{"id":1106,"date":"2016-01-23T12:57:39","date_gmt":"2016-01-23T12:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.progradar.org\/?p=1106"},"modified":"2026-08-21T15:48:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T14:48:17","slug":"details-of-new-magnum-album-sacred-blood-divine-lies-and-tour-released","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progradar.co.uk\/index.php\/2016\/01\/23\/details-of-new-magnum-album-sacred-blood-divine-lies-and-tour-released\/","title":{"rendered":"Details of New Magnum album, ‘Sacred Blood, Divine Lies’, and tour released"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"New<\/a><\/p>\n

Mighty British melodic hard rock group Magnum<\/strong> are set to release their magnificent new studio album Sacred Blood Divine? Lies, on Steamhammer \/ SPV<\/strong> on February 26th<\/sup>, as a limited edition DigiPak CD (with bonus DVD), standard Jewel Case CD, double gatefold vinyl with printed inner sleeves + CD (in paper sleeve), and download.<\/p>\n

Sacred Blood Divine? Lies, a hugely stirring, uplifting opus, is a notably heavier, harder offering than its much acclaimed predecessor, Escape From The Shadow Garden, and is packed with even more of Magnum\u2019s massive trademark rousing rock melodies. The band have also lined up a 15 concert headline UK tour in support of the album, from May 11th<\/sup> through to May 30th; dates are:-<\/p>\n

<\/strong>11th<\/sup> May? SOUTHAMPTON The Brook<\/strong><\/p>\n

12th<\/sup> May? CARDIFF Tramshed<\/strong><\/p>\n

13th<\/sup> May? LONDON Islington Assembly Hall<\/strong><\/p>\n

14th<\/sup> May? OXFORD 02 Academy<\/strong><\/p>\n

16th<\/sup> May? NORWICH Waterfront<\/strong><\/p>\n

17th<\/sup> May? NOTTINGHAM Rock City<\/strong><\/p>\n

19th<\/sup> May? BIRMINGHAM 02 Institute<\/strong><\/p>\n

20th<\/sup> May? HOLMFIRTH Picturedome<\/strong><\/p>\n

21st<\/sup> May? MANCHESTER Academy 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

22nd<\/sup> May? NEWCASTLE 02 Academy<\/strong><\/p>\n

24th<\/sup> May? ABERDEEN Garage<\/strong><\/p>\n

25th<\/sup> May? GLASGOW Garage<\/strong><\/p>\n

27th<\/sup> May? BELFAST Limelight 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

29th<\/sup> May? BRISTOL 02 Academy<\/strong><\/p>\n

30th<\/sup> May? LEAMINGTON SPA Assembly<\/strong><\/p>\n

Magnum<\/strong> mastermind Tony Clarkin<\/strong> started working on the resounding new album even before Escape From The Shadow Garden crashed into the UK Album Chart at 38, (the band\u2019s first top 40 album chart position for over 20 years), on release in March 2014.<\/p>\n

?I usually start composing for our next album immediately after the release of the previous one,? Clarkin recalls, continuing When Escape? arrived at the stores in March 2014, my thoughts had already turned to our next recording.?<\/p>\n

Clarkin was inspired to write 25 new songs during and after the subsequent triumphant European tour, the most outstanding 13 of which were selected for Sacred Blood Divine? Lies. Ten of the numbers made it onto the standard album CD and another three onto the DigiPak bonus DVD, which also contains videos for three of the brand new songs on the album.<\/p>\n

The epicentre of this soundquake features, along with frontman Bob Catley\u2019s<\/strong> charismatic voice, Clarkin\u2019s awesome riffing and hard driving lead guitar licks, which provide the all-important substructure to each of the ten gems of songs on the album.<\/p>\n

\"BOB<\/a><\/p>\n

Sacred Blood Divine? Lies counts without a doubt among the group\u2019s most dynamic releases; Clarkin states that ?I\u2019ve always been into rock numbers. But it isn\u2019t necessarily that easy to write really good rock material. It\u2019s much more simple to compose a ballad. But that dynamic pace suits Magnum<\/strong> perfectly.?<\/p>\n

Nowhere is this more evident than on the title track and album opener; ?I feel that Bob delivered it really well,? Clarkin praises his vocalist Bob Catley<\/strong>. As far as I am concerned, Sacred Blood Divine? Lies is definitely likely to join the ranks of great Magnum<\/strong> classics.? So it comes as no surprise that Sacred Blood Divine? Lies, with its significant message, became the album title.<\/p>\n

Among the other multiple highlights on this thoroughly powerful recording, mention must be made of the anthemic Gypsy Queen, which Tony was inspired to write after a concert in St. Petersburg<\/strong>, a city which deeply impressed him with its unique atmosphere.<\/p>\n

By no means less memorable is Your Dreams Won\u2019t Die which is based on a cascading piano chord sequence, reflecting the song\u2019s poignant philosophical message. To me, the title and lyrics have an almost religious depth,? says Clarkin. There\u2019s a saying that somebody is not forgotten if their name is remembered.? A successful rock group like Magnum<\/strong> should be entitled to eternal renown, shouldn\u2019t it? Says Clarkin: You want my honest opinion? I don\u2019t think that far ahead, but of course it\u2019s a nice notion that this band may always be remembered because so many people love our music.?<\/p>\n

And last but not least: Sacred Blood Divine? Lies closes with a song which surprised even Clarkin; ?I liked the general sound of Don\u2019t Cry Baby from the start,? he remarks. Although I initially didn\u2019t have a lyric, the melody kept going through my head, as well as the chorus with acoustic and e-guitars plus piano. We even kept the drums from the demo version because our drummer Harry James<\/strong> liked them so much. He said: ?I love it the way it is. We shouldn\u2019t change a thing about it.?<\/p>\n

Sacred Blood Divine? Lies, the cover of which has once again been designed by renowned fantasy artist Rodney Matthews<\/strong> (Nazareth, Asia<\/strong>), is a stupendous record, packed with soon-to-be-proclaimed-classic, majestic hard rock compositions.<\/p>\n

\"ogo<\/a><\/p>\n