SEVEN

After the ambitious ''Revolutions'' Magents show their fame growing day by day,the band was called to participate on the Baja Prog Festival of 2003 in Mexico,where they had a memorable performance.However founder of the band Rob Reed decided to jump off his guitar duties and gave the job to Martin Rosser.The new line-up entered the studios to record another ambitious effort around the theme of the seven deadly sins.The sophomore highly praised Magenta album ''Seven'' was finally released in 2004,originally on F2 Music.

I'm not thrilled about this album as many progsters are but I recognize that it is a very ambitious effort.Still this is an easy-flowing work full of symphonic moments with a vintage feeling and also plenty of Neo Prog explosions.Each sin has its own composition,six out of seven range from 10 to 14 minutes with nice orchestrations,elaborate arrangementsmelodic guitars,changing climates and delightful keyboard work (mainly synths).Not overly complex,the overall style is far from personal,but the addition of some strings by the Vienna Orchestra adds also a grandiose feeling at moments.Christina Murphy continues to sound a lot like Annie Haslam,yet their vocals are certainly crystalline and warm.However the album keeps a very pleasant,optimistic and happy sound till the end,very much in opposite with the whole concept,which in my opinion requires a more muddy,dark and depressive atmosphere,at least at parts of it.

''Seven'' is another winner by Rob Reed & co.,the album clocks at 75 minutes,but the musicianship is pretty accesible and well-crafted,helping the listener follow it till the big end.If you actually forget about the whole concept,as I did,which personally I think it requires a different mood on the whole,you might enjoy it even more.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.