MAGNUM To Release 'Sacred Blood 'Divine' Lies' Album In February

November 30, 2015

British melodic rock icons MAGNUM will release their new album, "Sacred Blood 'Divine' Lies", on February 26, 2016 via Steamhammer/SPV as a digipak version (including a DVD),2LP colored version, CD and as a digital download.

For a musician like Tony Clarkin who composes constantly, viewing and selecting the material he has written is always one of the most significant moments during the creation process of a new MAGNUM album. On the one hand, it's a luxury to have the opportunity to separate the wheat from the chaff and to be in a position to use only the strongest numbers. On the other hand, it's also a difficult process, because after all the creator of those songs has grown fond of every single one of them. "I usually start composing for our next album immediately after the release of the previous one," Clarkin explains. "When 'Escape From The Shadow Garden' arrived at the stores in March 2014, my thoughts had already turned to our next recording." Clarkin wrote 25 new songs during the subsequent months, the most promising 13 of which were selected for "Sacred Blood 'Divine' Lies". Ten of those tracks made it onto the new album, the other three onto the included bonus CD. "It would have been too much of a shame to disregard them," Clarkin reckons, "particularly since our fans want to know after every release what happened to the rest of the material. This time they're getting it in addition to the album tracks."

The ten numbers on the regular album present MAGNUM from their most rocking side again. The epicentre of this soundquake features, along with frontman Bob Catley's charismatic voice, Clarkin's awesome riff and lead guitar which provides the all-important substructure to the songs. Courtesy of his driving style, "Sacred Blood 'Divine' Lies" counts without a doubt among the group's most dynamic releases. Clarkin: "I've always been into rock numbers. But it isn't necessarily that easy to write really good rock material. It's much more simple to compose a ballad. But that dynamic pace suits MAGNUM perfectly."

Clarkin is referring mainly to the title track and opener of the new album. "I feel that Bob delivered it really well," Clarkin praises his vocalist Bob Catley. "As far as I am concerned, 'Sacred Blood 'Divine' Lies' is definitely likely to join the ranks of great MAGNUM classics." So it comes as no surprise that "Sacred Blood 'Divine' Lies" with its significant message became the album title.

Of course, there are more highlights on this thoroughly powerful recording. Clarkin was inspired to write the anthemnic "Gypsy Queen" at a concert in St. Petersburg, a city which deeply impressed him with its unique atmosphere. By no means less memorable is "Your Dreams Won't Die", which is based on a piano chord sequence and could lead you to believe that MAGNUM have put to music their own band philosophy. "To me, the title and lyrics have an almost religious depth," says Clarkin. "There's a saying that somebody is not forgotten if their name is remembered." A successful rock group like MAGNUM should be entitled to eternal renown, shouldn't it? Says Clarkin: "You want my honest opinion? I don't think that far ahead, but of course it's a nice notion that this band may always be remembered because so many people love our music."

And last but not least: "Sacred Blood 'Divine' Lies" closes with a song which surprised even Clarkin. "I liked the general sound of 'Don't Cry Baby' from the start," he remarks. "Although I initially didn't have a lyric, the melody kept going through my head, as well as the chorus with acoustic and e-guitars plus piano. We even kept the drums from the demo version because our drummer Harry James liked them so much. He said: 'I love it the way it is. We shouldn't change a thing about it.'"

"Sacred Blood 'Divine' Lies" once again features a fantastic cover by Rodney Matthews.

Track listing

Digipak version CD+DVD

01. Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies (6:41)
02. Crazy Old Mothers (5:48)
03. Gypsy Queen (4:29)
04. Princess In Rags (The Cult) (5:27)
05. Your Dreams Won't Die (5:25)
06. Afraid Of The Night (4:32)
07. A Forgotten Conversation (4:56)
08. Quiet Rhapsody (5:40)
09. Twelve Men Wise And Just (6:18)
10. Don't Cry Baby (5:05)

DVD

Bonus Videos

01. Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies (6:41)
02. Crazy Old Mothers (5:48)

Bonus Audio Tracks

01. Phantom Of Paradise Circus (5:54)
02. Don't Grow Up (4:47)
03. No God Or Saviour (5:53)

Jewel Case Version

01. Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies (6:41)
02. Crazy Old Mothers (5:48)
03. Gypsy Queen (4:29)
04. Princess In Rags (The Cult) (5:27)
05. Your Dreams Won't Die (5:25)
06. Afraid Of The Night (4:32)
07. A Forgotten Conversation (4:56)
08. Quiet Rhapsody (5:40)
09. Twelve Men Wise And Just (6:18)
10. Don't Cry Baby (5:05)

2LP Version

LP1

Side A

01. Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies (6:41)
02. Crazy Old Mothers (5:48)

Side B

01. Gypsy Queen (4:29)
02. Princess In Rags (The Cult) (5:27)
03. Your Dreams Won't Die (5:25)

LP2

Side A

01. Afraid Of The Night (4:32)
02. A Forgotten Conversation (4:56)
03. Quiet Rhapsody (5:38)

Side B

01. Twelve Men Wise And Just (6:18)
02. Don't Cry Baby (5:05)

magnumsacredtour2016

magnumsacredcd

Find more on Magnum
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).