• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

April 2024

• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
• The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
• Lords Of Black: Mechanics Of Predacity
• Lipz: Changing The Melody
• The End Machine: The Quantum Phase
• Stargate: Escaping The Illusion
• Turbulence: Binary Dream
• Sonata Arctica: Clear Cold Beyond
• D'Luna: Monster
• Big Big Train: The Likes Of Us
• Benjamin Croft: We Are Here To Help

February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
• Lionheart: The Grace Of A Dragonfly
• Honeymoon Suite: Alive
• Durbin: Screaming Steel
• Smoking Snakes: Danger Zone
• Revolution Saints: Against The Winds
• Striker: Ultrapower
• Show N Tell: The Ritual Has Begun
• Robert Hart: Circus Life

January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
• Caligula's Horse: Charcoal Grace
• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
• The Rods: Rattle The Cage
• Gotus: Gotus
• Metalite: Expedition One
• Cobrakill: Serpent's Kiss
• Jack Russell & Tracii Guns: Medusa
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
• The Grandmaster: Black Sun

[ More Music Reviews ]

Labyrinth: Return To Live CD/DVD

Progressive Power Metal

Audio: 4.5/5.0 Visual: 4.5/5.0

Facebook
Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 15.01.2018

Prior to the release of their 2017 comeback album, Architecture Of A God, Italy's Labyrinth reunited for a live show at the 2016 Fronters Music Metal Festival in Milan. Fans were treated to a live performance of Return To Heaven Denied, the 1998 album that put the band on the progressive power metal map. This show was recorded for CD and DVD as Return To Live.

Labyrinth

While that preceding paragraph may suffice as a summary of the DVD/CD package, allow me a few additional observations about the concert. On the technical side of things, the audio and visual aspects of the show are quite satisfying. To the former, every instrument is heard in their part, notably the bass line throughout. Vocalist Roberto Tiranti also rises above the power metal. Overall, the "sound" of the recording is clean and vibrant.

Visually, if you have seen any other Frontiers festival recordings, there's nothing all that fancy about the stage or lighting; mostly both are spartan and practical. But the camera work delivers the visual appeal, giving you full band shots, up close shots of band members, notably the guitarist in solos, and the enthusiastic crowd. Here and there, there's a smattering of split screen shots, sometimes three views at once, featuring band and crowd views. But I'm not sure how necessary they were.

As for Labyrinth in performance, they are in their groove and enthusiastic, playing off each other as much as they engage the crowd. You can tell that they are really enjoying the show. Bottom line: Return To Live is a sastisfying and entertaining audio visual concert experience. Labyrinth fans will not want to miss this one. Easily recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Labyrinth's Return To Live, featuring a full performance of 1998's Return To Heaven Denied is a sastisfying and entertaining audio visual concert experience. Labyrinth fans will not want to miss this one. Easily recommended.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]