The Forgotten Scroll - PROMO 2010 Review

Fortress Under Siege - Promo 2010 [ CD ]
	Lineup: Fotis Sotiropoulos - Guitars, Michael Smeros - Vocals, Georgios Georgiou - Keyboards Vaggelis Hatziandreou - Bass Spiros Zenebisis - Drums
In my hands I got three tracks as an advanced Promo CD from the forthcoming album by the re-united Greek Power / Progsters Fortress Under Siege. For those who are not aware by the band I got to point that they are now back in action after 15 years of silence. There same title Mini CD release back in 1996 is for sure a magnificent piece of Power / Progressive art but it seems that their next chapter will be even better... Fotis Sotiropoulos - Guitars, Michael Smeros - Vocals, Georgios Georgiou - Keyboards, Vaggelis Hatziandreou - Bass, Spiros Zenebisis – Drums is the current line up of the band ad they are currently searching for a record label to release their new full length. “Deeds Of All Disgrace” track is the first taste of this full length as it is the opening track on the advanced promo. Its melodic and emotional interlude would remind to those that already aware of FUS that melody and emotion was always their bigger trademarks, so I guess that things are going on from where they have stopped. As the track goes on the listener would come across to inspired, complex still very memorable Power / Prog Steel at its best. In melancholic -nostalgic someone would say- mood the track overtakes the listener into a very special journey. Take a more carefull listen and discover the hidden melodies almost everywhere, focus into the keyboards that provide a special touch in here, repeat the listening to let the beautiful guitar themes and melodies flow into your mind once more. In the second track the band re presents its more Power Metal side offering a heavier and even faster track base din killer guitar riffs, hammering drums and the great vox of Mr Smernos. This is the heavier tune of the three included in the promo. It is more than a big surprise to realize that a band able to compose melodic Prog stuff can also bring to the front some high class Power Metal as well. Well this band is called Fortress Under Siege. The last track is also in fast tempos, I guess that part of this track is one more expression of the band's love to good Power Metal riffs. -just listen the opening riff and the riff of the first vocal part and you would get my point-. Listening more carefully you soon realize the transformation of the song, rhythm changes, even more lead parts and so on... Well I got to point that the two big trademarks of the song are the great symphonic touches and the magnificent guitar themes. Keyboards are used in in a very wise way in all the three songs, emphasizing and filling with melody but in this very specific track they can for sure pointed a one of the best feature together with guitar leads that especially in the second half of the song they are offering a mysterious and almost exotic touch in the song which is probably the most adventurous of the three. Listen the lead part before the final chorus in the second part and you would understand my point – yes the point was about the complex still wise rhythm part that transforms the whole song. I guess there are even more to be written for this full length when it comes out. Those three tracks gave us a little taste of what is about to follow and we hope that the whole full length would be in the same high standards. Hope to be able to grab this from the record shops soon. http://www.myspace.com/fortressundersiege Review by: Countraven