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Biografie : Human Fortress

In today's unbounded metal scene, it is not an easy matter to release a debut album whose independence, high technical standard and number of spellbinding compositions make it stand out from the rest. Yet Human Fortress from Hannover have managed to do just that. The musical independence and competence of their debut album, Lord of Earth and Heavens Heir is truly impressive. The successful mixture of straight, melodic metal songs, epic influences and a generous portion of familiarity transports the listener on a journey through very different epochs and styles. Songs such as the driving opener, ´The Dragons Lair`, the short intrumental, ´The Fortress`, the epic ´Little Flame` and the memorable and very cleverly orchestrated `Lord of Earth and Heavens Heir` are clear proof that here in late summer 2001 one of Germany's most talented new metal bands are about to be released onto the world.

This debut work was produced by Tommy Newton in his ´Area 51 Studio` in Celle near Hannover, which has already hosted a large number of well-known bands. Newton is no stranger to metal fans, being known not only as former guitarist and songwriter of the popular Victory, but also as engineer and talented producer. Together with Human Fortress Newton has produced an album which, when seen from a sound-technical point of view, does full justice to the high artistic standard of the song material. The songs on Lord of Earth and Heavens Heir sound both transparent and forceful, have rhythmically exciting passages as well as depth and atmosphere.

The centrepoint of the sextet is singer Jioti Parcharidis (aka. Clairvoyant), a metal frontman possessing all the classical strengths. His voice soars to the skies, yet is still powerful and penetrant when the songs demand a gearing down of his vocal range. He cleverly manoevers his band through a wide range of styles and never loses sight of the melodic line even during the most unusual of arrangements. Accompanying him are Torsten Wolf and Volker Trost, two guitarists who are masters of every riff, lick, solo and rhythm imaginable on an interesting metal album. Especially important in this rhymically prolific band is the drum / bass team, comprising of Apostolos Zaios and Pablo J. Tammens, who form the backbone of the eleven songs with their perfectly balanced work. More than just a background melody is keyboarder Dirk Marquardt, whose essential playing accentuates every song. For studio support Human Fortress received suprising assistance in the form of Michael Bormann (Jaded Heart, The Sygnet, Letter X), who was so impressed by the band's new material that he offered his voice for the background choirs.

The history of Human Fortress begins in 1997 when bass player Pablo J. Tammen and guitarist Torsten Wolf teamed up with guitarist Volker Trost and a drummer friend of his after advertising in a Hannover magazine. Together with a singer this constellation formed the band, Timezone, which recorded a demo in the same year. Unfortunately the band split up before the material could be released. Instead of simply looking for a singer, Timezone went looking for a real frontman and found him in Jioti Parcharidis. Summer 1999 saw the band in Hannover's ´Airport Studio` recording a new demo, at which time the lads decided to rename their formation Human Fortress. The demo CD received extremely positive reviews in several important German metal magazines and several record companies expressed interest in the band. Planning a new demo in Spring 2000, the band contacted various studios. Tommy Newton was the first producer to hear the soundfiles on Human Fortress's website.

Newton was so impressed by the songwriting that, two days later, he invited the band to his studio and offered Human Fortress a long term collaboration. As early as Summer 2000 they recorded, mixed and mastered their debut album in the ´Area 51 Studio` in Celle, under his guidance. In early 2001 Human Fortress took part in the international talent contest organised and sponsored by a large popular German metal magazine. As a result their song, ´The Dragons Lair` was released on a compilation and voted the favourite track by visitors to the internet website. This resulted in numerous signs of interest not only on the part of the international metal press, fans and radio stations, but also record companies. The choice of the latter fell on the Hamburg Label, Limb Music Products, which, thanks to its stable of well-known bands, Rhapsody, Mob Rules and Wizard to name but a few, is counted amongst the most important European metal talent centres.

The steel has been forged and the band, with their debut album, Lord of Earth and Heavens Heir is ready to take up the challenges facing them. One of them is to present their great material live to the fans shortly after the album's release. Human Fortress are young and hungry and are sure to fulfill on stage the high expectations placed upon them by the quality of their first output. When, where and with whom they will be doing just that can be seen online on their continuously updates website: www.humanfortress.de


Source: http://www.limb-music.de/