Magnum – Here Comes The Rain (Steamhammr/SPV) [Paul Hutchings]
It’s almost inevitable that a new Magnum will make you smile. After all, the band, whose writing is solely the responsibility of Tony Clarkin, haven’t made a bad album for years. In recent times the band’s releases have been so good that they have enjoyed something of a renaissance, not bad for an outfit that have spanned over five decades in the music business.
Here Comes The Rain is somewhat marred by the recent news about Clarkin’s health, which throws into question not only the future of the band as a live unit but also as a band overall. Given his age, and the condition he’s been diagnosed with, it wouldn’t be a surprise if time was called on this great UK rock institution. If that is the case, and I wear a pessimistic hat here, then Here Comes The Rain will be a fine swansong.
Clarkin is the master of the sweeping musical piece, and on Here Comes The Rain, the band’s 23rd album no less, he once more conjures up songs rich in melodic mastery, yet with a hard rock edge that we sometimes forget the band have. The band are one tight unit, with Clarkin and long-term partner Bob Catley once again in fine form. With drummer Lee Morris, keyboard player Rick Benton and bassist Dennis Ward once more locked in, Magnum are once again demonstrating their pomp and majesty.
Opening song Run Into The Shadows is about as typically Magnum as you can get, with a driving riff underpinned by Benton’s delicious keys, and above it all, Catley once more proving that class in permanent. His vocals are smoother than a cup of Kenyan coffee, but with that slightly gravelled edge that has always made him standout.
Ten tracks of speed stoner fury with bows to Lemmy and some great riffs, Megamouth brings the energy and kicks you right in the face right from the opening riff of the instrumental title track that starts us off. I love the breakdown on this one and how I can envision the band just pounding the shit out of their instruments.
Megamouth is a nice, condensed 35 minutes worth of dirty rock that will satisfy that itch that Motorhead would usually scratch. The Clamps bring it on their HSP debut and Megamouth is worth your time. The Clamps are an excellent new band that will be in constant rotation for me going forward. 8/10
Here Comes The Rain is somewhat marred by the recent news about Clarkin’s health, which throws into question not only the future of the band as a live unit but also as a band overall. Given his age, and the condition he’s been diagnosed with, it wouldn’t be a surprise if time was called on this great UK rock institution. If that is the case, and I wear a pessimistic hat here, then Here Comes The Rain will be a fine swansong.
Clarkin is the master of the sweeping musical piece, and on Here Comes The Rain, the band’s 23rd album no less, he once more conjures up songs rich in melodic mastery, yet with a hard rock edge that we sometimes forget the band have. The band are one tight unit, with Clarkin and long-term partner Bob Catley once again in fine form. With drummer Lee Morris, keyboard player Rick Benton and bassist Dennis Ward once more locked in, Magnum are once again demonstrating their pomp and majesty.
Opening song Run Into The Shadows is about as typically Magnum as you can get, with a driving riff underpinned by Benton’s delicious keys, and above it all, Catley once more proving that class in permanent. His vocals are smoother than a cup of Kenyan coffee, but with that slightly gravelled edge that has always made him standout.
It is the first of several outstanding songs that work in every way here, and it’s quickly followed by another, the fine title track that blends lush keys with the rhythm section. A calmer, less frenetic opener, it nevertheless has all the hallmarks of a Magnum anthem, something Clarkin has been producing for so many years. Some understated lead work allows him to remind us that he is one fantastic guitarist as well as songwriter.
Elsewhere, there are a few surprises. There’s the riff-driven rock ‘n’ roll vibe of Blue Tango, already released as one of the advance singles, and the addition of Chris ‘Beebe’ and Nick Dewhurst on saxophone and trumpet respectively on the big band sound of The Seventh Darkness. Completely different in delivery, but quintessentially Magnum. The album maintains its high standard til the end, when the mystical feel of Borderline brings Here Comes The Rain to a close. Add in another excellent and classic Rodney Matthews artwork for the album cover, and it’s the complete package.
Elsewhere, there are a few surprises. There’s the riff-driven rock ‘n’ roll vibe of Blue Tango, already released as one of the advance singles, and the addition of Chris ‘Beebe’ and Nick Dewhurst on saxophone and trumpet respectively on the big band sound of The Seventh Darkness. Completely different in delivery, but quintessentially Magnum. The album maintains its high standard til the end, when the mystical feel of Borderline brings Here Comes The Rain to a close. Add in another excellent and classic Rodney Matthews artwork for the album cover, and it’s the complete package.
If you are a fan of Magnum, this will undoubtedly delight you. If you like melodic hard rock and don’t know this band, you have a lot of catching up to do. It’ll be a different world without Magnum in it. Clarkin is 77 years old though, and time is inevitably catching up with him. We can but wish him and the band well. If this is their last piece of work, then they are going out on a high. If it isn’t, well then bring on album 24. 9/10
*In a very sad turn of events this will be the final Magnum album as Tony Clarkin passed away on 09.0.23, our thoughts are with his family, his band and the Magnum fans around the world.
Ryujin - Ryujin (Napalm Records) [Matt Bladen]
A “samurai metal” another genre tag that is actually just melodeath. Formed in 2011 as Gyze, Ryujin are at least from Japan, using traditional instruments such as Shamisen, Dragon Flute, Erhu, Taiko to enhance their sound an make sure that tag is accurate but for many it’ll be the complete shredfest of guitars delivered by Ryoji Shinomoto that will get you excited, his playing and singing is very reminiscent of Alexi Lahio of Children Of Bodom, meaning that if you strip away the Asian trappings you’re left with band who playing intense, highly melodic death metal, without the keys of CoB.
Brevity is the order of the day! Lifesick bring you three tracks of molten goodness to give January a bit of snap, which we can all do with as we get to half-way in the worst month of the year. Now looking on BC the running order differs from my review copy, possibly due to driver error (me) but it definitely starts with Every Unpleasant Emotion, which begins in an almost a quasi-Western style that took me by surprise. Looking online, it captures their drive to continually try new sounds and approaches and vocalist Simon Shoshan manages to capture those weary, just about present vocals as this foreboding tale is related to a captive audience.
And then we are done, three tracks in 11 minutes in which no can accuse them of overstaying their welcome. This is their follow up to 2022’s Misanthropy LP but is not a continuation of that style according to them. If this is a taster of what we can expect next from them, I cannot see how anyone will be disappointed with what’s next. 7/10
Lyrics move between Japanese and English, both working well to tell the stories behind these songs Ryoji in harmonic union with drummer Shuji Shinomoto and bassist Aruta Watanabe. His virtuoso playing only as good as this stellar rhythm section, the shred style of music incredibly popular in Japan so it’s no wonder that the straddling of power/speed/death is all here and the solos/lead breaks are king. When they need a little extra oomph they utilise the vocals and conduction of producer Matthew Kiichi Heafy (Trivium), he brings a little extra clean vocals to the power metal workouts Raijin & Fujin and The Rainbow Song along with the Linked Horizon cover Guren No Yumiya and the English langue version of ballad Saigo No Hoshi.
The only other guest is Mukai Wataru who is a cellist from the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra, adding to the bouncy Kunnecup. As bands such as Children Of Bodom, Amon Amarth and Wintersun have a big following in Japan, Ryujin are bringing their sound over to a Western Audience with music that is inspired by the former, adding their traditional twist with the instrumentation. 8/10
Lifesick - Love And Other Lies (Metal Blade) [Mark Young]
Lifesick - Love And Other Lies (Metal Blade) [Mark Young]
Brevity is the order of the day! Lifesick bring you three tracks of molten goodness to give January a bit of snap, which we can all do with as we get to half-way in the worst month of the year. Now looking on BC the running order differs from my review copy, possibly due to driver error (me) but it definitely starts with Every Unpleasant Emotion, which begins in an almost a quasi-Western style that took me by surprise. Looking online, it captures their drive to continually try new sounds and approaches and vocalist Simon Shoshan manages to capture those weary, just about present vocals as this foreboding tale is related to a captive audience.
It kicks off properly with Reverse Birth, a tight and compact beast with a monstrous sound. It features Todd Jones from Nails and there is an undercurrent of fury running through it in every touch and sound. They might be influenced by Swedish death metal but here its more than that, and more than hardcore. The difference in the two tracks could not be clearer yet both carry that feeling of unease about them. Reverse Birth is just a crushing experience, as is Rude Awakening (ft Mark Whelan of Fuming Mouth). The pace is picked up and they deliver a straight-ahead arrangement which on paper does not do justice to how heavy this is. All of it is delivered in an uncompromising style, feedback squalls and venom spewed are the order of the day.
And then we are done, three tracks in 11 minutes in which no can accuse them of overstaying their welcome. This is their follow up to 2022’s Misanthropy LP but is not a continuation of that style according to them. If this is a taster of what we can expect next from them, I cannot see how anyone will be disappointed with what’s next. 7/10
The Clamps - Megamouth (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich Piva]
Here’s a band I had never heard of before but piqued my interest as a new Heavy Psych Sounds signee. The Clamps are from Italy (not surprising given the label they are on) and were first described to me as “speed stoner” which is a pretty good take on what these guys are bringing. Think of a Fu Manchu and Motorhead mashup and that gets you pretty close stylistically to what The clamps sound like on their latest, Megamouth.
Here’s a band I had never heard of before but piqued my interest as a new Heavy Psych Sounds signee. The Clamps are from Italy (not surprising given the label they are on) and were first described to me as “speed stoner” which is a pretty good take on what these guys are bringing. Think of a Fu Manchu and Motorhead mashup and that gets you pretty close stylistically to what The clamps sound like on their latest, Megamouth.
Ten tracks of speed stoner fury with bows to Lemmy and some great riffs, Megamouth brings the energy and kicks you right in the face right from the opening riff of the instrumental title track that starts us off. I love the breakdown on this one and how I can envision the band just pounding the shit out of their instruments.
Forty-Nine is the definition of a ripper with its breakneck pace and Lemmy from Italy vocals, but let’s not ignore the riffs here. Freedom To Run (Down) doesn’t take the foot off the gas and has my favourite riff on Megamouth and reminds me of a metal Social Distortion. Filthy stuff. Bill Jenkins’, about the apparently famous drag racer, is what you would think a song by a band like The Clamps would sound like about a drag racer.
This song would be the perfect example of what my initial descript of a Fu Manchu/Motorhead mashup would sound like. Blood rips it up as well, with another sweet riff and a pace at 100 miles an hour. CuboMedusa has a heavy garage rock feel but is a way crunchier instrumental while Roll Back The Years continues the vibe you get across Megamouth and includes a killer solo. A nice bluesy riff kicks off Raze The Land and that and the next one, Bombs, are the most straight-ahead stoner rock tracks out of all of them on Megamouth. Slippin’ Away is more filth and the perfect closer for this Italian rocket ride.
Megamouth is a nice, condensed 35 minutes worth of dirty rock that will satisfy that itch that Motorhead would usually scratch. The Clamps bring it on their HSP debut and Megamouth is worth your time. The Clamps are an excellent new band that will be in constant rotation for me going forward. 8/10