A return practically and in form for Greek metalers with "Envy" , three years after their latest full length work. An album that will make many people envy them. From the opening track "Bring out your dead" a heavy metal thunder in the vein of early QUEENSRYCHE , "The warning" period with some MAIDEN influences but all put together through their own constructive filter, an in your face heavy metal song with twin guitars and memorable melodies, a real winner. "Ride the thunder" is another fine example of US power metal with again VICIOUS RUMORS and QUEENSRYCHE, LETHAL etc giving the thumbs up for approval to another great piece of burning steel.
Guitar duo of Gourlis and Sotiropoulos release another manic riff before the more operatic "Distant voices" demands your attention with the rhythm section recreate a military tempo to lead the metal attack with Lazaris vocals break the waves of metalic anger with small intervals of calm recitation."Look at you" keeps up the uptempo, melodic US power metal that FUS love and serve so well. "Aggressiveness and a bit more modern metal sound at the aptly named "Disobey" with the characteristic , edge guitar work of FUS all over the song and a middle eastern solo to break the heaviness and add some unexpected melody. The same title song has a nice keyboards intro to enhance the double guitar attack, a US power metal storm, that brings alos in mind the late solo Bruce Dickinson works."Broken and torn" has a great melody that adds extra points to the solid bands performance, a heavy, sharp song with G.Georgiou keyboard work and solo shine. adding extra depth and color to the song, that its main melodic line stays in your mind for days and is among the highlights of the album. "Deceptor '' is another song that shows off the melodic sensitivities of FUS who can add melody without neglecting the heavy aspect of their music and again another memorable chorus. "Straits of Glory '' is another mid tempo song that keeps the high quality US power metal of the rest of the album. Closing track "Burning fleshes" is another US power metal melodic heavy song where early QUEENSRYCHE meets VICIOUS RUMORS in a straight in your face , guitar driven song.
FORTRESS UNDER SIEGE won't reinvent the wheel. What they do reinvent this themselves, with every track as they blend their influences with their undoubted abilities and with the help of their songwriting skills, their guitar dwelling, the clever input of keyboards, the solid rhythm section and the magnificent, dominating vocals of Lazaris, create an album full of powerful US metal that deserves your full attention and praise.
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