I have been anticipating the new release from Boston area symphonic metal band Seven Spires for quite some time. “A Fortress Called Home” dropped this past Friday, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, even after reviewing the first 2 singles. High level, this is distinctly Seven Spires, and they continue to demonstrate how to push the standard boundaries of symphonic metal with lush magnificient musical compositions, deep brainy lyrics, eegads of emotion, and heaping servings of beautiful and brutal. They deftly navigate myriad genres and moods to craft a unique sound that really sounds like nothing else.

Adrienne Cowan is an elite vocalist, but her maturation on this album is very evident. The diversity in her approach, from alto to operatic to intelligible snarl to black metal screech (just to name a few!), all in the matter of the same vocal line at times, is mind-blowing, and the emotion she delivers is nearly tear-inducing at times. Peter de Reyna is a great bassist, but he literally shows off here (just see “Love’s Souvenir”), and I love seeing him featured more. Guitatist Jack Kosto not only shreds and solos with deliberation, but his recording and mixing prowess here are phenomenal, breathing new life into the Seven Spires sound. And though Chris Dovas is no longer playing drums for Seven Spires, he goes out in style here, flashing amazing technicality, brutal blastbeats, and jazzy fills. The orchestration throughout sets an epic cinematic feel, perfect for the heights of such an ambitious concept album. They employ all-star guest vocal talent, such as Alessandro Conti (Twilight Force), Kristen Starkey (Temperance, Twilight Force), and Ty Christian (Lords of the Trident). The lyrics are deep and personal and breathe life into the music, and this album gets better on repeated plays.

The Skyrim tinged title track serves as an epic symphonic intro to the more epic masterpiece “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues.” This track is such a great example of the musical landscapes this album paints. It starts out with a symphonic death/black feel, melting your face with blastbeats galore, and then Adrienne’s soaring vocals make an entrance before being perfectly complemented by Conti’s. Dynamic contrast abounds, with slower folksy sections and faster symphonic and extreme sections, building a cinematic soundscape that is beautiful, brutal, and multifaceted. I love the nod (or how I perceive it anyway) to “Emerald Seas” via the underlying melody, and this song combines so many great elements from that album (and “Gods of Debauchery” for that matter!) and builds on them. This is such a strong track, and the ending guitar solo before fading out with melancholy piano is just perfect. At this point, you know you are in for a treat, and there are still 10 songs to go!

I already reviewed first single “Almosttown,” and it still hits so hard while allowing the band to demonstrate their talent and craft some killer melodies. Adrienne’s vocals are just so good, and the guitars smoke! It has more of a symphonic power metal feel compared to most other tracks, but like most Seven Spires’ songs has multiple layers to peel back.

“Impossible Tower” has a melancholy doomy feel, deftly intermixing brutal vocals with soaring cleans and some killer orchestral work running underneath the thick guitar chugging. I feel like I will use the word cinematic a lot, but that is definitely the vibe throughout this song, specifically in the final third when it briefly quiets down before closing out in bombastic fashion. I love Peter’s bass work at the end too!

“Love’s Souvenir” is one of the more unique songs I have heard on a metal album in a while, and I honestly cannot get enough of it. Having seen Peter de Reyna play stand-up bass for The Dread Crew of Oddwood, I bet he was giddy playing this song! It starts with a jazz vibe (and I just can’t help but think of Pink Panther or a speakeasy during The Roaring 20’s), with some gorgeous violin work and stunningly beautiful and emotive vocals from Adrienne. When it segues into the blastbeats section at the 2:45 mark, it is almost tears-inducing with the wall of feels it carries, giving way to some amazing operatic extreme vocals that have a gothic Phantom of the Opera vibe, complete with a spooky backing choir featuring Ty Christian. The guitars are just phenomenal, whether it is Jack’s haunting lead melody, or Peter’s bass acrobatics. The drumming is absolutely sick and effortlessly decapitates you at times while other times lulling you to comfort before destroying you again. The ending going from blastbeats to the slow jazzy finish is brilliant.

I reviewed “Architect of Creation” back when it was first released, and I love its placement after “Love’s Souvenir.” It’s symphonic black metal soundscape feels perfect here, and I believe this is one of the most brutal songs they have ever recorded. This flows right into “Portrait of Us,” which features some of the catchiest melodies on the album and an absolutely powerful chorus. Seven Spires makes great use of dynamics throughout this track, and again Adrienne’s emotions run strong through the vocal lines, with all cleans until the majestic end. I also love the progressive nuances weaved throughout.

“Emerald Necklace” is probably the only true ballad on the album, and even it isn’t your typical ballad. Adrienne is in top form, and the way she stretches to the end is phenomenal. The guitar solo in the middle fits the song perfectly, and the melancholy feel of the song fits the mood the album has set to this point.

“Where Sorrows Bear My Name” is another fantastic symphonic metal track with a nice balance of clean and extreme vocals, great orchestration, hauntingly beautiful choir sections, and just fantastic song structure from start to finish.

“No Place for Us” has a catchy underlying guitar /keys melody, killer bass and drum work, bombastic orchestration, and a big majestic chorus. The contrast of extreme vocals for the verses and the soaring vocals for the chorus works so well, and the ending guitar solo complementing the main melody is musically so satisfying.

Penultimate track “House of Lies” showcases the breadth of Adrienne’s powerhouse vocals and serves as a perfect bridge to closer “The Old Hurt of Being Left Behind.” This track has everything: killer melodies, smoking guitar leads, amazing bass, technical drumming, and Adrienne proving that you can sound beautiful singing extreme melodies. Listening closely to this song, you would almost expect most of the vocals to be clean, and yet Adrienne manages to make them soar while maintaining the brutality. I love the quieter section in the middle, where Adrienne is complemented perfectly with male vocals, and then Peter gets to show off more bass work leading into Jack’s beautiful guitar solo before heading into the epic finish, where Adrienne really just shines.

This album is a journey of epic proportions, and the more I listen to it, the more I am drawn in. This is truly a masterpiece, and Seven Spires have outdone themselves in a way I didn’t think possible. “Emerald Seas” will always be a favorite of mine, and though you can catch glimpses of it here and there, “A Fortress Called Home” really defines the Seven Spires sound. It is bombastic, beautiful, cinematic, and brutal, and I cannot wait to hear so many of these songs performed live!

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