Magenta - Revolutions


Year of Release: 2001
Label: F2 Music
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 94:51:00

"Imitation is the highest form of flattery. This album is the product of a life of influence by my favourite bands. It is an attempt to recreate the magical flavours which they refuse to serve to us today. Any similarities or coincidences with any bands past or present is entirely intentional!" ... these are the forewords that Rob Reed (ex-Cyan) decided to write in the middle of the Revolutions booklet, and are so na?ve, and in a certain way so bold, that I immediately felt sympathetic toward his new band, Magenta. But sympathy could carry on only so far; instead I soon fell completely in love with Magenta, because they easily support their innocent words with some of the best progressive music I've recently heard. Yes, it's true that here and there we find the odd allusion to Yes, or Genesis, or Marillion, but the interpretations given by Rob Reed and his ensemble are so perfectly (re)created that we can simply forget about originality for just one time. Thousands of fascinating keyboards layers, perfectly balanced counter melodies generated by mellow guitars ... to me it seems that Rob extracted the best parts of the seventies bands and melted them together, leaving out of the picture only the much criticized technical prowess of some classic prog rock passages. In fact here you will find only pure emotions, crowned by the immense voice of Christina, the ideal muse to complement such great musical feelings. For example listen her hypnotic chant when "The White Witch" starts; after only a few moments you will find yourself enthralled in a swirling melody that will leave you all mesmerized and satisfied. However don't think that this feeling is just transitory, Revolutions is a double album comprised of 4 long, sweet suites (plus three other tracks), and it's almost impossible to tell which one is the best. You only have to know that if you are in need of a combo who performs the old magic with a newborn heart you should look no further, Magenta are your choice! Will it be the colour of the new prog generation, too?


Tracklisting:
Disc One: Children Of The Sun (19:00): i. Spirit Of The Land - ii. The Journey - iii. The Battle - iv. Thanksgiving / Opus 1 (0:51) / The White Witch (20:23): i. Overture - ii. The White Witch - iii. The Plague - iv. Reflection - v. The Spell

Disc Two: Man The Machine (24:56): i. Man And Machine - ii. War - iii. Rememberance - iv. The Watchers - v. Lightspeed - vi. First Contact / Opus 2 (1:16) / Genetesis (21:48): i. The New Age - ii. Renewed Purpose - iii. A New Life - iv. The Search For Faith - v. The Creed / The Warning (7:17)

Musicians:
Christina - lead vocals
Rob Reed - keyboards, vocals, bass, electric and acoustic guitar, tambourine
Tim Robinson - drums
Chris Fry - lead guitar (1:3.pts 3, 4, 5; 2:5)
Martin Shellard - lead guitar (2:3)
Andy Edwards - lead guitar (1:3.pt 2)
Tim Short - percussion

Discography:
Revolutions (2001)
Seven (2004)
Broken (EP) (2004)
Another Time... Another Place (2004)
I'm Alive (EP) (2004)
Home (2006)
Night And Day (w/Annie Haslam) (2006)
New York Suite (2006)
The Singles (2007)
Metamorphosis (2008)
Live At The Point 2007 (2008)
Seven (ltd CD/DVD, remixed/remastered) (2009)
Live At Read World (CD/DVD) (2010)
The Gathering (2010)
Chameleon (2011)
Live: On OUr Way To Knows Where (2012)
The Lizard King E.P. (EP) (2013)
The Twenty Seven Club (CD/DVD) (2013)
Trojan E.P. (2017)
We Are Legend (2017)
We Are Legend - The Instrumentals (digital only) (2017)
We Are Seven: Live 2018 (digital only) (2018)
Home - 2019 Limited Edition (digital only) (2019)
Magenta & Friends: Acapela 2017 (digital only) (2019)
Magenta & Friends: Acapela 2016 (digital only) (2019)
The Lost Reel (2020)
Masters Of Illusion (CD/DVD, digital) (2020)
Live At Rockfield Studios (digital only) (2020)
Masters of Illusion - The Instrumentals (digital only) (2020)
Angels And Damned - 20th Anniversary Show (CD/DVD) (2021)
Songs From The Big Room E.P. (digital only) (2021)
The White Witch - A Symphonic Trilogy (2022)

The Gathering (DVD) (2005)
The Metamorphosis Collection (DVD) (2008)
Live At The Point 2007 (DVD) (2009)
Chaos From The Stage (DVD) (2016)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: February 23rd 2002
Reviewer: Igor Italiani

Artist website: magenta.bandcamp.com
Hits: 2912
Language: english

  

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