Magellan

Magellan were a progressive rock/metal trio from Vacaville, California. Founded by multi-instrumentalists/vocalists and brothers Trent and Wayne Gardner, their sound drew heavily on the early prog influences of Yes, Genesis, and Kansas. They debuted in 1991 with Hour of Restoration, and 1993's Impending Ascension drew wide critical notice globally. 1997's Test of Wills engaged directly with prog metal, drawing comparisons to Dream Theater and Symphony X. 2002's Hundred Year Flood featured guest spots from members of Jethro Tull and King Crimson. Inside Out released Impossible Figures in 2003; it fully integrated electronics into their progressive aesthetic. 2005's Symphony for a Misanthrope juxtaposed prog, metal, classical, and cinematic orchestration. Innocent God appeared in 2007 and showcased a more accessible sound with cutting-edge electronics and compelling melodies and production. Across their career, Magellan endured promotion and distribution issues, ultimately frustrating their ambitions. They formally split in 2009. California-based siblings Trent and Wayne Gardner founded Magellan in 1985. Trent served as composer, producer, lead vocalist, and keyboardist, while Wayne sang backing vocals and played guitar and drums. They hired bassist/backing vocalist Hal Stringfellow Imbrie to make music that married hard rock and metal riffs to second wave progressive rock. They rehearsed for literally years as Trent learned to write and arrange for the trio, and recorded a couple of demos which they sent to numerous labels, eventually signing with East Rochester, New York's Magna Carta, which released their debut, 1991's conceptual Hour of Restoration. The meld of contemporary prog, edgy metal dynamics, programmed drums, and complex, layered vocal harmonies drew favorable critical notice in Europe, Asia, South America, and to a lesser degree, in the U.S. August 1993 saw the release of Impending Ascension. Also conceptual in nature, it drew musical and production comparisons to Dream Theater's first two majestic offerings, and won notice from the metal and prog rock critics. The siblings employed a drummer for the first time for the recording of their third album, 1997's Test of Wills. Brad Kaiser added extra percussive impact to a predominantly guitar-based album, while its knottier compositions drew more directly from metal. Another lengthy hiatus preceded the release of 2002's Hundred Year Flood, their final outing on Magna Carta. Recorded by the Gardners with drummer Joe Franco, the album’s ambitious opening track, "The Great Goodnight," was a 13-part, 35 minute suite that claimed most of the effort's run time. Further, given the respect and admiration they'd engendered from peers, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, King Crimson's Tony Levin, and Mogg/Way guitarist George Bellas all made guest appearances, as did multi-instrumentalist Robert Berry playing bass. Many critics claimed it was a contemporary progressive rock milestone and it remains, arguably, their magnum opus Magellan signed to Inside Out for 2003's controversial Impossible Figures. The set was their more deliberate juxtaposition of hard-edged metal vamps and riffs with aggressive, sometimes dissonant prog. They deliberately omitted melodic lyricism, seamless instrumental transitions, and their now-trademark catchy vocals. Though metal critics hated it, prog fans embraced it wholesale for its instrumental prowess and poignant lyrics. The band drew comparisons to ELP on the track "Confessor's Overture" -- as well as the set's overall maximalist sound -- and to Jethro Tull on "Counterpoints." Further, the album included the instrumentals "Bach 16" and "Hallucination Suite, Pt. 1: Uppers and Downers." Given the attention the set received, it seemed Magellan's fortunes were changing. 2005 saw the Inside Out release of Symphony for a Misanthrope. Upping the ante on their previous outing, Magellan employed their usual range of styles under the umbrella of Trent's classically oriented, cinematic orchestration. Check set-opener "Symphonette" with a guest keyboard spot by Kansas's Steve Walsh. They also employed two more keyboardists, Franco on drums, and Berry, who played guitars, bass, and drums on select tracks. "Why Water Weeds" won major praise from, metal fans for the band's use idiosyncratically complex progressive rock and '70s and '80s influences -- this time from Rush and Fish-era Marillion in particular. The argument for the latter is best evidenced by the 18-minute "Cranium Reef Suite." Despite Inside Out's efforts, the band's album sales remained disappointing. They opted to sign with Muse-Wrapped Records (Musea in Europe) and recorded Innocent God in 2007; it was released in early 2008. With Berry as the only other musician (playing several instruments) Magellan traversed virtually every sonic hallmark in their catalog. While "Invisible Bright Man" wove in drum machines and modern EDM rhythms, it offered the most accessible, anthemic rock melody in their catalog. "My Warrior" showcased the band's acoustic side and offered an infectious chorus. The title track combined industrial beats with a blazing glam rock riff, a catchy, multi-voiced chorus, a long instrumental interlude, and a killer bridge. While it drew almost uniformly laudatory reviews on both poles of the prog/metal spectrum, it didn't sell due to poor distribution in the U.S. Frustrated by their lack of success, Magellan basically called it quits in 2009. In 2012, Trent Gardner co-composed, co-produced, and played keyboards and trombone on Robert Lamm's (Chicago) solo album, Living Proof. Berry also appeared. As Magellan, the Gardner brothers issued two digital-only covers that year: the Beatles' "Hello Goodbye" and Kansas' "Dust in the Wind." They also released the original "Keep It." 2013 saw them issue three digital singles in "Good to Go?" "The Better Suite," and "Cynic's Anthem." In February 2014, Wayne Gardner committed suicide. He was 48. That July, Trent released a digital cover of Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4" that featured the last recorded performance of his brother. Across 2015, Trent continued to issue digital singles under the Magellan moniker. "Icons" appeared in March and "Confessor's Overture II: Hymn for a Heathen Finale 2015" arrived in June. That July, Magna Carta released the double-disc compilation Magellan: Double Feature, while Trent continued issuing singles including "The Backslide" in August, and "War Drum (This Ain't America)" in September. Trent Gardner died suddenly in June 2016. In 2022, Cleopatra Records released A Tribute to Jethro Tull. Its track list included archival Magellan covers of "Aqualung" and "A Tull Tale."
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