Since returning to action in 2002, venerable British rockers Magnum have been prolific and going from strength to strength. The newest effort On the 13th Day sees the band rocking harder than ever, to the point where their roots as an epic prog band are now barely seen. In many ways, the band sounds almost like a melodic AC/DC during the more stripped down and crunchy moments here. But if you listen closely, you can still hear the textures of Mark Stanway's keyboards and the emotion of Bob Catley's voice. These things have always been Magnum's trademarks and they haven't gone away.

I wouldn't argue with those who say On the 13th Day is more of a hard rock album than prog, but then again, their previous effort The Visitation was much quieter and more keyboard dominated, so perhaps this is a natural balancing out. My favorite Magnum effort remains the magnificent Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow, where everything came together perfectly, but if you're in the mood for classic British hard rock with a lot of class and thunder, you won't go far wrong with this stirring album.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2012  Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.