BOB CATLEY – When Empires Burns [Escape Music reissue + bonus] (2025), MP3+FLAC

Escape Music continue to crack on with their re-issues of dear old BOB CATLEY’s solo output. We already featured in exclusive the re-release of ‘The Tower’, ‘Legends’, and ‘Middle Earth’ – they have now re-issued Bob’s forth album – “When Empires Burn”. As with the previous three, there is new artwork, done by legendary artist Rodney Matthews, and bonus tracks.

Whereas the first three of Bob’s solo albums were written by Ten’s Gary Hughes, there remains a TEN connection here with ”When Empires Burns [Escape Music 2025 reissue + bonus]” being written by the (then) TEN keyboardist Paul Hodson. And we have a Magnum presence as Bob’s old Magnum colleague Al Barrow plays bass.
Hodson’s songwriting is superb. This is a much heavier album with a strong symphonic feel to it. Bob seems to enjoy it too with a more powerful vocal style being needed than a typical Magnum song. Guitarist Vince O’Regan slams in a massive performance with the huge muscular, flowing riffs and shredding for his life. Hodson’s keyboards add the atmosphere without going overboard.
There’s plenty of well placed hooks and melodies among the general bombast which highlight the strength of Hodson’s songwriting. In fact, and while all BOB CATLEY albums are good, “When Empires Burn” should be the best of all, mixing hard rock, AOR and lite prog. Seriously, this album is just awesome!

A two minute wonderful instrumental leads in to Children of the Circle. Big guitar intro. All nicely heavy and symphonic, Bob’s giving his all with the vocals and O’Regan serves some roaring guitar work. A proper attention grabber of a song. It’s quite catchy too.
Gonna Live Forever calms it down a little being more of what might be considered a “traditional” melodic rock type song with a big hook.

Then comes The Prophecy, a glorious, sweeping six and a half minutes of hard hitting hard rock with plenty of power and poise. Superb stuff. The title track and Someday Utopia give us more rich heaviness full of the big swelling keys, huge riffs and soloing as the songs scorch along.
My America is another winner. A song of two halves. The celtic style first part will have you thinking of Thin Lizzy. Bob’s vocal is nicely sensitive as befitting the lyrics. It builds in to the heavy stuff with yet another marvelous slab of O’Regan’s powerful, flowing lead work.
Whilst this is generally a heavy album – there are some lighter moments such as Every Beat of My Heart – which are more akin to say Magnum.

A most fine album of hard hitting, atmospheric and symphonic rock/metal. Good on Escape Music for continuing with their work on re-issuing Bob’s solo work. Wonder if they’ll do Spirit of Man next?
”When Empires Burn” is overall an album throughout which Paul Hodson proves to be a fine songwriter giving Bob Catley a heavier framework, plenty of melody and AOR hooks too.
Highly Recommended

01 – The Torment (Intro)
02 – Children Of The Circle
03 – Gonna Live Forever
04 – The Prophecy
05 – I’ll Be Your Fool
06 – Every Beat Of My Heart
07 – When Empires Burns
08 – Meaning Of Love
09 – This Is The Day
10 – Someday Utopia
11 – My America
BONUS TRACKS:
12 – Heaven Can Wait
13 – When The Earth Lies Still (Demo)

Bob Catley – Vocals
Paul Hodson – Keyboards, Vocals
Al Barrow – Bass, Vocals
Vince O’Regan – Guitars
Jamie Little – Drums

Produced and mixed by Paul Hodson

MP3 FLAC