HOPE

Review Myrath and the temptation to compare them to Symphony X is overwhelming, and this is particularly the case on their debut album. Playing down the influence of traditional Middle Eastern music on their sound a little in order to demonstrate that they can recapture the Symphony X power-progressive metal sound just as effectively as anyone, Hope might not be as strikingly original as later albums like Tales of the Sands, but it does demonstrate that even early on Myrath had a keen command of their chosen musical style. Yes, Symphony X listeners may find it very familiar, but I don't think it ever becomes outright derivative, with Myrath coming up with ingenious wrinkles to the Symphony X sound that the Symph-Xers themselves haven't cottoned to. It's just kind of a shame they don't put the more original aspects of their sound front and centre here like they do on later albums.