Fortress (Protest the Hero album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Fortress
Type = Album
Artist = Protest the Hero


Released = January 29, 2008
Recorded = Summer 2007
Hamilton, Ontario
Genre = Progressive metal
Mathcore
Length = 41:10
Label = Canada: Underground Operations
USA: Vagrant Records
Producer = Julius "Juice" Butty
Reviews =
* AbsolutePunk.net (82%) [http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=292420 link]
* Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jjfpxzwhldke link]
* Alternative Press Rating|4|5 [http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/protestthehero/fortress link]
* NOW Magazine Rating|4|5 [http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/discs.cfm?content=161647 link]
* The Onion (A) [http://www.avclub.com/content/music/protest_the_hero link]
Last album = "Kezia"
(2005)
This album = "Fortress"
(2008)
Next album =
Misc = Singles
Name = Fortress
Type = studio
single 1 = Bloodmeat
single 1 date = December 12, 2007 (Canadian release only)
single 2 = Sequoia Throne
single 2 date = April 25, 2008
single 3 = Palms Read
single 3 date = Fall 2008

"Fortress" is the sophomore studio album by Canadian band Protest the Hero that was released on January 29, 2008 on Vagrant Records in the US and Underground Operations in Canada.

Details

"Fortress" was recorded at Silo Studios in Hamilton, Ontario during the summer of 2007. [ [http://www.punknews.org/article/26266 Punknews.org | Date set for upcoming Protest the Hero album ] ] The album contains 10 tracks broken into three movements, and is approximately 41 minutes in length. The band has stated that the sound is similar to "Kezia" but with a "less poppy and more technical metal" influence. "Fortress" does not revolve around a single concept, unlike their previous album. Instead, it is more akin to "goddess worship in the tradition of Robert Graves," according to their bassist and lyricist Arif Mirabdolbaghi [ [http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=80970 BLABBERMOUTH.NET - PROTEST THE HERO: 'Fortress' Pushed Back To Early 2008 ] ] :

"It has to do with goddess worship, and how there has been this degendering of the Lord and Savior, and the suppressed feminine. A lot of it is based in Genghis Khan and old Irish Mythology, about the rise and fall of the Goddess of the forest. [The theme] can be more appreciated by more people. If I had to reduce it to its simplest form, the concept is about the re-emerging of goddess worship and the erosion of faith in scientific process." [http://www.subba-cultcha.com/article_news.php?id=760]

Also, states lead singer Rody Walker:

"This album is nothing to be intellectualized. All talk of wonder, pathos and optimism aside. I feel it’s a very natural progression for us. A natural progression into further obscurity. I am of the belief a lot of the people who work for us were hoping for a stab at a more commercially viable album, however we wrote what we wanted without linear boundaries and created something less commercial than ever. Some fans of the band will hate it. And some people who hate the band will love it. All others can rot." [ [http://www.vagrant.com/news News | Vagrant Records ] ]

The album debuted at #95 on the US Billboard Top 200 chart with first week sales of 7,600 copies. [cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=90102|title=THE MARS VOLTA, PROTEST THE HERO, AIRBOURNE|date=2008-02-06|publisher=blabbermouth.net|accessdate=2008-02-06]

Singles

In January, a music video was shot for the song "Bloodmeat" [ [http://www.myspace.com/protestthehero MySpace.com - Protest The Hero- FORTRESS OUT NOW! - Whitby, CA - Metal / Punk / Thrash - www.myspace.com/protestthehero ] ] , which is available on the [http://axs.muchmusic.com/?fr_story=8a8696bb72332d8d815fbda0b1afbb3612124c64 MuchMusic website] . As of December 11, "Bloodmeat" is available for download on the Canadian iTunes Music Store. Additionally, the band released the song "Sequoia Throne" on their MySpace page audio player, but was later replaced with "Bloodmeat".

A music video for the song "Sequoia Throne" was filmed and released in April, and was also made available on the MuchMusic website. Another video, this one for "Palms Read", will begin filming in September.cite web|url=http://grindingtheapparatus.net/news/protest-the-hero-to-film-palms-read-video.html|title=Protest the Hero to film 'Palms Read' video|author=|date=2008-08-01|accessdate=2008-08-03]

Track listing

On Conquest and Capture
# "Bloodmeat" - 3:54
# "The Dissentience" - 4:23
# "Bone Marrow" - 5:30

(Untitled)

4. "Sequoia Throne" - 3:11
5. "Palms Read" - 5:06
6. "Limb from Limb" - 4:22
7. "Spoils" - 3:43

Isosceles

8. "Wretch" - 4:12
9. "Goddess Bound" - 3:35
10. "Goddess Gagged" - 3:14

iTunes Store track listing

*When purchased in Deluxe Edition, it comes with the entire album as instrumental songs.
#"Bloodmeat" - 3:55
#"The Dissentience" - 4:23
#"Bone Marrow" - 4:35
#"(On Conquest and Capture)" - 0:55
#"Sequoia Throne" - 3:11
#"Palms Read" - 3:44
#"(Limb From Limb, Part 1)" - 1:22
#"Limb From Limb" - 4:22
#"Spoils" - 2:59
#"(Isosceles)" - 0:44
#"Wretch" - 4:11
#"Goddess Bound" - 3:36
#"Goddess Gagged" - 3:14

Note: Tracks 4,7 and 10 are not exclusive songs to the itunes track listing, they are simply parts of the songs cut into different tracks, those being "Bone Marrow", "Palms Read" and "Spoils", respectively.

Track Details

The drumming intro to the song "Bone Marrow" is provided by Dan Fila of Hypodust. A hidden track consisting of a piano instrumental played by guitarist Luke Hoskin, based on a chord progression of the track "Bone Marrow", can be found by rewinding the CD from the first track "Bloodmeat".

A short audio sample from the end of "Sequoia Throne" features the line "I went into the woods and I cried". This is from musician Tom T. Hall's song "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died". Another audio clip can be heard after "Palms Read", where a voice says "Two minutes, and then the lads are in for a surprise". There is another after "Wretch", where one hears "You wanna see the Galaxy?", which is a quote from the movie "Starship Troopers". A recording of a meowing cat can also be heard in this song.

Personnel

*Rody Walker - vocals
*Luke Hoskin - guitar, piano
*Tim Millar - guitar, vocals
*Arif Mirabdolbaghi - bass, vocals
*Moe Carlson - drums

Additional personnel

*Vadim Pruzhanov - keyboards on the track "Limb From Limb".
*Dan Fila - Additional percussion
*Julius "Juice" Butty - Producer
*Mark Spicoluk - Executive producer
*Ceci the studio Cat - Additional vocals on "Wretch"

Charts

References

[ cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=90102|title=Amazon |accessdate=2008-02-06 |work=Blabbermouth.net ] [ cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=90102|title=Blabbermouth|accessdate=2008-02-06 ]

External links

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