Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 25, 2026

Magnified

Magnified is the second album by the American alternative rock band Failure. It was released on March 8, 1994, through Slash Records.

Last revised
Jun 25, 2026
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≈ 2 min
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Magnified
Studio album by
Failure
ReleasedMarch 8, 1994
Recorded1993, Kiva West, Encino
Genre
Length49:04
LabelSlash2
ProducerFailure
Failure chronology
Comfort
(1992) 		Magnified
(1994) 		Fantastic Planet
(1996)
Singles from Magnified
  1. "Empty Friend"
    Released: 1994
  2. "Moth"
    Released: 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star1
Kerrang!StarStarStar3

Magnified is the second album by the American alternative rock band Failure.45 It was released on March 8, 1994, through Slash Records.6

Production

Drummer Robert Gauss departed during the recording of the album; the remaining drum parts were played by John Dargahi and Greg Edwards.7

Magnified differs from Failure's debut album Comfort by using a great deal of bass guitar distortion. The use of a bassline as the main structure of the song as well as distortion can be heard best on "Frogs" and "Small Crimes."

Critical reception

In a retrospective article published to coincide with the album's 25th anniversary, Decibel wrote that "druggy chord changes slither unpredictably, oftentimes led by a four-string bassquake alongside primal drumming, both delivered with forceful conviction."8 Trouser Press called the album "a major improvement [over the debut], but not a thorough success," writing that "Failure paints senseless coats of alternative guitar ... over tuneful material that might actually be enticing if not for the underbrush."2 The Seattle Times wrote that "the songwriting on Magnified is more pop-oriented than on the band's first disc, Comfort, which had more of an improvisational feel."9 The Albuquerque Journal wrote that "Failure checks into the rock 'n' roll hall of fame as the only band to have less variation between songs than Boston."10

Track listing

All music is composed by Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards except "Let It Drip", by Andrews.

No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Let It Drip"Andrews2:41
2."Moth"Edwards3:50
3."Frogs"Andrews, Edwards4:55
4."Bernie"Andrews5:17
5."Magnified"Edwards4:36
6."Wonderful Life"Andrews5:34
7."Undone"Andrews, Edwards4:27
8."Wet Gravity"Edwards6:06
9."Empty Friend"Edwards4:21
10."Small Crimes"Edwards7:13
Total length:49:04

Personnel

Credits

Recorded by Paul Lani. Mixed by David Bianco and Ken Andrews. Frog: Bruce Schwartz

References

References

  1. "Magnified - Failure". AllMusic.
  2. "Failure". Trouser Press. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  3. Travers, Paul (April 2, 1994). "Rekordz". Kerrang!. No. 488. EMAP. p. 47.
  4. "Failure | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  5. Kreps, Daniel (December 16, 2019). "Failure Celebrate First Three Albums With Live Residencies, Box Set". Rolling Stone.
  6. Murphy, Kerry (January 31, 1994). "Dialogue" (PDF). CMJ New Music Report. 37 (6): 59 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  7. "Failure FAQ 1997".
  8. "Retrospective: Failure's "Magnified" 25 Years Later". Decibel Magazine. March 8, 2019.
  9. "Summer Gets Rocking With 'Rockstock '94' | The Seattle Times". archive.seattletimes.com.
  10. "TOOL FAILURE INFECTIOUS GROOVES JOHN TRUDELL BRUCE COCKBURN". Albuquerque Journal: 61. April 21, 1994.
  11. "Album Magnified, Failure | Qobuz: download and streaming in high quality".