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Myrath is one of those bands that have remained true to their ethos, and listeners have been yearning for their sound ever since 2007’s Hope and 2011’s Tales of the Sands. Every time they release a new album, I’m eager to see what comes next. With Wilderness of Mirrors, their newest full-length, the band not only expand on themes first seen on Karma, but also manage to carve out a space for writing and producing impressive power ballads (emphasis on “power”).

Be prepared for a stream-of-consciousness review, because I have a lot of thoughts about Wilderness of Mirrors.

The first thing to catch my attention was the production. Myrath has invested a lot in their production, especially given the jump between Tales of the Sands and 2016’s Legacy. Their production has only elevated: the instruments are lush, the orchestrations are full, and everything is dynamic and rhythmic. Everything Myrath has done (and continues to do) has a thematic endpoint, even when it feels like their music is bloated with the bells and whistles of its genre. Myrath has always had a strong penchant for knowing how things work with each other, and despite some lineup changes, they have remained consistent in what they have been able to do.

Another thing worth noting about Wilderness of Mirrors is its contrasting nature. On the surface, the music sounds hopeful and heroic — triumphant in a horns-raised, fist-in-the-air way. The music is flat-out anthemic – Zaher Zorgati’s voice emotes and carries the weight of the album on his back – and you believe you can do anything you set yourself to do. However, upon a deeper look, the music carries a sense of nostalgia and longing. For example, “Les Enfants Du Soleil” has a children’s choir that gives the track a sense of wishing for things to be different, of when things were less stressful and easier. Given how things have been going in the world around us, this song is a balm to the nerves. It soothes, it calms, and it allows you to just bask in its nostalgia before the real world breaks through. Then, there’s “The Clown”, a song that rips off shamelessly from the thematic stylings of Nightwish’s Once, an album that veered into a more streamlined approach with symphonic metal backing. This song is a power ballad of sorts, a euphoric, triumphant song that makes the listener feel powerful, even if the song is its exact opposite. The lyrics highlight a man who puts up a front of being happy, of performing for the crowd, but, inside, he’s breaking down — which, again, given everything, makes all these tracks poignant in these trying times.

All in all, Wilderness of Mirrors succeeds because it not only offers music that empowers, but also gives audiences something to empathize with if they look underneath the big melodies and bombastic sound. Although the album may run a little long, it’s worth its runtime and it rewards listeners with repeated listens. I plan to spend more time with this one. It’s an AOTY contender. Kudos to you, Myrath!

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Wilderness of Mirrors is available now on earMUSIC. For more information on Myrath, check out their official Facebook and Instagram.