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What, no replies for such a high-profile release?

Personally I only just recently started listening to this band (hell I listened to Almah long before oddly enough), but apparently their entire discography is golden so I'm going to go through it all at some point.

Good album, they actually celebrate 20 years in 2011 how time flies.

MR has been ignoring a lot of "high profile" releases lately.

No Return To Heaven Denied review...wtf?

What, from Italian Prog-Power boys Labyrinth? Maybe blame it on my non-superior knowedge of the genre, but I'd hardy call that a high profile release.

They write the best progressive music in the world, remember?

Yes, their entire discography is golden. This is one of my all time favorite bands. I'd have to say they are my favorite prog/power metal. I'm yet to hear this release all the way through, but I'm sure it'll be great. Really looking forward to it.

I'd say Labyrinth are a pretty high profile release, just not as high profile as BG and Angra. I've also heard they did a pretty good job on the new one.

Yep. As far as albums go, only Rush has a better track record than Olaf Thorsen, but I like Rush's pop period better than their prog days. Dream Theater isn't that far behind next.

And for the record, I said Olaf Thorsen writes the best progressive music ever, not Labyrinth. Everything Olaf touches is gold.

Angra are another band that is up there. I haven't heard much of the Matos albums, but they do everything well enough where all their stuff comes across as being a notch above even the best players around.

I like most of Angra's previous albums but personally I think this new direction seems like the wrong way to go. Angra's main strength is in fast melodic power metal songs and releasing almost a full album of slower progessive songs just does not suit them (at least IMO).

I don't get why so many people are calling this one of their slower albums. There's four fast songs here (probably the average amount for an Angra album), and great ones at that. Plus, Angra's always been a progressive band, so I don't understand why you're suddenly complaining that they turned progressive when they, well, always have been. I don't exactly see how this is a new direction either, every style performed on this album has been done on a previous Angra record in the past.

Well when compared to any of their previous work it is generally a slower album. True, there are about 4 faster songs but IMO they just lack the speed and energy that formed their usual melodic power metal sound.

Anyway I didnt complain that they suddenly turned progressive. Angra have always had progressive elements in their music even before Rebirth. But their albums were never this slow and relaxed. The mood is just very different from what we'd expect from Angra.

Aqua isnt a bad album IMO, but it is a different direction for them.

Well considering they released their two heaviest albums (Aurora Consurgens and Temple of Shadows) prior to Aqua, I personally enjoy hearing a more relaxed Holy Land-style Angra again. I do hope their next album is a bit busier, though.

I'd get my ass kicked if I listened to Angra.

By who?

All dem tough drinking types.

Because God forbid you listen to one of the most intelligent power metal bands around...

Yes I know you do not like much power metal.

It's strange... I like Angra, I feel it's good, it has quality, but I find it very boring at first listen. Perhaps I'm not in the right mode for power actually. I'll give it a try in the future.

Yeah I agree, I think the lyrical content here directed their music towards this more relaxed approach.

I disagree. Consider Yes's discography in the 70's. Hard to match that as far as progressive music is concerned. And in the progressive metal category, no band IMO can match Fates Warning's Jon Arch-era releases. Awaken the Guardian in particular will never be surpassed.

I do enjoy this album a lot, it's very solid. But I'd rate it somewhere in the mid 80s at the highest. I think it's better than their last release. But definitely not as good as Temple of Shadows, or Rebirth. To me around the same level as Fireworks, but lower than the first two albums.

I do recommend it but it's not the first place to start with the band.