LABYRINTH

The original line-up gets together in 1991, as it happens to all the successfull bands, with the intent of playing heavy metal, having fun, and with nothing but the hope of a successfull carrer.

A few years later, in 1994, with more experience in songwriting, the band manages to release "Midnight Resistance", the first demo, now a cult-item among the fans, that gets enthusiastic reviews on major metal magazines in Italy and Germany and that gives them the chance to sign with Underground Symphony, a new-born indie.
It is the year of "Piece of Time", their first EP, that marks the direction the band is taking: pure melodic speed metal with a keyboards-background that fascinates the Italian and German underground metal scene. It is the first step for the release of a full-lenght LP.

In early 1995, then, "No Limits" is released and the interest on the band gets higher and higher among metal kids and independent labels. The popularity of the band increases not only in the mother land and the rest of Europe, but also overseas (Japan, Korea, Brasil), where some labels (Teichika for Japan) offer to deal the record out. The band stays in the metal magazine "Burrn!" top ten charts for almost six months, but, despite the good sales, a tour is not ready to come yet.

Everything seems to go on the right way for success, but this is not enough to avoid tensions inside the band to rise and Joe Terry, the lead singer, leaves the band to re-join Athena first and become, later on, the frontman of Rhapsody.

1997 is a very important year for the line up-adjustments the band undergoes: the former drummer/producer and keyboards player finally leave the band and the new vocalist Rob Tyrant (Roberto Tiranti) joins the boys bringing a lash of energy. In the meantime some of the most important big metal labels show a deep interest on the band's new demo and finally Metal Blade makes the best offer and the contract is signed! It takes six months to record the second album "Return To Heaven Denied" and before its release the band takes part to summer 1998's metal main event: "Gods of Metal", together with some of Heavy Metal biggest acts such as Blak Sabbath, Pantera, Helloween, Blind Guardian, Stratovarius. Return To Heaven Denied is a success among fans and metal magazines and it gives a strong impulse not only to the carrer of the band, but also to the whole Italian metal scene, that recognizes Labyrinth as the new sensation of the moment.
Shortly after the release of the new record the singer Rob Tyrant leaves the band, being replaced by the lead singer of Domine and ex leader of the late 80's cult metal band Sabotage: Morby. Morby leads Labyrinth throughout the whole European tour, in Europe as supporting act of the more popoular bands Hammerfall and Primal Fear, in Italy, few mounths after, as a leading act supported by Heimdall.

After a short break the group enters the recording studio to release the new Mini CD "Timeless Crime", containing new hits and old tracks from the first demotape "Midnight Resistance" to LPs "No Limits" and "Return to Heaven Denied".

In the meanwhile Rob Tyrant gets back to the band, replacing Morby and singing with Labyrinth in the most important European Heavy Metal festivals (Gods of Metal, Dynamo and more).

After this "summer of festivals" the band enters the recording studio again to release the new full-length LP "Sons Of Thunder". Unfurtunately for the fans, the recording of the album takes a little longer than usual because at some problems with the mixing (the record has to be remixed because the first "sound" did not satisfy the band). But in the meanwhile our guys take part (as presentation for the new album) to other very important European festivals of kind of Wacken 2000 and Rock Machina 2000 (Spain), having indescribable success.

As soon a released, at the end of August 2000, Sons Of Thunder sparkles, flying at number 52 of the Japanese chart and at the 26 of the Italians one. Such good results are recompensed with the request of make a tour in South America with Vision Divine (for the dates see the section "tour"). The local chicos give to the two Italian bands continuous sold outs and a return to Latin America is in sight in 2002 for both the bands

With a such response the band organizes an Italian tour first, in February 2001 with support band Sigma (ex Love Machine), and then a long European tour, supporting Helloween first and then Iron Savior (dates in section "tour").

As an Italian saw says, there's no rose without a thorn. And unfortunately the thorn is the Italian Labyrinth's label: not having had a correct attitude in the years, the band is forced to bring an action against it. In the meantime the band organizes in the month of March 2002 a minitour to bring out the present Italian metal scene; this thanks to the tour-festival "Italian Attack", March the 15th , 16th and 23rd . A festival to which take part Domine, White Skull, Skylark, Novembre and Centurion. The incredible participation of the people takes even higher the name Labyrinth, which sees in the close future the new chapter of its history.

The writing of the new tracks happens in the month of May of the same year, but sudden news damped the fans enthusiasm: Olaf Thorsen leaves the band. The reasons must be searched in the days when Labyrinth began to work on the new tracks. Olaf had very different ideas from the album which would have been one of the best Cd of the Italian band. Do the decision to dedicate himself completely to his band Vision Divine. In the meantime Mat Stancioiu and Andrew McPauls leave Vision Divine to dedicate themselves completely to Labyrinth.
In the month of July 2002 is published the first demo of the new "Labyrinth era", a four-piece full of power and aggressiveness never seen before. Then another novelty: the decision to use the real name of the guys of the band: Andrea Cantarelli (Anders), Roberto Tiranti (Rob), Andrea "MC" De Paoli (Andrew), Cristiano Bertocchi (Chris) and Mattia Stancioiu (Mat).
The clear and sharp recording of the new demo procures them three of the most important contracts of their career: Century Media Records for Europa and Americas, V2 for Italy and King Records for Japan. In January 2003 Labyrinth begins the recording for the new album which will be titled simply "Labyrinth", under the production of the band. It is recorded in Noise Factory in Milan (Italy), and it is mastered in the House of Audio in Germany, location that gives an incredible power to the album. In the meantime the problems with the old Italian label are smooth out.
Roberto Tiranti begins the musical The Ten Commandments, musical that will supplement his activity as Labyrinth singer until the beginning of the year 2004. The released of "Labyrinth" fixed for June the 30th , is postponed in Italy to July the 4th because of past legal problems with Pick Up.

The following step to the release of the album was finding a good second guitarist for the concerts after "Labyrinth" release. The five Labs find in Pier Gonella ­ old friend of Roberto and Mc ­ the perfect union of violence and technique. The first show for the ligurian axemen is the IX Agglutination Metal Festival in Chiaromonte (PZ), where Labyrinth would have been the 3rd band, before Vader and Virgin Steele. After the defection of the deathsters Vader, ours change the position in the bill, getting opening act of the American epic band.

Just after summer 2003, begins the preparation for the live show to support the new album. It will be a tour out of the usual standard, without a estimated "end": The Maze On Tour 2003/04. From December 2003, with the tour begins the working to the new album ­ foreseen for autumn 2004 ­ year during which the band celebrate ten years of career ! The new work will be a prosecution of the way begun with "Labyrinth" with songs of deep atmosphere united to tracks like "Just Soldier", but with a bigger introspection. Taking part with good and dense ideas to the writing of the new tracks, Pier Gonella ­ with the beginning of the year 2004 ­ sees his figure enter the band as 6th official member.

In May 2004 the band had the chance to play in Japan, China & Taiwan, showing to the audiences their great powerful live performance. In June 04 the band played in Slovakia & in November 04 supported Dream Evil in London (U.k).

The band's new album is entitled "Freeman". Recorded and mixed at Elnor Studio in Milan (Italy) and mastered at The House Of Audio Studios in Germany, the album is being called "a big step in the new frontier of Labyrinth's sound". "Freeman" will be released in March 2005.
It's difficult to say which direction the 2005 Lab's sound is going, if we consider that in the 10 tracks on Freeman we can find the most various elements. From the band's most aggressive song ever, 'Dive In Open Waters', to the mid-tempos with killer riffs and harmonic melodies and '70's - or speedy - periods, to disquieting 'Malcolm Grey', a song that will give a thrill to more than a few people!". Music without limits!!!

Discography:
Piece of Time E.P. (1995)
No Limits (1996)
Return To Heaven Denied (1998)
TimeLess Crime E.P. (1999)
Sons Of Thunder (2000)
Labyrinth (2003)
Freeman (4th March 2005)

Labyrinth:
Roberto Tiranti - Vocals
Andrea Cantarelli - Guitar
Mattia Stancioiu - Drums
Cristiano Bertocchi - Bass
Pier Gonella - Guitar
Andrea "Mc" De Paoli - Keyboards

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