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Progland was founded by John Gabbard in 2005. It's purpose has been to provide you, the music community with the latest music and dvd reviews. It will continue to be your link to the most popular music reviews in the progressive world.

 

Magellan-Hundred Year Flood

Label - Magna Carta
Reviewed by: Eduardo García Salueña
Genre: Prog Rock
Country: USA
Language: English
Length: 51:16
Release Date: September 10, 2002
Label:
Magna Carta
Band Members: Trent Gardner / lead vocals, keyboards, trombone Wayne Gardner, guitars, bass, backing vocals;
  Joe Franco / drums and orchestral percussion Ian Anderson / flute
  Tony Levin / bass Robert Berry / guitars and bass
  George Bellas / guitar
     
Track Listing: 1.) -The Great Goodnight (34:27) 2.)- Family Jewels (instrumental) (5:53)
  3.)- Brother’s Keeper (10:52)
     
The Review

This is Magellan's fourth work (and also the last one with Magna Carta Label), a band with classic prog and hard rock influences, also with a contemporary metal spirit. Magellan is related with many bands that have continued, during the 90s, the way of the 80's Neo-Prog in adapting classical prog rock structures, sounds and references into their actual contexts, with personal touches of AOR and Heavy metal, specially in north american groups. Magellan showed these influences with great skills in their previous albums: "Hour of restoration" (1991), "Impending ascension" (1993) and the darker and more riff-oriented "Test of Willis" (1997). Echoes of Yes in the vocal harmonies, Rush in the potent riffing, Genesis during the keyboards textures, ELP...***

During 2002, Magellan released this CD after the two monumental Explorer's Club albums (power progressive with some intrincate meter changes and a metal taste), and the Gardner bros were assisted by Joe Franco (drummer of the 70's-80's hard rock scene with Good rats or Twisted Sister), Robert Berry (who worked and released an album with Emerson and Palmer), Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull's frontman), Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, Liquid Tension Experiment...) and the virtuoso guitarist George Bellas. The music of "Hundred year flood" is very interesting and diverse, recommended for people who like both the classic prog-rock (1st half of the album) and the more experimental and contemporary roots (2nd half). ***

THE GREAT GOODNIGHT is a long suite (about 34 minutes and divided in 13 parts) dedicated to the memory of the eldest brother of the Gardners, who was killed in Vietnam (at the end of the album there's a special dedication to him by Trent himself). The lyrics reflect all the pain and their most emotional side with very great music. In the beginning there are very special vocal arrangements, in Queen or Gentle Giant ways and a gospel feeling with percussive bass vocals and references to martial rhythms. During all the suite there are multiple parts, contrast changes, and a complex combination of heavy riffs, instrumental sections, intimate and aggressive vocal parts, nice melodies and good solo passages. In conclussion, this is a very enjoyable track for all prog-rock fans who like bands like Camel, ELP or Kansas, and the more power prog numbers of Dream Theater's Images & Words. Again, we have the chance of listening to Trent's trombone, played with a funk-jazzy feeling. ***

FAMILY JEWELS is an instrumental track which starts with a beautiful flute part, played by Ian Anderson with his habitual registers and spectacular techniques. After it, the music turns into an epic atmosphere full of synthesizer arrangements and orchestral percussion, in an Emerson way. It would be a great soundtrack. The ending is darker, with some surprising special effects. ***

BROTHER'S KEEPER represents the darkest and most experimental face of the band in this album. It's more riff-oriented, kind of Pain Of Salvation style, with mixes of some hip-hop vocals, funk drumming and a very sweet folk section with acoustic guitars and fiddle keyboards. And there's Tony Levin on it! ***

To sum up, this is a very interesting and complete album from a band that has been developing and maturing his musical style, extending their classical 70's classic, prog and hard rock preferences to alternative rock, metal progressive and some funk, ethnic and jazz elements, creating a very personal sound combination. After this album, Magellan have released "Impossible figures" (2003) and "Symphony for a misantrope" (2005), where they continue exploring those musical ways showed in "Hundred year flood".

 

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John Wetton-Rock Of Faith
Rush-Vapor Trails
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