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MAGNUM – The Monster Roars Album Announcement

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The new Magnum album will be titled The Monster Roars, and will be to be released January 14 of next year. The single “I Won’t Let You Down” will be released (+video) on November 12 (less than a month away). And a tour will begin in March of 2022.

Fans of British rock band Magnum will have to wait just a little longer before they finally get their hands on the much-anticipated new studio album. Titled ‘THE MONSTER ROARS’ it will be released  January 14, 2022.

But there will be new music from the band this year: guitarist Tony Clarkin, singer Bob Catley and their comrades in arms Rick Benton (keyboards), Dennis Ward (bass) and Lee Morris (drums) have already announced a couple of singles: With the forthcoming ‘I Won’t Let You Down’ (including lyric video), out on November 12, 2021, Magnum present a typically deep melodic mid tempo song featuring a memorable chorus with stylish string accompaniment for added lustre. This will be followed five weeks later, on December 17, 2021, by a second pre-release track, ‘No Steppin’ Stones’, also including a lyric video.

‘THE MONSTER ROARS’ features twelve new songs in total, with a few little surprises thrown in! On top of the regular disc, Magnum are releasing a limited box set with three extra bonus tracks, including a new version of ‘Days Of No Trust’, the opener of the 1988 album classic ‘Wings Of Heaven’, a new remastered version of ‘Sweets For My Sweet’, the very first single of their career from 1975, and a previously unreleased track from the same era. And from March 2022, the band will finally be returning to Europe for a major tour (see below for dates).

Tracklisting:
1. The Monster Roars 3:57 / 2. Remember 5:05 / 3. All You Believe In 5:01 / 4. I Won’t Let You Down 3:57 / 5. The Present Not The Past 5:27 / 6. No Steppin’ Stones 3:57 / 7. That Freedom Word 4:52 / 8. Your Blood Is Violence 6:44 / 9. Walk The Silent Hours 4:51 / 10. The Day After The Night Before 4:23 / 11. Come Holy Men 5:01 / 12. Can’t Buy Yourself Heaven 5:00 “The Monster Roars” will be released on January 14th, 2022 through SPV/ Steamhammer in the following configurations:

=> CD DigiPak => Limited Box Set=> 2LP Gatefold, 140 g, red vinyl, printed inner sleeves=> Download / StreamingPre-Order Link: https://smarturl.it/MagnumTheMonster => Exclusive CD/LP Bundle with a shirt only at the Steamhammer shopPre-Order Link: https://shop.steamhammer.de/artists/magnum/store 
=> 2LP Gatefold exclusive coloured edition only at the Napalm shop
Pre-Order Link: https://napalmrecords.com/english/magnum  
=> Exclusive 2LP Gatefold exclusive coloured edition only for the UK
Pre-Order Link: https://www.plastichead.com/item.aspx?catno=244105 
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Regarding the album’s cover art and title, which generated plenty of fan discussion online, Tony Clarkin posted –

“We actually did have a conversation with Rodney regarding the cover, and an exchange of ideas. Following this we set up a photoshoot that was originally intended to become a part of his artwork. Shortly after this Rodney called me very apologetic that he didn’t think he’d have time to do the cover as he was too busy with a children’s animation project he is doing ‘Yendor’ http://yendorsadventures.com/. But we loved the end result of the photoshoot so much we had decided to use it as the cover on its own instead, with no embellishment. We thought it was much more powerful that way. Plus we didn’t want to end up with some sort of poor imitation of Rodney’s work but rather go with something completely different instead. The monster is inspired by the lyrics of the title track and is a creature from a child’s nightmare. The monster was created by Kelly O’Dell, played by Martin Brennan and photographed by Rob Barrow. Rodney wants fans to know that he wishes the band all the best with ‘The Monster Roars’ and looks forward to working with them again in the future. In the meantime Magnum fans might like to know that Rodney’s 2022 calendar, featuring a couple of familiar images (Foundation box set cover and Magnum II), is now available to pre-order at: https://www.rodneymatthewsstudios.com/collections/calendars

10/’21

Escape – Fire In The Sky

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ESCAPE - Fire In The Sky.jpg

British hard-rock/AOR band Escape returns with their 3rd album, and a almost completely new line-up, based around founding guitarist / songwriter Vince O’Regan, who was with Legion, and has also played on albums by Bob Catley [Magnum] and Paul Hodson. As the bio [below], these songs are mostly reimagined songs from O’Regan’s past, but checking out Escape’s previous 2 albums [2012, 2013] Fire In The Sky is quite an improvement. It’s kinda filled with ’80s type of high energy rock, with heavy guitars and great vocals. Not a lot of original song titles here, reading like a classic ’80s British hard rock record. A solid 11 tunes, with only 2 not fitting that 4 and a half minutes or less formula. Best tracks include – “Blinded By A Lie” [not the UFO tune], “Coming Home”, “Destiny”, “Heroes In The Night”, and the title track – which clocks in over 9 minutes, a lengthy ballad that turns out pretty heavy. A fun sounding album, should sound good in the car.

After decades of silence, renowned Black Country/West Yorkshire AOR/Melodic Rock band ‘ESCAPE’ are reborn and returning to the fray with a new line up, their third studio album entitled ‘Fire in The Sky’ and new on-location video for track ‘Heroes in the Night’.

This comeback album is very much in the vein of breathing new life into old classics, combining a wealth of experience and new recording technology.  Some of the tracks are over 30 years old and were in desperate need of a resurgence. They have been re-recorded, reimagined and brought to the forefront of a new era and audience in Melodic Rock.

All of the tracks on the album are taken from previous Vince O’Regan (Bob Catley, Legion, Arabia) releases but that’s where it ends. The production, sound and energy are all new. With new drums, bass and vocals and any original parts being remixed and remastered  – the result is a bigger, fresher sound which, whilst still giving a nod to original, has elevated some already great tracks to a new level.

Two tracks on this album are lifted (with permission) from Bob Catley’s solo album “Spirit of Man” album released back in 2006. They are “Blinded by a Lie” and “Walk on Water”. Vince wrote these two tracks many moons ago and felt they needed a resurgence and deserved a new lease of life. Other revisited tracks come from a previous Escape album ‘Borderline’ and an O’Regan solo release ‘Temptation’.

‘Fire In The Sky’ is very much a showcase for the new line-up and a springboard for a brand new album that is already in the writing stages.

This album was recorded at each member’s respective homes during lock down, then sent for mixing and mastering at Pro2 Studios in Castleford by Paul Twohig and will be released on German Label AOR Heaven in April 2021.

Website: www.escape-band.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/escape.band.official
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapebanduk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BandEscape

05/’21