Faryad is the Masters of Persian Music's long-awaited follow-up to 2002's Without You. The amazing vocals of Mohammed Reza Shajarian are accompanied by Hossein Alizadeh on the tar lute, kamancheh virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor and Homayoun Shajarian on tombak (percussion). Alizadeh and Kalhor studied Western classical music and their complex contrapuntal improvisations prove that traditional music loses nothing when it is blended with non-traditional styles. Persian classical music has much in common with both Indian and Arab music, as all three are based around a complex system of melodic motifs and draw on secular and mystical poetry for sung texts. However, what makes Persian music unique is the almost operatic drama to the vocal lines. On Faryad, both classical and mystical poetry are featured, each set to music that best serves the texts. The music and poetry combine to speak of struggles both ancient and contemporary.