Magellan - An Innocent God


Year of Release: 2007
Label: Muse-wrapped Records
Catalog Number:
Format: CD
Total Time: 61:00:00

Trent Gardner is not the man to release a large number of albums. But it sure looks like 2007 has been a very busy year for him, as he has two releases out. On the latest album by Jack Foster III, he plays an important role, and he has also released a brand new Magellan album. It is their 7th studio album and again they have taken a different turn.

I am not all that familiar with Magellan, but I have discovered that every album is quite different from the other. On An Innocent God, the basic Magellan line up is only complemented by Robert Berry, and as it turns out, he plays a rather important part on the album.

In progressive rock, I am particularly fond of the keyboards and how they enrich the music. But while listening to An Innocent God, the lack of keyboards really struck me, at least in the beginning of the album. Ok, there are keyboards on the album, but very much in the background. This album is all about rhythm. It's about drums. And the result is quite tasty.

The album is song oriented and at times they are a bit poppy and even quite catchy and yet to the point. I like the rhythm in the songs very much; especially in the title track which incorporates a variety of different rhythms. And although I did say the keyboards are more in the back, this track has a nice keyboard solo. Definitely a highlight of the album.

On top of the great songs, I really enjoy Trent Gardner's vocals. This combined with the music make the album a pleasure to listen to. Although I feel Magellan is underappreciated, this should not be the case, as the albums I have heard are excellent progressive rock albums.

If you take out the kinda cheesy Peter Cetera like ballad "Who To Believe," you still have a great prog album, with solid compositions and three great guys to deliver these songs. To me an album is good when I play it frequently. If I don't really like an album, I play it for the review, but then it will just end up gathering dust. And trust me, An Innocent God will not gather dust in my CD cabinet!


Tracklisting:
Invisible Bright Man (6:18) / My Warrior (6:51) / Innocent God (9:20) / Found (6:54) / Who To Believe? (5:13) / Sea Of Details (6:00) / Slow Burn (4:41)

Musicians:
Trent Gardner - default vocalist and keyboard minimalist
Wayne Gardner - highly overpaid production consultant
Robert Berry - plays a long list of familiar instruments

Discography:
Hour of Restoration (1991)
Impending Ascension (1994)
Test of Wills (1997)
Hundred Year Flood (2002)
Impossible Figures (2003)
Symphony For A Misanthrope (2005)
Innocent God (2007)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: December 7th 2007
Reviewer: Marcel Haster
Score:
Hits: 2660
Language: english

  

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