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Magnificent, The: The Magnificent

AOR/Melodic Hard Rock

4.5/5.0

Frontiers Records
Website
by Craig Hartranft,  10.24.2011

The Magnificent is the combined effort of vocalist Michael Eriksen (Circus Maximus) and guitarist/producer Torsti Spoof (Leverage). What we have here is massive platter of arena-size AOR in a melodic hard rock wrapper. Every song has an immense layered arrangement with emphasis, of course, on Eriksen's vocals and Spoof's fret work.

Arena rockers abound on this disc with Memories, Cheated by Love, Holding on to Your Love, and Satin & Lace as blistering examples. Some songs like the aforementioned Satin & Lace Bullets offer a notable synthesizer layer while deepening the groove. For more straight melodic rock Smoke & Fire and Tired of Dreaming offer a steady groove and pace, with the former delivering a traditional rock guitar solo.

Ballads are obligatory of course, and The Magnificent delivers the goods. Angel is a bombastic and breathless song which soars thanks to the vocal arrangement and a pace that rises to a bristling crescendo. Later If It Takes All Night may fit the more lighter traditional ballad vein, but it still rises to finish with a soaring guitar solo. Even lighter is the closing Harvest Moon with its fine mixture of acoustic guitar and synths to support the vocals.

Overall, The Magnificent's debut album is simply an album with a huge arena melodic rock sound. Excepting may be the lighter closing number, everything about this work is immense. AOR melodic hard rock fans should drool over this one. Recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

The Magnificent's debut album is simply a album with a huge arena melodic rock sound. Excepting may be the lighter closing number, everything about this work is immense. AOR melodic hard rock fans should drool over this one. Recommended.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]