Nowadays,
TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA is one – or better – is the biggest Rock Opera active. Making more than 30 concerts while the Christmas date – they start in November and stopped in January – they offer to the listener a fantastic experience to see all this greatness alive. And now, they’re releasing your sixth full-length called
“Letters From The Labyrinth” by
Atlantic Records. They started their activities in 1993 by
Paul O’Neill, Robert Kinker and
Jon Oliva –
SAVATAGE members – talking about themes different than
SAVATAGE The artwork is eye popping – the
TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA standard and the lineup, now it’s killer and they bring a special guest to singing one song –
Lzzy Hale from
HALESTORM.
You will find here a lot of instrumental tracks – like in
“Madness Of Men”, “Mountain Labyrinth”, “King Rurik”, “Prince Igor”, and
“Lullaby Night”, because this is a Rock Opera and they must make interludes. In these tracks you can confer the most fine and talented in Music mixing the Rock with Classical elements there. Now, let’s talk about the other tracks. The first track –
“Time And Distance (The Dash)”, starts with a beautiful choral and starts perfectly
“Letters From The Labyrinth”. The classical influences are very strength there. And starts the first instrumental song called
“Madness Of Men”, with influences in
SAVATAGE songs – being ironic, I don’t know why – and instantly
Beethoven appears and start playing with the band. Well, that’s the feeling I’m having listening it.
“Prometheus” keeps with an incredible piano intro and the Classical spirit still there. While almost 2 minutes intro,
Jeff Scott Soto shines singing with his powerful voice. The next, another instrumental track, with oriental elements shows again the phenomenal this Rock Opera it is. And the next is another instrumental track called
“King Rurik” with an epic intro in violin and stills in
“Prince Igor”. The next is
“The Night Conceives” with the fantastic voice by
Kayla Reeves. The song is a typical Rock with some influence in Blues that makes all the difference. The choral is amazing and makes you have goose-bumps.
The next song is
“Forget About the Blame (Sun Version)” by the fantastic voice from
Robin Borneman. It’s a beautiful ballad that brings more Pop/Rock to this album. And then starts
“Not Dead Yet” by the brilliant, fantastic and unique voice from
Russell Allen –
SYMPHONY X/ADRENALINE MOB frontman and one of the best voices from actuality – showing all you groove in a bluesy song using by his drives. For me, this song is the highlight from
“Letters from the Labyrinth”.“Past Tomorrow” starts with a melancholic piano lines joined by the excellent voice from the talented
Jennifer Cella. And keeping the melancholic atmosphere, Adrienne Warren sings there make from
“Stay” –
SAVATAGE bonus track from the album
“The Wake Of Magellan” released in 1997.
“Not The Same” finish the trilogy ballads from this album with again the fantastic voice from
Kayla Reeves. Only with piano and voice, this song almost makes you cry. The next track called
“Who I Am” makes you amazed with the talent in the choral. And the last instrumental called
“Lullaby Night”, with influences in
Johann Sebastian Bach is a fantastic song with incredible piano lines in all. And to close,
“Forget About The Blame (Moon Version)” singing by the special guest
Lzzy Hale –
HALESTORM singer – making the Moon version – showing she knows very well to sing a ballad and make something different than her band.
It’s a masterpiece treating about the Rock Opera and in the future, will the compared with Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy, and others classics. If I could make a better note, I’ll do it.