Human Fortress

Lord of Earth and Heavens Heir (Limb)
by Martin Popoff

Damn, something mildly happiness-inducing here. Got three SPV power metal albums at once, quite liked two of them, only Burning Point sounding unremarkable and paint-by-numbers. The best was Midnight Sun, but these guys are a worthy, rich listening experience as well, not to mention a freaky-looking bunch of rag-taggers.

This debut, notable for being the first output of Victory’s Tommy Newton as producer and studio-owner, has three things going for it: A collection of dated keyboard tones, unbridled storyteller’s pomp, and most importantly, exotic vocal melodies and underlying musical accompaniment thereof. The best example is the opener, “The Dragons Lair.” This all translates into a valid bit of power metal escapism with the mystique of say, Jacob’s Dream. Where too many bands try to straddle Earth and sky, these guys most definitely think they’re grand, and in many ways, they are.
(www.limb-music.de)