IMPENDING ASCENSION

Having followed Magellan since early in their career it is hard to say which album is the better of the first two. All I can say is that they are both amazing and that Magellan never came close to the imagery and song writing of the material on these releases again. The quirkyness of the music and lyrics interplaying is one of a kind although it is just slightly tamed compared to their debut. It often feels like the frequent time and tempo changes are a direct response to how the lyrics are written. Instead of changing the lyrics to flow naturally over a constant time signature the meter is changed leaving the original lyrical phrase intact. The songs here are about computers and modern technology as on Virtual Reality and what it's like to write introvert progressive rock songs, Songsmith. Storms And Mutiny goes back to the very entertaining history lecture style used on the Hour Of Restoration album and tells the tale of the Portuguese explorer Magellan from whom the band name originates. Impending Ascension is to me a modern classic and represents Magellan at their artistic peak.