Review by Mohsen Fayyazi

Band: MYRATH
Album: Tales Of The Sands
Release date: 2011
Label:

• XIII Bis Records (Europe)
• Nightmare Records (world)

Track Listing:
1. Under Siege
2. Braving the Seas
3. Merciless Times
4. Tales of the Sands
5. Sour Sigh
6. Dawn Within
7. Wide Shut
8. Requiem for a Goodbye
9. Beyond the Stars
10. Time to Grow
11. Apostrophe for a Legend

Heavy metal is not only a type of music today, for many of us it is something more, much more! It started in the 70’s in the west and it is still very much alive, but not only in the western countries. From Japan to Europe and from Finland to Africa, metal music pounds and rocks. However, it doesn’t get as much support from the media as before.

The Middle East is a very busy and noisy region today, recently the news about wars, protests, blasted bombs and killed women and children are the main things which western people see about this land and this is what fills most eyes and ears. But there are many more things which unfortunately are ignored by the media (purposely?). The Middle East also includes a few rich cultures which come from the ancient ages. Have you ever heard about “One Thousand and One Nights?” Persia, Arabian countries, Anatolia, Egypt and the south of Africa have their own very rich, colourful and mysterious cultures, including many kinds of (known and unknown) art, which music is a part of for sure. Unfortunately, there are not many people today who stand and think against the wall which has the following words written on it: “Heavy Metal Is So Much Alive In The Middle East, However It Is Illegal!” Maybe it is just because of recent economic issues and our very busy lives which made us blind or apathetic.

MYRATH is a Tunisian metal band who have proved to me that they are good banner men for the metal scene from the Middle East. They are a band of several young and talented musicians and instrumentalists, who know metal music well. But the main fact about them is that they also know well and are aware about their folk and traditional music and its roots. These skills have made them able to create a kind of metal music which is not very usual in the international rock and metal music industry. MYRATH are masters of mixing oriental music (especially Arabic moods) with the old school heavy metal elements, to create a new kind of music genre which I would like to name ‘Oriental Heavy Metal,’ however they are not the first ones. In fact, the tale started with rock bands such LED ZEPPELIN (‘Kashmir’), Rainbow (‘Gates Of Babylon’ and/or even ‘Ariel’) and it continues with such musicians as Yngwie Malmsteen and Wolf Hoffmann. In other ways, maybe I had better say that MYRATH is now farming the legacy which began with those legends before.

“Tales Of The Sands” by MYRATH was released on September 27, 2011via XIII Bis Records. As I mentioned before, this album is an oriental heavy/power/progressive metal one, which is one of the best of its kind. The album was produced by keyboardist Kevin Codfert and mixed by Fredrik Nordström at Fredrik Nordström Studio in Stockholm and Jens Bogren mastered the album in Sweden. It is also a drama (in my opinion) which includes stories about sadness, love, epic, mysteries, doom….

The first track is named “Under Siege,” and the song will give you a taste of the whole album from the beginning. One of the interesting elements in this album is the role of violin as an instrument which plays riffs when electric guitars (which normally have this role in metal music) play rhythm in the background. The other instrument which plays a main role in MYRATH‘s music is the keyboard, I must say that I enjoy the harmony between the keyboard, violin and guitars. The second track is “Braving The Seas”, it is a good mixture of oriental and western metal music elements, which can be heard in the riffs, rhythms and solos. Maybe the only weak point about this track is the solo part, which is played by the keyboard. The solo itself was written in Arabic scales and it sounds great, but I would prefer to hear an overdriven guitar version.

Time and its movement was/is always a mystery to the human race, and it is a famous subject for artists. MYRATH also have an artistic song related to this subject; “Merciless Times,” the title explains everything. Interestingly, it is the shortest track of the album too. The next track is the self titled one and one of the best examples of how an oriental heavy metal track should sound. It starts in a very oriental way with vocals (whispering and screaming) and an Arabic instrument called an ‘Oud.’ Also again we hear the violin which melodically and peacefully moves on the oriental mood. Then distorted guitars join the party with a very thrashy riff which reminds me of German power metal generators HELLOWEEN. The vocalist sings in the Arabic language in some parts of the song, which sounds greatly melodical to me. Here, I should mention that melodic riffs and rhythms are one of the main facts about oriental music, especially Arabic and Persian. I had several experiences to enjoy calm nights under a very starry sky in the desert, very far from any civilized city or village. What wonderful moments, it was all peace, mystery, an unknown but familiar sad feeling from inside and ME (alone). “Tales Of The Sands” did a great job of reminding me of all those amazing moments again.

“Sour Sigh” is the next track and it has a sad intro, of course with a harmony by the violin and keyboards, but very soon it will turn to some kind of anger when the guitars enter. It is again a very powerful and heavy oriental song, with some great bass and guitar riffs and solos which remind me of Yngwie Malmsteen when he plays the harmonic minor scales. The other notable track in this album is “Beyond The Stars.” MYRATH is also loyal to their own genre of music in this track and you will have another great experience of joy from listening to pure oriental heavy metal music. The solo part is played so well by the violin at first, then is completed when an electric guitar tuned by wah plays the rest. The final track comes around very fast, as is the nature of time to fly (especially when you are enjoying). “Time To Grow” is a very HELLOWEEN-ish type track with some great power riffs on guitars and bass. This track is also notable, as it is the least oriental sounding one in MYRATH‘s “Tales Of The Sands” album.

MYRATH ‘s latest album, “Tales Of The Sands” is a perfect album for everyone who likes the oriental music moods and scales, mixed with western old school heavy metal elements. It will give you a chance to enjoy discovering more about another part of the world, which maybe you never have the chance to visit. This album also can work like a time machine, as you will lose track of time during listening and you will find yourself in very strange and mysterious places or stories. Congratulations to MYRATH for this great music and I am looking forward to hear more from them in the future.

Album Rating: 9/10