This album, released on own strength and funding, has been out for quite a while, since the disc reads "copyright 2004" on the back. A problem with non-label releases is that the promoting of an album is second to none, unless the artist puts a whole lot of work into it. But somehow this disc found it's way to the metalrage HQ, before being sent to Napalm Lex for a review.

This "band" consists of Richard (playing all the instruments basicly), and Laura (on vocals and lyrical duties). It's hard to label this disc into a genre, but let's keep it at somewhat ambient mixture of styles, it swings through a variety of asociations, such as some Ayreon projects, and a little dab of Tiamatish vs Paradise Lostish squirts of music, with even a sparsome reference to Pink Floyd. Bottom line is: it sounds fine. Listening to this disc leaves the listener with a feeling of awe and respect for the fact that this Richard guy has put this all together on his own, especially if you consider the fact that we at metalrage receive bands that sound lesser than this having an own producer, label signing and so on. Richard does it all on his own (the music part anyway), and if that deliveres one thing, it has to be his pure vision of music.

And if you enjoy atmospheric, slightly dark-mooded and ambientish music, you'll like this Richard. Especially if you enjoy nice female vocals. Miss Laura (once again no surname), has fine pop-rock vocals that swing between gothy on one hand, to powerfull rock vocals that somewhat remind of Amy Lee of Evanescence. Especially when the piano-driven track "No-one Like Me" swirls through your speakers, Laura sounds like an angel.

In conclusion, it is not hard to hear that two people put a lot of effort in this short experiment, as well as pasion and many hours of work. And it pays off, Magua's Requiem is a succesfull effort with a good atmosphere, nice dark and moodfull. On top of that mister Richard seems to know what he was doing whilst putting the thing together, because for a home-release, this productional sound is indeed very fine. Add that up that the singer Laura is bound to get a carreer of the ground, based on her displayed talent (there are female vocalists in the Dutch rock scene that she may replace today if it was up to me), and Magua is a success.

Good job, Richard & Laura, who-ever you are.