The self-titled debut album by WARRIOR PATH began on a really strong note; which honestly, left the rest of the album wanting by comparison. "Rider of the Dragons", the first track, treats us to a really satisfying, powerful riff, a clear sound, and a low, nice guitar solo in the middle. It's long, but the riff and tempo changes therein keep your interest through the track. It also showcases the guitarist's ability really nicely and it's my favorite song off the album.

However, it's so good it overpowers the rest of the album, making the other songs seem mediocre in comparison. That belies the first of my two big problems with the album: from Yannis Papadopoulis' Bruce Dickinson-inspired vocals to the wah-wah, thrashing guitar riffs on the faster songs, they can sound like a carbon copy of IRON MAIDEN rather than just a nod to the band. It's not a problem on the first track due to the strong hook, or on the fourth track, "Stormbringer" for the same reason, but for the more generic songs, like "The Hunter" and especially "Sinnersworld", they're solid songs, but sound too much like MAIDEN to stand out as unique or groundbreaking.

My second problem is the amount of ballads I'm hearing on this one. I need to be careful what I wish for because on a couple of my previous reviews, I wanted more ambiance and more slow songs. And while the songs here are nice, they are so many that I can't properly enjoy them. "Dying Bird of Prey" is my favorite of the slow songs, but because there were two long, slow songs before it, I can't enjoy it while listening to the album as a whole.

The saving grace was "Mighty Pirates." It's a great thematic song and the riff re-interested me in the album after hearing two long power ballads and three IRON MAIDEN style Thrash songs. It was a good thematic song and a fun ride on the album.

Overall, the band's strength lies in their ability to create fun, engaging riffs and carry over a clear sound. With the exception of a couple tracks, I wish they could combine the slower, more beautiful ballads with their faster, shorter songs to create a truly original and engaging album. The songs themselves are solid, but like so many albums I've been handed, there's nothing really new or groundbreaking here.