Labyrinth - Sons Of Thunder (2000)

Labyrinth's previous album, RETURN TO HEAVEN DENIED, is a very highly rated release by many, but it did not do much for me. And ditto for this follow-up.
I like the speed (and there's a lot of speed), the instrumental proficiency and even the story of King Louis XIV (The Sun King) as he goes after a lady called Kathryn. But the only two songs that really stand out for me are "Kathryn" (which, for some reason, reminded me of something a band like Styx might have done in the 70s) and "Save Me". There's just not much melodious interest to grab my attention. Maybe that's the 80s part of my mind that just refuses to budge from that decade.
Or maybe this really isn't all that good.

**1/2