Top tracks — play these first
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Cry — The opening track sets the emotional tone for the album with its soaring melodies and heartfelt lyrics that encapsulate Magnum's signature style.
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Breath of Life — This title track combines rich instrumentation with poignant themes of renewal and hope, showcasing the band's ability to blend lyrical depth with melodic prowess.
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Just Like January — An evocative ballad that contrasts vulnerability with strength, illustrating the band's talent for crafting relatable narratives within their music.
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That Holy Touch — This track highlights the album's anthemic qualities, featuring powerful vocals and a memorable chorus that exemplifies Magnum's appeal within the melodic hard rock genre.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases solid songwriting and production but lacks a strong cohesive flow throughout its length.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features a consistent mid-tempo pace, while the second half introduces more varied tempos and dynamics.
- Choruses are often layered with harmonies that build intensity, particularly in tracks like 'Cry' and 'Breath of Life'.
- Several tracks feature instrumental bridges that create a reflective pause before returning to the anthemic choruses.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic journey with emotional peaks
- introspective reflections on life
- an anthemic soundtrack for nostalgia
- engaging live performances included
- for evening unwind
Maybe skip if you
- prefer instant gratification tracks
- avoid lengthy listening experiences
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2002, Breath of Life is Magnum's eleventh studio album, following their 1996 album The Visitation. At this point in their career, the band had experienced a resurgence in popularity after reforming in the early '90s and was solidifying their presence within the melodic rock scene.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Tyketto· Threshold· Stratovarius
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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This Heart
The bridge introduces a shift in perspective that addresses internal struggle directly, marking a pivotal emotional peak in the song.
This structural choice deepens the connection to the emotional journey by moving from third-person observations to intimate self-reflection.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Cry 5:13
- 2 This Heart 4:03
- 3 Everyday 6:34
- 4 Still 4:02
- 5 Dream About You 4:15
- 6 Breath of Life 4:48
- 7 After the Rain 4:03
- 8 That Holy Touch 5:11
- 9 Let Somebody In 4:19
- 10 The Face of an Enemy 3:47
- 11 Just Like January 4:29
- 12 Night After Night 7:55
- 13 The Flood (live) 6:29
- 14 Back Street Kid (live) 5:31
- 15 We All Need to Be Loved (acoustic) 4:19
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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