Magnum : Here Comes The Rain – CD Review

I’ve Always felt a tie to Magnum. Not sure when I heard them for the first time, but most likely would have been around 1980/1981. Followed up by buying those brilliant releases ‘Chase The Dragon’, ‘The Eleventh Hour’ and ‘On A Storytellers Night’ and seen them multiple times over those early years and a few times since.

So here we are a few decades later and are awaiting the imminent release of ‘Here Comes The Rain’ on 12th January 2024.

It’s a solid 10-track release featuring the longstanding partnership of Bob Catley on Vocals and Tony Clarkin on Guitar. Supported by Dennis Ward (Bass Guitar), Lee Morris (Drums), and Rick Benton (Keyboards).

The opening track ’Run Into The Shadows’ sets us up with a great start to the album. It’s powerful, and melodic, and pulls us through it with the characteristic Magnum pace and vibe.

’Here Comes The Rain’, the title track, slows us down only a bit at the start and brings out a great keyboard melody from Rick that compliments well some great drumming from Lee. It swings speeds back and forth, great song.

Magnum songs have always for me allowed you to to engage in imagery and build you’re own atmosphere and scene setting, There always much to read into the lyrics. Next up is the ‘Some Kind Of Treachery’ which echoes that vibe. ‘…can you hear the phantom play…you’re going nowhere….they’ll give you no sanctuary….’, brilliant lyric writing from the band, which is again something we’ve known to expect from Magnum.

‘After The Silence’ slows you down just a bit for the first minute or so then you’re back into quality power classic rock, big keyboard sounds again from Rick drive it on. Then slows down in parts with Bob taking centre stage.

There’s almost a bit of Halford-esque tonal work from Bob in ‘Blue Tango’, which for me is unusual for him, but this works well and delivers a fast-tempo rock song. This is a song that will be a belter if played live. It’s already been released as the debut single from ‘Here Comes The Rain’.

The guitar work ‘The Day He Lied’ is excellent, Tony gives it the full treatment, delivering the sound and style we expect from him. Military drumming from Lee lets the track gently drift away.

‘The Seventh Darkness’ has a distinct early Magnum feel to it, horns bring in an additional dimension to it though, mixing well with Tony’s guitar. Good song. It’s also planned to be the 2nd single released from the album on 3rd January 2024.

Distant gunfire greets you at the intro to ‘Broken City’. You can paint your picture as to what the lyrics are telling you, maybe referencing conflict today or possibly in the past, although I’d put my money on the former. Atmospheric, soulful and emotional.

‘I Wanna Live’ takes you into the last couple of tracks. It’s a similar style to the conceptual messages in ‘Broken City’ and has great solos on the album from both Tony and Rick.

Closing us out is the moody vocal intro to ‘Borderline’, but right in the middle Tony gives us some of his best guitar work on the album

I’ve never thought of Magnum as Prog rock as some have referenced them throughout their career. I think you get a bit of everything from them, big vocals, guitars, keyboards, and a solid rhythm section which combines into a solid AOR/Classic Rock band. They can write songs, prepare some of the best lyrics you’ll hear, and deliver it impeccably.

This is a great album, if you’re a long-term Magnum fan then think of this one as being in the same class as ‘The Eleventh Hour’, if you’re new to them, enjoy it and think about what you’ve missed over the years, then go and check out more of their material.

2024 tour dates are listed below
Score 8.5/10

Tracklisting:

1. 1. Run into the Shadows 5:22
      2. Here Comes the Rain 4:37
      3. Some Kind of Treachery 4:28
      4. After the Silence 4:34
      5. Blue Tango 5:26
      6. The Day He Lied 4:34
      7. The Seventh Darkness 4:41
      8. Broken City 4:39
      9. I Wanna Live 5:29
      10. Borderline 6:16

      DVD (“Live At KK’s Steel Mill”) 

      Label – Steamhammer/SPV
      Release – 12th Jan 2024

      For all things Magnum, click HERE, and to purchase the album, click HERE

      => CD Jewel Case Version

      => Limited Box Set

      => 2LP Gatefold, 140 g, solid baby blue vinyl, printed inner sleeves

      => Download / Streaming

      Pre-Order Link: https://Magnum.lnk.to/HereComesTheRain

      => Exclusive CD/LP Bundles with a shirt only at the Steamhammer shop

      Pre-Order Link: https://store.spv.de/collections/magnum 

      => 2LP Gatefold exclusive coloured edition only at the Napalm shop

      Pre-Order Link: https://napalmrecords.com/english/magnum  

      MAGNUM live 2024:
      

      04.04. DE-Mannheim – Capitol

      05.04. DE-Bochum – Christuskirche

      06.04. DE-Neuruppin – Kulturhaus

      08.04. DE-Berlin – Metropol

      09.04. DE-Hannover – Musikzentrum

      10.04. DE-Hamburg – Fabrik

      12.04. DE-Memmingen – Kaminwerk

      13.04. CH-Pratteln – Z7 

      14.04. DE-Regensburg – Airport

      16.04. DE-Munich – Ampere

      17.04. DE-Nürnberg – Hirsch

      19.04. DE-Markneukirchen – Musikhalle

      21.04. SE-Malmö – Babel

      22.04. NO-Oslo – John Dee

      23.04. SE-Uppsala – Katalin

      25.04. SE-Gothenburg – Pustervik

      26.04. SE-Stockholm – Fryshuset Klubben

      29.04. UK-Bristol – SWX

      30.04. UK-Southampton – Engine Rooms

      02.05. UK-Holmfirth – Picturedome

      03.05. UK-Wolverhampton – KK’s Steelmill

      04.05. UK-Nottingham – Rock City

      06.05. UK-London – Islington Assembly Hall

      08.05. UK-Glasgow – The TV Studio SWG3

      09.05. UK-Manchester – Academy 2