Protest The Hero — Fortress

Protest The Hero's Fortress, the follow-up to 2005's well-received Kezia, lives up to its name. Strong and well-constructed from beginning to end, the record is well-thought-out and complex without sounding contrived. Described by the Whitby, Ont. quintet as having a fictional element without being as much of a concept album as the last, Fortress manages to weave important issues with squealing guitar riffs, while still making it all sound like it was always meant to be one. "Bloodmeat," the first song out of this fortress' gate, layers some fancy fretboard work with a dramatic range of vocals. Some of the guitar antics are over the top, but each note played seems to have a reason for being there in the grand scheme of things. Fortress might be showy at times, but it's also purposeful: a perfect combination, it seems, when it comes to hardcore punk.

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