PP VIII fourth band confirmed.

I like them a lot. I have been playing their new album for the last couple months. It will be out in the USA in January 2007....

I thought you don't like metal anymore...:p

It's already out FYI, got it for the last 3 weeks or so (purchased in USA online).
 
Allegience is the only one I've heard and only had a few weeks now. I think it's very good. It's got some really good songwriting in it. Obviously I can't compare to earlier releases since I haven't heard them.

Allegience won't make my top ten this year, but I think it will get an honorable mention.
 
It did mine already :D #7 for the time being
For that style of metal, I actually prefer Evergrace to Firewind (by a slight margin). Evergrace won't reach my top ten either though. Not my fave genre. I have three honorable mentions in melodic power metal, and it's Evergrace, Firewind and Cloudscape.

Meanwhile, Edguy's Rocket Ride still keeps kicking my ass in that genre! Still hanging onto my top ten...barely.