Myrath's 'Wilderness of Mirrors' - Album Review

I opened my review of Myrath's last album, 2024's excellent Karma (which can be read here), stating that it had felt like a long time since I had last listened to the band in any meaningful way. Karma was Myrath's first album in five years, following the somewhat dense and more progressive Shehili (which I reviewed here), and something of a gap in live activity due to the pandemic. Not that the enforced live break affected us in the UK, as the band has not played a concert here since supporting Symphony X on tour back in 2016, but Karma certainly felt like a long-awaited comeback for Myrath - and the Tunisian band have been pretty busy ever since. In some ways, too, Karma was an important album for the five-piece. It was their first without founding keyboard player, songwriter, and original lead singer Elyes Bouchoucha - who officially left the band in 2022. I was somewhat concerned how the band would operate without Bouchoucha, as I had often been under the impression that he was perhaps the main driving force from a songwriting perspective. Often the band's songwriting credits are not that specific, generally crediting the whole band, but on the occasion that they have been, Bouchoucha featured regularly. His replacement, long-time producer and behind the scenes contributor Kévin Codfert, ensured that Myrath kept trucking on, though. Whilst only becoming an official member of the band following Bouchoucha's departure, Codfert had been working with Myrath since the beginning. He produced all of their albums, often contributed additional instrumentation and string arrangements, as well as chipping in songwriting-wise. He was like a sixth member of the band, so him stepping into the vacant keyboard spot made the most sense - and Karma felt like a bit of a clean break. Myrath, from the off, have always mixed progressive metal, power metal, and folk metal together to create this North African-tinged take on a European prog/power sound - which has evolved over time. They were perhaps at their most progressive early on, stemming from their days as a Symphony X tribute band, but a progressive nature is something that often characterised their songwriting - with Shehili perhaps being their most progressive album since 2010's Desert Call following a couple of more accessible releases. As if wanting to broaden their reach, though, Karma ditched much of the progressive side of the band's sound - and embraced the power metal in a big way. Karma is perhaps less unique overall as a result, and some fans certainly missed the progressive twists and turns, but in terms of pure fun and melody there is very little to dislike about Karma. It perhaps ran out of steam a little towards the end, but the sheer number of anthemic choruses, hooky riffs, and sweeping arrangements made the album one of 2024's best releases in my opinion - and it is an album that I have continued to listen to regularly since it dropped. Clearly wanting to capitalise on this melodic success, and not leave it another five years between albums, last month the band dropped their seventh studio album Wilderness of Mirrors - only two years on from Karma. Given the lack of any line-up changes since the last album dropped - this is the band's second album with the current line-up, and, in truth, Myrath's line-up has been fairly consistent for quite a while now. Original members guitarist Malek Ben Arbia and bassist Anis Jouini; long-time frontman Zaher Zorgati; and long-time drummer Morgan Berthet all join Codfert here - and Wilderness of Mirrors takes the soaring, more accessible sound of Karma and injects back in some of the progressive flair.

This is still a pretty accessible album, but it feels a bit more adventurous and experimental than the previous effort - with a lot more of that North African vibe which was toned down a bit previously. It is not as immediate as a result, but the songwriting is strong and the hooks are there - ensuring that Myrath continue their pretty impressive run of releases here. Interestingly, it is also the first album where the band have largely not worked with outside lyricists - with Zorgati and Codfert writing most of the lyrics this time. As if to showcase putting a more progressive bent back into their music, the opening number The Funeral immediately feels knottier than anything from the last album. Nature noises and some distant African chanting opens the album, and as the vocals fade in a dancing string arrangement starts to swell behind Zorgati - and it is not long before a drum roll introduces a mechanical guitar rhythm. The album opens in a bit of an atypical way, then, but it works well - with the dry early riffing a contrast to the lush strings and Zorgati's expressive vocals; but soon the vocals drop away, and the song gets going proper with a lone guitar riff that soon explodes into a hard-driving verse. The strings drop away here, leaving the guitar and bass to up the overall heaviness, whilst Codfert adds synth stabs and accents in a typical power metal fashion. The later chorus is somewhat borrowed from how the song opened, but the arrangement is simplified somewhat and slowed down - allowing for the typical power metal trope of a faster verse contrasted with an epic and slower chorus to rear its head. The chorus is lush like the song's opening, though, with impressive string arrangements and big vocals from Zorgati - and some progressive flair follows with a bass-led instrumental section which showcases Jouini's funky approach to his instrument. The chorus soars, the string and keyboard arrangements recall the previous album, but the riffing here feels heavier - with the somewhat false opening and bass-heavy moments feeling more progressive in nature. Until the End, the album's lead single, is one of the most overtly hooky pieces here - and it features Elize Ryd (Amaranthe) duetting with Zorgati. The song opens with a juddering guitar riff which is overlaid with some dancing strings - mixing Arabic-style melodies with Kamelot-style bombast, which is something Myrath has done so well since the beginning. This opening motif is extremely memorable, and it leads into a fairly urgent verse, built around some potent bass playing, over which Zorgati and Ryd trade vocal lines. Ryd's poppier tones match Zorgati's smooth delivery - but the former delivers a powerful performance, pushing herself particularly as the verses progress and the verses feel heavier. She is given plenty of space to breathe, with the song feeling like a true collaboration as a result - with the bombastic chorus really benefitting from the two singers singing together. The arrangement overall is a bit more straight forward here, but this is a song all about hooks - and the vibe of the last album is retained here. Ben Arbia makes his presence more known as the song progresses, too, with an emotive guitar solo and a powerful closing riff. Breathing Near the Roar opens with some more chanting, similar how the album opened, but the chanting here is immediately more upbeat - with some percussion behind it to keep the energy going. In some ways, this song feels like the best mix of some of the band's older progressive flair with their newfound love of prominent hooks. The song's chorus is a true melodic feast. It soars like those of the previous album, with Zorgati showcasing why he is one of the best vocalists in power metal currently - but the North African elements are integrated seamlessly, with the chanting from the intro part of the chorus. The verses are also a bit more angular and groovy, with an off-kilter time signature, percussive drumming from Berthet, and some busy and prominent bass playing from Jouini.

Following three excellent opening cuts, I do feel that Les Enfants Du Soleil feels a bit weaker. It is the longest cut here, at just over six minutes, but I do not find that the song has the standout melodies that many of the others do. It opens slowly, with a children's choir - over which Zorgati soon also starts to sing. It is an interesting contrast of styles, which is quite memorable, but once the rest of the band kick in the song is largely quite unadventurous - which, given that it is the longest piece here, seems a bit strange. The chorus has grown on me, but it is certainly not as bombastic nor as soaring as many of the best efforts here - and there are times when the vocal melodies randomly seem to stop to allow guitar leads to take over. There is a strange flow to the song, then, without really any genuine progressive flair which the band certainly are capable of. Zorgati does really deliver, though, and during some of the verses he sings in a much lower register than is typical for him - which does showcase his versatility. Still the Dawn Will Come gets things back on track, though, with some great Arabic-style melodies opening the song - with soaring, dancing strings sitting above a driving guitar riff. As is often the case with Myrath, though, the song is quite dynamic arrangement-wise. The verses here are generally a bit more stripped back, especially early on, which allows the vocals and bass to dominate - but Ben Arbia still makes his presence felt throughout, as there are moments where the riffing is really allowed to cut through and and later portions of each verse tends to be heavier. Building on Zorgati's vocal versatility as mentioned previously, too, this is a piece which really showcases such. There is an almost sweet, poppy delivery to parts of the verses - whilst the chorus sees him really going for it, pushing his upper register for some power metal-esque screams. There are even very brief moments of harsh vocals, too, which add to the heavier overall feel of the chorus - which is later built on during the lengthy and pretty progressive-feeling guitar solo section. Myrath do not always cut loose in this manner, but Ben Arbia really lets rip during this one. The Clown goes for a strong, strident mid-paced power metal sound - with a pulsing keyboard motif leading the charge whilst the rest of the band add a solid, metallic groove beneath it. This feels like another song which could have sat on the last album - as it feels as if it is one which prioritises hooks over everything else. The chorus has that Kamelot-esque bombast that Myrath often do so well, with the keyboard motif from the intro returning, whilst the verses are mid-paced and hard rocking - keeping the song moving with a strong energy. A more low-key bridge section features Zorgati singing in a more tradition North African manner, likely in Arabic, which helps to set a strong atmosphere and allows for a change in pace - and this acts as the calm before the final chorus, which is complimented by screaming guitar leads. Soul of My Soul slows things down, acting as the album's ballad. The song does open in a bigger, more bombastic manner - but it soon slows down, leading Codfert's piano alone as the first verse kicks in. As such, the verses here are largely piano-driven. Even later verses largely just return to this piano base, and the combination of Zorgati's emotive vocals with some rumbling piano and occasional string swells makes for a change of pace compared to the rest of the album - and the power of the chorus when the rest of the band really crash in allows for a big symphonic moment. The chorus is another pretty hooky moment, too, despite the slower pace - and it shows the band's love of a big arrangement. Sadly, though, a big guitar solo is not included - and I feel that one could have taken this song to the next level.

Edge of the Night returns to a much more straight ahead and bombastic power metal sound. Similar to The Clown, there is a big keyboard motif which drives the main parts of the song - but this piece does feel a bit heavier and more percussive overall. There are strange beats which sit in the background of parts of the song. I am not sure if they are percussive or some kind of synth, but they add a non-Western groove to some of the song's slower moments - which allows the band's heritage to shine through. The song is also much more guitar-driven than some of the other comparable cuts. The keyboard motif kicks things off and also does lots of heavy lifting during the chorus, but the verses here are snappy thanks to some potent riffing from Ben Arbia - and the song feels heavier as a result. This continues on throughout, as there is a guitar-heavy bridge which includes those percussive beats mentioned earlier - which seems tech metal-esque riffing and a shredded guitar solo to add some progressive weight to what is otherwise a pretty hooky piece. Echoes of the Fallen is another pretty mid-paced tune, this time with a pretty juddering and cinematic guitar riff sitting beneath some busy and Arabic-sounding string melodies. The band always mix Western and Eastern melodies in their music, but some lean more heavily on the latter despite the Western arrangements - and this is one which feels that way. Funky bass playing is often utilised throughout the verses to create a percussive feel, whilst other parts of the song feature electronic drum beats to add to that flavour - whilst the real drums and the guitar add a Western edge. Pinch harmonic guitar riffing ensures that there is a heaviness, and this is another song with a pretty lengthy guitar solo. There is a lot here for Ben Arbia to do, then, despite some of the verse moments allowing the bass to stand in the spotlight. This mix of guitar, bass, and keyboard dominance as the song moves forward really allows the whole band to shine - and it is great that such a hooky song, due to another big chorus, feels so varied and progressive. The album then comes to a close with Through the Seasons - a song which opens with a somewhat slower riff and motif, which creates a dense and epic vibe, but once Zorgati starts to sing the pace picks up. Whilst the strings are retained, they tend to only really cut through occasionally - which allows parts of the verses to have a much rawer and guitar-heavy sound. The hard-driving drums and the urgency in Zorgati's voice only allows this song to feel heavier overall - and there is some additional percussion thrown in at times to improve the overall grooves more. These percussion breaks are a fun change from the riffing of elsewhere - and lead into another pretty big chorus which returns to the opening slower pace and lush arrangement. This mix of heavier moments and lush arrangements works well - and is typified later due to a guitar-heavy instrumental section which sees guitar and North African percussion joining forces for a tight groove. As a closing statement the song showcases quite a bit of variety, then, alongside some strong melodies - and the album ends showing off the band in a big way. Whilst Wilderness of Mirrors may not be as immediate nor as joyous as Karma, I think that this latest effort from Myrath is similarly strong. It is an album that demands a bit more attention than the previous effort, but the soaring choruses and hooky motifs remain. The band's progressive flair has become more subtle over the years, but reintroducing it here in a bigger way is certainly welcome - and this album feels like a great mix of the band's older work and their more recent desire to showcase melodies in a bigger and more overt way.

The album was released on 27th March 2026 via earMusic. Below is the band's promotional video for Until the End.