Bob Catley
The Tower

This tower is to defend our love
This mountainside is mirrored on emotion
No power could ever bend our love
It's alive in our hearts tonight

A grey winter day. An immense desolate plain. A sword stuck in the ground. A face chiseled by the cold. Bob Catley. The Tower.

The mystical aura that surrounds the first solo album of the frontman of Magnum manages to transport for a magical hour to ancient distant places, the mystical expanses to the north, landscapes now faded over time. A decidedly medieval atmosphere reverberates from one song to another, made of frozen nights and perilous adventures, captivating stories of courage sung in front of a crackling fire, while a mix of various genres follows one another. We can indeed talk about heavy metal, which naturally blends with folk, epic, classic rock and a refined melodic side.

Bob Catley’s voice is as always excellent, clean and majestic more than ever, knows how to give the work that imperial touch that only he can provide, accentuating the myth with goosebumps-inducing warmth. A noble voice accompanied by amazing choirs, and a solemn use of keyboards which are imposed in the sound notably but never heavily. Moreover, a succession of guitar solos that play a very important role, where Vinny Burns makes his axe sing in a very melodic, simple but fitting way, so that every single note remains etched in the mind.

This is what makes the sound of the album truly powerful, but the songs themselves are not less: words, lyrics, and music were written by the excellent Gary Hughes, singer of Ten, who also improvises as bassist and keyboardist in this work. His love for Magnum was the inspiration for writing "The Tower", the band's influence is indeed very felt: if compared to some of Magnum’s best albums like "On A Storyteller's Night" or "Kingdom Of Madness", it does not leave any bitter taste in the mouth, indeed it is a real jewel for every fan of the band (and beyond).

And with royalty begins The Tower, introduced by the baroque intro of "Dreams" and immediately followed by a majestic riff and a fitting vocal. A succession of intense emotions characterizes the album, and it is worth noting the progressive touch, subtly and almost imperceptibly touched upon, which offers an even more elegant aura, especially to accentuate particularly important passages or breaks, and an example of this is "Fire and Ice". But the most characteristic tracks of the album are undoubtedly "Deep Winter" a vigorous ballad with a brilliant structure, the historic choirs of "Madrigal" and, last but not least, the title track, a sublime hymn to the mystical, the untouchable and the enchanted.

The work was released in 1998, an excellent year for those who love epic rock, as in the same year another great album of the genre, "Into The Electric Castle" the masterpiece by Ayreon.

"The Tower" can only be defined as a top-notch album, optimally interpreted by an intriguing, histrionic figure, little known but with extraordinary vocal abilities. Bob Catley, a character to discover.