After a long silence, Fortress are officially back—and they’re set to make a thunderous return with their long-awaited new album, “Death Is Your Master,” due January 2026 via High Roller Records.

The band has just unveiled the first single, “Night City,” now available for streaming on their Bandcamp page. The track offers a fierce glimpse into the sonic firepower of the upcoming record and marks a bold new chapter for the group.

Bandcamp: https://fortressofficial.bandcamp.com/track/night-city

Alongside the single, Fortress have revealed the full album artwork courtesy of the exceptionally talented @marcos_illustrates. The band praised the artist for delivering beyond expectations, and they’re especially excited to see the vibrant design brought to life on vinyl.

“Fortress has always been a form of freedom of expression for me. Making the music I want to hear because I don’t hear any new music with this type of neoclassical/aggressive melodic metal in today’s scene. Also I like to maintain a certain quality of musicianship to push myself and the band to perform beyond our capabilities. When I write music, this is what I imagine in my head and I’m grateful that you all like it and I’m able to share that with you. That’s what keeps me going at the end of all this so thank you!” -Fili Bibiano (Facebook)

Over the past few years, Fili Bibiano has been deeply immersed in his other Los Angeles-based project, the formidable Intranced. This powerhouse lineup features vocalist James-Paul Luna (Holy Grail), guitarist Fili Bibiano (Fortress), bassist Nico Staub, and drummer Ben Richardson (Wild Eyes). Fresh off a triumphant European tour—including a string of UK dates—the band shows no signs of slowing down, with more territories firmly in their sights for the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, Fortress has been quietly forging ahead behind the scenes. Despite a few lineup changes, the band has been steadily crafting new material. Their debut album, “Don’t Spare the Wicked,” released in 2021, struck a chord with fans and set a high bar for what’s to come. Stay tuned—something wicked this way comes.

Additional news on merchandise and pre-orders will follow soon. With “Death Is Your Master,” Fortress are poised to reclaim their place in the heavy metal pantheon.

Links

Bandcamp: https://fortressofficial.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fortressheavymetal

High Roller Records: https://www.hrrecords.de/Home_2