Steven Peltier is an authentic guitarist and instrumental songwriter based out of Encinitas, CA. He presents a nostalgic yet relevant sound that feels both fresh and warmly familiar that impacts, moves, and shakes the listener. He is an acclaimed musician with a forward-thinking mentality, showcasing an exciting and intriguing journey through energetic and unpredictable alternative instrumental rock that reflects his distinct personal sound. His inspiration to make music stems from a long history of listening to 70s and 80s music, particularly from some of his favorite bands such as Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Triumph, and many others, as well as his family’s shared love for music!

After staking his claim with his debut album, “Summer Shine”, Steven is back with his sophomore project, “Fortress North”- a 10-track project that showcases his impeccable talents that elevate the genre.

If there’s one word to describe this album in abundance, it would be “character.” It is brimming with a keen sense of character and a ton of personality!

“Fortress North” is packed with charismatic and slightly edgy sets of tonality that let you really soak in the vibrancy and style that the entire album gives off. This is a really fun and addicting form of rock music because it doesn’t just stick to standard cookie-cutter rock arrangements.  This release bares its soul and definitely touches on a plethora of themes, both lived and imagined!

You have tracks like “Kennedy Drive” and “Ineffectual Property” brimming with melody and bursting with elegant guitar virtuosity with both clean guitar tones and distorted riffs. Steven offers up a smorgasbord of alternately picked runs, swept arpeggios, out-of-this-world tapping, and liquid legato lines that both dazzle and astound.

Tracks like “Banana Approach”, inspired by Steven’s 12-year-old son’s imagination, unfurl with powerful drumming (played by the son), and the track’s many melodic elements have been expressed in a multitude of intriguing and varied ways.

Throughout, you get the authenticity in songs rooted in life experiences and emotional situations, and there’s still room for light-hearted ‘feel-good’ tracks as well…and that combination is the whole vibe of “Fortress North”.

A song like “When You Say My Name” is alive and breathing and provokes intimate feelings from a listener, as does the song “SCP” which is a dedication to his beautiful wife. Each song presents a little bit of a different viewpoint to soak in, and that’s the beauty of this project!

There are many standout songs that stand out as singles and would probably be more than worthy of your time and playlist. However, listening to this album from top to bottom is really the way to go here if you indeed wish to relish a transcendental listening experience!

Follow the link below and devour “Fortress North” in its entirety!

For real-time updates regarding Steven and his creative endeavors, make sure you follow him on Instagram.