Magnum are another band who’ve recently passed the ’50 years and still going strong’ landmark – with Tony Clarkin and Bob Catley, two of the original band members still in their ranks and they’ve achieved this by simply being one of those bands whom you know will never let you down. Right throughout their career, they’ve always released albums of a consistently high standard as well as being a popular ‘live’ draw. They’ve always been there or thereabouts, never topping album charts or winning awards, but always appreciated by their fanbase and by those who enjoy good melodic rock.
Back in the day, a band like Magnum might well have been labelled as heavy metal, whereas now they’re more likely to be referred to as melodic hard rock – with their albums often going beyond the standard rock format because they aren’t averse to using other instruments to give more depth to their music, such as on ‘Seventh Darkness’ where a sax competes with the guitar during the middle eight.
Still releasing a new studio album every other year, Here Comes The Rain is a vibrant collection of tunes showing Magnum have lost none of their desire and drive. They possess the gift of being able to blend a sense of melody alongside good musicianship, and while Bob Catley’s voice is showing signs of strain, it doesn’t detract from the overall picture.
There are some fine rockers on display here. ‘Run Into The Shadows’ opens up and is a fine way to start, a typical Magnum rocker with a fast-driving beat. In a similar vein is ‘Blue Tango,’ ‘After The Silence’ and ‘I Wanna Live,’ all of which could well be included in Magnum’s stage set, which unfortunately will not be seen for a while yet as the 2024 tour, due to start in April, has been postponed due to Clarkin’s ongoing issues with a spinal injury.
But Magnum aren’t just about rockers, the new album also includes several mid-tempo and slower-paced songs where, in true Magnum fashion, strings and other instruments are used to enhance the tune; such as ‘Some Kind of Treachery,’ ‘The Day He Lied’ and the quietly powerful ‘Broken City,’ arguably the track of the album.
All songs are once again written and produced by Tony Clarkin and, while it’s unlikely he’ll ever come up with any more classics like ‘How Far Jerusalem’ or ‘Kingdom of Madness,’ his standards rarely dip and he’s always known how a good rock song should sound. This is an album rammed with recognisable vocals plus catchy hooks and melodies, and while this isn’t classic Magnum, it’s still an album worthy of their name.
RIP Tony Clarkin (1945 – 2024), guitarist and songwriter of Magnum.
A statement issued to Magnum’s social media channels reads: ‘On behalf of the family it is with profound sadness that daughter Dionne is sharing the news of the passing of Tony Clarkin.
‘Following a short illness, he died peacefully surrounded by his girls on Sunday 7th January 2024.’
Dionne said: “I know that Tony has touched so many people through his music in so many different ways. I don’t really have words to express what he meant to me right now as the grief is too fresh.
“As many of you know Tony had a great affinity with animals. It is the family’s intention to set up a charitable trust in his name to aid this cause, further details to follow. Please do not send flowers or cards, as he would have much preferred expressions of sympathy to go to charity in this way.
“It was a privilege to call him my Dad.”
