Magnum releases The Valley Of Tears - The Ballads
The band’s quieter numbers have always had a very special significance for the countless Magnum supporters worldwide. Every time the British rock group surrounding founder members Tony Clarkin and Bob Catley have written less uptempo and more laid-back material, highlighting their more emotive side, their moving lyrics have featured an unusual depth. “You have to offer your fans something to dream along to, something that they can submerge themselves in if you want them to continue following you,” guitarist, composer and producer Clarkin explained his band’s recipe for success a few months ago at the launch of their current studio album Sacred Blood – Divine Lies. There can be no doubt: without classic ballads such as Lonely Night and When The World Comes Down or more recent highlights along the lines of The Valley Of Tears and Broken Wheel, Magnum’s repertoire would doubtlessly seem incomplete. So it was only logical for them to compile the most beautiful ballads from their long career on their new album THE VALLEY OF TEARS – THE BALLADS, sending their listeners on a very emotional journey. The album consists of ten tracks – most of them remastered, partly remixed or even rerecorded – and is scheduled for release in January 2017.
Having said that, the initial inspiration for the album did not actually come from the band members themselves. Tony Clarkin:“The release of this album was originally inspired by my daughter. A few months ago she asked me: Magnum have so many beautiful quiet numbers, why don’t you put together a compilation highlighting some of the most powerful tracks? Steamhammer/SPV were immediately taken by the concept, so I set down to work on it.”
THE VALLEY OF TEARS – THE BALLADS contains material from the band’s different creative phases. Along with remastered versions of more recent ballads from albums such as Into The Valley Of The Moonkings, The Visitation and the current studio recording Sacred Blood Divine Lies, there will also be an acoustic version of their classic Lonely Night and a haunting live version of their hit When The World Comes Down from their 1986 cult recording Vigilante.
Magnum shortlisted 16 possible tracks for their new album, from which they went on to choose the perfect combination. Clarkin: “I kept playing the songs in my head, going through possible sequences. In addition, I asked some friends to make suggestions for the track listing because I wantedTHE VALLEY OF TEARS to feature an inherent arch of suspense, just like our regular studio albums. A record featuring exclusively quiet numbers has to be complied just as carefully as a regular studio album. Everything has to fit and sound like it’s all of a piece.”
Speaking of which: these haunting tracks are complemented perfectly by the atmospheric cover artwork based on Clarkin’s own concept. “I knew that my vision wouldn’t look clichéd at the end of the day but in fact pretty sublime. That’s why I got in touch with a photographer friend in Wolverhampton, who took photos of that beautiful young woman. Then the image was bathedin those wonderful colours. All in all, there were three artists involved in the creation of the cover, and they have come up with a really awesome result.”
The release of THE VALLEY OF TEARS – THE BALLADSwill be supported by selected shows in the UK and Ireland during the run-up to Christmas and a major German tour (including brief detour to Switzerland) from 30 March 2017. Ticket sales for the tour have already started.
Tracklist:
- Dream About You (remastered)
- Back in Your Arms Again (newly re-recorded)
- The Valley of Tears (remixed, remastered)
- Broken Wheel (newly re-recorded)
- A Face in the Crowd (remixed, remastered)
- Your Dreams Won’t Die (remastered)
- Lonely Night (acoustic version, newly re-recorded)
- The Last Frontier (remixed, remastered)
- Putting Things In Place (remixed, remastered)
- When The World Comes Down (new live version)
LIVE 2016:
- 06.12.GB-Brighton - Concorde 2
- 07.12.GB-Cambridge - Junction
- 09.12.IE-Dublin - Voodoo Lounge
- 10.12.GB-Wolverhampton - Wulfrun Hall
- 11.12.GB-Edinburgh - Liquid Rooms
LIVE 2017:
Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin on tour with “Rock Meets Classic” in Germany and Switzerland:
30.03.17
Trier - Arena
31.03.17
Würzburg - s. Oliver Arena
01.04.17
Regensburg - Donau-Arena
02.04.17
München - Olympiahalle
04.04.17
Neu-Ulm - ratiopharm arena
05.04.17
Passau - Dreiländerhalle
06.04.17
Ingolstadt - Saturn Arena
07.04.17
Halle/Westfalen - Gerry Weber Stadion
08.04.17
Berlin - Tempodrom
10.04.17
Koblenz - Conlog Arena
11.04.17
Kempten - BigBox
12.04.17
Nürnberg - Frankenhalle
13.04.17
Wetzlar - Rittal Arena
15.04.17
Frankfurt am Main - Jahrhunderthalle
17.04.17
Bamberg - brose Arena
18.04.17
CH-Zürich - Hallenstadion
Festival:
09.-12.08.E-Villena - Leyendas del Rock Festival
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