Nick Magnus
Hexameron

Nick Magnus, on his third solo work, has made it! Assisted by musicians like Steve and John Hackett, Nick has created a splendid musical kaleidoscope from which to develop the entire album. Captivating from a melodic point of view, "Hexameron" astonishes with the intensity and emotions it generates with each listen.

The first track "Singularity" is introduced by a soft piano, soon developing into the main melody, emphasized by the keyboards and John Hackett's flute. A motif that, once heard, never leaves the listener. Towards the end, Steve's guitar spirals in, highlighting the more rhythmic passages with the unmistakable sound that characterized the Genesis sound. It is followed by "Dancing On The Waters", ethereal and dreamy, with Clare Brigstocke's splendid voice highlighting the first part, then giving way to the keyboards to take up the refrain with a stronger emphasis.

"Marduck" is clearly Genesis-inspired, and the singer, Tony Patterson, somewhat mimics Peter Gabriel. An excellent song, which develops in different rhythmic moments while revolving around the same theme. With "Sophia Song" we enter a fairytale Celtic dimension. The soothing voice of Siobhan McCarthy brings back memories of Clannad for one of the best songs on the album. "Double Helix" is purely instrumental and is disconnected from what we have heard so far. A pleasant piece where the flute and viola are the main protagonists. "Brother Sun & Sister Moon" is perhaps the weak link of the album, with an epic development that does not reach the necessary intensity to be convincing. Steve Hackett returns in "The Seven Hands Of Time" with a haunting melody that remains in suspense until the next piece.

All the poetry of "Hexameron" is condensed in the finale, in the splendid "The Power Of Reason". A choral intro, a prayer from another time, gives space to the guitar which performs a very intense solo, one of Hackett's best ever. The limitation of the work is perhaps the lack of a drummer. A real shame, although the drum machine is well programmed, it does not do justice to the songs which suffer negatively from this absence. Aside from the technical limitations, Hexameron is a magical album, and every prog rock lover will adore it to the last note.