Recorded during a week stretch in November 2007 on Magnum's "Wings of Heaven Live UK Tour" comes this double CD set commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the release of Wings of Heaven, one of the British hard rock/prog/AOR acts most popular and bestselling albums to date. During the mid-80's, the band were really on a roll, with albums such as On a Storyteller's Night, Vigilante, and Wings of Heaven garnering them much critical acclaim and album sales, especially in Europe. This double disc set, titled Wings of Heaven Live, breaks things down into two segments, CD 1 containing live versions of some Magnum classics, such as "All England Eyes", "Kingdom of Madness", "When We Were Younger", the legendary "How Far Jerusalem", and the alluring "Dragons Are Real". If you've never experienced the power and class of Magnum, these tunes, and all the rest on the first disc, will serve as a great primer to this veteran band, who deliver catchy melodic hooks surrounded by heavy guitar riffs, sweeping keyboards, and tight rhythms. There's really no other band on earth like them, and it's always been a shame that Magnum never became the superstars that they deserved to be. Over on CD 2 you get the Wings of Heaven album played live in its entirety to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its release. On this one, the anthemic quality and pop/AOR/hard rock leanings of the band were in full force, and they show that even in 2007, many years later, they can still deliver songs like "One Step Away", "Must Have Been Love", and "Don't Wake the Lion" with plenty of sophistication and power. Bob Catley's voice sounds better than ever, and the rock solid duo of guitarist Tony Clarkin and keyboard player Mark Stanway still deliver the goods. To finish off the album is a great, rockin' version of "Sacred hour", one of the most memorable tracks from their classic 1982 album Chase the Dragon.
Longtime Magnum fans will certainly want this in their CD collection, and those new to the band will definitely find a lot to enjoy here as your first taste of the band. Be prepared to start investigating their extensive back catalog once you enjoy the great live sounds here.
Track Listing
CD1
1. When we were younger
2. Back street kid
3. Out of the shadows
4. Like brothers we stand
5. How far Jerusalem
6. Dragons are real
7. All englands eyes
8. Vigilante
9. Kingdom of madness
CD2
1. Intro
2. Days of no trust
3. Wild swan
4. Start talking love
5. One step away
6. Must have been love
7. Different worlds
8. Pray for the day
9. Don't wake the lion
10. Sacred hour
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