Human Fortress

hideThis article has multiple issues. Please help or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (January 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Some of this article's listed sources may not be reliable. Please help this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged or deleted. (January 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Human Fortress
Human Fortress performing at the Rockhouse in Hanover in 2004
Background information
Origin	Hanover, Germany
Genres	Power metal
Years active	1997–present
Labels	AFM Records
Associated acts
Website	human-fortress.de
Members	Gus Monsanto Torsten Wolf Volker Trost Apostolos "Laki" Zaios Andre Hort Dirk Liehm
Past members	Jioti Parcharidis Pablo J. Tammen Thomas Albrecht Burkhard Becker Dirk Marquardt Frank Sawade Carsten Frank Arndt Krone Vincent Gongala Ingmar von Berg

Human Fortress is a power metal band from Hanover, Germany.^[1] They call their style "epic battle metal."

Biography[]

In 1997, guitarists Torsten Wolf and Volker Trost joined with bassist Pablo J. Tammen to form a band called Timezone. Shortly after recording a demo, however, the band split up. Soon thereafter, the lineup was rounded out with singer Jioti Parcharidis, drummer Apostolos "Laki" Zaios, and keyboardist Dirk Marquardt. This new lineup called themselves Human Fortress.

After recording a demo in 1999, the band began work on their debut album, which was completed in the summer of 2000. They entered a talent contest sponsored by a popular German metal magazine. Their song "The Dragons Lair" was released on a compilation CD for the contest, and was subsequently voted "Favorite Track" by online fans. Due to this recognition the band reached a deal with Limb Records, and released their debut album Lord of Earth and Heavens Heir.

2003 saw the release of the band's second album Defenders of the Crown, this time on Massacre Records. The recording process included guest performances by members of the bands Galloglass, King Leoric, and Meridian Zero. After this album, guitarist Volker Trost left the band and was replaced by Frank Sawade.

In 2007, the face of Human Fortress changed once again, as singer Jioti Parcharidis and drummer Apostolos "Laki" Zaios left the band. They were replaced by Carsten Frank and Arndt Krone, respectively. Human Fortress released their third CD, Eternal Empire, on April 25, 2008.^[2] Arndt Krone and Torsten Wolf left the band in the same year, the first being replaced by drummer Vincent Gongala.

In 2009 the band announced that Frank Sawade, Pablo J. Tammen, Dirk Marquardt and Vincent Gongala would form a new band called with singer Eva Skamira, continuing the new style adopted for the third album, and that former band members Jioti Parcharidis, Torsten Wolf, Volker Trost and Apostolos "Laki" Zaios, reinforced by newcomers Ingmar von Berg and Dirk Liehm, would continue as Human Fortress in the style of the first two albums.^[3] However, singer Jioti Parcharidis left again due to health problems in the beginning of 2010.

In July 2013, following a 5-year hiatus, Gus Monsanto became Human Fortress' new singer, and the band signed with AFM Records. The band's fourth CD, , was released in November of that year.

The band began recording their fifth album in July 2015.^[4] A crowdfunding effort was started on to fund the recording of the album. The album, titled , was released in March 2016, again through AFM Records. Soon after, in April of the same year, Defenders of the Crown was re-released by Massacre Records with two bonus tracks re-recorded with original vocalist Jioti Parcharidis.

Band members[]

Current members[]

• Gus Monsanto – vocals (2013–present)
• Torsten Wolf – guitar, backing vocals (1997–2008, 2009–present)
• Volker Trost – guitar (1997–2003, 2009–present)
• Andre Hort – bass (2013–present)
• Apostolos "Laki" Zaios – drums (2000–2007, 2009–present)
• Dirk Liehm – keyboards (2009–present)

Former members[]

• Jioti Parcharidis – vocals (1997–2007, 2009–2010)
• Pablo J. Tammen – bass, backing vocals (1997–2009)
• Thomas Albrecht – drums (1997–2000)
• Dirk Marquardt – keyboards, backing vocals (1999–2009)
• Frank Sawade – guitar (2003–2009)
• Carsten Frank – vocals, guitar (2007–2009)
• Arndt Krone – drums (2007–2008)
• Vincent Gongala – drums (2008–2009)
• Ingmar von Berg – bass (2009–2012)

Timeline[]

Discography[]

References[]

External links[]