Summoning stood at a crossroads with this album, as the ‘Nightshade Forests’-MCD had been the first one that was not able to top its predecessor. Could they once again record a marvellous album and make another step forward or would they suffer the same fate that Abigor suffered, never again to reach the level of ‘Orkblut’ and ‘Nachthymnen’ ? Well, Protector and Silenius chose the first opportunity. ‘Stronghold’ is exactly the album that I had hoped for. Perhaps not as intense as ‘Dol Guldur’, nevertheless a masterpiece, and not to forget, still in its very own style. Marching computerdrums, haunting but always ‘nice’ synthsmelodies, great vocals (maybe its even a bit easier to understand them this time). But the main difference is obviously that for the first time the guitarlines are clearly available, you can clearly distinguish Protectors art of playing, maybe it was a good choice to change the studio and record in Nachtschatten Studios this time? The production at least is great! But, of course, there’s one point that I have to criticize, why the hell do as well Summoning use female vocals now ? Okay, she’s not that bad, and she does fit to the atmosphere the song ‘Where Hope And Daylight Die’ creates, nevertheless I am convinced that there’s no need of using female background vocals on Black Metal-albums. Alright, but I think you already know what to do, this is again a fantastic Summoning-album, and this band just gives us what we expect from them, no negative surprise, no negative experiments, just more than an hour of intense art, just pure Summoning !