Italian power metal act Labyrinth of course need no introduction, the band easily being one of the most beloved on the scene over their 20+ year existence, but in recent years multiple line-up changes and inactivity have plagued the group and stalled their progress. Frontiers Records contacted the band in 2016 asking them to regroup and try to get an album put together that harkens back to their classic Return to Heaven Denied release from 1998, and the end result is the excellent Architecture of a God. The 2017 line-up of Labyrinth is as follows:
Roberto Tiranti – lead vocals
Olaf Thorsen – lead guitars
Andrea Cantarelli – lead guitars
Nik Mazzucconi – bass guitar
Oleg Smirnoff - keyboards
John Macaluso - drums
Of course having founding members Thorsen & Cantarelli as well as longtime vocalist extraordinaire Tiranti was key, but also having John Macaluso (TNT, Riot, Ark), Oleg Smirnoff (Vision Divine, Edritch) and Nik Mazzucconi on board has really solidified the band, and this latest album is all killer and no filler. From raging speed metal rippers like "Take on My Legacy" to more progressive power metal numbers like "Bullets" and "Still Alive", there's plenty of strong material here littered with blazing guitar work, tight rhythms, and powerful vocal acrobatics. "A New Dream" and "Someone Says" contain some fantastic melodies, while the near 9-minute title track is majestic & atmospheric metal at its finest. Other highlights include the crunchy instrumental prog-metal track "Children", featuring some wild keyboard & guitar exchanges, the soaring anthem "We Belong to Yesterday", and the galloping "Stardust and Ashes", the latter an energetic blend of progressive & power metal featuring some sensational ensemble work from the band.
With Architecture of a God, Labyrinth are out to prove that they are still a force to be reckoned with on the power metal circuit. This really is an all-star line-up they have have now, and their new music more than lives up to their legacy. Recommended.
Track Listing
01 - Bullets
02 - Still Alive
03 - Take on my Legacy
04 - A New Dream
05 - Someone Says
06 - Random Logic
07 - Architecture of a God
08 - Children
09 - Those Days
10 - We Belong to Yesterday
11 - Stardust and Ashes
12 - Diamond
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