Reality in Focus

Magnitude 9 | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 23, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Inside Out U.S.
• ASIN: B000056V9O
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #362,256 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. No Turning Back

2. What My Eyes Have Seen

3. Far Beyond Illusion

4. Afterlife

5. The End of Days

6. Lost Along the Way

7. Flight of Icarus

8. Temples of Gold

9. Quiet Desperation

10. Mind over Fear

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good album... but nothing original here in the world of progressive rock, February 10, 2006

By 

R. Gorham "RCG2" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Reality in Focus (Audio CD)

THE BAND: Corey Brown (vocals), Rob Johnson (guitars), Kevin Chown (bass), Joseph Anastacio Glean (keyboards), John Homan (drums).

THE DISC: (2000) 10 songs clocking in at approximately 59 minutes. All music written by Magnitude 9 with the exception of "Flight Of Icarus" (written by Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson and Dave Smith, 1983). All lyrics written by Corey Brown. Included with the disc is a 6-page booklet with song lyrics and thank you's. The only band picture is on the back of the CD case. Label - Inside/Out.

COMMENTS: I read impressive reviews here on Amazon and on the band's website, however this album does not jump out at me like I had hoped it would. A few very good songs mixed in with simply to much filler. Don't get me wrong, the band members are extremely talented musicians, but the song writing just doesn't strike me as anything overly impressive, addicting or memorable for that matter. Best songs are the opener "No Turning Back" and their redention of Iron Maiden's old classic "Flight Of Icarus"... good job. Rob Johnson can shred, but in my opinion he grandstands too much (remniscent of Jack Black's character Dewey Finn in "School Of Rock")... untamed and unstructured. Corey Brown can definitely sing, but he's nothing original. He's absolutely somewhere between Ray Adler (Fates Warning) and Geoff Tate (Queensryche). Perhaps too much emphasis on the keyboards in too many songs for my liking. You'll be thinking the music in general reminds you of some of those 2nd tier progressive rock bands like Enchant, Vanden Plas, Ice Age, Evergrey, Fates Warning, etc. For me, I still enjoy the mainstream (1st tier) progressive acts too much - i.e. Dream Theater, Spock's Beard, Symphony X, Porcupine Tree - in order to give bands like Magnitude 9 a lot of time on my CD player. It's a good change once in a while, but not an every day or an every week album. The other drawback to this release is the below average sound production. The hiss of the snare drum lingers to long, and the bass is simply non-existent at times. Good progressive album (3.5 stars), just not a great one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Music - Low End Production, September 20, 2003

By 

Leonard Bosh Jr. "valvefury" (CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reality in Focus (Audio CD)

I bought this after reading some reviews. Now that I own it - I went back to the reviews...they are right on - this is GREAT PROGRESSIVE METAL...some of the best I have ever heard. I don't think the guitarist chops too much - its metal after all...I do think though if these guys had a better producer and recording process - they would be one of the best progressive metal bands. Play this CD after listening to Evergrey or SymphonyX and you can tell the production is weak. They try - oh do they try.

The good news -the music is to darn good. Once listening to the CD after about the 3 songs the production won't kill you as much. The Lyrics are great, the guitars, drums, keyboards, base, and arrangements all TOP NOTCH. I would love to see these guys in a different studio or have someone else produce it.

This well worth a buy and continuous listening.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Album!, October 3, 2002

By 

geetarfreak "Chris Roper" (Utah) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reality in Focus (Audio CD)

Magnitude 9 are a truly great prog metal band. The songs are very well written and produced. The obvious strength of the band is guitarist Rob Johnson. Rob has impressive technique. However, he does shred a little too much at times. His melodic playing needs some work. The keyboards are very strong. Corey Brown is one of the best singers I have heard. He has a very unique sound and he sings with passion and feeling. This band should be placed up there with Dream Theater, Symphony X, Shadow Gallery, and Ice Age. My favorite tunes are "Afterlife" and "What My Eyes Have Seen". This album is worth every penny and will never get old. You owe it to yourself to buy this disc.