Forte

Forte emerged in 1987 as an Oklahoma-based progressive thrash and power metal act established by brothers Jeff Scott on guitar and Greg Scott on drums. Its early style echoed Metal Church and Jag Panzer before evolving toward the progressive approach associated with Dream Theater. The Scott brothers joined forces with vocalist James Randel and bassist Rev Jones to issue the band's Massacre Records debut, Stranger Than Fiction, in 1992. Randel departed soon afterward, making way for Bill Dollins on the 1994 follow-up Division. Dollins in turn gave way to David Thompson ahead of the 1997 release Destructive, which also marked the arrival of bassist Richard Sharpe. That configuration remained intact through the final album, Rise Above, issued in 1999. Although the group reportedly brought back original singer James Randel at a later point, no further recordings appeared after the turn of the millennium.