Magenta - The Metamorphosis Collection

Year of Release: 2008
Label: Tigermoth Records
Catalog Number: DVDTMR003
Format: CD-DVD
Total Time: 00:00:00

Ah yes - that comfortable, satisfying thud hitting the floor of the hallway, when you know something heavy has just landed ... and for a second you start to wonder what it could be, and it dawns on you that the only parcel you are expecting is ... yes, it's the long awaited Magenta Metamorphosis DVD, with the highly anticipated 5.1 mix!

I jump up excitedly, spill my coffee everywhere, frighten the hell out of the cat (but he's used to that), pick up the parcel, gently caress and fondle it just to make sure it is indeed DVD shaped, and then tear at it like a rabid dog, teeth and all... and yes, there it is in all its glory.

So I wipe the drool and teeth marks off it, remove the disc gingerly and gently place it in the player, and go straight to the 5.1 mix. Fire up the sound system, neighbours are all at work, so it's a Back To The Future opening scene scenario, with dials being turned up, switched flicked, adjustments made, speakers carefully positioned, furniture rearranged, sunglasses on, harness fastened and safely strapped in, phone off the hook, put the cat out ... and press play...

Whoah .... it's a beast!

If you have not got a 5.1 surround system, then just go buy one - now. Apart from movies, this is exactly what they were made for.

The mix is stunning, the clarity is excellent. There are two ways to mix an album in 5.1, there is the lazy way by just "grafting" the music across 6 speakers randomly, with no real mixing, panning or separation. Same album, same sound, just coming out of 6 speakers.

But then there is someone who will sit at a desk and personally take a hands-on approach and mix every track, change emphasis slightly, have certain instruments and voices come from certain speakers, use panning and stereo effects. The best person to do this is the person who put it all together, who recorded it and mixed it, and not some nameless studio engineer who has no idea of how it should actually sound. Rob Reed knows how he wants this to sound; it is his own personal interpretation of the album mixed for 5.1. And it works. Beautifully.

It's great to hear the little details in the production in such clarity. I think the original CD mix was good anyway, but this just brings everything out... and also teases out little touches you never quite heard on the original CD. It's not a case where it is drastically different from the original mix - I think if you go too far with remixing and change emphasis on certain elements too much it can change the whole tone of the album, but that's not the case here.

I loved the double-tracked and back-masked/reversed and a cappella vocals that eerily bounce around the speakers in some of the tracks, and those hypnotic, clean guitar lines in "Blind Faith" that are perfectly placed to play off each other across the speakers. Only two listens so far, so I am sure there will be more to discover on successive listens.

Magenta fans have talked about a 5.1 mix for years, I know it's something Rob has always wanted to do and now we finally have it, and its well worth the wait.

And what of the other features? Pleased to report they are also of the same high standard. "The Making Of Metamorphosis" is 48 mins worth of the actual recording process from start to finish, with Rob and the guys in the studio. Also great to see Tim Robinson in action, plus Chris Fry, Martin Rosser, Rob, of course, and Tina. Fascinating and really interesting stuff, gives you a real sense of how the album and the recording process came together over the last year or so.

"In The Mix" is a full play through of the album with Rob at the console in the studio, breaking down the actual multi-tracks. Got to be honest, my first thought on hearing this was how interesting is it to watch a guy at a console for 50 mins? But when you have heard and know the album it really gives an insight into what is going on, and more to the point what is going on behind the main instruments, all the little touches and techniques that are going on in the background. Essentially it's a visual commentary, and a very informative one at that.

In addition, there are interviews with Steve Reed on the album's main themes, concepts and the writing process (8:28), and Steve and Rob on how the initial idea came to fruition and the realisation of the finished album (19:27). Plus a nice little video of studio material set to the track "Prekestolen" (3:27).

If you want me to get even more technical ... it's a single disc, Region 0, 2 channel stereo for the docs/making of material, and obviously 5.1 for the ... 5.1 mix. DVD cover art is a reworked version of the album cover, with detailed breakdowns of the contents on the back, including running times.

There's even a 4 page insert, and DVD aficionados will know how rare those are these days. Cover art on the front, again detailed breakdown of the contents and running time on the inside with pics of Rob and Tina, and a nice little foreword by Stephen Lambe. Back of the insert has the main artwork again, and details of the main track listings and also the bands previous catalogue.

A very worthwhile companion piece to the album indeed, and very much recommended.

Tracklisting:
Ballad Of Samuel Layne (20:17) / Prekestolen (3:43) / Metamorphosis (23:15) / Blind Faith (6:01)

Musicians:
Rob Reed - acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars, keyboards, recorders, mandolin and backing vocals
Christina Booth - lead vocals
Chris Fry - lead guitar

Additional musicians:

Tim Robinson - drums
Martin Rosser - detuned guitar
Troy Donockley - Uilleann pipes
Steff Rhys-Williams - backing vocals
Matthew Everett - violin
Helina Rees - violin
Claudine Cassidy - cello
Abigail Blackman - cello
Louise Evans - viola

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: April 9th 2008
Reviewer: John Morley
Score:
Artist website: magenta.bandcamp.com
Hits: 3336
Language: english