with some more pianos leading to a section with a bit more rocking out than the previous few tracks. Some epic sounding riffs here and some great keyboard sounds, supported by a tight rhythm section. Things get notched up a bit more with "Burning River" which has plenty of riffs on offer and a nice heavy sound to it. Plenty of cool riffs and a nice aggressive lead vocal on this one! The album comes to a close with "Valley Of Tears", a melancholy sounding song to start with that changes pace and feeling about a third of the way through and becomes more positive. This is a really nice finale to the album, and should leave its mark on fans and new listeners alike!

The production is fantastic on this album, as you’d expect from a band of MAGNUM’s stature. The mix is nice and clear and definitely loud enough too. The drums sound really nice and big and the bass supports the drums really well here. The Guitars are chunky and solos soar above the mixes nicely whilst keyboards add a great sense of atmosphere. The Vocals are really well recorded and mixed too!

This is a really strong album from Magnum, and certainly something to look out for in the future. As good as they’ve ever been really, with plenty of great musicianship and a really nice varied yet modern sound.

- T R A C K L I S T -

01. Live 'Til You Die
02. Unwritten Sacrifice
03. Falling For The Big Plan
04. Crying In The Rain
05. Too Many Clowns
06. Midnight Angel
07. The Art Of Compromise
08. Don't Fall Asleep
09. Wisdom's Had Its Day
10. Burning River
11. The Valley Of Tears

Format: Mp3, CBR 320 kbps
Genre: Melodic Hard Rock
Size: 143.63 MB