Magion's debut album. Physical copies will be available soon through CDBaby, and are available already through http://music.magionband.com Ravenheart Music - March 2010 Saturday, 13 March 2010 http://www.ravenheartmusic.com/products-group-51.htmlMAGION..'CLOSE TO ETERNITY'(Self Release) Reviewed 12th March 2010The first thing that strikes you about this debut from the Dutchmen is the gorgeous artwork by Brazilian Jobert Mello, it really sets the scene and builds the anticipation, people who download miss out on so much. That expectation rises with the grand orchestral intro ’Tabula Rasa’, the excitement is by now palpable, and then we’re into ‘Thirteen’, revealing the band to me a more powerful Within Temptation, or a more gothic Nightwish, whichever takes your fancy. Flame haired beauty and lyricist Mythe van Beest alternates between operatic, semi-operatic and rock vocalising to suit the mood of the music, she really has a wondrous set of pipes. By the next number ‘Murder of Innocence’ it is apparent that the band can shift effortlessly between powerful anthems and delicate interludes. I am hungry for more as ‘Greed’ pounds along, with big synths from Walter Romberg, and more corking guitar work from chief composer Chris Vrij and co-founder David de Waal. ‘Games of Madness’ is a world class melodic rocker, it would go down well in the USA, Bon Jovi meets Nightwish, with a genius of a chorus, I am positively delirious by now. ‘Lost in Reality’ takes it down a touch for grand gothic ballad before it takes off into the stratosphere, it then calms for some excellent male vocals à la Ayreon, before taking flight again, then eases down again for a spine tingling mid section, then turns angry, then it’s off again, staggering, truly staggering. ‘Forever Mine’ alternates between atmospherics and amped up powerful theatrical operatics, then ‘War of Hearts’ starts off thundering, then turns into a soaring waltz, returns to raging, back to waltz, and finally back again, incredible. It’s time for a slightly more conventional gothic rocker ‘New Season’, but with more twists and turns and their own dramatic style, before ‘Almost Immortal’ fools you into thinking that it is a power metal headbanger, it turns into a power ballad and ends up a prog wigout! Finally ‘Song for the Living’ gallops along mightily, bringing the album to an almighty close. Strewth! The sheer quality of song writing, production, lyrics, art work, vocals and musicianship takes this into the Pantheon of symphonic metal gods and goddesses. Easily available through their shop at www.myspace.com/magionband . I’ve run out of superlatives, I’ll just say faultless, 10/10 (Reviewed by Phil)2nd OPINION..... I agree with what Phil has said. A very good record we have here and running in at well over the hour. This is well worth spending one's hard earnt cash. Not sure i would go all the way with a 10...but my 9/10 still represents what is a very good album. Buy!! (Aimee