LABYRINTH
“In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

9/10

Labyrinth are a power metal band from Italy formed during the nineties by guitarists Andrea Cantarelli and Olaf Thorsen (Vision Divine). Releasing ten studio albums across a three decade career, the band remain a formidable force in the worldwide power metal scene, Labyrinth’s tenth and most recent release ‘In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye’ emerging in 2025…

…featuring ten songs across an hour of pace, power, unforgettable hooks and a huge infusion of the bands progressive metal leanings! Completing the bands line-up alongside Cantarelli and Thorsen, is vocalist Roberto Tiranti, keyboard player Oleg Smirnoff, bass player Nik Mazzucconi (Edge Of Forever), and drummer Matt Peruzzi (Shadows Of Steel, Vision Divine) – ‘In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye’ striding into life with the crescendo building ‘Welcome Twilight’, for all of about a minute or so, the band hitting the accelerator hard to roar off at full throttle! The pace here is incredible, the urgency sensational, the Italian metallers reaching supersonic speed in next to no time, the head of every listener around the world rocking vigorously back and forth!

An absolute belter of an opening gambit, Labyrinth march on with a more hustle and bustle nature courtesy of ‘Accept The Changes’ – the band once again hitting the accelerator hard after a minute to roar off at top speed! The framework of the opening brace maybe a little similar, but ‘Accept The Changes’ is so different in terms of melodious intent, heaviness and progressive input – the band’s musical variation across the albums first two songs wider than Lago di Bientina (recognised as the widest lake in Tuscany – the bands home region in Italy). Striding headlong into balladry, ‘Out Of Place’ is a mellow meander with all the power of the previous two songs reined in tight, the band letting it all flow free after (take a guess) the first minute, ‘Out Of Place’ becoming a mid tempo march of thunderous proportions as Labyrinth continually swing in and out of balladry. And the burst of speed at half way is sensational, the band delivering the heaviest song heard so far in the shape of the fiery ‘At The Rainbow’s End’. I say fiery, ’cause the pace and power here is more intense than all the previous songs put together – Labyrinth continuing their stunning metal onslaught at greater and greater levels of intensity, urgency and head bang ability!

And maintaining the albums changing texture, ‘The Right Side Of This World’ strides purposefully across the land with shoulders back and head held high, pounding the ground with more force than ever, nearby buildings shaking to their foundations – the band keeping the mosh pits very happy indeed! I can just feel the happiness, it’s an all conquering feeling oozing outta the bands latest album, a feeling that ain’t going away any time soon, ‘The Healing’ bringing to the surface the bands mellow serenity once more. Progressing to border the hard rock genre, ‘The Healing’ keeps most of its roots in power and traditional metal territory, Labyrinth producing one of those genre hopping, border jumping, boundary breaking songs that appeal to a myriad of metallers. I’m telling ya readers, the diversity on offer is greater than the power of the Sun, ‘Heading To Nowhere’ roaring outta the gate with more pace and power than ever before, settling down to cruise along the autostrade! The band continue to change through the gears as the chorus break becomes a blistering blur of all out speed, ‘In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye’ maintaining its enthralling journey from one side of metal territory to the other!

And as we enter the albums final third, the intensity is also maintained, the band keeping a tight hold on everyone’s attentions as ‘Mass Distraction’ marches into sight with a majestic mid tempo swagger, Labyrinth touching lightly on anthemic metal too – the eclectic mix of styles just getting wider and wider, every listener kept on their toes by not knowing in which direction the Italian outfit are gonna turn next! And that includes yours truly – ‘To The Son I Never Had’ tempting balladry, but also a hymn-like aura as the band take a slow wander across the land! There is an element of lighters in the air here, but I think just maybe the band remain half a step outside ballad country, but don’t let me stop you from raising those lighters high, especially across the elegant chorus break which is most definitely ballad-esque. ‘In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye’ is brought to a close by the longest song on offer, ‘Inhuman Race’ clocking in at nearly eight minutes in length – Labyrinth throwing everything the band have in their vast musical arsenal at every listener, fan and follower around the world.

Overall, a diverse progressive power metal album with a sky high infectious level to keep you hooked for the albums entire one hour run time.

TRACKLIST

Welcome Twilight
Accept The Changes
Out Of Place
At The Rainbow’s End
The Right Side Of This World
The Healing
Heading For Nowhere
Mass Distraction
To The Son I Never Had
Inhuman Race

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