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Rating:
THE REVIEW
Ok, you have already seen the rating I gave the album. Many, like me, consider it a true masterpiece, others despise it like the plague, the most sordid individuals accuse it of lack of originality, repetitiveness, zero innovation...
The truth is one: even though today power metal is a genre that is more inflated than ever, this could not be said in 1998 (when Return To Heaven Denied was released). The very Ligurian Labyrinth, in their most famous lineup with Tiranti on vocals, Mat Stancioiu on drums, and with an Olaf Thorsen still fully in the game, can rightfully be considered the founding fathers of Italian power metal as we understand it today (is someone saying Rhapsody? No, sorry, I can't hear you!)
This little gem that should be in every respectable music collection is a real collection of pearls, from the opening song "Moonlight," with its immensely singable chorus, to more melodic and dreamy tracks like "The Night of Dreams" or "State of Grace," up to the two tear-jerking ballads "Heaven Denied" or "Falling Rain." The instrumental and highly electronic track "Feel" is also interesting.
Eleven tracks, an hour of playtime, and never, I say absolutely never, a drop in tone, a melody even slightly off, or a riff less spot-on than the others. Fearsome songwriting, impeccable execution with a truly outstanding performance by the legendary Rob Tyrant, our very own golden throat... it all truly borders on perfection!
And now, the question arises spontaneously: with a band like this, capable of producing masterpieces of this kind and maintaining superlative levels over the years, why persist in searching for bands abroad? The real musical gold mine is in Italy!
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Summary by Bot
The review praises Labyrinth's 1998 album Return To Heaven Denied as a power metal masterpiece and a foundational work in Italian metal. With perfect songwriting, strong melodies, and legendary performances, it remains a must-have classic. The review emphasizes the band's importance and suggests Italian metal as an overlooked treasure.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
01 Moonlight (05:43)
Faced to the ivory gates of dreamsland
I look my steps being lost in the sand
Is this the place where they created your soul
Where all your tears have been shed for so long?
Moon don't tell me lies
don't let me roam forever
Moonlight take the sky
Show me the way to heaven ...
Moonlight shining in the sky
nothing more can stop my flight
Take my hand again, fly with me
thousand million miles away
Leaving the town of the ancient dreams
new reasons come to live for ...
Now that we are leaving out of maze
I can imagine all the masters' rage
Meaning is that love is stronger than hate
Meaning is that will is stronger than fate
Moon don't tell me lies
don't let me roam forever
Moonlight take the sky
Show me the way to heaven ...
Moonlight shining in the sky
nothing more can stop my flight
Take my hand again, fly with me
thousand million miles away
[SOLO: RAIN/TH?RSEN]
Moonlight shining in the sky
nothing more can stop my flight
Take my hand again, fly with me
thousand million miles away
[Magnani C., Cantarelli A., Rubulotta F.]
10 Falling Rain (06:24)
Deep in my heart i would like find
A place for love ...
It's not so easy as i'd like ...
And all this time, all this time we lost
just to follow a dream ...
Nothing will remain ...
The rain is falling down onto me
falling down as a silent cry
Now i'm staring at the mirror and
inside my heart
i can find my inner soul ...
now i'm staring at the mirror and
inside my eyes
nothing but a little tear ...
It's not our way and i think
you gotta find one
(a little angel starts to cry
This falling rain is telling now
a love is dying
but it will live into your heart
The rain is falling down to me
falling down as a silent cry
Now i'm staring at the mirror and
inside my heart
i can find my inner soul ...
now i'm staring at the mirror and
inside my eyes
nothing but a little tear ...
Deep in my heart i would like find
A place for love ...
and all this time
all the time we lost
just to follow a dream ...
Now i'm staring at the mirror and
inside my heart
I can find my inner soul ...
now i'm staring at the mirror and
inside my eyes
nothing but a little tear ...
Now i'm staring at the mirror and
inside my heart
I can find my inner soul ...
now i'm staring in the mirror and
all around
nothing but falling rain ...
Labyrinth
Labyrinth is an Italian power/progressive metal band formed in 1991, acclaimed for the landmark album Return to Heaven Denied and a discography spanning classic power metal and progressive-tinged explorations.08 Reviews
