Arryan Path – “Terra Incognita”

February 2010 sees the release of Terra Incognita, the sophomore release from Arryan Path (not to be confused with “Aryan”, the word “Arryan” apparently denotes a type of flower, a stark contrast from the less than savory connotations of its single R-ed counterpart). The album opener, “Cassiopeia” begins with a deep choral introduction that wouldn’t feel out of place in the title sequence of a fantasy war movie. Some slightly tribal sounding drum pounds and an animal growl later, and in comes a slow, moody guitar solo. Vocalist Nicholas Leptos sings “Gods of war have no forgiveness for us,” a line which seems to sum up the sound of the whole record, as imagery of pure epicness feature throughout every song.

Based in Cyprus, the band’s Mediterranean influences can be heard subtly throughout the songs, particularly in “Terra Incognita”, the song which also shares its name with the full album. The ethnic inspired strings also appear on “Ishtar,” a sound which is quietly reflected in the guitar parts – played by Socrates Leptos – to create a pleasant coherency of cultural influences buried within traditional heavy metal. With the Orc-ish grunts of “Minas Tirith”, which begins “Through the fields of Gondor…” fantasy imagery again is the forefront of the lyric. And while perhaps a little tongue-in-cheek, it works. One can’t help but think that if he still lived to grace this earth, Tolkien himself could well have been an Arryan Path fan.

Clearly influenced by the rich and dramatic history of their nation, Arryan Path are probably everything you might expect from a Cypriot metal band. But they do it in a way that shows musical prowess, lyrical and melodic skill, and a definite sense of self as a group. With harmonies and rhythms that could easily feel at home on a DragonForce record, Arryan Path are showing signs that they could certainly be on their way to being one of the major players of power metal. Pitch Black Records might just have a winner on their hands.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. Cassiopeia – Featuring Vagelis Maranis
02. Molon Lave
03. Terra Incognita
04. Open Season
05. Ishtar
06. The Blood Remains on the Believer
07. Elegy
08. Angel With no Destination
09. Minas Tirith
10. The Mind (CD Bonus)

Run Time: 51:33
Release Date: 02.16.2010