Short Reviews [Magic Pie - 2015 - "King For A Day"]

2015 saw the Norwegians return with their fourth album, and right from the off they are punching hard with all their tricks and flicks on show. This time the longest song is at the end (a mere 27 minutes in length) and instead they start with one of the shortest. Their combination of complex guitar/bass/ keyboard runs are some of the best around, often moving them far more into rock and hard territory than many other symphonic bands around. Musically they are staying in the same territory they have made their own, namely Gentle Giant and City Boy trading yarns with Genesis, Spock’s Beard and Enchant, to create something which is incredibly complex, yet with amazing hooks and harmony vocals. All the material is accessible, with songs such as “Introversion” having a massive chorus. This is an incredibly powerful driving rock number showing way more confidence than the title may lead one to imagine. The keyboards and guitar intertwine, sharing leads, and everyone apart from drummer Jan T. Johannessen joins in on vocals. The album was mixed and mastered by none other than Rich Mouser (Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic, Neal Morse, Dream Theater) so of course the sound is spot on, and given his experience with bands who work in a similar musical area he knew exactly what he was looking for. To date the band have released five albums, all incredibly powerful and dynamic, and any one of them is the perfect introduction to a band any proghead should be familiar with.