Magnum

I am really excited about getting into this band. I have started checking out their albums and so far I like what I heard on Chase the Dragon.

Hard to describe their style - probably prog-rock is the best label I can give them.

They remind me of a whole bunch of bands but to me it's like a heavier, prog sounding version of Thin Lizzy for some reason. It's like Thin Lizzy meets Rainbow meets Kansas meets Boston. I dunno that's just how I feel about their style.

Magnum are really awesome. Even when they went down the more glam/pop/melodic metal/rock route. In fact, Wings of Heaven is a brilliant album. They have a new album coming out in the new year too

One of my favorite bands. I've got a couple of their recent discs in my player right now. Bob Catley's "Middle Earth" project is just outstanding- as good as any prime Magnum. But their last album "Into The Valley of The Moon King" is compromised by the fact that Catley's voice sounds really shot- I hate to say it because I'm a fan- but he sounds awful. The songs had potential too. Hopefully Bob will recover from whatever is ailing him.
I'd say that their first five or six discs are the classics. Storyteller's Night is my fave.

Hmmm...I don't hear anything wrong with Bob's voice on the latest album.

Great band. Love them.

I used to love Magnum. Really into them - reminded me of the lighter side of NWOBHM like Dark Heart, Incubus or Praying Mantis. Really grandiose at times but that's all right. My favourite album with Catley is still "When Empires Burn".

Eyesore wrote:

Hmmm...I don't hear anything wrong with Bob's voice on the latest album.

Are we talking about the same album? I can hardly listen to it even though I like some of the songs. He sounds hoarse as hell to me and weak.

Yeah, I definitely don't hear it. He sounds the same to me.

Eyesore wrote:

Yeah, I definitely don't hear it. He sounds the same to me.

I was doubting my sanity until I looked on Melodic Rock.com and saw the same disagreement there (although they were blaming the voice mix rather than Bob himself for it). So I'm not the only person hearing this.

Weird. Maybe I don't pay attention like that. I don't hear anything wrong with his voice on this one. I've heard far worse. And the songs are great!

It's definitely a controversial album for Magnum fans from what I've seen. It's a strange phenomenon, I wonder why people hear it so differently? I could only guess a couple of reasons.
1. Maybe fans of different eras of the band have different expectations. For example I liked the early stuff more than Wings of Heaven and later.
2. Or more likely, different people are paying more attention to different songs on the album. I'll listen again, maybe some of the songs have adequate vocals but the song itself didn't catch me so I didn't notice.

new album out in a month- it will be very interesting to see how that one sounds.