Magnum Gearing Up For ‘Escape From The Shadow Garden’ Release
Magnum Gearing Up For ‘Escape From The Shadow Garden’ Release
January 21, 2014
Magnum are set to release ‘Escape From The Shadow Garden’ on March 19th in Scandinavia, March 21st in Germany, March 24th in Europe and April 1st in North America through SPV/Steamhammer. The album will be available as a limited digipak edition with bonus DVD, as a double gatefold colored vinyl LP set including bonus track, standard jewel case CD, and download.
Not only musicians and freelance artists know this phenomenon: it’s impossible to deliver top creative performances at the push of a button. You need peace, leisure, and — most of all — a certain amount of serenity to create truly great works of art. “We used to be under permanent pressure from our record companies,” says Magnum mastermind Tony Clarkin. “They kept calling us, demanding hit singles and radio numbers. But that sort of thing doesn’t work on demand. Now we’re with SPV, where it’s a totally different situation. They give us the necessary time and trust us to do the right thing. That’s probably the reason why I enjoy working with Magnum again.”
Clarkin’s regained joy in his band is omnipresent on the latest Magnum offering, ‘Escape From The Shadow Garden’. Just like his simple yet logical work ethos: “I simply told myself, you’re a passable guitarist so you should play the guitar. As the band’s guitarist and producer, I have all the freedom I need to create exactly what I feel like creating.” The result of his latest burst of creativity consists of eleven wonderfully melodic rock songs, which blend all the typical Magnum ingredients, sounding in a fascinating way both timeless and classic. “This band has certain unmistakable trademarks,” Clarkin explains. “Among them are my feel for melodies and Bob’s unique vocal style.”
Only a month after the release of its predecessor, ‘On The 13th Day’, Clarkin started with the preparations for ‘Escape From The Shadow Garden’ — as always an exciting phase in his life. “Before you haven’t recorded and mixed every single note, you never really know whether you’ll be happy with the result. When I heard the final version of the eleven new songs with their different stories and diverse arrangements, I knew it had turned into an impressive and complete album. Together with the great cover artwork designed by Rodney Matthews (Asia, Nazareth, Eloy), this is a release, which forges an arch to the early days of Magnum’s career. And that’s wonderful! I was really happy when my friend Jimmy Lea of Slade came to visit me at the studio again and said: ‘You’ve done it again?’ It doesn’t matter whether by sheer luck or hard work — life could have gone a totally differently way.”
Joining Clarkin on the upcoming album are vocalist Bob Catley, keyboardist Mark Stanway, bassist Al Barrow, and drummer Harry James. Three weeks after the release of ‘Escape From The Shadow Garden” Magnum will set off on a huge European tour. Visit www.magnumonline.co.uk for more details.
‘Escape From The Shadow Garden’ track listing:
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
Courtesy of www.sleazeroxx.com