Review of the Album "Return to Heaven Denied" by Italian Power Metal Band Labyrinth

Italian power metal band Labyrinth is a band that I listened to a pretty good portion of the time in my early 20’s. Their 1998 studio album called Return to Heaven Denied is an example of a fine power metal release that is not by bands such as Rhapsody of Fire or Angra. The album has the powerful vocals of Rob Tyrant (Roberto Tiranti) as well as the solid use of keyboards to complement their complex riffing structures.

The album begins with the progressive power metal song Moonlight. Sometimes in life we realize that our soul is in need of a rebirth in life so we travel with the light of the moon and then love becomes stronger than hate. When we are determined to change the course of our destiny and life nothing can stop us because we are so determined to see ourselves in a much better light than before. The person described in the first song is asking for that journey to Heaven.

The Night of Dreams may be one of the overlooked songs on this album and I will say that I might have overlooked this song as well. The song is a simply constructed progressive influenced song about having daydreams. Daydreams can be a way to forget our problems temporarily but they can also be a technique to set goals for our future.

Thunder is the greatest song in this album by far! The fast riffing combined with the excellent instrument playing is what defines this song especially the keyboard playing parts. As Rob Tyrant says: “like a thunder, my rage could explode in your face,” (Thorsen, 1998). This song isn’t that explosive but it is so well-written with even the bass lines being somewhat audible. The song also addresses what can happen to a person that is losing his battle against an adversary.

Thunder could have easily been the first song on this album and would have been pretty much the best way to start this album due to the powerful riffs, drumming and solid vocals by the man known as Roberto Tiranti.

Time After Time is a song that is about a person that wonders what has been left behind after so much time has passed. After a long time, he begins to see a light that is calling him. Is it the Light of LOVE that is calling him? It might very well be and it is a light of love, a universal light of love that has the potential to heal and bless all of us. Falling Rain is a beautiful song about the search for love, as so much time has passed and finding that love is not so easy for many of us. It can be very frustrating when we dream of finding love only to not get there. Return to Heaven Denied is one of the best power metal releases of its kind and that’s all I can say for now.

Note: this review is being resumed after a break of a few hours but let’s just say also that there is an instrumental song called Feel and this breaks up the monotony of the album a bit. It is a cover song and a melodic part of it sounds like something German power metal band Edguy would use in their albums. The album ends with the song Die for Freedom. Freedom is often times a word for exploitation in certain countries as the masters call us to do their bidding and there is a price that we all pay for this freedom. The song gives us something to really think about because is that all there is in this life on Earth? No, our lives do not consist of all work and no play but that’s what it has been made out to be. There are too many good songs on this album to mention what the best ones are.

Bibliography

Thorsen, O. R. (1998). Thunder [Recorded by Labyrinth]. Tuscany, Italy.