The story of Symphorce begins in October 1998. Singer Andy B. Franck formed the band, and came up with a name that is a symbiosis of "Symphony" and "Force", to show the combination of power and melody. ... may the `Phorce be with you!

TRUTH TO PROMISE (1999) NOISE

Symphorce debut album escaped me as a new release. So when I started to look for it, after getting their 2 next efforts, it seemed like a tough task to finish. But I was lucky, and scored a copy by posting about the band, and the gap in my collection, on the Scream Magazine discussion forum. (Thanks to Leif for selling it to me). The music on 'Truth To Promise" is a tad heavier than what would become the norm for this band. A song like "Wounded" has a definite Megadeth feel to it. But the rest is mid-paced heavy metal/power metal, with the unique talent of Andy B. Franck wailing on top. Gotta love it. This is what METAL is all about!

Killer tracks: Drifted, Wounded, Across The Plains, Forevermore

SINCTUARY (2000) NOISE (Limited Edition)

I had just read a good review of this CD when I entered one of Norway's few metal-only stores, located in Oslo. So I had a hard time choosing just one CD out of all the interesting stuff there, when suddenly the sticker on this CD jumped at me. Limited Edition with 2 bonus tracks! I haven't exactly regretted my purchase. This CD is packed with power metal. It's a perfect mix of the US and the German styles in this genre. And, as is the case with Brainstorm, all the difference between this band and the rest of the bands playing this kind of music, lies with Andy B. Franck. He is just one of my all time favorite singers, and this album is yet another testimony to this man's great talent. Hooks and riffs go hand in hand. All I can say is BUY!

Killer tracks: Holy Sin, Until The Last, Insight, Blackened Skies, Nice Dreams

PHORCEFULAHEAD (2002) METAL BLADE

What can I say? Another excellent power metal album, that have been returning to my player quite often since I bought it. Symphorce have not let me down yet, and their is no sign of that happening soon on this album either. I'm a sucker for this kind of music. And these guys deliver some of the finest songs in the genre. This digi-pack edition also includes 3 demo tracks as a bonus.

Killer tracks: Unbroken, Longing Home, Your Blood, My Soul

TWICE SECOND (2004) METAL BLADE (Ltd. digi-pack edition)

In the glory days of metal, which I consider to be the 80's, bands released 2 or 3, maybe even 5 solid albums in a row. Seldom did they manage to outdo themselves, or top their earliest albums after being around for a while. This is something not true for the bands of today. The ones that manages to stick around seems to deliver better and better albums, time after time. This is certainly the case with Symphorce. Just when you think they've reached their pinnacle, they show up with yet another stellar product. I'm proud to be a metalhead, and this is the music that makes me proud! 'Twice Second' is not that different from their other albums, although I sense a certain more modern approach to songwriting. If it hadn't been for Andy's voice, I'd say that the music is somewhat similar to Nevermore. Maybe not as technical, but certainly as heavy. Anyone who knows me and my taste knows that this can only be taken as a compliment. And who can argue when you get awesome stuff like "Cause Of Laughter" "Fallen" and "Tears"? Long live true metal! My digi-pack version comes with a bonus track, and a multimedia track.

Killer tracks: Fallen, Tears, Cause Of Laughter, Face Of Pain, Cry On My Shoulder, Under The Curse

GODSPEED (2005) METAL BLADE

When a band have released as many albums as Symphorce have, it gets harder and harder to write something new about each CD. Unfortunately I'm not very good at explaining the finer details of music, so my write-ups are severely limited by that. All I can do is try to tell the reader that this is yet another awesome release from this band. I think 'Godspeed' is a tad darker than their previous efforts, as well as their most diverse work to date. Again I get a slightly modern feel to it, but they are never close to abandoning their metal legacy. They are just not afraid to play around with their sound a bit here and there. Just check out how they have simulated a slide-guitar in "The Mirrored Room". Who said that you can't have some fun with metal, and still deliver some dead serious music? I also have to mention the stellar power ballad that ends this record. Andy is really showing how good he is on this one! Hats of to Symphorce for being one of the better acts in this genres today, and for bringing real metal into this new millennium!

Killer tracks: Everlasting Life, Nowhere, Black Water, The Mirrored Room, Crawling Walls For You

BECOME DEATH (2007) METAL BLADE (Limited Edition w/DVD)

With fear of repeating myself tirelessly; I am an Andy B. Franck fan, and eagerly buy everything this man sings on. So when a new Symphorce album hits the market, I'm all over it! 'Become Death' is the bands 6th release, so far. Still we get a band that seems as hungry as ever to create solid metal music. And be sure that these guys aren't content on delivering the same album over and over. No, they are dead set on giving the listener a fresh experience every time they record something new. Already in the opening track Andy is experimenting with a more guttural voice here and there. And the music also sports some thrash metal riffing! The second track has an industrial intro, going into a subtle oriental theme. Other tracks has this gothic overtone. And so I can go on for every song on the album. The overall feeling I get is that the album is darker then previous efforts. Then again, the theme of most of the songs seems to be death, so what would be more logical then a darker "spirit"? Symphorce are a stellar example of a band that sports competent musicians and songwriters, that continue to deliver very strong efforts, yet seem to get ignored by most people who claim to like metal. What a shame. One of the things I love about metal is how many bands take you on a journey with their music. Not just on a song-to-song basis, but also from album to album. Symphorce are definitely a band I enjoy being on such a journey with, as they refuse to let me down. They continue to blow me away every time new music from them reaches my ears. Be sure to look for this title on my top 20 releases from 2007 list! This limited edition comes with a 45 minute bonus live DVD.

Killer tracks: All are great, but i recommend Darkness Fills The Sky, In The Hopes Of A Dream

Related artists:

Brainstorm, Freedom Call, Mystic Prophecy, Ivanhoe