The more MAGNUM comes closer to the end of their musical career, the more inspired they seem to be. The covid 19 quarantine world out as quality time for them and they are back with a hell of an album. all their trademark points of their music are here. Grandiose melodies "I won't let you down", Break bone harmonies at "All you believe in",Hard rocking anthems "Remember", out of the blue surprises with the honky tonk horns and female choirs and the horns at "No steppin stones' '.
MAGNUM are balancing between their commercial days of "Goodnight LA" and darker / "modern" "Brand new Morning" sound and their more heavy /prog sound of "Chasing the dragon" in perfect harmony. I think this one is among their best works after the reunion coming close to the excellent "Sleepwalker". Tony Clarkin is as always a charismatic songwriter and underrated guitar player. Fluent and passionate melodies where vocals work perfectly and unmistakably. We all know that the studio is in favor of vocals but to hell with everything, even if he can't deliver live anymore as he used to be, is among the voices that made their own spot in the Hard rock history, with the depth, warmth and velvet touch. "The present not the past" is a classic up tempo MAGNUM song where the keys drive the song like the best days of the 80s complimenting the guitar riffs of Mr Clarkin."The freedom word" is a classic MAGNUM anthemic song start in a slow tempo and rise up ,drums and voice together to a powerful anthem about freedom. It is at songs like "Walk the silent hours", a mid tempo ballad, that you hear Bob Catley's voice aging in a respectful way, still full of the warmth that made him one of the most loved voices of his generation. "The day after the night before" is a return to more powerful songs with an upbeat, majestic drum sound, delivering a classic up tempo MAGNUM rock song.The band is in fine form, presenting us a heavy rock album full of their trademark melodies, mid tempo anthems like the closing "Can't buy yourself a heaven", with Catley in fine form,not showing his real age at all (unlikely on what happens at their live performances).
If you are a MAGNUM fan you won't be disappointed, if you dont know them yet, you'll be surprised at what you ve missed until now. The old lion still roars and you better beware of it.
7,5
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