Closest comparison I can make is to Angra's "Holy Land", and that is meant as truly high praise. I get the same vibe, but utilizing the Middle Eastern percussion and strings in lieu of the South American / Latin vibe that "Holy Land" contained.
Absolutely phenominal release. Only beef I can really come up with is that the middle section of the disc is a little generic, somewhere around tracks 6/7/8. After that, they get back to the same excellent quality as the first half.