Description
Double album on red vinyls with gatefold cover. Limited 500 copies
Magnum have recorded eleven songs for The Serpent Rings which feature all the traditional strengths of the British act and also live up to the band s ambition to explore a more rock-oriented direction. Thanks to our current record company, we enjoy full artistic freedom, Clarkin enthuses. SPV understand how important this is to us. We ve not always been in such a fortunate position. During the eighties, the label we were with at the time wanted us to sound as pop-oriented as possible because they hoped for better album sales. I used to hate that, despite the success we had. Lost On The Road To Eternity gave us a clue as to what that might have been and if you look at the credits of the booklet or cover notes for the Serpent Rings you’ll probably put two and two together and realize that the changes in personnel in two departments are probably instrumental to this fantastic offering that the band have provided. No disrespect to the former members but Rick Benton’s watermark weaves its mark all the way through each and every song and Lee’s different and more varied approach to percussion has elevated and contributed to the mastery of Tony Clarkins songwriting and his understated skill with his instrument. The orchestration in Where Are You Eden is fantastic, if it were written by anyone else it would be that bands Xanadu or Stairway To Heaven, same goes for Archway Of Tears if these tunes were 30 years old people would be saying classics. There arent any weak songs on this album, each one has it’s place and the running order is spot on. House Of Kings is underpinned by a great brass arrangement and Man has a multilayered helium induced bridge (brilliant) and that triangle tinging out for the finale. Please don’t go comparing this album to any of their previous releases, Magnum have earned their right, by this release, to be judged against the best of their contemporaries as that is what they strive to be contemporary, not basking in the past glories of 30 odd years ago. Judge for yourselves, you’ll end up playing it again and again,not because as a fan you want to like it or feel you have to, because it is that good. Brilliant.
Track list:
1. Where Are You Eden?
2. You Can’t Run Faster Than Bullets
3. Madman Or Messiah
4. The Archway Of Tears
5. Not Forgiven
6. The Serpent Rings
7. House Of Kings
8. The Great Unknown
9. Man
10. The Last One On Earth
11. Crimson On The White Sand