Artist: Beyond The Labyrinth
Title: Chapter III - Stories
Type: Album
Label: Incommunicado Records

I had the pleasure of reviewing this Belgium bands last opus ‘Castles in the Sand’. This is album number three, and building on their previous talented visions, Chapter III – Stories, has classic and progressive rock, Melodic hard rock/AOR, Epic Metal (e.g. Nightwish etc) and basically, everything that is talented and in between included. The classic rock influence is especially evident during ‘Raise the Horns’, simple use of keyboards and melody provides an uncanny resemblance Deep Purple’s comeback period. On this CD you also have an appreciation for the stunning vocal talents of Jo de Boeck, this guy is one of the most exceptional singers I have heard, the power and the range is tremendous and what I find warming thereby completing this listening experience is the way that he compliments every melody, run and riff on the tracks on offer. Ok, this is not nasty, harsh extreme music, this is music for the soul and a more mature listener will most likely find more favour. Of course, the musician amongst you should take note of the way that ‘Oceans Apart’ builds and builds and even though it is essentially a ballad, there is a power that is unrivalled in such circles. This is not a concept album, each song stands out in its own right, and the band happily invites you to use the “shuffle” button, you may be surprised. This is a release that you can sit back and relax too, similar to some progressive metal outfits, Beyond The Labyrinth have an art of clutching your attention by gently easing you in a deep slumber of relaxation in a millisecond, you wonder what is to come next, in truth I find this is an album that Jon Oliva would produce in his current ‘Pain’ format. Beyond The Labyrinth are a group that deserve some long awaited acknowledgement for their art, their craft, and their musical journey. ‘Chapter III – Stories’ is simply a majestic release. http://www.beyond-the-labyrinth.com

Paul Maddison

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