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Forcentury: Vanguard

Power/Progressive Metal

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Forcentury Records
www.forcentury.com
www.myspace.com/forcentury
Review: Craig Hartranft,  01.04.2010

Denmark's Forcentury is one of those rare exceptions for European power metal bands: despite the redundancy within the genre, they are both proficient and creative. Forcentury's debut work Vanguard may appear, to some, as typical stuff in this abused and saturated style, but they would be wrong. Beginning with the power, clarity, and versatility of Johnn Thunder's vocals, there is tenor and depth here that defies convention. Additionally, the twin guitars of Mark Masters and Jack (yeah, I know, the names sound contrived) add a blistering dimension that enthralls the ears. And Andreas Plasgard's keyboard work is fundamental to the majesty of the compositions, if not above and beyond the call (check out Land of Mirrors).

Sure, there's a reminder of basic power metal on Vanguard as found on The Abyss or maybe Valhalla's Call, but this is not the bottom line for this work. Rise of the Machines, Through the Eyes of Thunder, and the beautiful Love and Honour have power, melody, and majesty to spare. Again, conventions aside, Forcentury ventures forward with enthusiastic clarity and creativity beyond what is rather ordinary in the power metal genre. Even better, Forcentury has some slight, but serious, prog metal streams coursing through songs like Bottom Line Zombies and Son of Poseidon.

Frankly, Vanguard is quite good. I dig it, and can easily recommend it.

Newcomers from Denmark, Forcentury is one of those rare things: a European power metal band that defies convention by simultaneously pursuing convention but adding their own enthusiasm and creativity. Vanguard is good stuff!

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