Symphonic metal innovators SEVEN SPIRES have announced A Fortress Called Home (Master Key Edition), an expanded three-disc edition of their critically acclaimed 2024 album. The collection will be released on September 4 via Frontiers Music Srl and features new orchestral arrangements, instrumental versions, and live recordings from the band’s recent touring cycle.
To celebrate the announcement, the band has unveiled “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues (Orchestral Version),” offering fans a new interpretation of one of the album’s standout tracks alongside an accompanying visualizer.
Originally released in 2024, A Fortress Called Home earned widespread praise for its ambitious blend of symphonic metal, power metal, progressive influences, and extreme metal elements. Anchored by Adrienne Cowan’s dynamic vocal performance and the band’s expansive songwriting, the album further established SEVEN SPIRES as one of modern metal’s most innovative acts.
The new Master Key Edition expands the experience across three discs. In addition to the original album, fans will receive a complete set of instrumental versions that spotlight the record’s intricate arrangements and musicianship, while a third disc features orchestral reinterpretations of select songs alongside exclusive live recordings captured in Tilburg and Montréal.
Discussing the release, the band said:
“We invite you to explore deeper into A Fortress Called Home with this Master Key Edition! Who knows what secrets you may find hidden in the instrumentals and orchestral arrangements? What memories will you behold in the gallery of live souvenirs from the last two years?”
Frontwoman Adrienne Cowan also expressed her excitement about the new material:
“This is also our first time releasing orchestral arrangements. I’m a little extra proud of that, and quite excited since it’s something we’ve always wanted to do.”
From the soaring opener “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues” to the cinematic closer “The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind,” the Master Key Edition offers a deeper look into the compositions that made A Fortress Called Home one of the band’s most celebrated releases. The orchestral arrangements reveal new layers within the music, while the live performances document SEVEN SPIRES’ acclaimed stage presence during their recent tours.
Produced by guitarist Jack Kosto, the release also features guest appearances from Alessandro Conti, Kristin Starkey, Ty Christian, David Åkesson, Angelica Åkesson, and Ashleigh Semkiw, with Chris Dovas handling studio drums and Dylan Gowan performing on the live recordings.
Pre-Order the Master Key Edition of ‘A Fortress Called Home’
Watch the Visualizer for “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues (Orchestral Version)”