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Review:
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This UK progrock band was founded in 1993 as a five-piece
formation but on their debut album entitled Entropy (2001)
they were already reduced to a quartet. And on the next
albums Legends and Legends Remain (both in 2004) Magrathea
was even turned to a duo only featuring founding members
Gary Gordon (guitar and bass) and Glenn Alexander (vocals,
keyboards and drums). This is also the line-up on their
new record entitled In Search Of The Crystal, check out
the funny story about the title by Glenn Alexander on their
offical website.***
Listening to the new album In Search Of The Crystal,
I notice that Magrathea still makes melodic and accessible
music that scouts the borders between symphonic rock (in
the vein of 76-77 Genesis) and neo-prog (early Marillion/IQ/Pendragon)
but to me the nine compositions (running time at about one
hour) sound more elaborate and less derivative. I am very
pleased with the tasteful keyboard colouring, the wonderful
flowing electric guitar work and the dynamic interplay between
the two musicians. My highlights are It’s About That Time!
(compelling eruptions with bombastic keyboards and Moog
Taurus bass pedal sound), Passion Play (fat synthesizer
flights and exciting and powerful interplay between organ
and runs), Magician (strong accellaration with synthesizer
solo and wonderful guitarwork with use of volume pedal),
Heaven Is Never Enough (Prog Heaven with bombastic keyboards
like a choir-Mellotron sound, fiery electric guitar, bass
pedals and slow synthesizer solo) and the excellent ‘magnum
opus’ Interactive Dreamers (13 minutes) that showcases Magrathea
at their best: powerful electric guitarplay, spectacular
synthesizer flights, compelling bombastic outbursts (with
choir-Mellotron sound) and lots of strong shifting moods
and interesting breaks, how exciting! -
A big hand for Magrathea, what a progression these
two guys have made on their new album!
www.progwalhalla.com
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