Beyond the Labyrinth – Chapter III – Stories (2011)

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Before receiving Beyond The Labyrinth's third and brand new release I knew it involved a hard rock vibe in general, but that was all. Truth be told, I didn't know the band before and I was prepared for some dirty tunes, on the contrary though, the album holds a varied aesthetic in terms of expression.

So, Beyond The Labyrinth hail from Belgium and despite the fact they have been around since 1996, they appeared in official discography during 2005 with Signs. Their new attempt's name is Chapter III - Stories and clocks around an hour's time. It is consisted of 12 compositions and each one takes its time to expand, infusing a wide variety of references, influences, genres and sounds, making the sound of the band affected, but not over-abused in terms of technique. We're talking about melodic heavy metal/hard rock with the adjective "melodic" playing a really important role. Apart from the generic but main core of the aforementioned description you will witness generic power metal references that transform into light symphonic metal, progressive metal in the vein of Dream Theater's Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory aura, melodic ballads etc.

The good thing is that this album's vast sound territory can please different listeners of the same core, in combination with the gentle production that doesn't disarm the melodic dynamics of such an album. Along with the eloquent heaviness, the non-exaggerating, beautiful solos, the atmosphere-evoking keyboards and piano parts, the well-accompanying rhythm section and melodic, clean vocal lines that enrich the ambiance the way they should. Also, it's nice witnessing that the compositions work well together as a whole and at the same time they hold a personality of their own. You can see the album like a story book, as the title says, a whole series of stories, but the stories themselves can stand on their own. The bad thing now, 60 minutes may tire a bit, but this can always change according to one's musical tastes, so don't actually count it as something negative, but as a personal array.

Concluding, Chapter III- Stories is a well-performed album deflowering heaviness with melody and at the same time carving the edges of melody with heaviness. It's a balanced work with respect and affection on their influences and what they want to present. Had it been released a few years earlier it would definitely deserve more attention, as for now, if everything you read intrigued you enough and you feel nostalgic you should give Beyond The Labyrinth a shot.

01. The Girl With the X-Ray Eyes
02. Where Kindred Spirits Meet
03. Hidden Agenda
04. Oceans Apart
05. Fear's the Killer
06. The Darkest Page
07. Saturation Point
08. Stories Waiting to Be Told
09. Raise the Horns
10. Hypersensitive
11. The Peter Principle
12. Strength

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