Architecture of a God

Getting back into Metal 15 years ago I dutifully picked up Labyrinth's Return to Heaven Denied, as it was hailed as a classic almost universally. I enjoyed it but not enough to dig into any of the band's subsequent releases. Fast-forward to 2017, nearly 20 years since the band's seminal release and they've delivered Architecture of a God, their eight full-length. Looking over the ratings for previous releases and seeing a somewhat uneven output, it seems like the band was due for a monster and Architecture of a God fits the bill. Amazing progressively-tinged Power Metal fills the album to bursting and Labyrinth busted out the A-game when it comes to songwriting. From the blistering "Take on My Legacy" to the epic "Architecture of a God" the guitars and keyboards beautifully complement the vocal lines and almost every song has a riff or chorus that is sure to stick in your head. This is one of those albums that at over an hour seems like it might be too long but never feels like it, the ebb and flow of emotions are so smooth. I'm not saying this is as good as Return... but if you like Power Metal and aren't impressed then you need to listen again. Architecture of a God is an impressive return to form for Labyrinth.