Hour of Restoration

by Mike DaGagne The early influences of Rush, Yes, and Kansas are marbled throughout Magellan's Hour of Restoration, their debut album which recounts the signing of the Magna Carta and then takes a progressive excursion through England's formative years as a nation. The eight tracks introduce Terry Gardner's voice in a perfectly structured context, fitting in appropriately to the album's historical theme, while his keyboard playing heightens and dramatizes when necessary. The opening "Magna Carta" is a near 15 minutes of glorified prog, enveloping the album's concept with appealing instrumental interchanges. Tracks like "Friends of America" and "Union Jack" begin to solidify the partnership between Wayne Gardner's finessed guitar playing and the character-shaping percussion work from Magellan. By the last track entitled "Turning Point," Hour of Restoration completes the task of musically narrating Britain's history rather pleasingly, borrowing accomplished progressive agencies from artists of the '70s and initiating them into a modern neo-prog sound.