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Fortress Under Siege: Atlantis
Fortress Under Siege - Atlantis Album Art

Fortress Under Siege: Atlantis

Melodic/Heavy/Power Metal
4.0/5.0

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Rock Of Angels Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 30.09.2020 | Released: 05.10.2020

Nearly six years in the making, Greek metal band Fortress Under Siege returns with their latest and third long player, Atlantis. The delay is not without the usual personnel issues that have plagued the band since their inception 26 years ago. The band could easily change their name to Band Under Siege. Vocalists have been the dilemma. So, for this album rhythm guitarist Tasos Lazaris takes to the microphone, and newcomer Themis Gourlis takes his places as rhythm guitarist.

Fortress Under Siege - Click For Larger Image

Fortress Under Siege

With that bit of bookkeeping neatly buttoned up, we can turn to Atlantis and the new tunes. As a refresher for fans and an introduction to novitiates, Fortress Under Siege plays European melodic power metal, perhaps with some progressive metal notes and symphonic metal nuances. At the core is the influence and work of founding guitarist Fotis Sotirpoulos. So you can expect walls of riffage and epic solos throughout the album. (He is also featured in two instrumental segues, Holding A Breath and Lethe.)

Otherwise, you'll hear some basic fast, heavy, and raging power metal with Love Enforcer, Lords Of Death, Hector's Last Fight, and the guitar intense Spartacus. But Fortress Under Siege can mix things up a bit in their arrangements. For instance, Silence Of Our Words offers a rhythmic start from the bass and drums that has almost a jazzy feeling. But the song quickly erupts into some tough, riff-thick, heavy metal. Within Vengeance, an another intense metal number, around the three-quarter mark, you'll find a somewhat lighter guitar breakdown and, if you listen carefully, a subtle bass line rising. The album finishes with s power ballad that features light guitar and vocals before rising to a thick crescendo and a massive guitar solo. Perhaps the last question to be asked is, How does Tasos Lazaris fare as a vocalist? Pretty good, actually. His style is assertive, yet still melodic with some restrained range. Hopefully, the band will keep him in this slot. In the end, Atlantis is essentially typical Fortress Under Siege, offering listeners strongly guitar-centric melodic and heavy power metal. Recommended for fans of the band and the genre.




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The Bottom Line

Atlantis is essentially typical Fortress Under Siege, offering listeners strongly guitar-centric melodic and heavy power metal. Recommended for fans of the band and the genre.

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