Listened to the first half or so on the way in to work today, and I am REALLY digging this album. "Hope" definitely had the SymX worship going on, but on this release they have toned that way back and developed more of their own identity. The middle Eastern influences seem much more prevalent, and much more critical to the music, as well, which is a definite plus! New singer is very good, but he strikes me as being just a little "weak" for the music, perhaps. I'm thinking that live the music is really going to overpower him.
Ironically, as I was listening, I kept thinking that it reminded me somehow of Adagio. Lo and behold, when I get to work and read the liner notes, turns out that both Kevin Codfert and Stephan Forte were involved with the production.... Nice!