FORTRESS

I am first and foremost a progressive metal fan. I have been a fan of the genre for around seven or eight years now, starting with tool and then discovering many other great bands that have enhanced my musical experience and influenced my playing style as a guitarist.

A five star rating is not to be taken lightly, and I believe that Fortress fits the bill as a masterpiece of progressive metal. On the first listen, the punk influences are very apparent, particularly in the vocals of Rody Walker. If you are not a fan of the vocals, I strongly recommend listening to the instrumental version of this album on a good pair of headphones. The subtleties and nuances in the compositions are much more audible in the instrumental version.

From beginning to end, this album packs the punch of extremely technical melodies, powerful and crunchy riffs, and sometimes beautiful piano and acoustic passages. The song Limb from Limb even features a brief and extremely fast midi/video game melody, going back to PTH's roots when they posted midi versions of their songs on their web page so they could not yet be judged for their developing musicianship.

There are now a total of four singles released on the album: Bloodmeat, Sequoia Throne, Palms Read and Spoils. The two latter singles are probably a better indication of the album as a whole, and there are a total of 10 songs and a runtime of just over 40 minutes. If I could say one negative thing about the album, it is the short songs and overall length of the album.

Protest the Hero is almost constantly touring, so it amazes me that they would have time to put together such an epic album. This a testament to their commitment to career as musicians, rather than just a "band". The guitar duo reminds me of Marty Friedman and Jason Becker from Cacophony, with a more polished sound and better production.

There is not a dull moment on this album, which is why I am surprised that this album is not rated much higher. If you enjoy technical and well composed guitar work, versatile vocals, impressive drumming and cool bass lines, then Fortress should be on the top of your list for albums to check out.

Tool, Dream Theater, Opeth and Pain of Salvation better watch out, because Protest the Hero is only at the beginning of what looks to be a very bright career.