Protest The Hero – Fortress

I like to throw around the word epic a lot, but I can’t think of a more appropriate term to describe this musical epic. This is epic at its most epic. This monster of an album gives me so many different sensations. After I listen to it, I feel like I’ve just won an epic battle. There we go, I used the word epic five times in four sentences. Just had to get it out of my system….let’s proceed shall we?

As I may have stated before somewhere on this blog, my favorite bands/artists are those that break down the walls of genres and promote the idea that putting labels on music is irrelevant. This album relays that message more so than any album I’ve listened to within the past few years. But just for the sake of argument, this album is essentially metal with numerous other influences that progress it into its own amazing category.

Mr. Rody Walker has a truly one of a kind voice. It’s a small but essential part of what makes this album so progressive and standout.  Never have I heard one person so effortlessly switch back and forth between harsh screams, deep/violent growls, a falsetto of the Gods, and a singing voice as clean and resonant as a seasoned opera vet. One of my favorite tracks on the album, Sequoia Throne (from 0:50-1:25), is a perfect example of how Rody pulled out all the stops on this record, as far as vocals are concerned. It begins with Rody impressively alternating between screams and growls during, “We are still life in cold-blooded, we feel nothing.” Then, this part is contrasted with him showing off his riff-tastic voice that would put any current male pop vocalist to shame — as he sings “Hell bent on heaven” he shifts effortless to his falsetto that sends chills down your spine.

Though the vocals on this album are unparalleled, it would be a sin to only focus on those. Instrumentally, it’s a complete ear-gasm. Fortress contains some of the most melodically impressive guitars riffs on my entire ipod. These guys are serious musicians and the ridiculously clean manner in which both guitars wrap around these songs with unbelievably quick scalar-like movement lets the listener know that. The lead guitar solo at 2:19 on the albums opener, “Bloodmeat” will leave your head spinning with all it’s finger-tapping glory. Even the rhythm section masterfully pulls its weight on this album. Even the bass displays some virtuosity with a few quick and intricate scales dancing under the melodic war zone happening above it. The rhythm will have you grooving one minute and thrashing around the next – never lingering too long on one rhythmic idea in order to keep you guessing where the hell you’re going on each song. Sometimes, however, this metered complexity makes some of the songs seems a bit choppy and unattached.

The lyrics are a part of the album that you’ll love or hate. I’m still in the gray area, leaning more toward a reverence for Fortress‘s lyrical effort. Concept albums are my favorite, but this concept’s pretty out there. I haven’t been able to completely delve into the lyrics because the music and vocals are so entrancing. But, they are filled with plenty of fantastical ideas that poetically tell the stories of vengeful bloodlust and the like. Most of the time the lyrics are evocative and creative, at other times it’s hard to take them seriously.

It may be hard to tell from my gushing bias, but this album is far from perfect.  The over-the-top epic (hehe, again) sound the album is going for (and achieves) is a bit unrelenting, making some of the songs mesh together. Don’t be surprised if it seems like you’ve heard the same recycled riff somewhere else on the album. Still, this and the lyrics are my only qualms with Fortress as a whole. This is definitely one of the top albums of 2008 for me.

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