Magnum - Stronghold (1997)

Magnum are an English melodic hard rock band. They were formed in Birmingham in 1972 by Tony Clarkin (guitar, songwriter, producer) and Bob Catley (vocals) in order to appear as the resident band at the Rum Runner nightclub in the city. Magnum have undergone several changes in personnel over the years; however, the core of Catley and Clarkin remained until Clarkin's death in 2024.

Magnum's most significant early success was Chase the Dragon in 1982, which reached number 17 in the UK Albums Chart. It included several songs that would become mainstays of the band's live set, notably "Soldier of the Line", "Sacred Hour" and "The Spirit". On a Storyteller's Night gave the band its breakthrough in Europe, and achieved a Gold certification in the United Kingdom. The band's 1986 album Vigilante represented a further move towards the mainstream before the band achieved their commercial peak in 1988 when they entered the UK Top Ten for the first time with the album Wings of Heaven, which reached number five and featured three Top 40 singles, "Days of No Trust", "Start Talking Love" and "It Must Have Been Love". It was followed by Goodnight L.A., which was produced by Keith Olsen and reached number nine in the UK Albums Chart in 1990.It produced another Top 40 single for the band, "Rockin' Chair".

In 1995, Clarkin announced Magnum's split; however, Clarkin and Catley continued working together, now under the name Hard Rain, until 1999. Magnum reformed in 2001 and enjoyed late-career commercial success, producing another 12 studio albums. Their final album, Here Comes the Rain, was released in January 2024, five days after Clarkin's death. Debuting at number 2 in the German charts, it is the highest charting album there in the band's history. Having initially ceased all band activities due to Clarkin's death, Magnum reversed the decision and announced a January 2025 five-date UK tour in order to honour Clarkin's legacy.