Architecture of a God is Italian power metal band Labyrinth's eighth album, released on 21 April 2017 via Frontiers Records.[5][6] It is their first album since 2010's Return to Heaven Denied Pt. II: "A Midnight Autumn's Dream", marking their longest non-album gap.
| Architecture of a God | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 21 April 2017 | |||
| Genre | Power metal, progressive metal[1][2] | |||
| Length | 61:07[3] | |||
| Label | Frontiers | |||
| Producer | Labyrinth[4] | |||
| Labyrinth chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editIn 2014, lead vocalist Roberto Tiranti left Labyrinth to embark on a solo career, and Mark Boals was chosen as his replacement.[7] In 2016, however, the band announced they were working on a new album to be released via Frontiers Music Srl in 2017 and to be recorded with the reunion of founding members Olaf Thorsen and Andrea Cantarelli on guitars, with Tiranti on lead vocals, John Macaluso (ex-Ark, Yngwie Malmsteen, James LaBrie, Riot, Starbreaker, and TNT) on drums, Oleg Smirnoff (ex-Vision Divine, Eldritch, Death SS) on keyboards and Nik Mazzucconi on bass.[8]
The reunion was suggested by the label, which called Cantarelli and Thorsen and insisted they worked back together in order to revisit their "classic sound". Thorsen was reluctant at first, but ended up accepting the invitation.[4]
In February 2017, the album's title, track-list and cover were revealed.[5][6]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metal Hammer Italia | 90/100[1] |
| Metal Hammer (Germany) | 3/7[2] |
Writing for Metal Hammer Italia, Stefano Giorgianni recognized the band is not the same as before, but still praised the overall performance, including that of new members Mazzucconi, Smirnoff and Macaluso, and said the band writes "poetry transposed to music, with compositions that transcend genres and directly reach one's heart".[1]
Writing for the German edition of the magazine, Katrin Riedl wasn't as impressed, comparing it unfavorably to the band's previous effort, which she believed to have had more power and more progressive elements blended in their power metal.[2]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bullets" | 6:56 |
| 2. | "Still Alive" | 4:49 |
| 3. | "Take on My Legacy" | 4:04 |
| 4. | "A New Dream" | 5:22 |
| 5. | "Someone Says" | 4:44 |
| 6. | "Random Logic" | 1:55 |
| 7. | "Architecture of a God" | 8:40 |
| 8. | "Children" | 4:07 |
| 9. | "Those Days" | 5:14 |
| 10. | "We Belong to Yesterday" | 6:32 |
| 11. | "Stardust and Ashes" | 5:16 |
| 12. | "Diamond" | 3:28 |
| Total length: | 61:07[3] | |
Personnel
editSource:[1]
- Roberto Tiranti — vocals
- Andrea Cantarelli — guitars
- Olaf Thörsen — guitars
- Nik Mazzucconi — bass
- Oleg Smirnoff — keyboards
- John Macaluso — drums
- Simone Mularoni (DGM) — mixing[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Giorgianni, Stefano (2 May 2017). "Labyrinth – Architecture Of A God". Metal Hammer Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 4 November 2020.
- ^ a b c Riedl, Katrin (21 April 2017). "Labÿrinth ARCHITECTURE OF A GOD". Metal Hammer (Germany) (in German). Retrieved 4 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Architecture of a God". Apple Music. Apple Inc. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
- ^ a b c "Italy's LABŸRINTH Return From Hiatus; Architecture Of A God Album Due In April". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 17 February 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
- ^ a b Belchevski, Blagoja (17 February 2017). "Labyrinth, in arrivo il nuovo album in studio 'Architecture Of A God'". Metal Hammer Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 4 November 2020.
- ^ a b "LABYRINTH to Release New Album "Architecture of a God" on April 21". Prog Sphere. 17 February 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
- ^ BloodTears (26 September 2014). "Mark Boals Announced As New Singer". Metal Storm. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
- ^ "NEW ALBUM UPDATE FROM LABYRINTH!". Frontiers Music srl Facebook.