Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Magnum
Label: Polydor Records
Released: 1988
Rating: 5/5
“Wings Of Heaven” is yet another golden chapter in the story of melodic rock greats Magnum. With it they created one of their most dazzling gems, an album that still rightfully holds a very high spot in the AOR annals. “Wings Of Heaven” carried on the run of excellent albums and the stylistic direction of its superb predecessor “Vigilante” (1986). On it, the band polished their finely tuned knack for crafting and combining top-notch melodic arrangements, multi-part instrumental harmonies, and anthemic choruses to near perfection. It was also their biggest commercial success, and on that front too it’s considered one of the most beloved British melodic rock albums of the second half of the ’80s.
Tony Clarkin, the guitarist and mastermind of the band, made great use of his huge creative surge and wrote some of the best material in their history. He pulled off a great blend of the art rock sonic elements of their early albums and the radio-friendly touches of the previous two records. “Wings Of Heaven” is packed with his inventive, trademark riffs, whose bite often steers Magnum right into hard rock waters. Once again he didn’t hold back on his socially critical and pacifist views in the lyrics, and the occasional fantasy metaphors, which never vanished from their music, haven’t left him either, even though legends and fantasy worlds were never popular in AOR.
If Clarkin has always been the brains and backbone of the band, then the legendary singer Bob Catley, with his emotional performances, has surely earned the title of its heart. It’s hard to pick the best moments of his magnificent career, but “Wings Of Heaven” as a whole is without doubt one of them. The key factor behind the melodic, juicy synth textures, which are kept in perfect balance with the guitar throughout the production, was keyboardist Mark Stanway, a guy who, despite his uncomplicated style, was capable of plenty of surprises. Mickey Barker proved with his dynamic drumming why he lasted longer than any of their other drummers, while Lowe’s bass lines, unspectacular as they were, laid down a solid foundation. The production was top-notch once again. After Roger Taylor (Queen) and Dave Richards were unavailable this time due to other commitments, Albert Boekholt stepped in and did work worth its weight in gold. The difference in production compared to “Vigilante” is obvious: the keyboards no longer sit in front of the guitar throughout the album but share equal footing with it.
The album opens with the Magnum classic and big hit single “Days Of No Trust”, which immediately serves up all the best traits of their trademark brand of first-class AOR. Strong melodic harmonies and an anthemic chorus are stretched in outstanding fashion over refined synth lines, juicy riffs, and decisive drum fills. The excellent and considerably more dramatic “Wild Swan” also shows off their more complex art rock roots. Punchy guitar riffing, sudden shifts of motif, and lots of room for subtle keyboard touches take center stage, while Catley delivers an incredibly heartfelt vocal performance all the way through. Don’t overlook the two romantic AOR treats either, the hit singles “Start Talking Love” and “It Must Be Love”. Both feature wildly catchy melodic choruses and lyrics about the ups and downs of love, which put the female perspective on equal footing with the male one throughout. No surprise that in their love lyrics Magnum always steered clear of the macho glam metal clichés that were par for the course at the time, and of the frequent overblown talk about unfulfilled sexual fantasies.
“One Step Away” is a great mix of early art rock Magnum and the later, AOR-minded version, with complexity and directness in perfect harmony. There’s also a fittingly mystical lyric here and a very good interpretation of it from Catley. “Different Worlds” could by its structure be declared a less dramatic successor to the classic “How Far Jerusalem”, and it comes with a socially aware lyric about the problems of our world. “Pray For The Day” is another superb, epic AOR rouser, where you can admire the remarkable way they move between the calmer and more punchy motifs. The interplay between the guitar harmonies and the grandiose synth passages is once again finger-licking good, while Catley’s vocals carry it all up to the peak of Parnassus. The closing epic, “Don’t Wake The Lion (Too Old To Die Young)”, at more than 10 minutes, is yet another excellent mix of their art rock past, with plenty of operatic elements and acoustic touches, alongside arena rock drama and constantly shifting moods.
It’s no surprise that “Wings Of Heaven” is often named right after “On A Storyteller’s Night” (1985) as their best album, and that with it Magnum became (if only for a short time) one of the biggest stars of the popular music scene of the second half of the ’80s. When it came out they were truly at the peak of their creative and commercial powers, and they filled concert arenas around the world with ease. There was simply nowhere further to go, so from here the road slowly led downhill, though without any falls or shocks. Magnum remained a melodic/art rock force worth reckoning with, but they never again managed to match the creative surge and commercial success of their ’80s albums. How important an album “Wings Of Heaven” is for the band is also shown by the fact that for its 20th anniversary, on a tour dedicated to the occasion, they played it in full, followed by the live album “Wings Of Heaven Live”.
Lineup
Bob Catley – vocals
Tony Clarkin – guitar
Wally Lowe – bass
Mark Stanway – keyboards
Mickey Barker – drums
Production
Albert Boekholt
Track list
1. Days Of No Trust (5:23)
2. Wild Swan (6:15)
3. Start Talking Love (3:36)
4. One Step Away (4:39)
5. It Must Have Been Love (5:16)
6. Different Worlds (4:39)
7. Pray For The Day (3:45)
8. Don’t Wake The Lion (10:34)
Running time: 44:07
