Myrath - Tales of the Sands (2011)

It's not often that I get to hear a lot of knockout progressive metal within such a quick succession, so the close of 3rd quarter 2011 is frankly spoiling the piss out of me: first with a formidable effort from Anubis Gate, second with the Arch/Matheos collaboration and now with a new full-length from everyone's inevitable, exotic heroes Myrath of Tunisia. This new release, Tales of the Sands is not so much a step forward from last year's Desert Call as that was from their 2007 debut Hope, but it's an ample successor with just as much practiced variation, seasoned compositional exposition and arching vocal prowess. Well integrated orchestration and omnipresent local percussion really give you a sense for who these guys ARE, and where they COME FROM, and just how many suburban Dream Theater doppelgangers could you say the same for?

Essentially a more attractive and memorable evolution of the schema set forth by New Jersey's Symphony X, there's not really a track that passes here where I don't feel immersed in some North African sojourn into the deceptively barren landscape. Multi-lingual lyrics, lots of ethnic vocal patterns and drums, and synthesizers that tempt and taunt at the listener like a mirage, Tales of the Sands could simply not have been more aptly titled. But no matter how far or how worldly Myrath might seem at times, they never distance themselves too far from their metallic core, whether that be the thick power metal subtext played out against the harmonies in "Braving the Seas" or the Dream Theater-like grooves strutting through the title track. Even the rabid raver electro bits that inaugurate "Requiem for a Goodbye" pay off due to the drums and almost immediate launch into a desert metal melody; and through "Wide Shut" and "Beyond the Stars" they hammer away pretty hard for this genre, weaving the aggression straight into Zaher Zorgatti's delicate thunder like fine linen.

What's even better, there is not a single damned ballad to be found on this album. No taking the easy way out, no compromise for the ladies. Tales of the Sands is a consistent environment, perhaps even more than its predecessor, though the band might no longer have the ability to surprise the listener (since Desert Call was so damned good). The professional mix here and the talent of each instrumentalist should easily place Myrath upon the radars of the progressive minded who fancy their fare clean and proficient. They don't exactly break the mold of their parent niche, but twist it into something localized and immediate, memorable and reliable that begs for repeat listens. I won't say that it hits the same high bar as its predecessor, and there aren't as many moments of sheer, passionate explosion as I experienced there, but Tales of the Sands proves that these upstarts are no fluke, but a formidable hymn of hope and reawakening in an all too stagnant international scene of lackluster DT & Fates Warning clones.

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.myrath.com/

Myrath - Hope (2007)

After having my mind blown sufficiently by this Tunisian band's sophomore Desert Call earlier this year, I felt it pertinent to track down their 2007 debut and see what I had been missing. Never before had I been exposed to metal of any sort from this particular country, least of all a band who can trump American favorites like Symphony X and about half of Dream Theater's catalog while fully fusing their own cultural perspective as a native influence in their composition. Hope is not quite so powerful as its successor, but it does mold itself around an impressive center-piece, with a number of other tracks also shining through the din of mediocrity to cement a pleasurable listen for fans of power/progressive hybrids.

The center-piece is of course the 11 + minute "Seven Sins" which dominates the core of the album. Here Myrath calmly develop a mystique through both eerie synthesizers, busy bass and an almost doom metal gone progressive wackjob in the guitars. Keyboardist Elyes Bouchoucha's escalating vocals are superb, almost as if he's mixing a little of James Hetfield's earlier edge in with the more melodic voice, and as the track transitions through each phase, delightful surprises await, like the moody breakdown around 4:30, the power metal surge after the lead around 6:00, or the later piano rock sequence after 7:00. A tasteful integration of both ambition and superb musical quality, it's the most powerful individual track found here. There are other lengthy pieces like "Hope" and the finale "My Inner War", the latter of which is bristling with jazzy funk which later develops into some jarring metallic components.

Of the shorter fare, the intro offers Middle Eastern percussion and synthesizers that immerse the listener directly into the rich history of Myrath's region. The muddy deep end grooving guitar tones of "Last Breath" part for some excellent bass playing and an overall ark that feels like Jorn Lande jamming with Symphony X, albeit with a cooler guitar tone than Michael Romeo's. "Fade Away" is the power ballad, slowly cruising from folk to electric, and while its not a favorite of mine here, it's far from bad. "All My Fears" answers this doldrums with angry gang shouting, impressive shredding and intimate energy, though it too is not one of the better songs. "Confession" has its highs and lows, with muddy chugging guitars, Bouchoucha impressive as he conjures a little angst, but the most impressive moments arriving in the Dream Theater-like jam that steals away the song in the bridge.

No, Hope did not leave me salivating quite so much as the follow-up, but clearly its impressive enough in its own right to satisfy progressive metal fans. You can hear the band developing their fusion of ethnic melody and more contemporary tactics that will thrust them into the top tier of this genre's acts, but the songs just don't have the beautiful power of Desert Call. The mix is pristine, the musicianship tight and fluent, and "Seven Sins" alone is worth giving the album a listen, but if you're new to the band I feel you might be better served by the sophomore.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10]

http://www.myrath.com/

Myrath - Desert Call (2010)

There aren't a lot of progressive/power metal bands out there these days that I'd ever pay lip service to, aside from the established acts like Angra, Pagan's Mind or some of Dream Theater's work, so I was quite surprised to hear a band, from Tunisia, of all places, that blew me away with the quality of their songwriting, musicianship, and the excellent collision between Arabic instrumentation and accessible metal hooks that run the range from balladry to aggression. If you really had to pinpoint their sound, you could think of them as a happy medium between Angra's first few albums, Symphony X, and the Middle Eastern savvy/folk awareness of Israel's Orphaned Land. Myrath has an innate ability to conjure a mystique through their compositions that very few other bands can muster, and the title to the album is no jest. This is about as 'desert' as you can get within this genre.

I would like the state that if you are not a fan of this brand of metal hybrid (i.e. the bands I listed above), then Myrath is highly unlikely to change your mind, so there is the door, and please move through it towards the thrash or death metal chamber or whatever else you came for. But if you've an open mind, or a fondness for power metal that is more rooted in ethnic sounds or progressive rock leanings than a Germanic storm of anthems and fist in the face riffing, and a fondness for great, clear as rain vocals, then Myrath has your ticket waiting. Zaher Zorgatti is quite the find, a quality singer who can shift between English and nis native tongue with no restraint, and some of the more fascinating moments are when he decides to use a drifty vocal tone that seems to dance about the desert sands, as they sweep through the ages, covering and uncovering their secrets.

As you will hear with in the first few minutes of the excellent "Forever and a Day", he is not the only treasure within this band. Malek BenArbia has an approach not unlike Michael Romeo of Symphony X, but with a thicker, stronger tone, and an ability to distinguish his riffs in each song, that they never become outweighed by the keys of Elyes Bouchoucha, which are admittedly responsible for much of the atmosphere of the album. Anis Jouini and Saif Ouhibi are a tight and diverse rhythm section, creating a tribal impact that anchors all of the various winded melodies that scurry about the day's heat like the falling feathers of the rukh. This track alone gave me more enjoyment than most entire power/prog metal albums I hear...and it's just the tip of the...I guess an iceberg does not apply in this climate. "Tempests of Sorrow" adopts a punching, lumbering groove beneath the choppy percussion and native strings, while Zorgatti's voice wanders like a ghost seeking water in the wastes. "Desert Call" is another masterwork, synths weaving their way through the mesmerizing guitar hooks, and Jouni's bass really standing out in the pre-verse, before the mystic, minimal chug and synth take over.

Beyond this, "Madness" rages with its flanged opening guitar lines, swelling horns that strike at you like an assassin from the dark pages of the 1001 nights, and great choral vocals which imply the darkness ahead. The squawking tone of the guitar that initiates "Silent Cries" sounds lovely with the tribal percussion and the slowly ascending keyboard line. After five straight pounders, the band lets us breathe with "Memories", a prog rock ballad that would probably sound lame if it weren't in some crafty hands...yes, it is nary and drippy sweet as any of Angra's old softies, but the instrumentation dazzles and it rivals even the most perfunctory male-fronted pop in your collection. The title is of course, completely generic, and the lyrics are hardly enlightening, but the presentation is sound, and the generic songtitles are perhaps the only complaint I cand launch at anything on this album...

After the breath of desert air, the band returns to the hard stuff through "Ironic Destiny" and "No Turning Back", both of which titillate, in particular the percussion that runs below the intro of the latter, and the very Angra-like use of the keyboards. "Empty World" is kickass, especially how the guitar chugs out before the :30 spot, and the ascending vocal melody of the chorus, which escalates even further into a driving power guitar line and nicely shredded solo. "Shockwave" is the closest you might find to pure power metal, though it still features some proggish synth work that builds the atmosphere to the synth arpeggios...this particular track reminded me of a band like France's Heavenly at their strongest, and the lyrics are...well...kind of about 'the rock'.

Really, if you like any of the bands I name-dropped in this review, then you need to check this out as soon as possible. Not only is it professional, but it's almost entirely memorable, clearly one of the better bands to EVER incorporate the Middle Eastern vibe into their songs, no mean feat when their temperament is no modern. I apparently missed their first album Hope from 2007, but now I've got all the more reason to track it down, for Desert Call delivers on nearly every count aside from writing inspiring song titles.

Highlights: Forever and a Day, Tempests of Sorrow, Madness, Silent Cries, Empty World

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.myrath.com/