I just got a random friend request on myspace from a band called "Dark Empire". They're clearly in the same vein as Blind Guardian (their lead singer sounds like a carbon copy of Hansi). They've got like 8 or 9 songs on their page, I'm through about the 6 or 7th and so far I've really enjoyed them all, especially Haunted Prelude. The reason I say they have SymphX elements is because they use a synth a lot but really they're a Somewhere Far Beyond/Imaginations from the Other Side clone of Blind Guardian, which is a great thing
Check them out. Their CD Humanity Dethroned will hit stores in US/EU on May 5th. I'm going to pick it up.
Dark Empire's Myspace Page.