Fortress Under Siege is a quiet force of the Hellenic metal scene. It might not “speak” very often but when it does, all fans of quality metal music tune in to get a taste of what this Athenian sextet has to offer. Fourth release (third full length album) and yet again there is a change in the cursed but ever crucial vocal division. This time the mainman is Tasos Lazaris, a young and promising musician (he first stepped in as guitarist for the band!) that has already participated in numerous bands and projects, showcasing remarkable abilities both in the studio and on stage.
From the get go there we witness a clear intension of moving towards more power metal fields, suppressing in a way the more introvert prog metal character of the band, a face that dominated its previous works. The start is thunderous with Love Enforcer, Lords of Death and Atlantis delivering consecutive blows. Holding a Breath is an interlude that makes way for Silence of Our Words and Vengeance, two songs that have an essence of their previous works, especially the latter. The rhythmic tune Seventh Song could easily be a highlight in any good Edguy album while after the second interlude titled Lethe, comes the bombastic Spartacus, complete with a furious guitar and keys solo duel. I was counting on Hector’s Last Fight as the ballad of the album but I was proven wrong by yet another dynamic track. The most melodic and catchy moment of the album is probably Time for Rage while the ballad is saved for last since The Road Unknown is the closing track.
Atlantis is an album that definitely deserves the Fortress Under Siege seal of excellence. Everything is extremely well crafted, from the dynamic and lucid production to the illustrious musicianship and the vocal delivery that fully supports the compositions and all the various roles that they demand. And the most important thing of all? You don’t have to listen to the album numerous times in order to unlock its beauty. All of the things mentioned above will unravel from the very first spin.
