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MAGNUM***BRITISH MELODIC HARD ROCKERS' NEW 'DANCE OF THE BLACK TATTOO' ALBUM RELEASED JANUARY 8th 2021 ON STEAMHAMMER / SPV*** |
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| During the three years since Magnum brought out 'The Valley Of Tears - The Ballads', a compilation that focused on their quiet, more otherworldly and dreamy side, the idea matured to follow with a companion piece, 'Dance Of The Black Tattoo', alternatively highlighting the band's anthemic, harder rocking, blockbuster songs. Magnum then delved deep into their impressive archives to unearth the rare live cuts and outstanding radio edits of the 14 uplifting, fist-in-the-air-pumping rock numbers contained on 'Dance Of The Black Tattoo', set for release on January 8th on Steamhammer / SPV as a Digipak CD, double gatefold 140 gram magenta vinyl (with printed inner sleeves) album, download and stream. Magnum guitarist and band mastermind Tony Clarkin has, of course, used this opportunity to remaster and update all 14 tracks so that they comply with state-of-the-art sound technology. Tony; "There have always been two aspects to Magnum; a slightly more tender and lyrical facet, but first and foremost of course our powerful, rocking side. And that's the element that 'Dance Of The Black Tattoo' documents impressively."  The album kicks off with live versions of 'Black Skies' and 'Freedom Day', previously available exclusively as DVD bonus tracks on 'Escape From The Shadow Garden'; "The perfect launch of this compilation because they present Magnum musically and lyrically from our familiar raw side. The subsequent 'All My Bridges' is a little different in that the music is still heavy, but the lyrics are more poetic," explains Clarkin. 'On A Storyteller's Night', the title track of their 1985 masterpiece, and 'Dance Of The Black Tattoo', another two rare live tracks from the bonus section of 'Escape From The Shadow Garden', are then followed by radio edits of their seasonal anti-war number 'On Christmas Day' and the fan favourite 'Born To Be King' off their classic 'Goodnight L.A.' LP, previously only available on vinyl or for digital download. 'Phantom Of Paradise Circus' and 'No God Or Saviour' are both bonus tracks from 'Sacred Blood - Divine Lies'. Clarkin: "To be honest, when I started going through those old masters, I didn't even have 'Phantom Of Paradise Circus' on my radar. I usually start working on new material about four weeks after the release of an album, so occasionally a song may sink into oblivion although it has a lot of substance and class. Such as 'Phantom Of Paradise Circus'. I really love that number and am happy that it is getting the attention it deserves at last."  'Your Dreams Won't Die' and 'Twelve Men Wise And Just', two live bonus tracks which first featured on 'Lost On The Road To Eternity' ensue, before 'Show Me Your Hands', 'Not Forgiven' and 'Madman Or Messiah' - three previously unreleased radio edits from the studio recordings for 'Lost On The Road To Eternity' (2018) and ''The Serpent Rings' (2020) - round off the new release. "Sometimes it's not easy to shorten a carefully balanced composition for the radio, but in these three cases it worked really well," reckons Clarkin. Naturally the artwork for 'Dance Of The Black Tattoo' was designed by Magnum's tried-and-tested cover artist Rodney Matthews, who always succeeds in translating the special ambience of the group's albums into atmospheric images and colours. Clarkin: "This time it was easy really: I called Rodney, told him the album title and he sent me this absolutely fascinating artwork. I bet our fans will love his little masterpiece." 'Dance Of The Black Tattoo', a magnificent collection of rare and vital versions of Magnum's most accomplished, uplifting rock compositions, is all set to more than light up every rock music fan's dreary winter days once released on January 8th 2021. Magnum are then set to tour the UK and Ireland in Autumn 2021; dates are:- 16.09. Nottingham - Rock City 17.09. Sheffield - Leadmill 19.09. Norwich - Waterfront 20.09. Islington - Assembly Hall 21.09. Southampton - Engine Rooms 22.09. Cardiff - Tramshed 24.09. Manchester - Academy 2 25.09. Holmfirth - Picturedome 27.09. Birmingham - Symphony Hall 29.09. Cambridge - Junction 30.09. Glasgow - Garage 02.10. Dublin - Voodoo Lounge 03.10. Belfast - Limelight 1 |
| Blackened - Roland Hyams - 07768 156392 / 020 8677 8466 roland@workhardpr.com www.magnumonline.co.uk www.spv.de 27th November 2020 |
© Work Hard PR 2020 |
MAGNUM***BRITISH MELODIC ROCKERS' 21ST STUDIO ALBUM 'THE SERPENT RINGS' RELEASED JANUARY 17TH ON SPV PRIOR TO MAJOR MARCH / APRIL UK & IRELAND TOUR*** |
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| Supreme British melodic hard rockers Magnum have revealed the release of their stonking 21st studio album, 'The Serpent Rings' as a Digipak CD, double gatefold 140 gram purple-violet vinyl LP (with printed inner sleeves) download and stream on January 17th 2020 on Steamhammer / SPV Records. 'The Serpent Rings' will also be released as a limited edition (1,000) deluxe box-set, containing Digipak CD, 2LP gatefold, sticker, photocard, A1 poster, pin button, woven patch and manuscript music sheet. 'The Serpent Rings' is an even more inspired and accomplished body of work than 2018's utterly outstanding 'Lost On The Road To Eternity' album, which crashed into the Indie Album Chart at number 1 and the UK national album chart at 15 on release. 'The Serpent Rings' contains eleven vibrant new classically melodic Magnum compositions, all displaying a distinctly more powerful, rock-oriented approach than on the album's exhilarating predecessor.  Hard hitting lyrics perfectly complement the album's muscular sound on songs such as 'Madman or Messiah', which focusses on self - proclaimed saviours. Clarkin reflects; "You have to approach these kinds of gurus with a lot of caution, because in reality they're taking their followers for a ride and in a worst case scenario even seducing them into performing dubious acts, as the case of Charles Manson in the late 1960s shows." 'Man' is another sceptical number about the underbelly of human behavior; "A lot of what mankind does to Planet Earth is based on greed and insatiability. We destroy nature just to make an even bigger profit, and we are seeing the negative results of that attitude more clearly now than ever before." Elsewhere, Magnum's dreamy, magical side appears on songs such as the title track itself, which inspired Rodney Matthews' amazing cover art. Clarkin elucidates; "'The Serpent Rings' started out as a science fiction story but continued to evolve over time and even features a slightly bizarre side today. I'd describe the song as an eerie and somewhat creepy fairy tale."  'The Serpent Rings' was recorded with new bassist Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Place Vendome, Unisonic etc) who recently replaced Al Barrow. In explanation of the line-up change, Clarkin states that "Unfortunately, Al had to leave the band because he didn't have enough time. He lives in the US, which had always caused organizational problems. Tobias Sammet of Avantasia recommended Dennis, who is a great musician and vocalist - exactly what we were looking for. His contribution to 'The Serpent Rings' surpassed our wildest expectations. We're really looking forward to touring with him." The all fired up Magnum line up comprised of Clarkin, Ward, distinctive vocalist Bob Catley, keyboards wizard Rick Benton and powerhouse drummer Lee Morris now can't wait to hit the road to play live on their upcoming UK & Irish tour; dates are:- 19th March: Glasgow - Garage 20th March: Belfast - Limelight 1 21st March: Dublin - Voodoo Lounge 22nd March: Cardiff - Tramshed 24th March: Sheffield - Leadmill 25th March: Hull - Welly 26th March: Manchester - Academy 2 28th March: Holmfirth - Picturedrome 29th March: Cambridge - Junction 30th March: Birmingham - Town Hall 31st March: Norwich - Waterfront 2nd April: Exeter - Lemon Grove 3rd April: Southampton - Engine Rooms 4th April: London - Islington Assembly 16th May: Nottingham - Rock City Magnum guitarist Tony Clarkin, who also produces the band's albums from the very first demo to the final mix, spent the last two years writing 'The Serpent Rings'. "As soon as an album is finished I start to collect new ideas" he explains, continuing "that's how I've worked since the early seventies; for me that's the ideal method. Thanks to our current record company, we enjoy full artistic freedom. 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." Packed with powerful, poignant vocals, huge guitar hooks, strident rhythms and melodious keyboards, 'The Serpent Rings' more than justifies Clarkin's musical methods and will indubitably crash into the UK Top 20 album chart on release. |
| Serpentine - Roland Hyams - 07768 156392 / 020 8677 8466 roland@workhardpr.com www.magnumonline.co.uk www.spv.de 23rd October 2019 |
© Work Hard PR 2019 |
MAGNUM*** BRITISH MELODIC ROCK LEGENDS' JUNE 2019 UK TOUR DATES CONFIRMED*** |
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| Magnificent classic hard rockers Magnum have confirmed a handful of UK headline concerts in June, amidst prestigious appearances at The Sweden Rock Festival, the German Rock Hard Festival, and Spain's Rock The Coast Festival. Dates are:- 4th June STOKE Kings Hall 5th June ABERDARE Coliseum Theatre 7th June SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL, Solvesborg 9th June ROCK HARD FESTIVAL Gelsenkirchen, Germany 11th June BURY ST. EDMUNDS Apex 12th June HOLMFIRTH Picturedrome 13th June WARRINGTON Parr Hall 15th June ROCK THE COAST FESTIVAL Malaga, Spain Magnum's latest album, 'Live At The Symphony Hall', was universally acclaimed on release in January 2019, Classic Rock's Malcolm Dome raving in his 8/10 review that "The band are tight and passionate, while Bob Catley's vocals cut through with febrile certainty. And it says a lot about how committed Magnum are to more recent material that tracks like 'Crazy Old Mothers' and 'When We Were Younger' sound as momentous as the timeless 'How Far Jerusalem' or 'The Spirit'." 'Live At Symphony Hall', which was recorded on 19th April 2018 at the exhilarating final concert of their 2 month long 'Road To Eternity Tour' in Birmingham, contains an impeccable mix of Magnum classics and cracking new songs from 2018's studio album, 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', which was widely acclaimed as one of, if not the best album of the group's entire career to date when released at the end of January this year. 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', Magnum's 20th studio album, which crashed into the Indie Album Chart at number 1 and the UK national album chart at number 15 in January 2018, was made 'Album Of The Month' by Powerplay magazine, writer Martin Howell stating that "This is classic Magnum, only more so. The band sound re-invigorated, they've taken all the elements that make Magnum so special and magnified them, and the result is really something spectacular... seriously this is incredible... Tony Clarkin has written some of the best material of his career. There are so many little touches, intricate parts, harmony vocals, making this a masterclass in songwriting. 10/10" |
| Magnuminous - Roland Hyams - 07768 156392 / 020 8677 8466 roland@workhardpr.com www.magnumonline.co.uk www.spv.de 8th April 2019 |
© Work Hard PR 2019 |
MAGNUM*** BRITISH MELODIC ROCK LEGENDS' 'LIVE AT THE SYMPHONY HALL' ALBUM RELEASED JANUARY 18th 2019 ON STEAMHAMMER /SPV*** |
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| British melodic hard rock icons Magnum have lined up the release of a brand new, very special album, 'Live At The Symphony Hall', on January 18th 2019, on Steamhammer / SPV. Recorded on 19th April at the exhilarating final concert of their 2 month long 'Road To Eternity Tour' in Birmingham, 'Live At The Symphony Hall' will be released as a double digipak CD, triple gatefold (with printed inner sleeves) 180 gram green-with-white-swirls vinyl (+ 2CD in paper sleeve) album, download and stream. 'Live At The Symphony Hall' contains an impeccable mix of Magnum classics and cracking new songs from 2018's studio album, 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', which was universally acclaimed as one of, if not the best album of the group's entire career to date when released at the end of January this year. 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', which crashed into the Indie Album Chart at number 1 and the UK national album chart at number 15, was made 'Album Of The Month' by Powerplay magazine, writer Martin Howell stating that "This is classic Magnum, only more so. The band sound re-invigorated, they've taken all the elements that make Magnum so special and magnified them, and the result is really something spectacular...seriously this is incredible...Tony Clarkin has written some of the best material of his career. There are so many little touches, intricate parts, harmony vocals, making this a masterclass in songwriting. 10/10"  By the time that Magnum, who had set off on tour on February 20th, arrived back in Birmingham on April 19th, guitarist Tony Clarkin, vocalist Bob Catley, bassist Al Barrow, keyboard player Rick Benton and drummer Lee Morris were perfectly attuned to each other after playing packed out shows night after night and intent on outdoing themselves at this climactic final concert. "Birmingham was one of those nights when everything clicked' Clarkin comments, continuing "The sound on stage was phenomenal and you could feel from the way the audience reacted that it sounded spectacular inside the hall as well. When that spark is lit between a band and their fans it can create something special and magical. And that's exactly what happened in Birmingham." Spurred on by the audience's raucous cheers, the band were elevated to play supreme versions of majestic Magnum masterworks such as 'How Far Jerusalem', 'Vigilante', 'Don't Wake The Lion (Too Old To Die Young)' and 'The Spirit'. All the newer songs meanwhile, including 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', 'Peaches And Cream', 'Show Me Your Hands' and 'Without Love', were uplifted to live rock anthem levels. "It's well-known that there`s a huge difference between studio and stage", Clarkin explains. "In a studio a band has numerous tries to make a song sound perfect. On stage however, you only get one try. Of course, if that one succeeds, the studio version gains a whole lot of additional adrenaline and enthusiasm which makes it that much more lively, enthralling, unique."  Star guest vocalist Tobias Sammet (Avantasia, Edguy), who flew in specially for the show, was swept along by this enthusiasm and the blazing interaction with the audience when he bounded on stage to add his distinctive vocals to 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', replicating the song's studio recording. The new 'Lost On The Road To Eternity (Live feat. Tobias Sammet)' version will be released as a digital single on November 9th. Musing over the question of what might make 'Live At Symphony Hall' any different from Magnum's previous live recordings, Tony Clarkin comments that "Bob and I have been in this band for quite a while now, but we've never lost our passion for Magnum. We want to keep learning new things and are open to tips and advice. That's why we constantly revise our old songs, sometimes we play them a bit faster, sometimes a bit slower, we change a solo here and a part of the melody there. That way we not only keep our audience interested but also our own enjoyment in these pieces alive." There really isn't a more fitting way to describe the magic of Magnum's captivating 'Live At The Symphony Hall' tour finale recording. Magnum can't wait to return to the live stage to play the following UK shows on their 'Lost On The Road Winter Tour 2018':- 22nd November EDINBURGH Liquid Rooms 23rd November TROON Winterstorm Festival 24th November NEWCASTLE Riverside 25th November SHEFFIELD Plug 27th November NORWICH Waterfront 28th November BILSTON Robin 2  |
| Symphonious - Roland Hyams - 07768 156392 / 020 8677 8466 roland@workhardpr.com www.magnumonline.co.uk www.spv.de 10th November 2018 |
© Work Hard PR 2018 |
MAGNUM***BRITISH ROCK LEGENDS UPSCALE POSTPONED BIRMINGHAM DATE TO SYMPHONY HALL APRIL 19TH DUE TO HIGH DEMAND*** |
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| British Hard-Rock legends Magnum, have announced the rescheduling of the Birmingham date of their 'The Road to Eternity' tour for 19th April at Birmingham Symphony Hall Broad Street, B1 2EA. Further tickets, priced £27.50, are on sale now here. Due to snow, the original show at Birmingham Town Hall on 2nd March was unfortunately postponed, however with the show having sold out well in advance, the venue has been upgraded to the prestigious Birmingham Symphony Hall to offer the chance for those who missed out to buy this time around. Tickets for the original show will be honoured and ticketholders have been contacted via their point of purchase. 'The Road to Eternity' tour is in support of Magnum's 20th studio album, 'Lost on the Road to Eternity', which was released by SPV Records in January this year to huge critical acclaim. Powerplay Magazine awarded 'Album Of The Month' with a 10/10 rating, while Classic Rock raved that the album is 'Impossible to resist'.  'Lost on the Road to Eternity' became the band's highest charting LP for 28 years when it blasted into the UK national album chart at No. 15 and No. 1 on the UK Indie album chart, plus reached the top 10 of the UK vinyl, physical and Scottish charts. Magnum are currently on the road in Germany, where 'Lost On The Road To Eternity' became their highest ever charting album there when it entered the German chart at number 8. Guitarist Tony Clarkin states that "Magnum were gutted that due to the really bad snowy weather on the day of the Town Hall show on 2nd March that it had to be cancelled at the very last minute. This, however, was done due to the advice received from the emergency services and at the request of the Town Hall and the promoter. Due to some re-juggling of dates and the fact that the show had sold out at the Town Hall it was with a great relief that the show has now been rescheduled to the Symphony Hall on April 19 only a few weeks after the initial show was planned. It also meant that Town Hall ticket holders were still able to hang on to their tickets and just have new ones sent to them. More tickets have now become available and the band are now looking forward to this show with added anticipation." |
| For more information contact Roland Hyams - 07768 156392 / 020 8677 8466 roland@workhardpr.com www.magnumonline.co.uk www.spv.de 16th March 2018 |
© Work Hard PR 2017 |
MAGNUM***CELEBRATED BRITISH MELODIC ROCKERS' 20TH STUDIO ALBUM 'LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY' RELEASED JANUARY 19TH ON SPV PRIOR TO 16 DATE FEBRUARY /MARCH UK TOUR*** |
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| Unrivalled British melodic hard rock group Magnum have confirmed the release of their absolutely enthralling new studio album 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', as a digipack CD (with bonus 4 track live CD), double gatefold 180 gram purple vinyl LP (+ CD in paper sleeve), download and stream on Steamhammer / SPV on January 19th 2018. 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', which marks the major 20th studio album milestone on this illustrious group's 40 year musical path, is one of Magnum's most inspired, diverse, exhilarating and alluring albums ever. Reflecting on the reason for this new creative zenith, guitarist / songwriter Tony Clarkin recalls "As I had started to write the songs even before we embarked on our most recent tour, I subsequently had time to let my initial ideas sink in for a few weeks, which helped me realise that I was on the right path," he says, looking back with satisfaction. "That was a good feeling which inspired me to write more powerful numbers. Apart from that, the usual Magnum formula applied: I go to the studio, try out ideas on the guitar or on the keyboards and do my damnedest to write the best Magnum song of all time." As a result, 'Lost On The Road To Eternity' contains eleven of arguably the best Magnum songs of all time, all additionally sparkling with the fresh inspiration brought to the table by consummate new band members Rick Benton (keyboards) and Lee Morris (drums).  'Without Love', the first single, a strident, relentlessly driving groove-laden song with a subtly irresistible melody, glorious guitar riffs and catchy chorus, will totally tantalize the fans' musical appetite when released on December 8th. After their headline appearance at the Giants Of Rock Festival in Minehead on January 26th 2018, Magnum will set off on a two month European headline tour in February, commencing with the following UK concerts:- 20th February Bristol - Trinity 21st February Cardiff - Tramshed 22nd February Holmfirth - Picturedome 24th February Manchester - Academy 2 25th February Hull - Welly 26th February Aberdeen - Garage 27th February Glasgow - Garage 1st March Belfast - Limelight 2nd March Birmingham - Town Hall 4th March Preston - Guildhall 5th March Nottingham - Rock City 7th March Leamington - Assembly 8th March Cambridge - Junction 9th March London - Islington Assembly Hall 10th March Southampton - Engine Room 12th March Brighton - Old Market The album's mighty title track features a duet between vocalist Bob Catley and Tobias Sammet, a kind of artistic thank-you by the Edguy / Avantasia front man in appreciation of Catley's guest stint on various of Sammet's releases. 'Lost On The Road To Eternity' was also additionally enhanced by atmospheric arrangements courtesy of the Wolf Kerschek orchestra. While much kudos must be attributed to original band members Tony Clarkin and Bob Catley for a good deal of the musical prowess on 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', a fair amount more must to be attributed to bassist Al Barrow, (who has been in the group since 2001), along with new keyboardist Rick Benton and drummer Lee Morris. Benton joined the Magnum camp in December 2016 to replace long-standing member Mark Stanway, while Morris took over from Harry James in the summer. "Harry has two other bands, Thunder and Snakecharmer, and it became more and more difficult to coordinate our schedules," Clarkin explains and confesses; "I must admit that I was reluctant to let him go, but after Lee had drummed for us for the first time and we realised that he adds even more rhythmic complexity to our songs, I'm more than happy with the line-up change." Clarkin feels just as positive about his new keyboardist Rick Benton; "Rick has brought a breath of fresh air and interesting ideas into the band. His style is carefully considered and he seems to know intuitively what enhances our material. You just have to give him a rough idea of the arrangement and he immediately comes up with a perfect solution. All you have to do is listen to and enjoy the atmospheric middle part of 'Welcome To The Cosmic Cabaret' to appreciate what a positive addition Benton is to the Magnum fold." The digipack CD version of 'Lost On The Road To Eternity' will include a bonus live Cd containing 4 songs recorded at Magnum's 2017 performance at the Leyendas Del Rock Festival in Alicante, Spain. 'Lost On The Road To Eternity', the follow-up to 2016's 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies', looks set to chart even higher than it's highly acclaimed predecessor, which crashed in to the UK Top 40 at 31 on release in March last year. |
| Missing - Roland Hyams - roland@workhardpr.com / 07768 156392 / 020 8677 8466 roland@workhardpr.com www.magnumonline.co.uk www.spv.de 13th November 2017 |
© Work Hard PR 2017 |
MAGNUM*** MIGHTY MELODIC ROCKERS' 'SACRED BLOOD DIVINE LIES' WINTER UK TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED *** |
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| Mighty British melodic hard rock group Magnum, whose new studio album 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies' crashed in to the UK national album chart at number 31 in March - the band's highest top 40 album chart position since 1992 - have lined up a 5 date UK & Irish tour in December. Dates are:- December 6th BRIGHTON Concorde 2 December 7th CAMBRIDGE Junction December 9th DUBLIN Voodoo Lounge December 10th WOLVERHAMPTON Wulfrun Hall December 11th EDINBURGH Liquid Rooms 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies', which also debuted at number 2 in the Rock & Metal chart and at number 6 in the Indie chart on release on Steamhammer / SPV, is a notably heavier, harder offering than its much acclaimed predecessor, 'Escape From The Shadow Garden', and is packed with even more of Magnum's massive trademark rousing rock melodies. Powerplay Magazine's Dave Cockett awarded the album 10/10 in his review in the magazine's February 2016 issue, stating "Thumping opener and title track ''Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies' has a mesmerizing beat and a chorus that is simply to die for...classic Magnum! The equally engaging 'Twelve Men Wise And Just' is another track echoing with sentiment and ringing with majesty, whilst the likes of 'Gypsy Queen' with its superbly contrasting light and shade, the perfectly understated 'Your Dreams Won't Die' and pomptastic 'A Forgotten Conversation' are all destined to become cherished Magnum staples. A superb album from a band with no peers, this is simply glorious". |
| Contact Roland Hyams for interviews / jpegs / review tickets / more info on 020 8677 8466 / 07768 156392. roland@workhardpr.com www.magnumonline.co.uk www.spv.de 5th August 2016 |
© Work Hard PR 2016 |
MAGNUM***MIGHTY MELODIC ROCKERS' SUPERLATIVE NEW STUDIO ALBUM 'SACRED BLOOD "DIVINE" LIES'' RELEASED FEBRUARY 26th ON STEAMHAMMER / SPV + MAY UK TOUR CONFIRMED*** |
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| Mighty British melodic hard rock group Magnum are set to release their magnificent new studio album 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies', on Steamhammer / SPV on February 26th, as a limited edition DigiPak CD (with bonus DVD), standard Jewel Case CD, double gatefold vinyl with printed inner sleeves + CD (in paper sleeve), and download. 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies', a hugely stirring, uplifting opus, is a notably heavier, harder offering than its much acclaimed predecessor,'Escape From The Shadow Garden', and is packed with even more of Magnum's massive trademark rousing rock melodies. The band have also lined up a 15 concert headline UK tour in support of the album, from May 11th through to May 30th; dates are:- 11th May SOUTHAMPTON The Brook 12th May CARDIFF Tramshed 13th May LONDON Islington Assembly Hall 14th May OXFORD 02 Academy 16th May NORWICH Waterfront 17th May NOTTINGHAM Rock City 19th May BIRMINGHAM 02 Institute 20th May HOLMFIRTH Picturedome 21st May MANCHESTER Academy 2 22nd May NEWCASTLE 02 Academy 24th May ABERDEEN Garage 25th May GLASGOW Garage 27th May BELFAST Limelight 1 29th May BRISTOL 02 Academy 30th May LEAMINGTON SPA Assembly Magnum mastermind Tony Clarkin started working on the resounding new album even before 'Escape From The Shadow Garden' crashed into the UK Album Chart at 38, (the band's first top 40 album chart position for over 20 years), on release in March 2014. "I usually start composing for our next album immediately after the release of the previous one," Clarkin recalls, continuing "When 'Escape...' arrived at the stores in March 2014, my thoughts had already turned to our next recording." Clarkin was inspired to write 25 new songs during and after the subsequent triumphant European tour, the most outstanding 13 of which were selected for 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies'. Ten of the numbers made it onto the standard album CD and another three onto the DigiPak bonus DVD, which also contains videos for three of the brand new songs on the album.  The epicentre of this soundquake features, along with frontman Bob Catley's charismatic voice, Clarkin's awesome riffing and hard driving lead guitar licks, which provide the all-important substructure to each of the ten gems of songs on the album. 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies' counts without a doubt among the group's most dynamic releases; Clarkin states that "I've always been into rock numbers. But it isn't necessarily that easy to write really good rock material. It's much more simple to compose a ballad. But that dynamic pace suits Magnum perfectly." Nowhere is this more evident than on the title track and album opener; "I feel that Bob delivered it really well," Clarkin praises his vocalist Bob Catley. "As far as I am concerned, 'Sacred Blood "Devine" Lies' is definitely likely to join the ranks of great Magnum classics." So it comes as no surprise that 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies', with its significant message, became the album title. Among the other multiple highlights on this thoroughly powerful recording, mention must be made of the anthemic 'Gypsy Queen', which Tony was inspired to write after a concert in St. Petersburg, a city which deeply impressed him with its unique atmosphere. By no means less memorable is 'Your Dreams Won't Die' which is based on a cascading piano chord sequence, reflecting the song's poignant philosophical message. "To me, the title and lyrics have an almost religious depth," says Clarkin. "There's a saying that somebody is not forgotten if their name is remembered." A successful rock group like Magnum should be entitled to eternal renown, shouldn't it? Says Clarkin: "You want my honest opinion? I don't think that far ahead, but of course it's a nice notion that this band may always be remembered because so many people love our music." And last but not least: 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies' closes with a song which surprised even Clarkin; "I liked the general sound of 'Don't Cry Baby' from the start," he remarks. "Although I initially didn't have a lyric, the melody kept going through my head, as well as the chorus with acoustic and e-guitars plus piano. We even kept the drums from the demo version because our drummer Harry James liked them so much. He said: "I love it the way it is. We shouldn't change a thing about it"." 'Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies', the cover of which has once again been designed by renowned fantasy artist Rodney Matthews (Nazareth, Asia), is a stupendous record, packed with soon-to-be-proclaimed-classic, majestic hard rock compositions. |
| Sanctified– Roland Hyams on 020 8677 8466 / 07768 156392. roland@workhardpr.com www.magnumonline.co.uk www.spv.de 7th January 2016 |
© Work Hard PR 2016 |
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