Death Fortress is back with another superb full-length album entitled Triumph of the Undying. Whatever undead species they refer to is not the only entity worthy of such triumph. You, dear listener, should feel the same way after getting a copy of this album.
We at CVLT Nation have always loved Death Fortress. From their humble beginnings, they had a style that was difficult to critique unjustly. They go mid-tempo and double-kick while the riffs groove in atypical black metal tremolo-picked fashion. Then, the blastbeats come and the album rides out a wave of quality riffs and death metal drumming that ought to have a patent by now. Nobody plays this style better than Death Fortress, and Triumph of the Undying is sure to make my year-end list this 2017.
Addictive like heroin, deadly to the ears with great tremolo riffs and accompanying lead segments that are new to the band’s sound, Triumph of the Undying has six tracks of fat-free, filler-free music destined for emblazonment into your memories.
The vocals go from death barks and guttural growls to high-pitched screeches. Meant as accent to the music more than providing lyrical content, the vocals contribute to the song structure while refraining from drowning out the mix. The drums make the largest impact on Death Fortress’ unique take on black metal. The snare and bass drums do more than thud in necro fashion. They anchor the tempos and contribute to the album’s songwriting dynamics, pacing the rhythm and guiding anticipation for the next riff, the next vocal bark, and so on. The drums turned up in the mix, the drumming is enjoyable and is a big reason why Death Fortress has been gaining a following from fans who care little about hype built-up by second wave black metal tributaries. Death Fortress only cares about the quality of their music.
They go mid-tempo and double-kick with great regularity. The blast sections provide respite, and add nuance to the song structure. When the drummer smashes the floor tom after the guitars fade, the band is ready to prove anew that black metal need not be played in boring blast and stop guise. Whatever these guys have up their sleeve for new music, these guys execute with vision and dexterity. Repeat listens are any listener’s destiny. You can’t avoid liking this to the nth degree.
So, Cvlt Nation documents another moment in time when music shatters pre-conceived notions of what black metal should sound like. If you can’t stand good music, there’s bedroom black metal for that, f*ckers. If not, Death Fortress will not surprise on their fourth release, but will still endear you to their considerable talents.
