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On disc: The Magnificent



The Magnificent - Lars Bjørn - 3 stars
The Magnificent - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars









The Magnificent

The Magnificent
(Frontiers Records - 2011)


The Magnificent is another project, at least it looks like that... It features Circus Maximus singer Michael Eriksen and Leverage guitarist Torsti Spoof. Musically The Magnificent present hard rock or arena rock - depending on the heaviness of the chosen song - with soaring vocals, catchy hooks and big backings. I found the opener Holding On To Your Love a bit repetitive, but with Cheated By Love they show what The Magnificent is all about - emotional vocals, great hooks and varying sounds. Well, perhaps to say varying sounds is a bit exaggerated, but this one they spiced up with tempi changes, different atmospheres and some 80's elements. In a nutshell I would describe it a TNT meets Slaughter... Back in the days this would have been on heavy rotation. The keyboard at Memories seems to be Van Halen-influenced... Pure arena rock! A power ballad called Angel is next in line. It features Eriksen's voice, the instruments step back and give way for Michael's expressive vocals. But then the song explodes and becomes a powerful balladesque rocker. Satin & Lace combines glam rock with Scandinavian melodic metal. Bullets features a great guitar solo, more on the mood side then on the technical - well, I mean no shredding. Beside the prominent keyboard its the vocals on Tired Of Dreaming which do the trick. A true ear catcher!
The power ballad If It Takes All Night would have be stronger - in my opinion -, if they would have done a more basic version... just vocals and guitar and / or piano. The closer Lost is another fine melodic rocker and overly catchy.

Sure, they don't present anything new and just present their vision of arena rock, but if you enjoy arena rock and catchy melodies combined with skillful played instruments, then check out The Magnificent!


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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The Magnificent

The Magnificent
(Frontiers Records - 2011)


This album is an idea of Torsti Spoof, the Finnish keyman from Brother Firetribe. To his help comes vocalist Michael Eriksen from Circus Maximus and other Finnish guys from Brother Firetribe and Leverage helped with the songwriting. 12 songs of 80's hard rock and pop in the footsteps of Journey and Europe but not with the same class at all. Lots of keyboards tries to lift the curtains and get some quality input, but despite Norwegian singer Michael Eriksen's good vocal effort the album turns around in the same themes all the time. Endless repeats and limited songwriting, two ballads that also not fills any means. No bite in the songs, boring and pale. If they wanted a musical project then it would have fitted better with the sound of more modern rock like a similar musical outfit from Wolfpakk that marked the spot way better than The Magnificentan have done. One of their songs is called Smoke And Fire, but I can not find any smoke or fire in this album, the fire has been put out effectively before it ever started.


3 stars

Lars Bjørn
 

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           ©2008-2014 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


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