MAGNUM's MARK STANWAY Speaks To myRockworld (Audio)

Alex Werkmeister of myRockworld recently conducted an interview with keyboardist Mark Stanway of influential British melodic hard rockers MAGNUM. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.

MAGNUM's 19th studio album, "Escape From The Shadow Garden", was released on March 25 (one day earlier internationally) via Steamhammer/SPV. The effort was made available as a limited digipak edition with bonus material, as a double colored vinyl LP, standard jewel case CD and download. The cover artwork was once again created by famous fantasy artist Rodney Matthews (ASIA, NAZARETH, ELOY).

"We used to be under permanent pressure from our record companies," says MAGNUM mastermind Tony Clarkin. "They kept calling us, demanding hit singles and radio numbers. But that sort of thing doesn't work on demand. Now we're with SPV, where it's a totally different situation. They give us the necessary time and trust us to do the right thing. That's probably the reason why I enjoy working with MAGNUM again."

Clarkin's regained joy in his band is omnipresent on "Escape From The Shadow Garden". Just like his simple-yet-logical work ethos. "I simply told myself: you're a passable guitarist, so you should play the guitar," he says. "As the band's guitarist and producer, I have all the freedom I need to create exactly what I feel like creating." The result of his latest burst of creativity consists of eleven wonderfully melodic rock songs which blend all the typical MAGNUM ingredients, sounding in a fascinating way both timeless and classic.

"This band has certain unmistakable trademarks," Clarkin explains. "Among them are my feel for melodies and Bob's unique vocal style."

Only a month after the release of its predecessor, "On The 13th Day", Clarkin started with the preparations for "Escape From The Shadow Garden" — as always, an exciting phase in his life.

"Before you haven't recorded and mixed every single note, you never really know whether you'll be happy with the result," he says.

"When I heard the final version of the eleven new songs with their different stories and diverse arrangements, I knew it had turned into an impressive and complete album.

"Together with the great cover artwork designed by Rodney Matthews, this is a release which forges an arch to the early days of MAGNUM's career. And that's wonderful!

"I was really happy when my friend Jimmy Lea of SLADE came to visit me at the studio again and said: 'You've done it again?'

"It doesn't matter whether by sheer luck or hard work — life could have gone a totally differently way."

"Escape From The Shadow Garden" track listing:

Digipak Version

CD

01. Live 'Til You Die
02. Unwritten Sacrifice
03. Falling For The Big Plan
04. Crying In The Rain
05. Too Many Clowns
06. Midnight Angel
07. The Art Of Compromise
08. Don't Fall Asleep
09. Wisdom's Had Its Day
10. Burning River
11. The Valley Of Tears

DVD

* Bonus Features
* Recorded Over Six Nights In Europe Live Footage
(Black Skies - Freedom Day - All My Bridges - On A Storyteller's Night)
* Extras (On Tour Footage)
(Too Many Clowns - Dance Of The Black Tattoo)

Jewel case Version

01. Live 'Til You Die
02. Unwritten Sacrifice
03. Falling For The Big Plan
04. Crying In The Rain
05. Too Many Clowns
06. Midnight Angel
07. The Art Of Compromise
08. Don't Fall Asleep
09. Wisdom's Had Its Day
10. Burning River
11. The Valley Of Tears

LP Version

LP 1 Side One

01. Live 'Til You Die
02. Unwritten Sacrifice
03. Falling For The Big Plan

LP 1 Side Two

01. Crying In The Rain
02. Too Many Clowns
03. Midnight Angel

LP 2 Side One

01. The Art Of Compromise
02. Don't Fall Asleep
03. Wisdom's Had Its Day

LP 2 Side Two

01. Burning River
02. The Valley Of Tears
03. Dance Of The Black Tattoo (live; bonus track)

Check out audio samples using the SoundCloud widget below.