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Magellan - Impending Ascension

Magellan - Impending Ascension
Released: 1993
Label: Magna Carta
Cat. No.: RR 9057 2
Total Time: 49:27

Reviewed by: Davide Guidone, January 2003
In the early 90s many groups started playing progressive rock again, following the example of Marillion and IQ in the 80s. Magellan make up part of this “movement."

Impending Ascension is their second work and has a lot of influences of the great past bands. You can also discover this influence by checking out every tribute Magna Carta has published: the Gardner brothers appear on almost all the releases.

On this album, the team is formed by three players: Trent and Wayne Gardner plus Hal Stringfellow Imbrie on the bass. At first I had a question in reading the credits: where is the drum? I was very sorry after noting in the booklet the drum was played on only one track: indeed, for the rest of the album it was programming. And it can be felt during the entire disc. I really don’t like it too much.

However the Gardner bros are great players and their skills are very clear! I like the Trent’s voice, too, and I think that with a great drumer this could be a magnificent work. In my opinion it’s not too important that there are many echoes of masters like Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer or Yes: It’s obvious following who created the genre. The important thing is in the writing and in playing interesting music. And it is so.

I think many people will agree that it seems that, for example, Tony Banks plays keyboards on the ambient final part of "Estadium Nacional," while Keith Emerson could perform the intro of the same piece and some choruses could be sung by Jon Anderson

Although the work is very well performed from the point of view of the technique, there are a lot of melodic moments, which are my favorite ones.

The album concludes itself with a short metal piece. Maybe a divertissement. Very strange!

More about Impending Ascension:

Track Listing: Estadium Nacional (11:12) / Waterfront Weirdos (11:05) / Songsmith (5:32) / Virtual Reality (5:25) / No Time For Words (2:08) / Storms And Munity (11:50) / Under The Wire (1:41)

Musicians:
Trent Gardner – lead vocals, keyboards, backing vocals
Wayne Gardner – electric and acoustic guitars, vocals
Hal Stringfellow Imbrie – bass, vocals
Doane Perry - drums

Contact:

Website: www.magellanweb.com
Note: will open new browser window

Discography

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

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© Copyright 2003 ProgressiveWorld.net/Davide Guidone

	Magellan - Impending Ascension
	Released: 1993 Label: Magna Carta Cat. No.: RR 9057 2 Total Time: 49:27
	Reviewed by: Davide Guidone, January 2003 In the early 90s many groups started playing progressive rock again, following the example of Marillion and IQ in the 80s. Magellan make up part of this “movement." Impending Ascension is their second work and has a lot of influences of the great past bands. You can also discover this influence by checking out every tribute Magna Carta has published: the Gardner brothers appear on almost all the releases. On this album, the team is formed by three players: Trent and Wayne Gardner plus Hal Stringfellow Imbrie on the bass. At first I had a question in reading the credits: where is the drum? I was very sorry after noting in the booklet the drum was played on only one track: indeed, for the rest of the album it was programming. And it can be felt during the entire disc. I really don’t like it too much. However the Gardner bros are great players and their skills are very clear! I like the Trent’s voice, too, and I think that with a great drumer this could be a magnificent work. In my opinion it’s not too important that there are many echoes of masters like Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer or Yes: It’s obvious following who created the genre. The important thing is in the writing and in playing interesting music. And it is so. I think many people will agree that it seems that, for example, Tony Banks plays keyboards on the ambient final part of "Estadium Nacional," while Keith Emerson could perform the intro of the same piece and some choruses could be sung by Jon Anderson Although the work is very well performed from the point of view of the technique, there are a lot of melodic moments, which are my favorite ones. The album concludes itself with a short metal piece. Maybe a divertissement. Very strange! More about Impending Ascension: Track Listing: Estadium Nacional (11:12) / Waterfront Weirdos (11:05) / Songsmith (5:32) / Virtual Reality (5:25) / No Time For Words (2:08) / Storms And Munity (11:50) / Under The Wire (1:41) Musicians: Trent Gardner – lead vocals, keyboards, backing vocals Wayne Gardner – electric and acoustic guitars, vocals Hal Stringfellow Imbrie – bass, vocals Doane Perry - drums Contact: Website: www.magellanweb.com Note: will open new browser window Discography Hour of Restoration (1991) Impending Ascension (1994) Test of Wills (1997) Hundred Year Flood (2002) Impossible Figures (2003) Symphony For A Misanthrope (2005)
	[Review Index] [Home] [Top] © Copyright 2003 ProgressiveWorld.net/Davide Guidone