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Album Details
- Artist: Protest The Hero
- Album: Fortress
- Label: Vagrant
- Year of Release: 2008
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: dscanland on 2008-04-16
Recommend2008 is going to go down as a year of fantastic metal releases. I have just been sold on Meshuggah's obZen. And now I can't seem to get enough of Protest The Hero. After seeing them live I thought it was about time that I finished reviewing Fortress.
Now, the difference between a live version of Protest the Hero versus a recorded version is that the recorded version you can turn off when your head is about to explode. The live version just seems to go on and on. So, that's where an album like Fortress enters. This is a blazing display of technical musical prowess. Seriously, there is some of the heaviest guitar riffing that I've ever heard. This is both the saving grace as well as the achilles heel of Protest The Hero. It is impressive but it also gets tiring. So how do you review something of this nature. Something that you are blown away and yet can only handle 20 minute segments. I found that I kept listening to Fortress though and my final verdict is that this is a wonderful extension to any metal collection.
The album opens with a hammer to the head. "Bloodmeat" leaves no room for the weak. It starts the pummeling immediately but if you make it through you will be rewarded. They keep things going with "The Dissentience", one that explores the weird time changes a little further. "Bone Marrow" is one of my favorite tracks on Fortress because it differs slightly from the rest. It has a lot more growls and such. More crazy guitar riffing presents itself on "Sequoia Throne" and the epic feeling "Palms Read". The later shows off Rody Walker's wonderfully eclectic vocals.
Fortress was my first exposure of Protest The Hero and upon going back and upon checking out Kezia you can see the logical progression. That album is a prime metal slab as well but Fortress just seems that much more polished and tight as well a more thought put into their tirades. I have no choice but to give this an almost perfect score. This Canadian band is going to change the landscape of Hardcore/metal.
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Tell us why this album is great or sucks ass, or correct the reviewer. If you write enough quality reviews you may find yourself on the editorial staff.
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Log In or Register to Rate Albumson 2008-02-28 digitalbath Said:
I agree. I saw dragonforce live once and I didn't think there was a way to act deliberately pretentious on stage until I saw them. They didn't give a shit about the audience. Just their guitars.
Rating: 9/10
on 2008-02-28 Alotofnothing Said:
Although the lyrics sound similar to dragonforce, the don't suck anywhere close to as much. This is a cohesive effort with lyrics that relate to eachother, talking about history and not some imaginary war that some technically proficient guitarists are fighting.
Rating: 10/10
Review:
on 2008-02-28 digitalbath Said:
Wow, never heard a Protest the Hero album before this one and I've been noticing similarities in so many other bands. Dragonforce, The Mars Volta, The Fall of Troy, Mushroomhead, Every Time I Die, among countless others.
This guys screaming voice is impeccable, the lyrical content is similar to Dragonforce. "Bone Marrow" is an epic quest type of song just like most Dragonforce songs. The guitar sounds like they're trying to give Dragonforce a run for their money for "hardest guitar hero song." The guitars are definitely tight and although their music is really different, I would say they're one of the tightest bands I've heard since Lamb of God. Dimmu Borgir also comes to mind considering most of their chorus' have an orchestra backing them.
These guys really know how to put an album together. There is something in this album for any metal fan no matter what sub-genre you're into. Just when you think you can pin them down to one sub-genre the song changes up and you feel like you're discovering a new band all over again. All in all a great album.
Rating: 9/10
on 2008-02-28 dscanland Said:
I'm listening to Fortress right now. WOW! It's intense. It's everything you wished from Mars Volta. Seriously. I'll craft up an honest review once I'm able to digest properly.
Rating: 10/10
on 2008-02-05 Alotofnothing Said:
I'll review this soon-ish.
Also, symph, the album artwork came from http://www.sonsofnero.com and they've got some other stuff, so check it out.
Rating: 10/10
on 2008-02-05 dscanland Said:
Please, if anyone has heard the album, drop a quick review or comment. It's being hyped like crazy but I haven't heard it (or them for that matter).
Rating: 10/10
