I cannot compare with your older stuff (yet) but in my humble opinion this is a strong album. The lack of vocals hasn't stopped players like Satch, Vai and the likes of making tasty albums.
The opener is really strong, with tasty leads.
The song Tyrannical initially felt like a bit too much of the same, until the some broke loose! Great finale!
In face the facts, the short jazzy breaks and the bridges afterwards really sound great!
As for Agony, I've been waiting for a blast-off, which unfortunately didn't come.
This album really was a trigger to look at your other albums as well!