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░ ██ ██ Artist: Magic Pie ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: The Suffering Joy █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2011 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2015-05-03 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Progress Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ Usually, modern Symphonic Prog artists aren't █
█ exactly my first pick. Many times they tend to do █
█ too much; the songs are way too long, the █
█ instrumental parts sometimes can be excessive. But █
█ "The Suffering Joy" made me look at all these █
█ bands in a different point of view, maybe just █
█ because this is one of the best and most refined █
█ Symphonic Prog albums released in these last two █
█ three years. █
█ Magic Pie is a Norwegian Symphonic Prog band that █
█ started out in 2005-so it's clear from the start █
█ that this is a NEW band- and has released, in the █
█ beginning of February 2011, an amazing, mind █
█ blowing album.Maybe it's too soon to say, being █
█ this the first 2011 album I listen to, but I think █
█ "The Suffering Joy" will be remembered as one of █
█ the best releases this year. Certainly I'll █
█ remember it when this year ends. It's fresh, █
█ dynamic, hopeful, energetic, with an excellent █
█ album structure, definitely a true piece of art. █
█ Sure, many times they sound like the best of █
█ Transatlantic, but what's original about this is █
█ the massive use of guitars, used even more than █
█ keyboards. You hear synth riffs or many piano █
█ playing, but the guitars are the true soul of the █
█ music, even in the shorter songs (Endless Ocean). █
█ This doesn't prevent at all to the album of having █
█ an epic an utterly solemn tone, especially in █
█ songs like the title track or the final "In █
█ Memoriam". I do have to say something about the █
█ musicians: even though I highly praise this work, █
█ I do think everybody here has really overdone █
█ themselves, in fact, these musicians don't sound █
█ particularly good or talented. In a way, I think █
█ "The Suffering Joy" is a miracle, a beautiful █
█ mistake, and I don't think this band will able to █
█ go further than this. Unless of course I'm wrong. █
█ The buck of the album is obviously the opening █
█ suite divided in four songs, "A Life's Work", the █
█ first three parts very short but fantastic, all █
█ openers to the fourth part, the title track, a █
█ massive seventeen minute epic, a true masterpiece. █
█ We have then songs like "Slightly Mad" or █
█ "Headlines", that almost reach ten minutes of █
█ length, very energetic and powerful, and quite █
█ original in many parts. What else? "Endless █
█ Ocean", a brief three minute interlude, very █
█ haunting and meditative, the excessively long █
█ "Tired", IMO the least appealing track of the █
█ album, that opens the final track of the album and █
█ my personal favorite "in Memoriam", an amazingly █
█ haunting but somewhat tense piece. █
█ I think this album should be highly regarded, █
█ having all the winning cards for a great modern █
█ prog rock album. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ This one is definitly a grower. When I first █
█ picked up Magic Pie┤s third studio offering on the █
█ store without even bothering to listen to a single █
█ note beforehand I soon had the feeling I had made █
█ a mistake. Upon hearing it at home I found It to █
█ be by far the less accessible of the band┤s █
█ albums. I specially disliked the opener, the four █
█ part massive title track (over 27 minutes in █
█ total). I thought it was too heavy and not █
█ inspired enough. Thank god I know prog long enough █
█ not to be taken by my first impression. The more I █
█ listened to it, the more I liked it. The remaining █
█ tracks are easily better, however, and I wonder if █
█ they should start the CD with the excellent █
█ Headlines instead. But the Suffering Joy is a fine █
█ epic, if you have the patience to listen to all █
█ its subtleness and layers upon layers of sounds. █
█ This band from Norway reminds a lot of their █
█ swedish neighbors, The Flower Kings. Like TFK. █
█ Magic Pie uses a lot of retro prog to forge their █
█ own sound. Their vocal harmonies are great (with █
█ the new addition of singer Eriikur Hauksson █
█ replacing Allan Olsen), but the instrumental parts █
█ are simply fantastic: great keyboards runs (lots █
█ of vintage Hammonds and moogs). excellent guitar █
█ lines provided by the skillful Kim Stenberg and a █
█ very strong and versatile rhythm section. As █
█ usual, the songwriting is top notch, the group █
█ using their main influences (Yes, ELP. Gentle █
█ Giant and the like) to produce something that █
█ sounds at the same time quite modern and unique, █
█ while still familiar and respectfuil to their █
█ masters. █
█ Like I said before, this is a more complex affair █
█ than their previous ones, but equally satisfying █
█ in the end. There are no weak tracks on this CD. █
█ It may take more then a couple of hearings to █
█ really get it, but once you do, it┤s highly █
█ addictive. The production is very good and the █
█ arrangements as tasteful as ever. If you┤re into █
█ the old scholl of symphonic rock (with lots of █
█ elaborated parts but still very melodic and █
█ pleasant) you can┤t miss this one. █
█ Magic Pie might not be one the most original bands █
█ in the world, but they know their trade very well, █
█ and they do that thorugh fine songwriting and █
█ passionate performances. Rating: somewhere between █
█ 4 and 4.5 stars. Highly recommended. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ The latest outing from Norwegian progressive rock █
█ band Magic Pie has been garnering rave reviews in █
█ most prog circles, and after hearing The Suffering █
█ Joy for myself, it's not hard to understand why. I █
█ have no hesitation in calling Magic Pie's third █
█ full-length album one of the best progressive rock █
█ albums of the "new"-era. Although my interest in █
█ the modern symphonic prog scene has waxed and █
█ waned over time, Magic Pie's third effort is one █
█ of the best things I've heard in a long while. My █
█ first listen to The Suffering Joy left me █
█ speechless, and every other consecutive listen █
█ further increased my enjoyment. This was my █
█ introduction to Magic Pie, and I think it's a █
█ great place for anyone to check out these █
█ Norwegian behemoths. █
█ The music on The Suffering Joy is symphonic █
█ progressive rock with obvious influences from The █
█ Flower Kings, Spock's Beard, IQ, Transatlantic, █
█ Genesis, and Yes. Although one could criticize █
█ Magic Pie for wearing their influences on their █
█ sleeve, the end result is still unique and (most █
█ importantly) expertly crafted. The frequent vocal █
█ harmonies especially remind me of The Flower █
█ Kings, and Magic Pie pulls off these harmonies █
█ every bit as excellently as their Swedish █
█ neighbors. In the music itself, there are melodic █
█ neo-prog sections, jazzy electric piano and guitar █
█ bits, and even some borderline-metal riffs. This █
█ is a fairly unique and eclectic album, and never █
█ does Magic Pie come across as a "clone band" of █
█ any sort. █
█ The album opens up with the monster 27-minute, 4 █
█ part epic titled "A Life's Work". Filled with █
█ everything that a prog fan could possibly dream █
█ of, this epic could really give Transatlantic a █
█ run for their money. The next track, "Headlines", █
█ has a bit more of a neo-prog flavor and is another █
█ highlight. The short acoustic "Endless Ocean" is a █
█ beautiful track and actually one of my favorites █
█ as well. "Slightly Mad" is a heavier symphonic █
█ piece that even hints towards the heaviness and █
█ complexity of Echolyn. "Tired" is a softer song █
█ that nods especially in the direction of IQ or █
█ Pendragon. This 15+ minute epic is yet another █
█ brilliant highlight. "In Memoriam" is a stellar █
█ conclusion to this masterpiece, and yet another █
█ expertly crafted song from Magic Pie. This is an █
█ album with "all filler, no killer", so to speak. █
█ Try as I might, finding a weak spot is a difficult █
█ task. █
█ One of the best things about Magic Pie is their █
█ talent as musicians, vocally and instrumentally. █
█ In addition to the breathtaking vocal harmonies █
█ I've mentioned earlier, the band is one of the █
█ most musically gifted out there. Add in a terrific █
█ production with a professional sound, and you have █
█ one of the most aesthetically pleasing prog rock █
█ albums in recent memory. █
█ I was blown away at first listen by The Suffering █
█ Joy, and my satisfaction has only increased over █
█ time. Magic Pie is a relatively new band to me, █
█ but this masterpiece assures that they won't ever █
█ fall off my radar. The Suffering Joy can honestly █
█ be considered one of the finest modern prog albums █
█ I've ever heard - and I've heard more than my █
█ share of those! I'll give this a 5 star █
█ masterpiece stamp and an "essential purchase" █
█ label for any prog rock fan. Expressing my █
█ excitement about this album in review form is █
█ difficult, but the only thing anyone needs to █
█ gather from this review can be summed up in one █
█ word - masterpiece! █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Aw man, I had higher hopes for Magic Pie. I █
█ expected more originality, more exploration. Don't █
█ get me wrong, they are good at what they're doing. █
█ I mean good. Good guitars, good vocals, good █
█ keyboards and so on. But everything here has been █
█ heard many times before: the Dream Theater time █
█ breaks and arpeggios, the Spock's Beard vocal tone █
█ and the whole Flower Kings shebang. █
█ Nicely done, and I could say very nicely done, and █
█ some songs seem to part from the heard; so it's █
█ not entirely lost! On the other hand, I spawn a █
█ question mark for the remarkably high level of █
█ 'metal'. They stepped on the gas, to say the █
█ least. Good, but lacks 'wow factor'. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Have you ever listened to a record that you knew █
█ was very good, excellent even, but no matter what, █
█ it just does not click with you? For me, much █
█ modern traditional prog falls into this category, █
█ and while I can quietly respect it for its musical █
█ virtuosity, there is very little excitement in it █
█ for me, and next to impossible to foster an █
█ emotional bond with the music. Scandinavian █
█ progressive rock band Magic Pie's latest album is █
█ a perfect example of this sort of album, and as I █
█ dive into the seventy minute work that these █
█ Norwegians have created here, I see that I really █
█ have reasons for being unable to feel the music on █
█ anything more than an academic level. █
█ Undoubtedly, this is not the most positive way to █
█ open up a review, but see it as something of a █
█ disclaimer; while I can certainly appreciate 'The █
█ Suffering Joy' for its vintage flair and complex █
█ approach, I usually have an averse reaction to the █
█ whole scene of prog that tries to revive the sound █
█ of the '70s. Indeed, if anything, that is one of █
█ the things that Magic Pie do best. Looking past a █
█ professional and modernized production varnish to █
█ the sound, the core of the band is based in the █
█ same sort of prog that was going strong in the █
█ early 70's. Of course, there are many who can █
█ still appreciate the music for what it is, and if █
█ I could look past the fact that this sound has █
█ been recycled again and again over the course of █
█ forty years, I could see myself loving what Magic █
█ Pie do here. █
█ A fairly long album, Magic Pie barrages the █
█ listener with prog epics left right and center. █
█ The first four tracks here comprise the 'A Life's █
█ Work' suite, although for all intents and █
█ purposes, the fourth track is the one that people █
█ will be talking about; a seventeen minute section █
█ where Magic Pie pulls out every trick from vocal █
█ harmonies to crunchy guitar tones to a variety of █
█ vintage synth sounds. Then there are a number of █
█ mini-epics to trail the centerpiece, including the █
█ fairly heavy 'Slightly Mad', or 'In Memoriam'. It █
█ is made very clear what the band was going for █
█ here, and for the most part, they are able to pull █
█ off the sound very well. There are many ideas in █
█ each epic, and especially in the guitar solos, a █
█ sense that Magic Pie is out to impress. █
█ All this time, it feels evidently clear that Magic █
█ Pie are taking themselves far too seriously. That █
█ is not to say that they should not be pursuing █
█ their music with as much focus as they do, but the █
█ emotion in their music seems to be blocked by a █
█ contrived sense of songwriting and performance █
█ that seeks to dazzle rather than really touch the █
█ listener. This even shows in the album's length, █
█ and there are several points in this album where █
█ 'The Suffering Joy' may have ended quite nicely, █
█ but they decide to throw in another fifteen or █
█ nine minute long epic into the fray to keep the █
█ train running along. While only the guitar solos █
█ (which are admittedly incredible) really astounded █
█ me from their technical brilliance, the sheer █
█ amount of ideas in each track does not hide the █
█ fact that the ideas are not used well. The lyrics █
█ are fairly bad, reverting to using single syllable █
█ rhymes, and plodding on with rather mechanical █
█ takes on fairly human things like emotions and █
█ philosophy. █
█ Really, in the end, what can I say about this █
█ album? It is a perfectly capable piece of '70s █
█ prog rock, released in 2011. Although there are █
█ still better bands doing the same thing out there- █
█ Transatlantic and Beardfish come to mind- Magic █
█ Pie really do nail the sound down, and there are █
█ ideas aplenty here to keep the vintage prog █
█ afficionado up for many a night. But as █
█ unfortunate as it is, when there is nothing new █
█ being offered, it is difficult to recommend this █
█ over any progressive music that is actually doing █
█ something new, rather than looking back on the old █
█ masters. End rant. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ The Suffering Joy is the third album from █
█ Norwegian progressive-rock band Magic Pie. █
█ Although I am an avid fan of symphonic █
█ progressive-rock, Magic Pie's metallic approach to █
█ the style hasn't managed to do much for me. The █
█ band's first two albums seemed forced and sterile █
█ to me, and this third effort doesn't correct these █
█ problems. Instead, it compounds them. The Dream █
█ Theater worship that took center-stage on Circus █
█ of Life continues here, to the point where the █
█ band seems to have lost a portion of their █
█ symph-prog sound in favor of a more metal-oriented █
█ approach. The first two Magic Pie albums weren't █
█ exactly exercises in restraint, but The Suffering █
█ Joy makes those look subtle in comparison. Just █
█ when you think that the album has run its course, █
█ the band throws another 15-minute track at you. I █
█ have absolutely no problem with long albums, and I █
█ love epic songwriting. However, this grandiose █
█ style seems to be a bit too much for Magic Pie. █
█ "A Life's Work (Part I) - Questions Unanswered" █
█ opens the album with soft keyboard and some cheesy █
█ lyrics. "A Life's Work (Part II) - Overture" is a █
█ short instrumental with some nice keyboard work █
█ and heavy guitar, but it's almost criminally █
█ derivative of Dream Theater. "A Life's Work (Part █
█ III) - A Brand New Day" is short acoustic █
█ interlude that leads into the 17-minute █
█ grandiosity of "A Life's Work (Part IV) - The █
█ Suffering Joy." There are some undeniably █
█ impressive moments on this track, and the █
█ musicianship is spectacular. However, it's quite █
█ by-the-numbers overall. "Headlines" is one of the █
█ stronger tracks here. The synths sound excellent █
█ the guitar work is well-executed. Regardless, █
█ nothing terribly special is happening. "Endless █
█ Ocean" is a pleasant acoustic piece with very good █
█ vocals. "Slightly Mad" is the definite highlight █
█ of the album. The keyboard work is superb, and █
█ drumming is top-notch. Most importantly, however, █
█ the songwriting is cohesive and interesting. The █
█ guitar solo is a bit too shreddy for my tastes, █
█ however. "Tired" is the album's low-point. At 15 █
█ minutes, it's massively overlong and overblown. I █
█ was quite "tired" of this track by the time it was █
█ over. "In Memoriam" ends the album on the same █
█ unremarkable note. █
█ Magic Pie are obviously a talented band, but their █
█ instrumental skill doesn't stop The Suffering Joy █
█ from being a tedious release. There simply isn't █
█ very much compelling or memorable material to be █
█ found here. It's a middle-of-the-road album in █
█ every sense of the term; there's nothing to be █
█ offended by, but there's also nothing to get █
█ excited about. Most of these tracks plod on past █
█ their conceivable capacity, with the band pulling █
█ the same tricks over and over again. There are █
█ high points, but they're not nearly as pronounced █
█ as the highlights of the previous two albums. This █
█ is a homogenous and fairly mediocre release that █
█ can easily be passed by. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. A Life's Work: Pt.1 Questions Unanswered 1:16 ░
░ 2. A Life's Work: Pt.2 Overture 3:23 ░
░ 3. A Life's Work: Pt.3 A Brand New Day 2:28 ░
░ 4. A Life's Work: Pt.4 The Suffering Joy 17:09 ░
░ 5. Headlines 9:29 ░
░ 6. Endless Ocean 3:11 ░
░ 7. Slightly Mad 9:48 ░
░ 8. Tired 15:21 ░
░ 9. In Memoriam 8:39 ░
░ 70:44 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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