A whole 11 years in the making apparently, even if you discount their previous recent releases. ‘Beyond the Labyrinth’ brings their Progressive/Melodic Metal all the way from Belgium with this, a concept album. Although a debut album appeared in 2005, the mastermind behind the band Geert Fieuw felt that those songs did not fit this concept and like a true perfectionist, decided that the album was not ready at the time. Now ready and released, was it worth the wait?
This all depends on your musical taste, neck breakers the tracks are not, if you like to nod appreciatively, and foot tap to melodic metal, you will get this album. There are flowing melodies and pure tone solos with a mesmerising keyboard playing away in the background on some tracks, ‘Pure Sabotage’ for example. I feel some Queen influence at the beginning of ‘The Enemy Within’, simply because vocalist Jo De Boeck emulates Mr Mercury quite well. Of course, the main song itself isn’t anything like Queen; to me it’s more like the melodic rock titans Ten or Double Dealer. There are good arrangements and good ideas; it is not that original, as most of this has been heard before. There are a couple of bum notes on the high vocal parts, but that just gives you a good live arena feeling.
There is a big market out there for melodic rock/metal like this, and to be good, you have to play and release good albums. This is true when it comes to ‘Castles in the Sand’, but I think it’s about 90% there, there is just something missing that stops it from being a classic in my mind. However, that’s still good in my book. The solos on ‘Draining My Energy’ give you a boost and flow well into the melody as do those on the albums closing epic ‘No Place For A Dreamer’. If the Prog Power UK Festival still existed, these guys would have to be part of the bill in any year. The bands namesake track has some vocal phrasing heard in some current Rage songs and Peavy Wagner’s voice in general, whilst a Hammond organ gives the centre section some Deep Purple movements from their most recent era before the keyboard tone changes, another swooping guitar solo eases you into more dreamy Hammond filled verse into an annoyingly memorable chorus melody. This is where I find myself thinking that we have Mike Tramp (White Lion & Freak of Nature) on guest vocals, Jo does sound similar on this section.
It has to be said that Geert Fieuw’s compositions are very well rounded and precise, the album certainly grew on me more each time it was played after passing over a few tracks initially. The single ‘Time to Fly’ is perfect for such a release. I like this album; it’s soothing, wholesome and will keep you warm on a cold winter’s night.
http://www.myspace.com/beyondthelabyrinth
http://www.beyond-the-labyrinth.com
