Forcentury-Vanguard

Self-produced
2009



The world of power metal always seems full of bands that sound very much like. To these ears it is often difficult for an act to distinguish themselves in this field because so many bands just settle in to a formula and fail to push beyond that level. The result is that frequently I hear a band of this style and if they are good it's hard to remember them later on because so many acts do the same thing that has been done. That being said, Denmark's Forcentury go that extra mile on their debut to get noticed in a crowded field. Now usually I get nervous when I see a metal band with six members because that frequently means that a full time keyboard player is in the line-up. However in this case it's a plus because the keyboards are used in moderation and actually add some texture to the band's approach. They use a twin guitar attack to their advantage as they toss in hints of classic Maiden and Helloween into their layered and frenzied assault. As a whole Forcentury favor smooth melodies and classic style metal riffing over pomp and flourished, but they do include all of the above at different moments of "Vanguard". They rely on the basic power metal formula a little more than perhaps they needed to, but it rarely lasts for long as they frequently change gears and easily manage to incorporate enough different sounds to really make this a spectacular album. Definitely worth checking out.

www.myspace.com/forcentury