Released on August 5, 2016, Reverse Engineering stands as one of the most daring and visionary statements in modern progressive metal, a genre-defying sonic labyrinth crafted by Tom Geldschläger under his solo moniker Fountainhead. Following his acclaimed work with Obscura on Akroasis and the jazz-fusion brilliance of The Psychic Planetarium, Geldschläger channels his fretless guitar wizardry into an audacious, meticulously layered opus where progressive metal collides with jazz fusion, Indian and Middle Eastern motifs, orchestral elegance, ambient textures, and bursts of technical extremity. Tracks like “999” and “Ascension” immediately establish an exotic, cinematic atmosphere, while the multipart suites “A Perfect Union” and the title track unfold like intricate musical narratives—balancing emotional fragility with dazzling musicianship.

The album’s second half reinvents earlier instrumental themes with vocal arrangements, adding a poetic and almost spiritual dimension, before culminating in an adventurous reinterpretation of King Crimson’s “Model Man”. With contributions from elite musicians such as Derek Roddy and Linus Klausenitzer, and a pristine production that reveals new details with every listening, Reverse Engineering is more than a solo album—it is a fearless artistic manifesto, a breathtaking fusion of intellect and emotion, and arguably one of the most innovative progressive releases of 2016.