Tag: fates warning

This is the Prog metal pioneers’ tenth album and was released back in 2004. Never happy with creating the same album twice, this album sees the band going with a more simple straightforward style. All the usual FWisms are there, they have just been dialled back somewhat.

I love Ray Adler’s voice and the way he interprets the lyrics, he is the highlight of this album. There are virtually no guitar solos on the album and that’s not a bad thing as you concentrate more on the moody vibe of the record. Having said that the fat huge guitar-driven riffs of Simple Human make it my favourite tune. Along with a that huge guitar, Mark Zonder is laying down the beats with just little pulse’s of the industrial vibes from previous efforts.

I read a few reviews of this album and it seems the FW faithful did not rate this too highly upon its release, but I don’t see why as it’s a great record and a further step in the progression in one of Prog Metal’s finest bands.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

This is a reissue of the band’s sixth album, originally released in ’91 and was produced by Terry Brown. Is it just a coincidence that the sound reminds me very much of prime time Rush?

Fates Warning were a band very much ahead of their time, and I think a huge influence on Dream Theater who had just recruited James LaBrie at this time. It did quite well commercially, but got patchy reviews from so called critics. This is a very classy, superbly recorded record that should appeal to all.

Highlights for me are Life In Still Water, a track which is trademark Fates, a killer riff with some epic drumming and time changes, I sooo love Ray Alder’s vocals. As well, Eye To Eye which could grace any top ten charts as it’s such a catchy tune. And, my personal favourite the total progtastic Point Of View.

Great band and album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

This is album number thirteen for these Prog metal pioneers that have been around since ’82, pre-dating Dream Theater, even though their early material was influenced by NWOBHM.

The Destination Onward opens up the album with a nice atmospheric opening before the main song kicks in with a killer low end riff and groove, the solo is killer. I also love the harmonies and the main hook. A very busy riff and double kicks greet the listener to Shuttered World, showing the band at their most metallic. That’s not to say the melody has been forsaken, quite the contrary as Roy Alder’s voice is a pure joy and the main hook is awesome. Alone We Walk is just superb. The laid back intro with the quiet chugga riff underneath is just beautiful as we build into the main song with blasts from monster drummer, Bobby Jarzombeck.

Now Comes The Rain is a much lighter mid-tempo track driven by the solid bass of Joey Vera, it’s all about the hook and the chorus. Next is The Way Home, which is over eight minutes of power ballad! Not the biggest fan of the ballad, and this is way too long. Under The Sun follows and the slow vibe continues as this is primarily an acoustic piece. Scars was released as a single prior to the album’s release, it’s a fairly straight forward Prog metal groove.  Nice 90’s style post rock intro to Begin Again, and this is all about the groove and Mr. Jarzombeck on the pots and pans. I love the electronic vibes at the intro to When The Snow Falls, it reminds me a bit of OSI Jim Matheos’s extra curricular activity, and the solo is wonderful. Liar sees a return to the metallic sounds with a huge fat sounding riff, and a very snappy beat.

Over to the final side we go with Glass Houses. The opening drum solo is killer and Bobby is becoming the star of the show. The Longest Shadow Of The Day follows, and it is my favourite track on the album. Could this be the best piece that Fates have ever done? It has a stunning intro with delicate chord shapes and progressions from bass and guitar, until the listener is drawn in to the heavy grooves laid down by Mr. Jarzombeck. The track is a monstrous beast of a tune, coming it at over eleven minutes it is a feast for the ears that traverses all the styles from prog to jazz and all points in between. The album closes out with, ironically, The Last Song an acoustic driven piece that looks back and reflects on life.

This album is a bit long, they maybe should have dumped the power ballad, but it’s still a great record nonetheless.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

This is the 4th studio album released in ’88 by these US pioneer Prog metallers, and it was the first to feature Ray Alder on vocals. Way before Dream Theater were into their stride, Fates Warning had come up with this style, which I would say is a cross between Iron Maiden and Queensryche. The earlier albums are a lot more straight up metal with a very NWOBHM influence, but this was the first album of theirs which was worthy of my attention.

Side 2 is taken up with the monumental The Ivory Gate Of Dreams, which is an absolute epic track split into 8 parts. When you listen to this track you realize how much of an influence they have been in the scene. Of course they can metal it out with the best of them as the thrash of Silent Cries shows – Metallica would be proud of this one.

This is a great repress by Metal Blade complete with a poster and it sounds great. I’ll admit I was a bit worried it wouldn’t be so good, as some of there reissues are terrible pressings, especially the KingsX ones – some of those are very noisy. Anyway, a good album by a great band. Hard to believe this is 33 years old.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.