It's been three years since MAGNUM brought out "The Valley Of Tears - The Ballads", a compilation that focused on the British rock act's quiet, more otherworldly and dreamy side. Three years during which the idea matured to follow this successful release (top 100 of the German album charts) with a companion piece. "Dance Of The Black Tattoo" has turned into exactly that: a collection of songs that present MAGNUM exclusively as tough-as-nails rocking and extremely vibrant musicians. What makes this album so special is the fact that MAGNUM have gone through their impressive archive, looking for rare live cuts and outstanding radio versions and have come up with spirited live recordings and edits that concentrate on the essential components of some of their most accomplished rock numbers.
On the 13th Day is the 17th studio album from the rock group Magnum (including Keeping the Nite Light Burning and ignoring Evolution), which was released in September 2012, under the label of Steamhammer Records/SPV. The album entered the charts at number 3 in the UK Rock & Metal Charts, number 5 in the UK Indie Charts, number 28 in the German Album Charts, #36 Swedish Album Charts, #43 UK Album Charts during its first week, making it their most successful album since their reformation in 2002 at the time of its release. Bob Catley has stated that he considers On the 13th Day to be Magnum's rockiest album to date, with the track Dance of the Black Tattoo standing out as particularly heavy for a Magnum album.
If a band in their already since 1972 (!) lasting career is still able to completely inspire the fans with every new album, this can only be called an absolute sign of quality.