Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Myrath - Tales of the Sands (2011)
In an age where melodic prog-metal giants like Dream Theater and Fates Warning are going strong decades into their careers, some listeners feel up to giving the newer and younger bands a chance. And some of those bands add something different to shake up the sound. One band being Tunisian oriental metallers Tunisia! Tales of the Sands is their 3rd album and is another step forward for the band after Desert Call which was in turn a step up from Hope. That may seem odd to say when they've switched gears in their compositional songwriting out of long epics into shorter songs, but what matters is how it's executed, within the vocals, guitars, percussion, and strings.
This kind of direction shows that Myrath is more than just the Middle Eastern Symphony X. From this album on, the lyrics alternate between English and Arabic, the vocal range is more diverse, and the drums and synths' ethnic vibes are stronger than before. Each song tells its own tale, no matter how short and long. Yet another case of how aptly titled Myrath's albums can be.
"Under Siege" is an awesome track to start with. It sounds close to the power metal of Iron Savior while throwing in the usual Middle Eastern instrumentation along with some background singing and chanting by Clementine Delauney, later known as for her vocal work with Serenity and Visions of Atlantis. It is followed by the more harmonic "Braving the Seas". The riffing almost borders in on metalcore while everything else is generally power-ish prog-metal. "Merciless Times" shows less mercy, as the blend of heavy riffing and symphonics remind me of Trail of Tears, albeit with Middle Eastern vibes and no growls. They bring back some Dream Theater-isms in the title track.
There's some more of the heavy low-tuned riffs in "Sour Sigh" (sounds like the kind of upset noise I would make). The dark heaviness that commences after the cinematic intro fits so well, even when the vocals are all cleans and no growls. "Dawn Within" pretty much continues the idea of giving the Finnish power metal of Thunderstone and Warmen a progressive oriential twist. More of that metallic melody appears in "Wide Shut".
It's also interesting hearing some electronic experimentation in "Requiem for a Goodbye", another track that pays off well in the rhythm and melody. "Beyond the Stars" has hammering aggression while Zaher Zorgatti continues his delicate yet strong singing. The original album ends with the great catchy "Time to Grow". Electronic keys pave the way for the rest of the exciting instrumentation, all in perfect synergy. Towards the end is some fantastic soloing from the guitars, bass, and drums, heading into the final chorus. A fantastic way out! The U.S. bonus track "Apostrophe for a Legend" is a top-notch rocker that should've been in the original album.
Like I said, all songs are short catchy anthems. There are none of the long epics from their first two albums. I mean it would've been nice to include at least one of those here, but it's perfect as it is. There are also no ballads, which is great because we wouldn't want the flow disrupted, would we? As amazing as Desert Call is, Tales of the Sands takes the throne for its consistency and clear production. Every twist they make gives the sound the memorable zest it needs for constant listening. This really shows the band's passion at its highest peak, and they don't lose their focus one bit. It has given the melodic progressive metal scene some hope after all those years of bands just imitating Dream Theater and Fates Warning. Myrath's talent shall be heard beyond the sands of time!
Favorites: "Under Siege", "Merciless Times", "Sour Sigh", "Requiem for a Goodbye", "Time to Grow", "Apostrophe for a Legend"