Stephen
"Terra Incognita" is the first Cyprus power metal album I ever heard and to explore such an unusual country lifting Rhapsody or Helloween's style is always intriguing. The brilliance of this album is laid on the various flavor of each songs and it's impossible to claim that a single track is a hollow copycat of the other, but there's always a thin line connecting each songs to unify the whole concept of Arryan Path's second album.
The epic track, "Cassiopea", opened the album with darkened riffs but still retained the typical power metal melodies on the chorus. "Molon Lave" was inspired by the colossal movie of '300', and the Rhapsody touch is obvious, the solo duel is inspiring, and the whole track is actually great if only they can reduce the excessive chorus repetition. "Terra Incognita" and "Ishtar" has the Egyptian middle-eastern edge but unfortunately the song's progression is a bit dull and bored me quickly.
"The Blood Remains On The Believer" might be a cliche power metal track but the melodic riffs and the balanced arrangement is beautiful and in my opinion, though it can be a lost track ripped off of Helloween's early era, this is the best track of the album. "Angel With No Destination", again with Rhapsody's symphonic influence, executed perfectly and turned to be my second fave of the album. "Elegy" smartly combined the slow and fast tempo to stir the emotion, overall a good track, but the closing track, "The Mind", is better in any way.
Arryan Path's uniqueness in blending traditional heavy metal, European power metal, and middle-eastern flavor is applauding, but lack of majestic tracks that will stuck in your head like "Future World" or "Dawn of Victory" did. Songwriting is something they need to learn and improve in the future, but the expert handling of instruments is a sign that they're not beginners in this scene. If you're interested in trying Maiden-meets-Rhapsody with an occasional Helloween's "The Dark Ride" mix, "Terra Incognita" is considerable.