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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: Elsydeon on May 18, 2010, 08:30:21 AM
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So I just found out that Fate's Warning is playing my area in two weeks, I know there are a couple of fans on this board.
Any recommendations of where to start with them so I can get familiar with their music before I see them?
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Parallels
I know they've been out playing that album in its entirety, don't know if they're still doing that. But check out Parallels, I enjoy that one.
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I'm only somewhat of a fan, but I can probably make some solid recommendations.
-Parallels, which came out in 1991, is I believe their most successful and is considered by many to be their best. You probably can't go wrong with this album. Not only is it pretty generally well-liked, but you'll likely hear quite a few songs played from it at your show since (1) it was their most successful, and (2) they just reissued it earlier this year and will likely play a lot of it to support the re-release. I would pick up the new version, as you get a lot of bonus content, including a live set. This is a great starting point for any Fates fan.
-They have a compilation/hits album called Chasing Time, which gives a pretty good sampling of their material from '84 to '94.
After the compilation album, they had another 3 releases. I only have the most recent, X, which came out in 2004. I get the impression it wasn't received all that well, but I like it a lot.
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I'll agree with everyone else that Parallels is the place to start. After that, Still Life is a good buy because it has the entire "A Pleasant Shade of Gray", as well as some other good Fatez songs, and for the same price as A Pleasant Shade of Gray - the downside is that it is a live album. Perfect Symmetry isn't bad, but that would be option 3 behind Still Life/APSoG.
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Thanks a lot everyone I'm gonna pick up the reissued parallels later today and whatever else i can find. I never knew Fates Warning originated in Hartford, CT...that's where I'm seeing them.
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The following are all excellent:
No Exit
Perfect Symmetry
Parallels
Inside Out
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
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Elsy, they'll be playing Parallels in its entirety, so that is definitely the album to start with.
I *might* be making a trip to see that show.
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I actually would not start with Parallels, but that's just me. I would start with Disconnected. It's a little more modern-sounding and heavy and sonic. I just love that album. If you like DT, I would start with Disconnected or A Pleasant Shade of Gray. They both feature Kevin Moore on keyboards.
Can't wait to see them on June 4!!! If you're going, say hi. I'll be wearing my DT hat and an OSI shirt.
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Since they're playing Parallels, that's obviously the place to start. I actually prefer Perfect Symmetry if I'm choosing an album from that era, though.
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Echo the Parallels comment. Big fan here.
They are doing Parallels in its entirety, so the smart move is to start with that. It is also their biggest selling album and most accessible.
If you are a Queensryche fan, for comparison's sake, Parallels is Fates Warning's Empire.
If you like that, and like the show, come back here and let us know. I'll make more recommendations.
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Parallels then A Pleasant Shade of Gray.
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So I just found out that Fate's Warning is playing my area in two weeks, I know there are a couple of fans on this board.
Any recommendations of where to start with them so I can get familiar with their music before I see them?
All of them.
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Echo the Parallels comment. Big fan here.
They are doing Parallels in its entirety, so the smart move is to start with that. It is also their biggest selling album and most accessible.
If you are a Queensryche fan, for comparison's sake, Parallels is Fates Warning's Empire.
If you like that, and like the show, come back here and let us know. I'll make more Queensryche recommendations.
:biggrin:
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Okay so I picked up the new parallels release, inside out, and the still life live album. I'm really enjoying what I'm hearing. Parallels is awesome and so is inside out. Probably going to get some more tomorrow after I get my paycheck, looking forward to the show very much now. Thanks for the recommendations everyone :tup
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I'm seeing them in San Antonio. They only have three US dates, Hartford and the two down here in Texas. Apparently the singer is from this area and his mom still lives around here.
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Okay so I picked up the new parallels release, inside out, and the still life live album. I'm really enjoying what I'm hearing. Parallels is awesome and so is inside out. Probably going to get some more tomorrow after I get my paycheck, looking forward to the show very much now. Thanks for the recommendations everyone :tup
If you like those, then go with Perfect Symmetry...it's a bit more like Images and Words in terms of its progressive and technical nature. It's the album that came BEFORE Parallels.
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I really wish they were playing more shows. Since I'm heading to the NE to see DT/IM in July, I can't justify another trip up there to see Fatez.
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Tomorrow night is the big show in Connecticut!!! Who's going? Feel free to say hi. I'll be wearing my OSI shirt and DT hat. We can chat it up about Kevin Moore or recite the lyrics to "Space-Dye Vest."
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I'm working until 7 so I'll probably be over there around 8ish. Most likely I'll be hanging around the bar area in my octavarium t shirt.
I'll never be open again. Think the show will sell out?
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I won't be making it up for this, so you'll have to wait till MSG to gaze upon my glory. :p
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Does this mean the show will be less fail?
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I think it will sell out. Maybe. I've been told the venue has two stages - a main stage and smaller stage and 8-9 bands will be performing at the same time up leading up the the FW performance on teh main stage. Also, I heard that they rented out the venue yesterday as well, possibly in preparation to possibly film the show tonight. That's one of the rumors. Guess we'll see.
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I think it will sell out. Maybe. I've been told the venue has two stages - a main stage and smaller stage and 8-9 bands will be performing at the same time up leading up the the FW performance on teh main stage. Also, I heard that they rented out the venue yesterday as well, possibly in preparation to possibly film the show tonight. That's one of the rumors. Guess we'll see.
When I interviewed Jim a couple months ago, he said they were hoping to film a couple of the shows, so I would bank on that rumor being true.
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Wow if it does sell out I'm going to hate myself for not buying tickets in advance.
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I'm working until 7 so I'll probably be over there around 8ish. Most likely I'll be hanging around the bar area in my octavarium t shirt.
I'll never be open again. Think the show will sell out?
I'll be there too (w/ Mebert78). Wearing my M2000 jersey.
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Wow if it does sell out I'm going to hate myself for not buying tickets in advance.
Buy them now and select Will Call pickup.
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Personally, I kinda have a gut feeling this show will include something extra beyond the reunited Parallels lineup. It's their hometown and a potential DVD show, maybe an appearance by Arch as well, or other former members? Maybe Kevin Moore playing "At Fate's Hands" with them as an encore?
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The ticket says Fates warning with special guests, so I think this show will be.... especially..... "special" :D.
I bought my tickets now, so I will be there tonight.
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I think the "special guests" part refers to the 19 opening bands.
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most of them arent very special though I don't think.
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Depending on where Kevin in living these days, I'd say a Kev Mo appearance is highly probable (and that is a pure guess, I don't know a thing). Arch is much less of a chance, but hey, you never know. Arch doesn't sing much these days, so unless he's been really working at it for awhile, probably not a good idea for him to take the stage. But it'd be great if he and Ray sang TOGETHER on two songs, as an encore. One Arch era tune, one Alder era tune.
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I'd say Arch is MUCH more likely than Kev'Mo, since Kevin lives in Turkey.
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I'd say Arch is MUCH more likely than Kev'Mo, since Kevin lives in Turkey.
Incorrect. He's been living in the U.S. for awhile now. I think he moved back here last year.
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i just got home from the show, great show. no special guest appearances. I know they played all of parallels, monuments, another perfect day. Those were the only song I really knew, I'm sure someone else could give a better setlist. I definitely had a great time tonight :metal
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glad you enjoyed the show...
I am listening to parallels right now and may buy it. I tried them years ago when they toured with DT but couldn't get into them. never hurts to try again
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Leave the Past Behind
Life in Still Water
Eye to Eye
The Eleventh Hour
Point of View
We Only Say Goodbye
Don't Follow Me
The Road Goes on Forever
Pale Fire
Face the Fear
Nothing Left To Say
Monument
------------------
One
APSOG Part 3
Another Perfect Day
Through Different Eyes
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They also played one of the movements of Ivory Gate in the encore, I believe. They played for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
It was awesome to see them. Damn, that place was super hot and loud. I woke up this morning and felt like death lol. No special guests, although Ray said during the show that former band members were in the audience. I was hoping they might perform in the encore. They sounded really good. I think Frank Aresti kept forgetting his harmonizing lyrics and Ray would joking point at a lyric sheet he had behind the speakers. It was funny. Not sure if other people noticed or just us, since we were so close. Ray also took a quick cigarette break during the long instrumental start of Nothing Left to Say, which ZeppelinDT pointed out to me lol. I loved seeing Zonder in action. He's such a great drummer. And Matheos totally feels the music. He plays with his eyes closed alot and just gets lost in the vibe. All the guys looked good. Joe DiBiase, who the band used to call "Bones" in the early days, is no longer skin and bones. But he looked like he really enjoyed being up on stage. Overall, it was a great time. A lot of fans singing along and pumping their fists. So glad I got to see that legendary lineup play together!
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I'm gonna get some Fates Warning when I have money, and also, power metallers Sacred Oath from my area toured with FW back in the day, so you guys should check them out.
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I don't have anything against Sacred Oath, but for a lot of bands, having toured with somebody I love is no reason to check them out as many of them often pick very different and very bad openers.
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I don't have anything against Sacred Oath, but for a lot of bands, having toured with somebody I love is no reason to check them out as many of them often pick very different and very bad openers.
I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but a lot of bands I see open me to a lot of new goo music with their openers. I always check out the openers as soon as they are announced, and more often than not, I like them. But to each his own.
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Nick did you end up going? I thought I saw you but wasn't sure.
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How hot was it in there last night? I thought I was gonna pass out.
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How hot was it in there last night? I thought I was gonna pass out.
It was really hot. Ray mentioned the heat a few times and so did a couple other openers. luckily it wasn't TOO packed in the bar area.
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, and also, power metallers Sacred Oath from my area toured with FW back in the day, so you guys should check them out.
Sacred Oath is Rob Volpintesta (Thorne) of Soundscape's band. I would have loved to have been there (although Sacred Oath aren't exactly my thing).
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, and also, power metallers Sacred Oath from my area toured with FW back in the day, so you guys should check them out.
Sacred Oath is Rob Volpintesta (Thorne) of Soundscape's band. I would have loved to have been there (although Sacred Oath aren't exactly my thing).
Yeah they're cool guys. Rob's my friend's guitar teacher, so I know them all and talk to them on Facebook and stuff. They actually just signed a CD and sent it to me for $10. I know you said they're not your thing, but if you live near Connecticut, they're playing right in Danbury for like $10 on the 19th.
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, and also, power metallers Sacred Oath from my area toured with FW back in the day, so you guys should check them out.
Sacred Oath is Rob Volpintesta (Thorne) of Soundscape's band. I would have loved to have been there (although Sacred Oath aren't exactly my thing).
Yeah they're cool guys. Rob's my friend's guitar teacher, so I know them all and talk to them on Facebook and stuff. They actually just signed a CD and sent it to me for $10. I know you said they're not your thing, but if you live near Connecticut, they're playing right in Danbury for like $10 on the 19th.
yeah I would come out to see them, just to meet them. But unfortunately I live a $300+ plane ticket away in Minnesota.
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, and also, power metallers Sacred Oath from my area toured with FW back in the day, so you guys should check them out.
Sacred Oath is Rob Volpintesta (Thorne) of Soundscape's band. I would have loved to have been there (although Sacred Oath aren't exactly my thing).
Yeah they're cool guys. Rob's my friend's guitar teacher, so I know them all and talk to them on Facebook and stuff. They actually just signed a CD and sent it to me for $10. I know you said they're not your thing, but if you live near Connecticut, they're playing right in Danbury for like $10 on the 19th.
yeah I would come out to see them, just to meet them. But unfortunately I live a $300+ plane ticket away in Minnesota.
Ah, that might be a slight obstacle indeed.
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That show last night was one of the best live shows I've attended. It was better than the Atlanta show last September and I'm glad they seemed to get a great response.
and yeah, they played Quietus in between Perfect Day and Through Different Eyes.
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I wasn't there. Wish I could have been but the timing just wasn't right for me right now.
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Since I couldn't find an official thread on this band I thought I'd start one. Mainly because I read this exciting news yesterday;
https://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=173299
Metal Blade Records has set a June 5 release date (one day earlier internationally) for the reissue of FATES WARNING's classic 1994 album "Inside Out". This re-release comes as a double CD plus bonus-DVD. It contains the classic original album as well as live tracks from a German show FATES WARNING played in Düsseldorf in 1995 and unreleased demo takes. The bonus-DVD contains an assortment of live clips, from 1993-1995.
CD1 - Inside Out (re-mastered original album)
01. Outside Looking In
02. Pale Fire
03. The Strand
04. Shelter Me
05. Island In The Stream
06. Down To The Wire
07. Face The Fear
08. Inward Bound
09. Monument
10. Afterglow
CD2 – Live in Düsseldorf, Germany February 11th 1995
01. Outside Looking In
02. Down To The Wire
03. The Eleventh Hour
04. Point Of View
05. Face The Fear
Demos/Unreleased
01. Outside Looking In (demo)
02. Pale Fire (demo)
03. Shelter Me (demo)
04. Island In The Stream (demo)
05. Face The Fear (demo)
06. Monument (rough mix)
07. Circles (unreleased)
DVD - Inside Out Live
* Outside Looking In (1994/95)
* Pale Fire (1993/94)
* The Strand (1994)
* Shelter Me (1993)
* Island In The Stream (2010)
* Down To The Wire (1994/95)
* Face The Fear (1994/95)
* Monument (1994/95)
* Afterglow Slide Show
Extras:
* Live In Still Water (1994)
* Through Different Eyes (1995)
* Guardian (Mike Portnoy drums) (1994)
* Shades Of Heavenly Death (1995)
* MTV Europe Interview (1995)
* Eye to Eye (1994/95)
* Face The Face Of Fear (1994)
* Don't Follow Me (1994)
* Shortest Fates Warning Show Ever (1994)
* Guardian (Arch/Alder duet) (1994)
In a recent interview with Bulgaria's Tangra Mega Rock, FATES WARNING singer Ray Alder stated about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's new CD, "We're trying as hard as we can. We have these shows [in Europe] and then we go to Brazil in April. And in the meantime we are working as hard as we can to finish the album. Hopefully we'll have it out by the end of this year, If not, the beginning of next year. We're trying our best."
He added, "We need to finish writing right now. We finished the first song. The demo version is already done. We'll continue writing as we have a lot of ideas that we need to put together. But the first song is done and I can tell you it's seven minutes long. The recording process itself usually takes about two months and then after that it's another three more months before the album is released. So, we are talking five months out there after the album has been written."
The "Parallels" lineup of FATES WARNING played a number of shows in 2010 in support of the released special edition of the album, which was made available through Metal Blade Records. In addition to remastered audio, there is a second audio disc of live and demo material. The package also includes a DVD with nearly three hours of material, including a complete live show from the 1992 "Parallels" tour and a documentary on the making of "Parallels" which includes live, studio, and current day interview footage with all the band members, Terry Brown (producer) and Brian Slagel (CEO of Metal Blade Records).
FATES WARNING's latest CD, "X", was released in 2004 on Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2000's "Disconnected" was recorded at Carriage House studios in Stamford, Connecticut and features cover artwork by renowned record-cover artist Ioannis (DREAM THEATER, SEPULTURA, DEEP PURPLE, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, KING CRIMSON, BIOHAZARD, VOIVOD, UFO, OVERKILL).
This is amazing, seriously love this album. One error though it says Circles is unreleased which is untrue because it's available on the Chasing Time collection, unless it's a different version.
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I love Inside-out.
Its just as strong as parallels and Island In the Stream is one of the most beautiful and powerful songs I've ever heard in my life.
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Here's an exciting idea, put out the new FW already.
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Here's an exciting idea, put out the new FW already.
I 2nd this motion.
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I <3 Fates Warning. Can't wait to see Arch/Matheos in two days in Connecticut, which is pretty much like seeing FW.
I hope Matheos has some good songwriting left in him for the new FW. He's gotta be tapped out after churning out OSI and A/M discs within the past year.
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I did me some Fates Warning, but my reaction to reissues, frankly, is: yawn
Put out a new album
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I did me some Fates Warning, but my reaction to reissues, frankly, is: yawn
Put out a new album
Which they are officially working on. I can't wait for the new album. Jim Matheos is on an absolute roll lately, between all the OSI albums and Arch/Matheos.
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Yeah, that's cool. I guess I'm just burned out on all these "reissues" and "remasters" that everyone is releasing lately.
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An amazing and highly underrated band. They should be on a similar level as DT. I've heard they should have a new album out by the end of the year. Which era do you guys like better?
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For me it's the Alder era. Arch isn't really my cuppa.
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An amazing and highly underrated band. They should be on a similar level as DT. I've heard they should have a new album out by the end of the year. Which era do you guys like better?
Tough call.
Even though John Arch is my favorite singer, I find that I need to be in just the right mood to really enjoy the Arch-era, where-as I can put on Alder era almost any time and it will click.
and since Pleasant Shade of grey is my favorite FW album, I guess Alder-era wins by a hair, but its very close.
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Yeah I enjoy the Alder albums more as well. I would pick parallels as my favorite overall.
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Yeah I enjoy the Alder albums more as well. I would pick parallels as my favorite overall.
The Road Goes on Forever... :heart :hefdaddy
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Yeah I enjoy the Alder albums more as well. I would pick parallels as my favorite overall.
This. The Alder era is just more my style. I was listening to Disconnected the other day and that is amazing.
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Yeah I enjoy the Alder albums more as well. I would pick parallels as my favorite overall.
Leave the Past Behind thru The Road Goes on Forever... :heart :hefdaddy
Fix'd
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Yeah I enjoy the Alder albums more as well. I would pick parallels as my favorite overall.
Leave the Past Behind thru The Road Goes on Forever... :heart :hefdaddy
Fix'd
But Don't Follow Me until The Eleventh Hour when we only say Goodbye to Life in Still Water.
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Yeah I enjoy the Alder albums more as well. I would pick parallels as my favorite overall.
Leave the Past Behind thru The Road Goes on Forever... :heart :hefdaddy
Fix'd
But Don't Follow Me until The Eleventh Hour when we only say Goodbye to Life in Still Water.
I see Eye to Eye with your Point of View.
Also A Pleasant Shade of Gray I-XII.
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Honestly I've only really listened to the Alder era - the Arch era stuff isn't my kind of music anyway and when I tried it out I really didn't like his voice. I only really got into FW over the past year so I'm not really familiar with every album, but Disconnected is my favourite. Still Remains :tup
Hope they can get a new album out this year.
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Honestly I've only really listened to the Alder era - the Arch era stuff isn't my kind of music anyway and when I tried it out I really didn't like his voice. I only really got into FW over the past year so I'm not really familiar with every album, but Disconnected is my favourite. Still Remains :tup
Hope they can get a new album out this year.
Still Remains is absolutely incredible. Its my second favorite FW song behind Road Goes on Forever.
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Arch era for me, got into them off some compliation album..went out and immediately bought their catologue ..when Arch left and Alder joined the music seemed to take a different turn than what i was accustomed too although I can't fault anyone who was introduced to them during the Alder era for likeing that more
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I guess I'm just burned out on all these "reissues" and "remasters" that everyone is releasing lately.
In general, I agree. But at least they are making this one worthwhile with all the bonus content. It bugs me when bands do reissues with one or two bonus songs, but this has a ton of extras. I will probably get this, but interestingly, I'm not really a fan of most of their stuff. There are a few songs here and there that I like, but the only full album of theirs I have ever really enjoyed is X. I think a lot of it has to do with Ray's voice. I just don't like the sound of his upper register. I love his mid-range and low-register stuff in Redemption, but the more high-register stuff he does with Fates puts me off.
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It's funny you mention "FWX" (that's what you meant, right?) because that's actually my favorite of the Alder era albums, followed closely by APSOG and Disconnected.
I completely agree about Ray's vocals.
I took a trip down memory lane recently and spun "No Exit" which was the very first Fates Warning album I ever purchased. The epic on there is still pretty cool.
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Yeah, it's funny that I LOVE Ray and Fates separate from each other (i.e., I love Ray in Redemption and I love the Arch/Matheos album), but when they are together, they do nothing for me. :lol
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X was a suprisingly great album. If they come up with something like that again, I'd be happy. I'm not normally a fan of reissues that much either but like bosk said, they amount of extras Metal Blade are doing with FW< I don't have to think twice about buying.
Also, Still Remains is eaily top 5 FW.
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I've only heard No Exit, which I have on CD. Anything else I should try?
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I've only heard No Exit, which I have on CD. Anything else I should try?
If you like the vibe of No Exit, then I would recommend Awaken the Guardian or Perfect Symmetry.
Now if you want just a strait up damn good album, go with Pleasant Shade of Grey or Disconnected.
At the end of the day, every album is decent for the most part.
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I'm not as big a fan of Ray Alder's voice on earlier albums (Parallels is the earliest I own, I don't have No Exit) as in Redemption either. But on a little later stuff from FW like X and Disconnected he sings more like he does with Redemption.
Glad other people like FWX as well - I never see it talked about much compared to older albums.
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Aside from APSOG, which is pretty sweet, most of FW stuff has the same effect on me that King's X music does: it strikes me as being mostly good stuff, but rarely is something I want to listen to.
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My friend and I met Jim Matheos last night after the Arch/Matheos show! Yeah, baby!!
(https://img703.imageshack.us/img703/2686/jimmatheos2.jpg) (https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/703/jimmatheos2.jpg/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (https://imageshack.us)
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I own everything from No Exit to FWX. I finally bought APSOG last week, so I'll be curious to see if it passes FWX as my favorite FW album.
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I own all the albums. If I had to rate the Alder-era albums...my list would be:
1. Disconnected
2. A Pleasant Shade of Grey
3. Perfect Symmetry
4. No Exit
5. Parallels
6. FWX
7. Inside Out
But that's just me.
Arch era is pretty obvious:
1. Awaken the Guardian
2. The Spectre Within
3. Night on Brocken
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I was going to try and rank all their albums, but it's too damn hard!
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I've always found Night to be the best Arch album personally.
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I've always found Night to be the best Arch album personally.
(https://media.comicvine.com/uploads/7/72249/2291482-not_sure_if_serious.jpg)
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Bump. And serious.
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My friend and I met Jim Matheos last night after the Arch/Matheos show! Yeah, baby!!
(https://img703.imageshack.us/img703/2686/jimmatheos2.jpg) (https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/703/jimmatheos2.jpg/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (https://imageshack.us)
Awesome bro!
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Just opened my copy of the new Inside Out. Packaging like Parallels sucks ass with the original booklet in tact, which IMO is poor form. The sound of the album does sound improved and still true to the overall feel of the album. The second disc is nice but nothing special. The live tracks and demo are cool. Circles is already released on Chasing Time so pretty worthless addition there. haven't watched the DVD yet.
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Wolf, is the design and size of the edition the same as the parallels deluxe or is it he bulky size? Would you recommend it?
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It's the same style of packaging as Parallels. I'll tell you if it's worth it when I watch the DVD, that will be the real test.
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Got the inside out deluxe edition. Live tracks are very cool. But like the parallels edition, the DVD makes it worth the price
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Ray Alder has been busy this week on Twitter regarding the upcoming Fates Warning album in 2013:
1) Finishing up some pre-production on the new Fates album in New Hampshire with Jim Matheos.. So far, I could NOT be happier with the music!
2) Man, New Hampshire is beautiful, but I've never been so fucking cold!! Us Mexicans aren't built for this shit!
3) @Secularious we begin recording in February, looking at a release date around July or august.. Thanks for asking! Peace!
4) @MetalMarcLopes yeah, well on our way... Just the first round of pre production.. Frank has a couple of badass solos so far!
5) @TheMooreatorium I can tell you one song is called "Firefly."
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The new FW is one my most anticipated releases of the 2013. I can not wait.
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Ray Alder has been busy this week on Twitter regarding the upcoming Fates Warning album in 2013:
1) Finishing up some pre-production on the new Fates album in New Hampshire with Jim Matheos.. So far, I could NOT be happier with the music!
2) Man, New Hampshire is beautiful, but I've never been so fucking cold!! Us Mexicans aren't built for this shit!
3) @Secularious we begin recording in February, looking at a release date around July or august.. Thanks for asking! Peace!
4) @MetalMarcLopes yeah, well on our way... Just the first round of pre production.. Frank has a couple of badass solos so far!
5) @TheMooreatorium I can tell you one song is called "Firefly."
AWESOME news!!!
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Disconnected Pt.2 has a pretty great atmosphere to it. Love the piano melody and the whole feel of it.
Wish is another of those songs I rank highly among Still Remains, Their lyrics are great with the music backing it.
Also, excited to hear how the new album will sound.
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Disconnected Pt.2 has a pretty great atmosphere to it. Love the piano melody and the whole feel of it.
Wish is another of those songs I rank highly among Still Remains, Their lyrics are great with the music backing it.
Also, excited to hear how the new album will sound.
Totally agree about Disconnected part 2, the atmosphere is incredible and its a great way to finish the album.
Still remains may very well be my favorite Fate's song. Its just incredibly dynamic and really builds to one hell of a climax.
and
I just listened to Road Goes on forever and Island in the stream back to back. Pure bliss
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Killer update from Ray. I am exceptionally happy that Frank is back on board with them in the studio now.
Also, the whole Disconnected album is amazing and has an incredible atmosphere.
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Fates Warning rule. APSOG is my favourite album, though The Ivory Gate of Dreams is my favourite individual track.
Looking forward to this mofo! :caffeine:
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This release is long overdue. Awesome news!
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Yes!!!
Link: https://metalassault.com/news/2013/03/22/....tour-new-album/
Fates Warning Announces US Tour & New Album
Posted on March 22, 2013
The wait is over, and one of the premier bands of the American progressive metal movement is back! FATES WARNING are proud to announce that they will enter the studio in April to begin tracking on a new studio album – their first album of new material in nine years, and their first studio release for InsideOut Music.
The U.S. run will launch November 15 in Joliet, IL and wrap December 14 in Seattle, WA. The band’s 11th studio album is set for a fall release, and will feature founding guitarist Jim Matheos, classic lineup members Ray Alder (vocals) and Frank Aresti (guitars), longtime bassist Joey Vera and drummer Bobby Jarzombek.
Tickets for the band’s long-awaited winter tour will be available for purchase starting March 27 – please see below for all FATES WARNING US tour dates (European and South American dates will be announced soon), and check venue websites for complete details:
FATES WARNING tour dates
Nov. 15–Joliet, IL–Mojoe’s
Nov. 16–Detroit, MI–Harpos
Nov. 17–Louisville, KY–Diamond Pub & Billiards
Nov. 18–Cleveland, OH–Peabody’s
Nov. 20–Toronto, ONT–Mod Club
Nov. 21–Poughkeepsie, NY–The Chance
Nov. 22–Hartford, CT–Webster Theater
Nov. 23–New York, NY–The Studio @ Webster Hall
Nov. 24–Clifton, NJ–Dingbatz
Nov. 26–Amityville, NY–Revolution
Nov. 27–Lancaster, PA–Chameleon Club
Nov. 30–Spartanburg, SC–Ground Zero
Dec. 1–Atlanta, GA–Masquerade
Dec. 3–Houston, TX–Scout Bar
Dec. 4–San Antonio, TX–Backstage Live
Dec. 5–Dallas, TX–Trees
Dec. 7–Phoenix, AZ–Rocky Point Cantina
Dec. 8–San Diego, CA–Brick By Brick
Dec. 10–Los Angeles, CA–The Whisky
Dec. 11–San Francisco, CA–DNA Lounge
Dec. 13–Portland, OR–Hawthorne Theater
Dec. 14–Seatlle, WA–Studio Seven
FATES WARNING online:
facebook.com/FatesWarning
FatesWarning.com
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I'm taking off from Nov. 22-27 and seeing all the shows in CT/NJ/NY/PA. I've been waiting a decade for this. :metal
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Man this album is taking forever, I am super stoked that Frank is indeed back in the studio with Fates.
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They just announced tour dates for the winter:
https://www.fateswarning.com/Forum/tabid/269/aft/161/Default.aspx
FATES WARNING tour dates
Nov. 15--Joliet, IL--Mojoe's
Nov. 16--Detroit, MI--Harpos
Nov. 17--Louisville, KY--Diamond Pub & Billiards
Nov. 18--Cleveland, OH--Peabody's
Nov. 20--Toronto, ONT--Mod Club
Nov. 21--Poughkeepsie, NY--The Chance
Nov. 22--Hartford, CT--Webster Theater
Nov. 23--New York, NY--The Studio @ Webster Hall
Nov. 24--Clifton, NJ--Dingbatz
Nov. 26--Amityville, NY--Revolution
Nov. 27--Lancaster, PA--Chameleon Club
Nov. 30--Spartanburg, SC--Ground Zero
Dec. 1--Atlanta, GA--Masquerade
Dec. 3--Houston, TX--Scout Bar
Dec. 4--San Antonio, TX--Backstage Live
Dec. 5--Dallas, TX--Trees
Dec. 7--Phoenix, AZ--Rocky Point Cantina
Dec. 8--San Diego, CA--Brick By Brick
Dec. 10--Los Angeles, CA--The Whisky
Dec. 11--San Francisco, CA--DNA Lounge
Dec. 13--Portland, OR--Hawthorne Theater
Dec. 14--Seatlle, WA--Studio Seven
I've been wanting to see this band for almost 9 years now. Can't wait.
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https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=32158.0
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https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=32158.0
my bad :facepalm:
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Awesome, I saw them on their last tour a few years back when they came around. It was a really good show, I'll gladly go again provided I'm available
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I am just getting into Fates Warning. Over the last 2-3 months I have slowly picked up all the releases.
Looks like it's a good time to be a fan. Stoked to be able to pick up their next album on release day. Not only that but it looks like I will be attending the first show of the tour. I wonder if they'll have M&G tickets.
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WOW.....they NEVER come to Seattle. The last few times they've been to Seattle, it's been as an opener for Dream Theater. I believe the last time they *headlined* in Seattle was the No Exit tour in 1988.
I have *NEVER* seen a headlining set from Fates Warning. I will NOT be missing this.
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December is so far off.
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I have *NEVER* seen a headlining set from Fates Warning. I will NOT be missing this.
That makes two of us.
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Happy Anniversary NO EXIT!!! Released 25 years ago on this very day.
Gonna have to spin that today in tribute...
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The Ivory Gate Of Dreams! :metal
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Holy fuck...not only a South Carolina date, but it's on a weekend too! :metal :metal :metal
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I kinda wish they'd haul their asses to my part of Europe, but I know it won't happen. Still it would be awesome to see them, especially Jim Matheos. He's one of my heroes.
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A real tour out of them is so rare. I definitely don't want to miss that Cleveland show.
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I'll definitely see at least one show, most likely Dingbatz in NJ. With actual options I'm not really going to do any for sure planning for at least a few months.
As for the album, all I can say is:
ABOUT DAMN TIME.
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New interview posted this week with drummer Bobby Jarzombek. New album drops in September and fans "will not be disappointed," he said.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEdSdwBmQWg
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Didn't like IO at first, but it grew on me. Love it now. I prefer Alder over Arch but ATG is a good album. Favorite FW album is APSOG.
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I have high hopes for this album too!!
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Happy Anniversary NO EXIT!!! Released 25 years ago on this very day.
Gonna have to spin that today in tribute...
...fucking hell how'd I get so old? :rollin
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Happy Anniversary NO EXIT!!! Released 25 years ago on this very day.
Gonna have to spin that today in tribute...
...fucking hell how'd I get so old? :rollin
No kidding!
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I'm really looking forward to this album.
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I'm really looking forward to this album.
Likewise. The Arch/Matheos album is one of my favorite albums ever, as well as Redemption's Snowfall on Judgement Day, so I'm really interested in seeing how the heavier style of progressive metal Matheos has been dabbling about with lately will match with Ray's voice. I'm hoping he sounds more like he did on Snowfall than on This Mortal Coil.
I have a good feeling this could be a contender for Album of the Year for me. Love Fates Warning, both with John Arch and with Ray. :metal
EDIT: Also, Bobby and Joey both mentioned on Facebook/Twitter back in April that there's an epic on the album that's about fourteen to fifteen minutes long. I can't wait to hear that one. :metal :tup
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And with Frank back in the band, it will be even more magical.
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And with Frank back in the band, it will be even more magical.
Definitely. Frank and Jim are one of the most underrated guitar duos ever, IMO. LOVE their work together. :metal
I wonder who they'll get to do the album artwork?
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And with Frank back in the band, it will be even more magical.
Amen to that. I love his work and his presence on Arch/Matheo really made me realize how much I missed him.
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Yeah, I've missed him for a long time, incredible guitarist.
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I wonder if they'll get Kevin Moore to do any guest work for keyboards on the album? Love his contributions on Disconnected. :tup :metal
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I wonder if they'll get Kevin Moore to do any guest work for keyboards on the album? Love his contributions on Disconnected. :tup :metal
Jim has (relatively? I can't dig up the quote now but you can trust me on this) recently said he preferred not to "mess" with the studio chemistry they have in OSI ever since they started OSI (you notice Kevin's not on FWX, which came out a year after Office of Strategic Influence), but I don't think live stuff is out of the question unless Kevin is bound, doing something we don't know about yet.
Of course I've been having dreams of a joint OSI/Fates tour ever since Fates announced they'd be touring, or even since Jim and Kevin said an OSI tour is not out of the question provided they figured out the logistics and everything. But that just sounds too good to be true.
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I wonder if they'll get Kevin Moore to do any guest work for keyboards on the album? Love his contributions on Disconnected. :tup :metal
Jim has (relatively? I can't dig up the quote now but you can trust me on this) recently said he preferred not to "mess" with the studio chemistry they have in OSI ever since they started OSI (you notice Kevin's not on FWX, which came out a year after Office of Strategic Influence), but I don't think live stuff is out of the question unless Kevin is bound, doing something we don't know about yet.
Of course I've been having dreams of a joint OSI/Fates tour ever since Fates announced they'd be touring, or even since Jim and Kevin said an OSI tour is not out of the question provided they figured out the logistics and everything. But that just sounds too good to be true.
Well, that's a shame. :sad: But still, I'm very glad Frank Aresti's back in the fold. :metal Should be a great album, I think. :biggrin:
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I wonder if they'll get Kevin Moore to do any guest work for keyboards on the album? Love his contributions on Disconnected. :tup :metal
Jim has (relatively? I can't dig up the quote now but you can trust me on this) recently said he preferred not to "mess" with the studio chemistry they have in OSI ever since they started OSI (you notice Kevin's not on FWX, which came out a year after Office of Strategic Influence), but I don't think live stuff is out of the question unless Kevin is bound, doing something we don't know about yet.
Of course I've been having dreams of a joint OSI/Fates tour ever since Fates announced they'd be touring, or even since Jim and Kevin said an OSI tour is not out of the question provided they figured out the logistics and everything. But that just sounds too good to be true.
Well, that's a shame. :sad: But still, I'm very glad Frank Aresti's back in the fold. :metal Should be a great album, I think. :biggrin:
Yeah, Frank is just awesome :metal
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I was wondering if anyone would be interested in doing a Top 25 Fates Warning Songs thread? :biggrin:
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I was wondering if anyone would be interested in doing a Top 25 Fates Warning Songs thread? :biggrin:
Sounds interesting...
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I was wondering if anyone would be interested in doing a Top 25 Fates Warning Songs thread? :biggrin:
Sounds interesting...
If we do do it though, should we only let it be from the Ray Alder era or should we include Arch too? And if we do include Arch, would it be fair to include the songs on the Arch/Matheos album?
Questions, questions... :biggrin:
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I would be inclined to add songs from the Arch era in the 80's. Awaken the Guardian alone contains some of the band's best output and should be included in any list.
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I was wondering if anyone would be interested in doing a Top 25 Fates Warning Songs thread? :biggrin:
Would!
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I would be inclined to add songs from the Arch era in the 80's. Awaken the Guardian alone contains some of the band's best output and should be included in any list.
THIS
I bought TSW when it was first released, so I was already an established fan way before Alder. (I was actually very skeptical about anyone fronting FW besides Arch...but No Exit won me over)
I'm not sure how a top 25 would work out for me...but I'm positive that some AtG and TSW would make it in there somewhere. Maybe even Damnation from NoB.
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A top 25 would be very hard IMO, so much variety in the band and so much to cover if your including all eras.
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I would be inclined to add songs from the Arch era in the 80's. Awaken the Guardian alone contains some of the band's best output and should be included in any list.
THIS
I bought TSW when it was first released, so I was already an established fan way before Alder. (I was actually very skeptical about anyone fronting FW besides Arch...but No Exit won me over)
I'm not sure how a top 25 would work out for me...but I'm positive that some AtG and TSW would make it in there somewhere. Maybe even Damnation from NoB.
I got into the band because of the Arch-era material and the Arch/Matheos album, so I'm with you in that I'm sure that there'd be a good amount of Arch material in my Top 25 too, even more so if we include the A/M album. I just wanted to see what others thought on that matter, given how different the Arch era is from the Alder era, despite being equally brilliant. :metal
A top 25 would be very hard IMO, so much variety in the band and so much to cover if your including all eras.
Oh definitely, but I think that's exactly why it'd be fun to try out. :biggrin:
I was wondering if anyone would be interested in doing a Top 25 Fates Warning Songs thread? :biggrin:
Would!
:tup
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Interesting interview with one of the original Fates Warning guitarists. He really tosses Jim Matheos under the bus in some spots:
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/144728798959511/permalink/434301576668897/
Victor Arduini
COMPLETE ROCK HARD INTERVIEW:
1. Why did you leave Fates Warning after "Spectre"?
I was asked to leave as I was becoming concerned how I would afford to raise my family if the band went on a full tour. Back then we were all in our early 20's and I was the only member who was married. I learned I was to be a father in the coming year. We didn't make any money at the time and the prospect of quitting my job to go on the road just wasn't a reality. The other guys were young, hungry and single !! After expressing my concerns the band had a meeting which led to my dismissal. It was mutual at the time although I was very upset with Jim as he clearly expected everyone to put the band first at all costs or you were out. the problem was he wasn't the leader of the band. We were all equals in a sense but made to feel if we didn't go along he would get members to vote with him (reluctantly) and you'd get out voted. Jim and I were both writers in the band and competing to contribute to band. At times I felt he wanted more control than I would allow and that caused tension between us. After I left he became more controlling with other members of the band which led to John Arch leaving after ATG for similar reasons of difficulty touring as me with similar ultimatums given. From that point Jim finally got what he wanted and became the "leader" of the band. He now could write most of the songs and have full control over the direction of the music. While I still wish I could have been a part of ATG (We actually were rehearing a few songs before I left), I would have left after John did. he was the voice of the band and the arrogance of kicking John out would have really pushed me over the edge.. I appreciate the fact that Fates name and legacy have endured over the years and Jim has made some interesting music but I really just don't connect to what they have became musically in the following years.
2. What does the first two albums mean to you?
The first two albums are my youth. It brings back memories of five young guys still learning their chops and finding their influences together through all the new music coming out at the time. We were really a band of brothers who wanted to be a part of the metal world and began to write our first songs together in a garage while soaking up all this great music going on around us. Night On Broken was a raw, to the point metal album that started it all. I still remember getting the copies in the mail and holding our first record. Man we were so proud and we never looked back. We now saw ourselves as recording artist and felt we were among our peers. We began to get opening slots for Anvil, Overkill, Attacker, Obsession, Motorhead, Queensryche and got to live the life we always wanted.. The Specter Within was our first real production. The songs were much better written and it was so fuckin' heavy !! We got to live in California for 5 weeks to record the disc. We had the ability to get the best sound we wanted and to this day is is my favorite album Fates has done because it is just so raw and pure. I would have wanted to see Fates stay true to what Specter started and just expand from there. Freedoms Reign's CD is more of a continuation from where I left off with Spectre. Not that I'm trying to recapture Fates. It's more of just who I am as a musician and the natural abilities and influences that I had in 1985 are still there and I'm just being myself when I pick up a guitar and write riffs. There gonna have some sense of similarity with 28 years of growth and experience.
3. Why didn't they ask you to join them on stage for a couple of songs in Hartford 2012 ?
You'd have to ask Jim. It was suggested at one time to even do a tune but never heard anything beyond that. I was pretty uspet we couldn't get together for a bow. I mean it's the only time we all were in the same building and yet you don't make it happen ? For what reason wouldn't you ? No matter how many versions of Fates there are there will only be one true original line up that started it all. You can't erase that time or era. You can't pretend it doesn't matter. No matter what the five of us know what those first few years were about and despite that Jim has no interest in returning to his past, the rest of us still do as do many, many fans who would have loved to see us together for a moment in our hometown. People have asked me if I'd ever do a reunion show and my answer is YES !! But I know for a fact Jim would never consider it and even if he did I would find it hard to stand on stage and enjoy it while knowing he's mocking the songs inside and feeling he's above them now. Sorry but I embrace them and to play them again would be amazing and I'd need to know everyone on that stage felt the same way.
4. What have you done after leaving Fates and forming Freedoms Reign ?
Well I raised two fantastic kids which took up most of the next 20 years. I actually didn't play guitar for a few years after Fates. Just trying to find myself and be a good dad. But I soon realized how much I missed making music. I began writing/recording with some friends and soon saw myself back where I came from. I actually played bass for 3 years in a great local band who went through the process to trying to get signed..I've recorded a solo project in 1993 (Painted Horse) which I'm pretty proud of. In addition I went back to school and became a Registered Nurse and have spent 20 years working with the elderly. It's another passion that's rewarded my life.
5. How was the show for you in Hartford with the band ?
The show was fantastic !! We got to play some new songs to a Fates audience and it went over very well. Having so many people come up to us after the show and comment on the songs and energy they felt really said alot.
6. How is your relationship with Jim nowadays ?
It's more of a business relationship. he will let me know of things going on with re-releases or other business. We don't really speak or communicate much for other reasons. There's just not much in common except we both played together 30 yrs ago. And while I still embrace and cherish those days and the music we made I just don't think he feels the same which is pretty sad. Somehow he's embarrassed by it and can step away because of the what he's done since. It's like Sabbath turning their back on Paranoid !!!
7. Please introduce us to the band
The band consists of Mike Jones/Bass, Tommy Vumback/Guitar, Chris Judge/Drums. The band was actually in place before I joined. They had some songs written which I produced as a demo. I ended up writing lyrics, singing and soloing on all 10 and we put it out as a local release. I never planned on joining but was really impressed with their musicianship. Mike and I have know each other since we were 10. We actually found Steve Zimmerman together and started a cover band of new metal which then became Fates Warning. We've best friends who have played together over the years. Finally we get to play together again
8. In Freedoms Reign you sing and play guitar. How did you get the idea to take the vocals ?
I became a singer out of desperation. lol.. Seriously I just couldn't find a vocalist who heard the songs the way I did. There's so many great vocalists out there which I don't see myself as one, but good vocals don't always project the vibe of the song. I wrote or co-wrote all the music on this CD and had melodies in mind which I just couldn't see other people singing. I began doing some vocals in another bands I was recording with and realized I could make it work. After doing our 1st local release I got the confidence to do it full time and here we are. The new Cd allowed me the proper recording to bring out my vocals in the best light. I really dig writing the words and melodies over my music. It brings it full circle. I'm no John Arch but a bit of Ozzy will do.
9. Can you describe the bands style ?
The music is just Old School Metal !! Each song is it's own piece with influences from our past as well as present. I don't walk away from my Fates days and still bring a sense of that style and sound to the music. It's not a purposeful thing. I just still like to play the same way and love to write heavy powerful riffs just like i did in 1985. Yet there's so many things I've been influenced by over the years that show their way trough the music. I've already begun to write for the next CD which we hope to begin recording by early next year. I can say it will be darker and heavier. Some really cool riffs going on.
10. How big is the Sabbath influence ?
Sabbath will always be a huge influence in my writing. I worshiped them back in the day and Iommi's riffs are just amazing. I'm a riff player too and love to play any Sabbath riff I can. I don't want to be a Sabbath style band but there will always be an element of them in the writing. I've been told some of the vocals remind them of Ozzy. I really never even thought of that. I guess i just sing with a similar approach. I love listening to Ozzy sing Sabbath but also how the music and the vocals always worked so well together. Every album they did was a bit different than the last where todays bands sound identical to their last. I can't tell what album a song is from. I'd like to see our band approach each release the same way.
11. How did it come that Nick Belmore did the production ?
I heard a demo by Joe DiBiase's son's band (Oath Of Insanity). The first thing that blew me away was the production, especially the drum sound. It was exactly what I wanted and know with our songs he could bring them to life. We met and hit it off instantly. He truly has a talent for recording and was a great extra member of the band in the studio. He's worked with Hate Breed as well as his own band Toxic Holocaust.
12. You signed to a European label. How did that happen ? Did you find an American distribution ?
There's really not a great audience for actual CD's in the U.S. We went with Enrico at Cruz Del Sur because he has a great reputation in the U.K and has the ability to get our music to an audience that respects what we do. There's such a cool metal scene in Europe. The kids still support the band by buying the CD's, going to shows. It reminds me of when Fates began in 1983. Bands such as Metallica, Iron Maiden, Merciful Fate, Accept, Diamond Head, Loudness were all just starting and I couldn't get enough of it. You'd go down to the local record store and see what new imports were in. Now I see the same thing in U.K. I have one goal and that is to get our band over to UK and do some shows. I want to be apart of what's going on knowing our music would fit right in. There's a huge Fates following in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Holland and I want to see us get on some festivals and/or support another band doing a few weeks of shows. We're looking to see how the CD does and go from there.
13. Do you include some fates warning songs in the setlist ?
No.. First of all I can't sing that stuff and secondly we don't want to confuse people. I mean this band has nothing to do with Fates other than myself once playing with them. Fates is a special thing to me and unless I see John Arch and the band standing on stage with me I really would rather not do it. I did do a one-off show last year with Steve Zimmerman's band and at end of the night we played 2 old Fates classics (Misfit and Soldier Boy) It was great to do it and we nailed it pretty good. felt like 1984 all over again.
14. For sure you cannot live on the money you earn with FR. What is your profession ?
I'm a Registered Nurse. I always say it pay's the bills so I can loose money playing music !!! Seriously I love Nursing. It's a great career, very rewarding and I love the geriatric population I get to work with every day. As far as Freedoms Reign goes we just hope to earn enough to record another CD as well as get to UK to do some shows. Once you take the thought of being rich out of the equation everything makes sense and is fun. The passion to write and record music is something I'll never put a price on
15. What is the message behind the cover ?
There really isn't any meaning. We came up with our name just throwing some ideas around. When I saw the artwork it just appealed to me in some cool way. The angel in the picture has been freed from her reign of submission, yet she seems sad as if she may not want to be free. Sometimes in life the obvious choice isn't what we always want.
16. Is FR a political band ?
Absolutly not. I hate fuckin politics. I can't stand how the US Government operates. I mean whatever one side comes up with the other rejects just out of spite. For being the greatest nation in the world we have our heads up our ass when it comes to making decisions and getting things done. Supposed to be "One Nation, Under God... "We act like kids sometimes and I'd never mix music with politics. Would take all the fun out of it — with Tom Vumback.
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Bought A Pleasant Shade Of Gray yesterday. Haven't really listened to this band so not sure what to expect. I heard it's awesome though.
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Mebert, thanks for passing that interview along. I was not aware of Victor's feelings/perspective about Fates and Jim. Although I wouldn't be surprised if there may be some stuff about it on Fateswarning.info if that site is still around.
I actually just posted some thoughts about it in my blog, allmediareviews, in fact.
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He really tosses Jim Matheos under the bus in some spots
And he does so, basically, because Jim doesn't like the old stuff he did anymore, because he doesn't appear to want to maintain a personal connection with a dude he played with 30 years ago and because he wanted everyone in the band to be 100% dedicated to the band.
Eh. Doesn't sound like a problematic attitude to me, and it aligns with everything I know and/or suppose to know about Jim.
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Considering the fact that Arch/Matheos performed some music from the early records during their shows and Jim wanted to work with John Arch again, I'm having trouble putting a lot of stock into some of those comments. Sure, FW changed a lot over the years, but everyone's tastes evolve over time. Also, considering the fact that the Arch/Matheos album has some of the heaviest riffs that Jim has ever written...
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Sounds like the issue is more with him than Jim. I don't see much wrong here. Jim has always been very focused on the band and its future, I would probably be the same.
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If a band is going to be successful, it needs to tour. I think John Arch has come to terms with that, and he's admitted that touring and doing a ton of live shows really isn't for him. I don't know why Victor finds that situation hard to understand. It sounds like they just couldn't agree on musical direction.
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Sounds like the issue is more with him than Jim. I don't see much wrong here. Jim has always been very focused on the band and its future, I would probably be the same.
I don't see any problems overall either
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BUMP!
Anyone heard anything new about the album? I've noticed that tickets to the Seattle show are available at the venue's website, and I'm going to pick some up next payday (even though it's 5 months in advance). But has anyone heard anything about a release date on the album?
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I've got my ticket for the Reading PA show. I would love to here some info on the new album though.
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From FaceBook
FATES WARNING – Reveal new album title, artwork and release date; Announce tourdates!
U.S. Progressive Metal pioneers FATES WARNING have finally returned with their first studio album release in about a decade! Entitled “Darkness In A Different Light”, the album will be released on September 30th, 2013 in Europe and October 1st, 2013 in North America via InsideOutMusic.
“Darkness In A Different Light” is FATES WARNING’s first album of new material since the release of “FWX” in 2004 and also marks the first release for the band’s stellar current line-up of Ray Alder (vocals), Jim Matheos and Frank Aresti (guitars), Joey Vera (bass) and Bobby Jarzombek (drums).
The album was produced by Matheos and mixed by long time FATES WARNING engineer Phil Magnotti, while mastering was handled by Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering, California.
The (above pictured) artwork for the album was designed by Conte di San Pietro.
FATES WARNING vocalist Ray Alder checked in with a comment as follows:
"Darkness in a Different Light" is the result of almost two years of very hard work from everyone in the band.
I believe that this line-up is the best that Fates has ever had, and I also think that it comes through in the music on this album. It's been almost nine years since our last studio album and I couldn't be more proud of what we've accomplished here.
We are looking very much forward to playing some new songs for our fans who have stuck by us over all these years. We plan on touring as much as possible for "Darkness in a Different Light" and hopefully we'll hit a few places we've never been...
Indeed, FATES WARNING already have headlining touring runs confirmed for October in Europe and November/December in North America, with further live activity to follow in 2014.
See https://fateswarning.com/ for the complete list of tour dates.
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1095070_483037751779173_976724943_n.jpg)
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Interesting artwork. I like it.
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(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1095070_483037751779173_976724943_n.jpg)
ALL OF MY HYPE. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy This is probably my most anticipated album for the year, and I'll DEFINITELY be getting this one on release date! :metal :tup
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FINALLY!!!
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Given what this line up, only with John Arch in Ray Alder's place, did on the Arch/Matheos album, I can only say I'm fucking STOKED about the potential of this album. Should be awesome. :metal
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Unusual choice of cover art for a prog-metal band, but I like it! Cool album title as well. Can´t wait to hear it!
They only made it to South America once, last year in the infamous show where they opened for Queensryche with Portnoy on drums. That was the exact show where Geoff Tate spit on Scott Rockenfield, basically sealing the fate of the band for the months to come. I didn´t really notice it happening on stage, to be honest. Both bands kicked a$$, and Mike did a great job replacing Jarzombek. Fond memories of that day found below:
(https://imageshack.us/a/img571/2488/p1010300m.jpg)
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Sweet. Seems like a good year to finally get into Fates Warning...I'll be there opening night!
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Wow. September 30th, one week after DT... That's pretty bold. But between DT, Queensryche and this, it's definitely an exciting year for Progressive Metal.
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Sweet, wasn't sure if this was going to make it this year :tup
One week after DT, same day as Alter Bridge, hopefully I find the time to give this the amount of listening it deserves.
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Cool album name and cover! Can't wait for this release
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I could cry. It's been a long nine years waiting for this release. DT and FW releasing albums with a week of each other. Wow!
Looks like the FW website is getting revamped. I can't even access the FW forum. "Something different is coming," it says.
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I love that album art.
FINALLY!!!
Nick, are you going to the Reading show?
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I love that album art.
It was done by the same guy who did Kevin Moore's Shine album. Alessandro Falca of a company called Conte di San Pietro.
For some reason, I had an urge to invert the artwork colors, because origami is usually done on white paper. Looks cool this way too, although I think the solid white background of the current cover will look really crisp and clean on a physical copy of the album!
(https://imageshack.com/scaled/large/547/z2so.jpg)
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I love that album art.
It was done by the same guy who did Kevin Moore's Shine album. Alessandro Falca of a company called Conte di San Pietro.
For some reason, I had an urge to invert the artwork colors, because origami is usually done on white paper. Looks cool this way too, although I think the solid white background of the current cover will look really crisp and clean on a physical copy of the album!
Considering the album title, I think it'd be really cool if they did have an inverted version of it, on the booklet or something.
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I love that album art.
It was done by the same guy who did Kevin Moore's Shine album. Alessandro Falca of a company called Conte di San Pietro.
For some reason, I had an urge to invert the artwork colors, because origami is usually done on white paper. Looks cool this way too, although I think the solid white background of the current cover will look really crisp and clean on a physical copy of the album!
img
You know, I think I like that even better than the regular version. Nice job! :tup
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I love that album art.
It was done by the same guy who did Kevin Moore's Shine album. Alessandro Falca of a company called Conte di San Pietro.
For some reason, I had an urge to invert the artwork colors, because origami is usually done on white paper. Looks cool this way too, although I think the solid white background of the current cover will look really crisp and clean on a physical copy of the album!
Considering the album title, I think it'd be really cool if they did have an inverted version of it, on the booklet or something.
Yeah, I get what you mean. I feel like there's a whole light/dark or black/white thing going on between the album title and the origami paper being black instead of white, as you'd usually find. I'm sure there's a method to the madness that we'll see and understand when we eventually get the album! It's very prog and I like what they've done so far. Can't wait to see what other artwork pops up in the booklet.
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This is such great news. Most-anticipated album of the year.
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I love that album art.
It was done by the same guy who did Kevin Moore's Shine album. Alessandro Falca of a company called Conte di San Pietro.
For some reason, I had an urge to invert the artwork colors, because origami is usually done on white paper. Looks cool this way too, although I think the solid white background of the current cover will look really crisp and clean on a physical copy of the album!
(https://imageshack.com/scaled/large/547/z2so.jpg)
As cool as the original is, I definitely like yours better.
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I think if the inverted image had the orange instead of pale blue, it'd be the best version. And the white version would look better with the pale blue, IMO. But that's just my own color coordination preferences.
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I would like to take this moment to say that JM is my favorite guitarist on the planet. :hefdaddy
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Wow. September 30th, one week after DT... That's pretty bold. But between DT, Queensryche and this, it's definitely an exciting year for Progressive Metal.
not as bold as arch/matheos coming out the same fucking day as ADTOE.
...speakin of which, i love how i was anticipating DT releasing 2011's album of the year, and they didnt even release the best album of the day.
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This is some great news indeed. Can't wait!
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That cover looks so different and I love it.
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While the unofficial alternate cover does indeed look cool, I like the actual album cover since it is all white and yet the album title is Darkness in a Different Light. To me that indicates a unique way to look at the concept of darkness.
Deep stuff.....I think.
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So looking forward to this.
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In exploring FW, I tried Pleasant Shade way back when it was first released, and was underwhelmed. At the time, Alder's voice wasn't floating my boat. I gotta revisit them, because I've gone to Parallels on DTF recommendations, and 'twas very nice. Thinking I'll be following for this.
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Fates Warning needs a lot of time, I mean a lot of time and listens.
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In exploring FW, I tried Pleasant Shade way back when it was first released, and was underwhelmed. At the time, Alder's voice wasn't floating my boat. I gotta revisit them, because I've gone to Parallels on DTF recommendations, and 'twas very nice. Thinking I'll be following for this.
A PLeasant Shade of Grey is not a great place to start knowing them...it´s a concept album that goes on and on, and does not seem to get anywhere when it ends. If I was to show FW to a friend of mine who´s never heard them, I´d start with PArallels or PErfect Symmetry.
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Probably the reason I was underwhelmed. Ok, gonna try PS, as I've listened Parallels (and liked it plenty).
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Good news about the new album. Hopefully this one is more along the lines of Arch/Matheos than FWX.
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APSOG may not be the best album to judge on just a few listens. After hearing Parallels I got APSOG and was very disappointed on the first few listens, but after I heard the live album the songs really clicked with me. Also, that live setlist/performance is probably one of the best live albums ever recorded. Flawless.
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APSOG may not be the best album to judge on just a few listens. After hearing Parallels I got APSOG and was very disappointed on the first few listens, but after I heard the live album the songs really clicked with me. Also, that live setlist/performance is probably one of the best live albums ever recorded. Flawless.
I've never heard the live album...where can I buy it? It still has Mark on drums, right?
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APSOG may not be the best album to judge on just a few listens. After hearing Parallels I got APSOG and was very disappointed on the first few listens, but after I heard the live album the songs really clicked with me. Also, that live setlist/performance is probably one of the best live albums ever recorded. Flawless.
I've never heard the live album...where can I buy it? It still has Mark on drums, right?
It is called Still Life and yes, it has Mark on drums.
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I love that album art.
FINALLY!!!
Nick, are you going to the Reading show?
Sorry I missed this earlier, I will indeed be going to that show!
Closer to the date I may decide to go to the NJ show as well.
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Oh, and I will remind everyone, when you post about a new release in a thread, PLEASE also post about it in the release date thread! Help keep it current!
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I still haven't listened to all of APSoG. I usually tune out around track 4 or 5. Nothing that's going on on that album is interesting enough to warrant being one long, continuous song. I really like all the other Alder albums. Especially FWX, so I hope this one keeps up like that.
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Let´s not forget the excellent Inside Out, which has probably my favourite song form their whole output, "Face the Fear".
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Let´s not forget the excellent Inside Out, which has probably my favourite song form their whole output, "Face the Fear".
Oh man, indeed.
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I still haven't listened to all of APSoG. I usually tune out around track 4 or 5. Nothing that's going on on that album is interesting enough to warrant being one long, continuous song. I really like all the other Alder albums. Especially FWX, so I hope this one keeps up like that.
I haven't listened to all their albums, but so far APSOG is by far my fave. It won't disappoint in full. And why, you missed all the best parts, like VI and XII! :o
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You guys are making me want to buy more CDs.. stop that.
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You guys are making me want to buy more CDs.. stop that.
Buy the Winery Dogs CD as well, and help them keep their spot in Billboard´s Top 30! :metal :metal
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You guys are making me want to buy more CDs.. stop that.
Buy the Winery Dogs CD as well, and help them keep their spot in Billboard´s Top 30! :metal :metal
Got that on release day.
I've got in my amazon cart:
Still Life
Parallels
Inside Out
DO IT?
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Yeah, no doubt. GOGOGOG!
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You guys are making me want to buy more CDs.. stop that.
Buy the Winery Dogs CD as well, and help them keep their spot in Billboard´s Top 30! :metal :metal
Got that on release day.
I've got in my amazon cart:
Still Life
Parallels
Inside Out
DO IT?
NOW!!! :metal :metal :metal :metal :metal
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Dunno if this was shown here on the forum when it happened, but htis is the show I went to, when MP played drums for FW - São PAulo, last year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnhtKqKm_TY&feature=player_embedded
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You guys are making me want to buy more CDs.. stop that.
Buy the Winery Dogs CD as well, and help them keep their spot in Billboard´s Top 30! :metal :metal
Yeah, I'll give you 10:1 odds on any wager that isn't going to happen. They'll be lucky to stay in the top 75 in week 2. Just the nature of how it usually works.
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Dunno if this was shown here on the forum when it happened, but htis is the show I went to, when MP played drums for FW - São PAulo, last year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnhtKqKm_TY&feature=player_embedded
Very cool video. Thanks for sharing!!!
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Definiteley anticipating this one!!!!
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Do you think we can modify the thread title to reflect the new album and release date?
I just bought my VIP ticket for a meet and greet at the NYC show in Nov. Only $50! What a bargain!
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Do you think we can modify the thread title to reflect the new album and release date?
I just bought my VIP ticket for a meet and greet at the NYC show in Nov. Only $50! What a bargain!
Are they only doing that for NYC? The opening date in Joliet doesn't have anything about VIP tickets :/
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Whoever sees Matheos please do bug him about getting OSI on tour. But like really subtly and politely/
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Whoever sees Matheos please do bug him about getting OSI on tour. But like really subtly and politely/
I've seen him be asked about this more than once. I really get the feeling that it's all KM that has the issue with touring, and that JM would do it in a heartbeat if KM greenlighted it. But I really don't think he likes touring.
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Whoever sees Matheos please do bug him about getting OSI on tour. But like really subtly and politely/
I've seen him be asked about this more than once. I really get the feeling that it's all KM that has the issue with touring, and that JM would do it in a heartbeat if KM greenlighted it. But I really don't think he likes touring.
I don't agree thats the issue. If it were to happen, it would be very production intensive which isn't feasible for a band of that stature.
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My friend and I asked Jim about the osi tour after the arch/matheos show in connecticut. He said the issue was that osi music is very production oriented and requires a lot of work to assemble in a live format. I believe kevin has said in recent interviews that he wants to play live. If he reallly means that, i wish he would just do it already! At this point, im just happy to see fates live again. Such a great band.
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My friend and I asked Jim about the osi tour after the arch/matheos show in connecticut. He said the issue was that osi music is very production oriented and requires a lot of work to assemble in a live format. I believe kevin has said in recent interviews that he wants to play live. If he reallly means that, i wish he would just do it already! At this point, im just happy to see fates live again. Such a great band.
You guys make a good point...but come on. How many live shows *in any form* has Kevin done since he left DT?
One or two FW shows, and *one* Chroma Key show at a club in Turkey? In almost 20 years? Forgive me if I have an eyebrow based on his track record.
I love KM, I love CK, I love OSI...I just have my suspicions about how badly KM actually wants to tour.
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Listening to my AutoRip of Inside out.
What's this track Outside Looking in? Sounds like the god damned backstreet boys.
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What's this track Outside Looking in? Sounds like the god damned backstreet boys.
wut?
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What's this track Outside Looking in? Sounds like the god damned backstreet boys.
wut?
Listened to the first track on "Inside out" (was recommended in this thread).. sounds like the damn backstreet boys got back together.
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Yeah, you've suffered some ear infection I believe. InsideOut is Parallels 2. Continuation of the sound, just as amazing.
The title song is brilliant. 2:43 - eargasm.
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Yeah, you've suffered some ear infection I believe. InsideOut is Parallels 2. Continuation of the sound, just as amazing.
The title song is brilliant. 2:43 - eargasm.
Maybe it's the Amazon Autorip. My CD will be here tomorrow. There is no "title song" by way.
Too much damn harmonizing with the chorus.
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Yeah, I meant Outside Looking In. I've always accepted this as the "title" song.
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What's this track Outside Looking in? Sounds like the god damned backstreet boys.
wut?
Listened to the first track on "Inside out" (was recommended in this thread).. sounds like the damn backstreet boys got back together.
This simply makes no sense at all.
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This simply makes no sense at all.
Makes perfect sense. Those harmonies in the chorus.. THOSE HARMONIES.
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You've seriously GOT to be listening to the wrong song. There are background vocals in that song...but they are pretty buried...and not "poppy" harmonies at all. Hell....the Galactic Cowboys have 10x more harmonies than anything FW has ever recorded...and even they are not even on the same planet as The Backstreet Boys.
EDIT: And while I'm not the biggest fan of IO, the opening track is one of the better songs.
Really...it's a really good (not great) album that mostly just suffers from the horribly thin production.
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You've seriously GOT to be listening to the wrong song. There are background vocals in that song...but they are pretty buried...and not "poppy" harmonies at all. Hell....the Galactic Cowboys have 10x more harmonies than anything FW has ever recorded...and even they are not even on the same planet as The Backstreet Boys.
EDIT: And while I'm not the biggest fan of IO, the opening track is one of the better songs.
Really...it's a really good (not great) album that mostly just suffers from the horribly thin production.
No it's the right song, confirmed the lyrics to a couple sites. Then I checked out a youtube version of the song, same song.
You're right, the production is buried. The vocals are way in the front of the music.. listening at work on cheap speakers doesn't help fur sure.. but even on my macbook at home where I can crank it up (which still isn't high fidelity or anything) it just sounds very poppy... ESPECIALLY the chorus. The music itself isn't the issue, it's the damn vocals.
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https://www.amazon.com/Darkness-Different-Light-Fates-Warning/dp/B00EC6W0AG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375841478&sr=8-1&keywords=fates+warning+darkness
Preorder is up.
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You've seriously GOT to be listening to the wrong song. There are background vocals in that song...but they are pretty buried...and not "poppy" harmonies at all. Hell....the Galactic Cowboys have 10x more harmonies than anything FW has ever recorded...and even they are not even on the same planet as The Backstreet Boys.
EDIT: And while I'm not the biggest fan of IO, the opening track is one of the better songs.
Really...it's a really good (not great) album that mostly just suffers from the horribly thin production.
No it's the right song, confirmed the lyrics to a couple sites. Then I checked out a youtube version of the song, same song.
You're right, the production is buried. The vocals are way in the front of the music.. listening at work on cheap speakers doesn't help fur sure.. but even on my macbook at home where I can crank it up (which still isn't high fidelity or anything) it just sounds very poppy... ESPECIALLY the chorus. The music itself isn't the issue, it's the damn vocals.
I was just listening to this back to back with "Leave the Past Behind"....I hear absolutely NO difference in the vocal harmonies of the chorus. In fact (as much as I love LTPB) I would say the latter is actually the *more* commercial sounding of the two songs...in spite of the fact that the choruses actually sound a bit similar.
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You've seriously GOT to be listening to the wrong song. There are background vocals in that song...but they are pretty buried...and not "poppy" harmonies at all. Hell....the Galactic Cowboys have 10x more harmonies than anything FW has ever recorded...and even they are not even on the same planet as The Backstreet Boys.
EDIT: And while I'm not the biggest fan of IO, the opening track is one of the better songs.
Really...it's a really good (not great) album that mostly just suffers from the horribly thin production.
No it's the right song, confirmed the lyrics to a couple sites. Then I checked out a youtube version of the song, same song.
You're right, the production is buried. The vocals are way in the front of the music.. listening at work on cheap speakers doesn't help fur sure.. but even on my macbook at home where I can crank it up (which still isn't high fidelity or anything) it just sounds very poppy... ESPECIALLY the chorus. The music itself isn't the issue, it's the damn vocals.
I was just listening to this back to back with "Leave the Past Behind"....I hear absolutely NO difference in the vocal harmonies of the chorus. In fact (as much as I love LTPB) I would say the latter is actually the *more* commercial sounding of the two songs...in spite of the fact that the choruses actually sound a bit similar.
LTPB has a much better mix. The music is actually there... OLI it's kind of like they forgot to move the sliders up on the mix. Even if the chorus' are similar the music helps hide the poppiness of some of the singing on LTPB.
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New website up
https://fateswarning.com/
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Wow, liner notes and press releases from every album -- and a comprehensive tour history. Nice.
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What we really need is a single.
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Wow, liner notes and press releases from every album -- and a comprehensive tour history. Nice.
Great list.
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https://www.insideoutmusicshop.com/Artist/Fates_Warning/1928
Preorder the album or album+shirt combo.
https://www.insideoutmusicshop.com/Item/Fates_Warning_-_Darkness_In_a_Different_Light_-PRE-ORDER-/1811
DOUBLE CD! Not bad even if the second disc is just goodies
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Definitely getting that double cd.
I'm really keen to hear something from this.
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Highly anticipating hearing something from this release
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Nick should have his review up soon. All I will add is that I by in large agree with him.
What did he say? You'll find out soon.
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Here is my review of the album, looking forward to this tour even more now!
https://www.wpapu.com/rev073.html
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It has been so long I've largely moved on from FW, they used to be one of my favorite bands. Oh well. I'll still pick up this release and hope for the best. The review does well enough to pique my interest.
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Nick, very interesting review. How would you compare the album stylistically to the Arch/Matheos album? I know that you say that this effort is a bit different than the other projects that Jim has worked on in the last nine years, but I'm wondering if there are many similarities to the album that was released a couple of years ago. Part of the reason that I ask is that I know that some of the tracks on the Arch/Matheos album were originally intended to be FW songs ect. ect...
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I'm not answering for Nick, but I would say it's not as heavy as Arch/Matheos. I'd say they are pretty different animals.
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I'm not answering for Nick, but I would say it's not as heavy as Arch/Matheos. I'd say they are pretty different animals.
Did you get to hear the new material as well? I'm obviously jealous of you guys lol... I'm really pumped up about this album and getting to see them live again later this year. I havn't seen FW live since they were the opening act for DT and Queensryche in 2003.
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Did you get to hear the new material as well? I'm obviously jealous of you guys lol... I'm really pumped up about this album and getting to see them live again later this year. I havn't seen FW live since they were the opening act for DT and Queensryche in 2003.
Well, I guess being 'jealous' is all relative. After all, you got to see the "Big Three" of Progressive Metal, and I sure as hell am jealous of that. ;D
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Count me as a fan that has been nothing but frustrated at the lack of new material.
But after A/M and Nick's review, I am really looking forward to this.
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Arch/Matheos is definitely heavier, but the level and at times style of guitar work on that album is certainly seen on the new Fates album.
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Arch/Matheos is definitely heavier, but the level and at times style of guitar work on that album is certainly seen on the new Fates album.
Nice. :tup Could you describe Ray's vocal performance on this? Is it more akin to his performance on previous FW albums like Disconnected or does he sound more like he does on the Redemption albums like Snowfall On Judgement Day?
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I talked briefly with Joey Vera after an Armored Saint concert in late 2011, after the release of Arch/Matheos. I asked why no FW album. He led me to believe it was mostly because Ray did not "feel" the material that Jim had been coming up with, and so it was used for the Arch/Matheos record instead. So, it makes sense that the new FW is a little different sounding than the A/M. I trust Jim's songwriting and I know this album will kick ass. Love the review, Nick.
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I talked briefly with Joey Vera after an Armored Saint concert in late 2011, after the release of Arch/Matheos. I asked why no FW album. He led me to believe it was mostly because Ray did not "feel" the material that Jim had been coming up with, and so it was used for the Arch/Matheos record instead. So, it makes sense that the new FW is a little different sounding than the A/M. I trust Jim's songwriting and I know this album will kick ass. Love the review, Nick.
Awesome!
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I'm not answering for Nick, but I would say it's not as heavy as Arch/Matheos. I'd say they are pretty different animals.
Did you get to hear the new material as well? I'm obviously jealous of you guys lol... I'm really pumped up about this album and getting to see them live again later this year. I havn't seen FW live since they were the opening act for DT and Queensryche in 2003.
Yeah, that's the only time I've ever been able to see them too. I'll definitely be checking them out on this tour, though.
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I havn't seen FW live since they were the opening act for DT and Queensryche in 2003.
I'm so jealous.
Back in 2003 I was like 14 years old and had no way to go to concerts at that point, but dumb me was like "oh I'll just catch them of the next tour". Wasn't expecting them to disappear for 10 years :P
Regardless my FW ticket for this tour is printed and sitting on my nightstand. This time I will be seeing them
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I got into DT, QR, and FW all with 1 or 2 years of that tour. Ever since I've looked back at it with RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE.
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I was into all 3 bands at the time of that tour, but couldn't go due to some big projects at college at the time. I'm kicking myself in retrospect.
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When was the tour that QR was meant to do with DT but decided to open for Maiden instead - the one that sparkled the whole Portnoy outburst against QR for leaving DT empty-handed?
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I really want to hear something from this album pretty soon, I'm getting impatient.
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When was the tour that QR was meant to do with DT but decided to open for Maiden instead - the one that sparkled the whole Portnoy outburst against QR for leaving DT empty-handed?
I believe that was in 2000. I seen QR and Halford open for IM on that tour. Halford actually opened the show, but they should have been the middle act in my opinion.
Also, I've seen FW live a total of 3 times, but the DT/QR opening gig was the last as I mentioned before. Of those 3 times I've only seen them headline once. That was for APSOG. The other time I seen them was for Disconnected and they opened for Savatage in Cleveland, Ohio.
The last time that I seen them was probably their weakest performance. It wasn't really a bad set, but they had Nick D'Virgilio playing drums for them at the time and while I think he's a great drummer, he's just not suitable as a replacement for Mark.
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I really want to hear something from this album pretty soon, I'm getting impatient.
Yeah can't wait either. Getting a new FW along with new DT within a week of each other is going to be awesome.
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Actually, didn't Arch/Matheos come out on the same day as ADToE?
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I think that's right. For some reason, September 24 or 25 is ringing a bell.
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Actually, didn't Arch/Matheos come out on the same day as ADToE?
I believe you are correct sir.
I think that's right. For some reason, September 24 or 25 is ringing a bell.
First Tuesday in September 2011.
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Yeah, I thought it was September.
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Funny then that this is being released the week before and after Dream Theater.
MP must be behind this!
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Tuesday they are going to stream a track from the new album!
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you can hear a new track here...
https://www.sun103.com/pages/eleventhhour.html
starts at the 26:30 mark.
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you can hear a new track here...
https://www.sun103.com/pages/eleventhhour.html (https://www.sun103.com/pages/eleventhhour.html)
starts at the 26:30 mark.
Awesomesauce! :metal
Sounds great!
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dat guitar solo :hefdaddy
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Ahh, i'm about to listen. The 9-year drought of no new FW material is about to come to an end in a matter of seconds!
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I have a very, very good feeling I know what will be Number One in my personal Top 10 Albums of the Year list this year. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :metal :metal
I noticed that Ray sounds much better on this song than he did on the last Redemption album, or at least what I've heard off that album. Perhaps he finally took heed of his smoking and has started taking better care of himself?
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Haven't really put this piece into a proper perspective (after all I have barely listened to 3rd millennium FW), but the song sounded quite cool :tup
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Listening now... nice intro. Nice riff (like a mini- ITNOG riff).
Likin it long time.
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I don't know what song you're listening to since I already have the album, but the new album has really rekindled my love of Fates Warning. I can't imagine a Fates fan being anything other than really happy with this album - except that we had to wait this long for it.
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I don't know what song you're listening to since I already have the album, but the new album has really rekindled my love of Fates Warning. I can't imagine a Fates fan being anything other than really happy with this album - except that we had to wait this long for it.
Rub it in nerf-herder!!
It's Into the Black.
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I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm trying to get others excited.
Into the Black wouldn't be on my top 5 songs of the album honestly. If you like that, you'll love the album.
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I like this song, I like it a lot. It does remind me a bit of a mix of FWX, Disconnected and a little of the older stuff. Great long instrumental section, and it's so amazing to hear the Matheos/Aresti guitar team in action again. Ray sounds great too.
Can't fucking wait for this.
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I noticed that Ray sounds much better on this song than he did on the last Redemption album, or at least what I've heard off that album. Perhaps he finally took heed of his smoking and has started taking better care of himself?
It's astonishing that a professional singer would smoke. I know many do, but it seems like such a huge liability. Oh well, either way, we are getting new FW.
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I find it surprising the number of singers that do smoke. Seems like it's playing career suicide every time they smoke.
It has taken it's toll on Ray though, but credit where it's due, he sounds the best here than he has in a long time.
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I find it surprising the number of singers that do smoke. Seems like it's playing career suicide every time they smoke.
It has taken it's toll on Ray though, but credit where it's due, he sounds the best here than he has in a long time.
Indeed. Is it possible that he might have actually quit smoking and started taking better care of his voice?
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Yeah, perhaps.
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Just listened to my first new Fates Warning song in nine years. My reaction: :omg:
I like it. I like it a lot!
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As Mason said, if you like this track... just wait.
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Well I LOVE this track so I'm going to assume that I'll love the album. Can not wait!
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As Mason said, if you like this track... just wait.
This is promising. To be honest, I really love the track, but if Nick and Mason said it was one of the best on the album, I think I'd be a little disappointed. With this being rated as a middle tier or lower songs, it does seem very good news for the album.
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I just can't get into Fates Warning. The song wasn't bad, but it didn't quite do anything for me. That's how it is with most of their songs. The others are just boring. I'll wait for new Redemption whenever that may be.
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I can see how people wouldn't be able to get into the band. They are pretty unaccessible and are an acquired taste really.
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Yeaaaaasssssss!!!!!! :hefdaddy
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I can see how people wouldn't be able to get into the band. They are pretty unaccessible and are an acquired taste really.
Thats how it was with me. I got into OSI first because of Portnoy and Moore. Decided to get the FW discs with direct DT connections (Parallels, Perfect Symmetry, and Disconnected) and still couldn't get into them. Disconnected kinda clicked with me but it is one of the more different sounding of the FW albums. Pretty soon the others fell in place for me.
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Listened to the song some more - so catchy and awesome, can't wait for the album!
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I can see how people wouldn't be able to get into the band. They are pretty unaccessible and are an acquired taste really.
It's weird because, having followed them from The Spectre Within, it's been a really wild ride. But it's almost as if they grew along similar lines to mine...and that makes them very personal.
They started of very Iron Maiden-esque (which I was really into at the time)...then No Exit had some of their heaviest material yet (which I was into at the time)...then they went a bit more for the Rush angle (which I was still pretty into at the time). The only divergence came with Parallels, which everyone else holds up as their masterpiece. Parallels came out at a time when I felt a lot of bands were "wimping out" and I was getting more into Slayer, Sepultura, Entombed...and a lot of other underground death metal. So I just wasn't digging it at all....but it did eventually grow on me. Always liked Life In Still Water and Eleventh Hour. But I was always happy that Eye To Eye never became a radio hit...because that is the stuff they would have continued to write if it had....and that really would have KILLED the band. I/O was just so/so, and I figured the band was done. But then I got a advance copy of APSOG when I was working in a CD shop and I was just so completely blown away... Everyone got so sick of me playing that CD. But I played it in store EVERY DAY for MONTHS. It was just the right album at the right time for me. I was at the peak of my prog geekiness...and it was the ultimate prog album. I didn't like Disconnected as well *at first*, but it grew on me, and right now I think that is my all-time favorite FW album.
FWX was a disappointment in my book. I really liked the ambient thing they did with Disconnected, and I really felt they should have gone more in that direction. Something For Nothing style.
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I just can't get into Fates Warning. The song wasn't bad, but it didn't quite do anything for me. That's how it is with most of their songs. The others are just boring. I'll wait for new Redemption whenever that may be.
Its funny, since its the exact opposite for me.
I just can not get into Redemption. I anxiously went out and bought Fullness of time and origins of ruin when they were released. I really wanted to like them but despite many spins, it just was not happening
FW on the other hand is in my top 5 favorite bands in existence. To each his own though.
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I just can't get into Fates Warning. The song wasn't bad, but it didn't quite do anything for me. That's how it is with most of their songs. The others are just boring. I'll wait for new Redemption whenever that may be.
Its funny, since its the exact opposite for me.
I just can not get into Redemption. I anxiously went out and bought Fullness of time and origins of ruin when they were released. I really wanted to like them but despite many spins, it just was not happening
FW on the other hand is in my top 5 favorite bands in existence. To each his own though.
Try Snowfall on Judgment Day. I couldn't get into Origins at first either (actually was a 2 year gap) but Snowfall instantly clicked.
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I can see how people wouldn't be able to get into the band. They are pretty unaccessible and are an acquired taste really.
Thats how it was with me. I got into OSI first because of Portnoy and Moore. Decided to get the FW discs with direct DT connections (Parallels, Perfect Symmetry, and Disconnected) and still couldn't get into them. Disconnected kinda clicked with me but it is one of the more different sounding of the FW albums. Pretty soon the others fell in place for me.
That will probably help me to get into FW. I... like it, but it hasn't clicked with me yet.
As for that new song, the quality of that stream bit is so bad... I'll wait until Tuesday.
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The song is very good. Sound quality was awful so cannot really say a lot about it. Can't wait for this album to be released and listen to it :-) Nine years waiting for a new Fates Warning album :rollin
I am one of the "old school" guys I suppose. I am listening to them since the "No Exit" era. Always an Alder fan-boy, I was never that excited about the first three albums. But I have them and was listening to them back then. Now the track-list is "Perfect Symmetry" - "Pleasant Shade Of Grey" - " Ivory Gate Of Dreams" and "Monument" mostly :-)
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I really liked the track, but it reminded me a lot of the above average material from FWX. I hope the rest of the material is a little less "song structured".
I tend to like FW quite a bit more when they "meander" for the sake of setting a mood. Jim brings an almost "new age" approach to prog that I really enjoy (and kindof hit its peak with APSOG and DC) so I'm hoping for a bit more of that.
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If this album's more along the lines of FWX, I'll be happy. Very happy.
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May be time for a new ranking? I haven't tried this in awhile...
1. Disconnected
2. A Pleasant Shade of Gray
3. Perfect Symmetry
4. Awaken the Guardian
5. No Exit
6. The Spectre Within
7. Parallels
8. FWX
9. Inside Out
10. Night on Brocken
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May be time for a new ranking?
Indeed.
1. A pleasant shade of grey
2. Disconnected
3. Perfect Symmetry
4. Inside Out
5. Parallels
6. No Exit
7. FWX
8. Awaken the guardian
9. The spectre within
10. Night on Brocken
*Side notes:
-Depending on mood, FWX will fluctuate in the rankings
-I may have listened to Night on Brocken maybe once all the way through. Despite loving Spectre within and Awaken the guardian, Night on broken never did it for me.
- and in general, this is one of the hardest bands to rank albums for, since I honestly love almost everything they have ever released.
P.S. Jim Matheos is my favorite guitarist and lyricist and John Arch is my favorite singer of all time. Needless to say, I'm very ass burgers about FW
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Arch is your favorite singer yet the albums he's on are your least favorite? Does not compute.
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Arch is your favorite singer yet the albums he's on are your least favorite? Does not compute.
Because I can't list Arch/Matheos on a FW ranking ;D
But in all seriousness, the Arch albums have a very dated sound and I really need to be in the right mood to really enjoy them. And as much as I love Arch, he is just 1/5 of the equation. Another example is JLB, I love his voice, but you don't see me putting Winter Rose up there with I&W. The combined sound of all contributing members is what dictates the ranking.
Arch/Matheos on the other hand sounds fresh and contemporary, and If I could include in the list, it would be number 2 behind APSOG.
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Arch is your favorite singer yet the albums he's on are your least favorite? Does not compute.
Because I can't list Arch/Matheos on a FW ranking ;D
But in all seriousness, the Arch albums have a very dated sound and I really need to be in the right mood to really enjoy them. And as much as I love Arch, he is just 1/5 of the equation. Another example is JLB, I love his voice, but you don't see me putting Winter Rose up there with I&W. The combined sound of all contributing members is what dictates the ranking.
Arch/Matheos on the other hand sounds fresh and contemporary, and If I could include in the list, it would be number 2 behind APSOG.
I've got no problem with the early FW works. In fact Arch/Matheos is what prompted me to check out the first three discs.
Do love that A/M disc though, amazing. Hope they do more.
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I'm surprised to see how low Parallels is. It's my favorite and in my all time top 5, and I know someone who claims it is his favorite album of all time. It was my first FW album, but for me it just hits that magical ground of being proggy and catchy. But trying to parse albums 2-8 is an exercise in futility because they're all close.
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here is the song "Firefly"....
https://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/fates-warning-exclusive-premiere-firefly/
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Just found this thread... sorry i'm so late in the discussion.
Anyone planning on seeing them in Dallas?
Also, has anything been posted (i.e., teasers, full tracks, etc.)?
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I'm surprised to see how low Parallels is. It's my favorite and in my all time top 5, and I know someone who claims it is his favorite album of all time. It was my first FW album, but for me it just hits that magical ground of being proggy and catchy. But trying to parse albums 2-8 is an exercise in futility because they're all close.
Eh, I think Parallels is a bit overrated. It's not bad by any means, but I think FW have put out at least four or five albums that I'd personally rank higher than it.
here is the song "Firefly"....
https://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/fates-warning-exclusive-premiere-firefly/
Been listening to it a good seven or eight times now already! :metal :hefdaddy I'm very, very hopeful for this album~ :tup
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Also, has anything been posted (i.e., teasers, full tracks, etc.)?
Review that Nick wrote and I edited (I pretty much agree with him on this album)
Here is my review of the album, looking forward to this tour even more now!
https://www.wpapu.com/rev073.html
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here is the song "Firefly"....
https://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/fates-warning-exclusive-premiere-firefly/
Listening right now. Loving it. Ah, what a feeling of calm and serenity that overcomes me as i hear alder's voice with matheos' guitar.
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Also, has anything been posted (i.e., teasers, full tracks, etc.)?
Review that Nick wrote and I edited (I pretty much agree with him on this album)
Here is my review of the album, looking forward to this tour even more now!
https://www.wpapu.com/rev073.html
Nice review. Thank you! I can't wait. Mid-September will be a great time between this and the DT album!
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I´m halfway through Firefly. Great track, what a chorus!
I haven´t seen many people mention it, but this is FW´s first album with Bobby Jarzombek on drums. From the tracks that came out already I´d say he´s done a great job, keeping the essence of what Mark Zonder used to do while adding his contribution as well.
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Very happy with both Firefly and Into the Black :tup
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This song is really really solid. I hear elements of past FW songs in it. I hear some "Another Perfect Day" in the bridge, and I hear some "So" in the heavy guitar during the verses. I hear some "Island in the Stream" in Ray's melody. And I hear some Arch/Matheos in the instrumental section. It has a little of everything for the hardcore FW fans!
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Yes! This is Fates Warning after nine years. The voice, the guitars.
And here is my current list (which has changed during the years):
1. A Pleasant Shade of Gray
2. Perfect Symmetry
3. Disconnected
4. Parallels
5. Inside Out ("Monument" is a favourite though)
6. No Exit
7. FWX
8. Awaken the Guardian
9. The Spectre Within
10. Night on Brocken
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Listening to this song after the band's nine-year hiatus is like seeing an old friend after a decade apart. It feels so wonderful to listen to it. I almost feel choked up. That voice, the guitars. Oh, man.
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Ya...I can see the comparison to Another Perfect Day. But IMO, this is far better. I didn't care for APD at all. I hear some of the similar vibes, but this is a vast improvement. :tup
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Not as good as Into The Black but I still liked it quite a bit.
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Another Perfect Day was one of my favorites off of FWX. :lol
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Another Perfect Day was one of my favorites off of FWX. :lol
Same.
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Another Perfect Day was one of my favorites off of FWX. :lol
Same.
Mine too.
Where as most of the other songs on FWX like to take their time with build-ups(which I don't really mind), it was nice to have a song that just came right out of the gate swinging. Another perfect day is just a solid, kickass rock song, and my favorite on the album. Followed by a handful of doubt.
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Left Here was a highlight for me too.
Just listened to Firefly and it's solid. I also prefer Into the Black, but this is nice.
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I'm just jazzed to hear something new from Ray. I've become a HUGE fan of his, between FW, Redemption and Engine. I can't get enough. And he's a Texas boy, to boot!
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My attempt at the lyrics...
Fates Warning - "Firefly"
There in the silence of the night I see you shine
Drifting down to me, drift down to me
This is how it's supposed to be
Will you stay?
Will you go?
Again, this time how far?
Then you take
And you're gone
No longer need you (?) here anymore
Fly, far away
I won't regret at all not asking you to stay
And I can't make you understand
As I close my empty hand
And as I stand here watching stars go shooting by
A thought comes to me, it comes to me
This is how it's supposed to be
Fly, far away
I won't regret at all not asking you to stay
And I can't make you understand
As I close my empty hand
And as night turns to day
Alone now I walk away
And as time changes
Your light fades into the day
Will you stay?
Will you go?
Again this time how far?
Then you take
And you're gone
Now longer need you (?) here anymore
Fly, far away
I won't regret at all not asking you to stay
And I can't make you understand
As I close these empty hands
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Another Perfect Day was one of my favorites off of FWX. :lol
Same here.
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Ya...I can see the comparison to Another Perfect Day. But IMO, this is far better. I didn't care for APD at all. I hear some of the similar vibes, but this is a vast improvement. :tup
I totally agree. I couldn't stand Another Perfect Day. That sound reminded me of a bad Enchant song (and I like Enchant but they have some stinkers).
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Seems like Another Perfect Day gets a lot of hate for some reason. I love the song myself.
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APD was probably the most standout track on FWX for me on first listen. Funny how everyone hears it different.
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I guess I've always thought that FW had extremely weak "singles"... I've been a fan of this band from almost the very beginning, and it's always seemed to me like the greatest stuff was when they were writing for *themselves*. I don't think there's been any FW "singles" that I didn't think were the weak links on their respective albums.
Granted, their first real single was "Silent Cries" which was pretty good.
But then "Through Different Eyes" is easily the weakest link from PS.
Eye To Eye and Don't Follow Me are my least favorites from Parallels (POV, which was also a single was better)
Monument is an exception...probably the highlight of IO
Was there a single for APSOG?
And then One is OK, but definitely my least favorite from DC....which leads us back to APD, which was another attempt at something like TDE or E2E. I just don't like it when Jim intentionally tries to write something "radio friendly".... POV was probably his best attempt at that formula....maybe Monument.
That being said, I like the new stuff a lot better, and I have very high hopes for this album.
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But then "Through Different Eyes" is easily the weakest link from PS.
Ouch!!! That's one of my favorites from that album. I always thought A World Apart was the weakest song on that album, but I still like it a lot.
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But then "Through Different Eyes" is easily the weakest link from PS.
Ouch!!! That's one of my favorites from that album. I always thought A World Apart was the weakest song on that album, but I still like it a lot.
I guess I've just *always* been turned off my attempts by artists to "create a single"....to my ears, it always comes across as sounding a bit unnatural in comparison to the rest of their work. I *LOVE* A World Apart. That and Static Acts (both contributions by X) have always been highlights for me. I loved X's material so much to that point, that I remember being immediately disappointed when Parallels didn't contain any contributions from him.
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Through Different Eyes is one of my fav FW tracks.
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Through Different Eyes is one of my fav FW tracks.
Me too. I love Through Different Eyes. :heart
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It's just a perfect blend of prog and aor. Plus, it is obviously the blueprint for Parallels and Inside Out.
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I'm not too familiar with Fates Warning, but I listened to the new songs. Into the Black didn't impress me, but Firefly is amazing :hefdaddy I'll definitely check the album out when it gets released and I'll try the older stuff as well. I'm a Kevin Moore fanboy, so I guess Disconnected and APSOG are good places to start :D
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I'm not too familiar with Fates Warning, but I listened to the new songs. Into the Black didn't impress me, but Firefly is amazing :hefdaddy I'll definitely check the album out when it gets released and I'll try the older stuff as well. I'm a Kevin Moore fanboy, so I guess Disconnected and APSOG are good places to start :D
Absolutely.
I've got a "Jammin Dude" show review of the two new songs going up before the end of the day.
After 5 or so spins, I actually like Into The Black *FAR* better....but I tend to shy away from the more commercial sounding material anyway. But I'll cover it in my review.
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Review is up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYjoP09Lzrs&feature=c4-overview&list=UUW_yEnqCIIeilYrMlLraVVw
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great review
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Nice review of the album by Samsara: https://www.anybodylistening.net/breakdownroom/index.php?topic=4857.msg114943#new
He reveals that Kevin Moore co-wrote "O Chloroform."
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So I just found out that Fate's Warning is playing my area in two weeks, I know there are a couple of fans on this board.
Any recommendations of where to start with them so I can get familiar with their music before I see them?
My favorites are
A Perfect Shade of Grey (has a Pink Floyd vibe on some songs)
and
Disconnected
Kevin Moore added a lot to these songs in terms of atmosphere
I also liked FWX even though I don't think it is as popular as others. I really like the closing song "Wish"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfRwrIp9g4o
Very pretty song with great lyrics.
My 1st album was Parallels so I am a Ray Adler fan. I particularly like "The Eleventh Hour" and " The Road Goes On Forever" off that album
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You do realize you quoted a post that is over three years old...a little late for suggestions :lol
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You do realize you quoted a post that is over three years old...a little late for suggestions :lol
Hahaha.
Wow. I saw the thread title and assumed that it was a new topic because of the name of the upcoming album in the title.
Oooops
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Fates Warning's grand return to the studio after nine years is available for a limited time on double vinyl! Pressed onto white wax, this color configuration is limited to only 200 units. Bonus tracks featured on Side 4. Comes in a gatefold sleeve and adds a CD of the album as well! (2013)
https://www.cmdistro.com/Item/Fates_Warning_-_Darkness_in_a_Different_Light-double_white_vinyl+CD-PREORDER/46586
:metal :metal :metal :metal
Ordered that sum bish.. use "MOSHPERIDOT" for 10% off! I wish it came with the deluxe CD set so you could get the spare tracks without buying the CD too. Or a download code.
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Ask Bobby questions, which he will answer tonight: https://fateswarning.com/Forum/tabid/269/aft/185/Default.aspx
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What would be the best album to get into FW as someone who already loves prog? Are all albums equally suited, or should some be avoided at first?
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What would be the best album to get into FW as someone who already loves prog? Are all albums equally suited, or should some be avoided at first?
I think most people view A Pleasant Shade of Gray (1997) to be the band's progressive metal masterpiece, while Parallels (1991) is their most accessible-sounding record that had their most successful singles.
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What would be the best album to get into FW as someone who already loves prog? Are all albums equally suited, or should some be avoided at first?
Just avoid Night On Brocken.
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I see that most of their albums got remastered a few years ago. What kind of remaster are we talking about? Just typical loudness war victims?
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I think most people view A Pleasant Shade of Gray (1997) to be the band's progressive metal masterpiece, while Parallels (1991) is their most accessible-sounding record that had their most successful singles.
I think that sums it up pretty perfectly.
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Bobby J. (the dummer) is answering questions RIGHT NOW. Post your questions on the Facebook page for Sick Drummer Magazine: https://www.facebook.com/sickdrummermag?hc_location=stream
He answered one of my questions:
Q: Bobby, you've played with both Arch/Matheos and Fates Warning, which are fronted by equally brilliant John Arch and Ray Alder, respectively. What's your take on what they both bring to a band and differing styles in the studio and on stage? Also, can you give any insight on why it's taken FW nearly a decade to release a new album -- for example, was there some disagreement amongst band members on the songwriting direction that delayed new material, or did some other factor cause the long hiatus?
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Bobby Jarzombek: Michael, Yeah, Ray and John are a bit different stylistically these days. Both great singers! I think Ray is more of a natural talent, and John leans more of the technical side. Lyrics and melodies. I think things just got delayed because we're all doing different projects at the same time. I'm glad to finally (after this many years) have a CD coming out.
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I honestly think that they just got burned out on doing FW material.
Flashback to 2004:
Zonder bounces and starts Slavior, Ray is getting into Redemption and JM had OSI stuff to work on. All three just spent the last 15 years doing Fate's Warning, so I don't blame them for wanting to branch out a bit with other projects.
now with all that being said, that 9 years was a long 9 years. (thank god they are back making music again)
*just went back and listened to Slavior for the first time in probably years. Actually pretty solid stuff.
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What would be the best album to get into FW as someone who already loves prog? Are all albums equally suited, or should some be avoided at first?
My personal favorites are the triple treat of Perfect Symmetry, Parallels, & Inside Out.
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^^^
I'd go with that too, although Disconnected could slot in there too.
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What would be the best album to get into FW as someone who already loves prog? Are all albums equally suited, or should some be avoided at first?
Or Arch/Matheos, which is basically Fate's Warning with the Mr. America Gimmick:
(https://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lntevddPNt1qj2qito1_500.jpg)
Its not technically called Fate's Warning, but we all know what's under the mask.
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Some drums from the album:
https://www.sickdrummermagazine.com/index.php/news/latest-news/2598-ask-bobby-jarzombek-questions-on-september-3rd-from-900-1100pm-est-on-the-sdm-facebook-page.html
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Last couple of days I listened to Firefly a bit more and holy shit, I love it so much now! I can't realize how on my first spin I wasn't at all grabbed by it.
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Last couple of days I listened to Firefly a bit more and holy shit, I love it so much now! I can't realize how on my first spin I wasn't at all grabbed by it.
I've only given each of the available songs one listen each. The full album experience is so important to me with this band and that's the way that I prefer to absorb the songs to their fullest.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChFbgZNgCh0
Another new track
Also I guess they'll have a replacement for Frank Aresti for this tour, he's got something else going on:
https://fateswarning.com/Forum/tabid/269/aft/186/Default.aspx
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I'm getting a Tool-vibe off that one... Am I the only one?
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That REALLY sucks about Frank not being part of this tour. Really sucks. But they wisely cushioned the blow by releasing a new song the same time they made that announcement. Liking it!
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Fates Warning - "I Am"
My friend
It seems you've been
Where you belong
Take what you deserve don't make it mine to carry now
Take what you deserve and never make a sound
When words are walls
I am the end
I'll make them fall
I am!
Tearing walls down
I am!
Tearing walls down
I am!
It's happening
Can't you see the edge
Coming to us
In spite of everything that (?)
In silence
I breathe again
I flow and descend
I'll take what I deserve, but can you help me understand
Why should I deserve a solitary word?
When words are walls
I am the end
I'll make them fall
I am!
Tearing walls down
I am!
Tearing walls down
I am!
Tearing walls down
I am!
Tearing walls down
I am!
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The new song reminds me a lot of "One." Unfortunately, that's not really a compliment.
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I'm getting a Tool-vibe off that one... Am I the only one?
Nope, I can hear that too.
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I've loved all three of the new songs that have been released so far off this album. :metal Completely stoked! :tup
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That REALLY sucks about Frank not being part of this tour. Really sucks. But they wisely cushioned the blow by releasing a new song the same time they made that announcement. Liking it!
So what will he be doing instead of touring this time? Is his work as a stuntman for Jared Leto interfering with the band schedule again?
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I love the part where all the instruments quiet down and it's just Ray singing over a "Spreading the Disease"-esque drum beat by Bobby. So tasty.
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No Frank? That really blows. Honestly, as psyched as I still am to see Fates Warning the guitar duo is a big part of that and this could be a big hit to the show. Even if the new guy is capable, I just don't see him having the same chemistry as Frank and Jim.
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No Frank? That really blows. Honestly, as psyched as I still am to see Fates Warning the guitar duo is a big part of that and this could be a big hit to the show. Even if the new guy is capable, I just don't see him having the same chemistry as Frank and Jim.
Agreed. I was on the fence about traveling to San Antonio to see them, but no Frank means I probably won't go.
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I hope everything is cool between the band or Frank, or in Frank's personal life. These shows were announced a long time ago, and he's had plenty of notice of them coming up. Part of me is worried there's something more going on, and they spun it nicely in this press release. We'll see, I suppose.
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Honestly, I think it might come down to money. All those short tours through Europe probably sold well enough to make it worth it for him. And the one offs in CT and ProgPower wouldn't have been as huge an inconvenience. This tour asks for a good chunk of time off with very little monetary return. I can easily just see it not being worth it for him.
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I am excited about Frank being back to Fates too so I hope everything is OK with the band and this is just for this tour. I was hoping to see Frank and Jim live again but I will attend Fates show in Athens no matter what.
Beside Firefly I have not listened more than a couple of times the other two songs, I am waiting for the release of the full album to "feel" the entire Fates experience.
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I believe Frank currently lives in NY, so hopefully he can at least perform at the NY/NJ/CT shows. They're are all within 1-3 hours away. Those happen to be the ones I'm attending, so that would be a nice treat.
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https://www.michaelabdow.com/
I've never heard of this guy, but after watching a couple of the videos on his site he seems to be a very capable player.
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https://www.michaelabdow.com/
I've never heard of this guy, but after watching a couple of the videos on his site he seems to be a very capable player.
Yeah, dude has the chops to play the FW material live. However I do agree with the concern someone else mentioned as far as covering for the chemistry that Jim has with Frank. Those two are probably my personal favorite dual guitar team in a band ever. :metal
BTW, a review for the album popped up on Sputnik!
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/58919/Fates-Warning-Darkness-In-A-Different-Light/
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So just out of curiosity I checked out the VIP package details
(https://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/phoenix87x/ScreenShot2013-09-25at95357AM_zpse4cf6c21.png) (https://s1182.photobucket.com/user/phoenix87x/media/ScreenShot2013-09-25at95357AM_zpse4cf6c21.png.html)
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I think that's just for cases of emergency, or when someone gets sick and replaced on tour or whatever.
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For those interested, there was some issues regarding the NYC VIP meet-and-greet that were ironed out on the FW forum. The NYC meet-and-greet includes admission to the show for the $50 price. The venue's website was very unclear, so I called this week and they modified the website to make it more clear that it includes admission. The other meet-and-greets don't include admission. Apparently, the NYC venue is doing their own meet-and-greet with the band and it's separate from the packages being offer by FW.
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I think that's just for cases of emergency, or when someone gets sick and replaced on tour or whatever.
That...and also to legally cover their asses if you got to meet Jim and Ray and Joey....but you wanted to talk to Bobby. They can't guarantee EVERYONE will be there...but in my experience, Jim has always been very cordial and gracious to fans...so I'd be willing to bet that he will be front and center for every meet and greet (barring some emergency, as Mora said)
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I'm tempted to spring for a second meet-and-greet, in Amityville. $50 is such a reasonable price, and FW never tours. Plus, I'm not sure if the NYC meet-and-greet will be different, or lesser in quality, in some way since it's being coordinated through the venue and not the band itself.
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Sampler of the new album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOeH2dS1GKk
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Sounds amazing. I love the O Chloroform sample.
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I just had the pleasure of listening to "O Chloroform." What an absolute trip. I never had such a fun time listening to song for the first time. I've never heard anyone but Kevin sing his lyrics before. Kevin's lyrics are often riddle-like and nonsensical delivered in a deadpan voice or sarcastic tone. But Ray's voice is so different. He sings with such emotion and seriousness. So we have an emotional and serious voice delivering riddle-like and nonsensical lyrics. It's such a contradiction that it's actually fascinating to hear and makes the song stand out. I freaking loved it!!!
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I've managed to resist hearing much of anything this long, I can last a few more days. Is it the 30th yet? I hope my copy isn't delayed/lost in the mail.
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Just noticed this interview with Ray posted online by The Classic Metal Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEVCg7TvaW4
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Going to be very hard for anyone to top this as album of the year. Maybe DT. Maybe Tesseract. Maybe Byzantine.
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Just got my copy of the special edition and shirt. Gonna listen later, possibly after the Little People show tonight. I haven't heard any sample yet.
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Any impressions? Still waiting for my copy from Amazon to ship. They are slow as dirt
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The album is fucking sick! The only downside is that it is very heavy guitar driven and while I absolutely love the album I wish it could have been double cd so we can get some of the more atmospheric vibes from Disconnected and FWX.
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Just downloaded it from Amazon.com about to spin it for the first time on the way home from work right now :metal
I'll listen in the gym tomorrow morning as well. That will get me through the entire thing at least twice.
I'll come back and post my initial impressions after that.
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I'm loving it! Probably more than the new DT (and I absolutely loved DT12).
The production is great too!
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So far, sounds amazing! But like DT, i need to listen a few times all the way through to really formulate a cohesive opinion.
On the flip side, i do have December 5th marked on my calendar for when FW hits DALLAS!!! Anyone else planning on attending here? It's at a small club, but it's an all-ages show, so i can bring my 15 year old son. Only fitting that DT was his first metal show (only second concert after Paul McCartney), and FW should be his second!
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So far, sounds amazing! But like DT, i need to listen a few times all the way through to really formulate a cohesive opinion.
On the flip side, i do have December 5th marked on my calendar for when FW hits DALLAS!!! Anyone else planning on attending here? It's at a small club, but it's an all-ages show, so i can bring my 15 year old son. Only fitting that DT was his first metal show (only second concert after Paul McCartney), and FW should be his second!
I'll be there. Driving from Austin. I've been to Trees several times. Evregrey, Epica, Katatonia, Amob....decent venue, not so good sound though. But after I read what happened to King's X in San Antonio, I won't be going to that show.
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Dammit, had a payment snafu with Amazon and my pre-order was delayed. Saying it will be here on Friday... :angry:
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Really good record. After the more recent Fates albums and OSI, I was starting to worry that Matheos had hit the snooze button. But Arch/Matheos and this confirm that he's still go an edge.
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And Yet It Moves and Firefly are instant favorites. :tup
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Yeah, I need a few more spins to decide what I think. Generally, I like it. But there are already a couple of tracks that I know I'm going to skip whenever I listen to it.
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But after I read what happened to King's X in San Antonio, I won't be going to that show.
Care to elaborate?
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I dig the new album, but I'm surprised at how much love there is for Firefly. I find that and Desire to be easily the weakest songs on the album. The opening track is kickass, but on my first listen, after track 3 I was worrying that the album was just not going to interest me. Fortunately it got much better again after that!
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But there are already a couple of tracks that I know I'm going to skip whenever I listen to it.
Agreed
I find that and Desire to be easily the weakest songs on the album.
And Agreed
Desire is really pretty bad. Lighthouse just meanders and Kneel and obey is just ok.
But that being said I do love 1000 fires, Into the Black and Yet it moves. The other songs never really go above being just good. For me, the album is just so so. Which is kinda disappointing considering how strong Arch/matheos was.
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But after I read what happened to King's X in San Antonio, I won't be going to that show.
Care to elaborate?
No kidding. I hadn't heard any feedback from that show. What happened?
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I need to give this another listen, because at the moment nothing's sticking with me. It's certainly not in the league of the Arch/Matheos album, not in the least. It feels like all the fire went into the A/M album, because this, despite being guitar driven, just kind of lays there.
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I need to give this another listen, because at the moment nothing's sticking with me. It's certainly not in the league of the Arch/Matheos album, not in the least. It feels like all the fire went into the A/M album, because this, despite being guitar driven, just kind of lays there.
I do agree with this. I'm liking parts of the album, but it still hasn't grabbed me. Maybe it's because I prefer FW's atmospheric sound in APSOG and Disconnected, as opposed to the dryer sound of Parallels and Inside Out. Don't get me wrong. There are songs I'm loving (Firefly, I am, Into the Black), but I'm not head over heels just yet like so many people seem to be. I'm giving it more time though, because I know FW albums always take me multiple listens.
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I've heard the album two times. The first time I was slightly disappointed, 2nd time through i had much more fun.
What do you think about the voice of Ray ?
The last time I've heard Ray was on FWX and I was initially shocked to hear he lost a lot of his voice. I still like hearing him sing, but the last 9 years did no good to his voice. On the other hand his voice fits the raw sound of DIADL.
In my world Arch/Matheos was a Fates Warning album, too, and had a glossier sound.
While all of my metal buddies said something like: "Great music, unbearable voice.", about A/M, I still prefer John Arch to Ray Alder.
I love Lighthouse. Such a dark fatmosphere. I hope at one point Jim Matheos releases an solo album, that doesn't rock more than Lighthouse. Something like a sonic ghost story.
So I might not like DIADL as much as A/M, I think I like it more than FWX and the last two OSI albums.
In the end, I feel like being in Prog heaven, with two of my favorite bands, releasing two very strong albums within a couple of weeks.
Excuse me for comparing, but I have been with them from the beginning, and I have to say, this round goes to Dream Theater.
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Amazon delayed my order til the 9th.
Super pissed...but can't really cancel it either because it was an Amazon gift card my mother in law gave me.
:censored
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Well after several listens its grown on me. I do really like the album but it comes nowhere near DT for me. Am enjoying it though. Its better than everything since APSOG in my opinion. Disconnected and FWX were too hit and miss. This one is actually quite consistent in its overall sound and feel.
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Desire would turn out way, way better if it were an OSI song, this way the more OSI-ish parts just don't really shine. Lighthouse is really boring (Jesus I never ever qualified a SINGLE Fates song as boring, I like them way better than, let's say, DT in that respect), I Am is excellent, and the rest is just sorta there. I really liked Firefly when it got out, and Into The Black too, but I think they lost a part of their groove with the album placing.
I'll give the album more listens and maybe try my hand at an alternate tracklist (or maybe not since I know Jim Matheos spends a lot of time on them so it's not like I can do better), but I definitely expected to like it way more than I do now.
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It's grown on me quite a bit. I still think FWX was a better record, but I'm definitely pretty happy with this one.
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What do you think about the voice of Ray ?
Redemption was my first taste of Ray, but to me he pretty much sounds the same from Parallels onward. He wails less but he's better that way, I think.
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What do you think about the voice of Ray ?
Redemption was my first taste of Ray, but to me he pretty much sounds the same from Parallels onward. He wails less but he's better that way, I think.
To me Ray is the strong point of the album. I think he sounds terrific. Obviously he doesn't have the range he once did, but I love how he sounds here.
FWX is just OK to me and Disconnected, I don't know what to make of....it feels like an EP if you ask me.
but DIADL after two listens is very enjoyable.
Oh, and welcome to DTF, Delirious Nomad. Armored Saint FTW!! :metal
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Thank you TAC. Armored Saint was great until the death of David Prichard (imho).
Well, "Disconnected" had "Still Remains". One of their greatest songs. "So" kills it. "One" is on the plus side, too. Nothing wrong with the album for me.
Don't you all think the 2nd CD track "Falling Further" does sound a little too much like a Bon Jovi song ("I'd die for you" mixed with another one, that escapes me right now) *shrugs* ?
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Haha! That is the first thing that crossed my mind too when I first listened to it. "Falling Further" sounds too much like Bon Jovi :rollin
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Thank you TAC. Armored Saint was great until the death of David Prichard (imho).
Well, "Disconnected" had "Still Remains". One of their greatest songs. "So" kills it. "One" is on the plus side, too. Nothing wrong with the album for me.
Don't you all think the 2nd CD track "Falling Further" does sound a little too much like a Bon Jovi song ("I'd die for you" mixed with another one, that escapes me right now) *shrugs* ?
Symbol Of Salvation is still their best album though, and I would've loved to have heard it with Dave. The last time I saw them with Dave, they were already a 5 piece with Jeff Duncan, and they actually played Reign Of Fire and Spineless.
OK, back to Fates..yes, Still Remains and Something For Nothing are two of my favorite songs, even though I would've edited some of the ambient stuff in the beginning of each. And One is indeed, awesome. But it's only 5 tracks not counting the useless intro/outro, with one long song, one not as long, and three shorter ones. That album has always felt incomplete to me despite have two of my favorite Alder era tracks on it. That's all I'm saying.
Don't you all think the 2nd CD track "Falling Further" does sound a little too much like a Bon Jovi song ("I'd die for you" mixed with another one, that escapes me right now) *shrugs* ?
I believe you are thinking of Runaway.
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Disconnected's intro and outro are fucking brilliant!
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Yeah, Runaway seems to be a good guess.
TAC, I see where you're coming from.
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Yeah, Runaway seems to be a good guess.
TAC, I see where you're coming from.
And to tie this all together, I've posted it before I believe, but I have a pic with John Bush from 1989ish where I'm wearing a Bon Jovi shirt! :lol
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:laugh: In '89 is was still okay.
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Im' on the FW mailing list and there's an interesting tidbit regarding the album track Falling and Falling Further
Directly from Jim (posted by the webmaster)
I asked Jim about it and here is his reply:
Webmaster: "Question about the album... The extra tracks Firefly (extended) and Falling Further, were they trimmed (or for Falling, sort of reimagined) just for time or more for the flow of the album?"
Jim: "I guess a little of both. Falling acoustic came first. Then I extended it and the acoustic became more of an intro. We all really liked it that way, but like you mentioned, it's really different for us, so we were a little hesitant to put it on the main cd. We also missed the original acoustic version. So the compromise was to split it up and keep the acoustic on the main and FF as a bonus. It wasn't without many debates and hand wringing though.
There was always two versions of Firefly. I like the longer one better, but it just didn't feel right putting the extended one on the main disc and calling the shorter one a "bonus" track. Just seems like you should get something extra, not less, on a bonus cd."
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I love Lighthouse. Such a dark fatmosphere. I hope at one point Jim Matheos releases an solo album, that doesn't rock more than Lighthouse. Something like a sonic ghost story.
Wish granted, sort of...
(https://www.metal-archives.com/images/2/9/3/3/293371.jpg) (https://metalarea.org/images/audiocovers/2010_Jun/acov_tid118223.jpg)
His two solo albums are First impressions and Away with words
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Holy ! I own First Impressions, but completely missed the second one. If you don't mind, can you describe its style ?
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Away with words is very similar to First Impressions, but with Zonder on drums, which is very noticeable, in a good way I guess. I honestly prefer First Impressions, but If you like First Impressions, than you will like Away with words.
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Posted by: goo-goo
« on: Today at 06:35:32 PM »
Im' on the FW mailing list and there's an interesting tidbit regarding the album track Falling and Falling Further
Directly from Jim (posted by the webmaster)
I asked Jim about it and here is his reply:
Webmaster: "Question about the album... The extra tracks Firefly (extended) and Falling Further, were they trimmed (or for Falling, sort of reimagined) just for time or more for the flow of the album?"
Jim: "I guess a little of both. Falling acoustic came first. Then I extended it and the acoustic became more of an intro. We all really liked it that way, but like you mentioned, it's really different for us, so we were a little hesitant to put it on the main cd. We also missed the original acoustic version. So the compromise was to split it up and keep the acoustic on the main and FF as a bonus. It wasn't without many debates and hand wringing though.
There was always two versions of Firefly. I like the longer one better, but it just didn't feel right putting the extended one on the main disc and calling the shorter one a "bonus" track. Just seems like you should get something extra, not less, on a bonus cd."
Interesting. I had a different scenario in my mind, but who am I, not to believe him.
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Zonder on drums. I'm sold and still wondering how that album slipped under my radar. Thank you.
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Amazon delayed my order til the 9th.
Super pissed...but can't really cancel it either because it was an Amazon gift card my mother in law gave me.
:censored
Mine came a day late, but it's here. 2 discs of FW glory.
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I must say, this album is a real grower for me. It's a dark and cohesive sound that's really starting to click, especially today when I was in a terrible mood at work (due to co-workers on the rag all at the same time.) The album really got me through it in a big way and now I'm really starting to love it. :tup
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Ray Alder on "singing not screaming":
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: At what point in time did you scale back completely from the high vocal range that you were known for when you first joined the band on "No Exit", and how difficult was it to realize that a change in style was necessary?
Ray Alder: I think it was "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray" when I really came into my own and rearranged what I wanted to do with my voice. In the beginning, the whole thing with the high voice, that's what was going on, to me, in the '80s. I was also a young guy, I was in San Antonio and wanted to sing high, and as I got older, I realized I wanted to sing, not scream. And it was probably "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray" when it came to me. And unfortunately, my voice changed. I grew up. Or whatever you want to call it.
Read more at https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-singer-explains-guitarist-frank-arestis-absence-from-the-road/#qDEzoXlTBgBp75os.99
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I'd probably put this new album, FWX and APSoG in my top 3 Fates Warning albums.
Don't ask me to rank 'em, though! :facepalm: :lol :metal
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Away with words is very similar to First Impressions, but with Zonder on drums, which is very noticeable, in a good way I guess. I honestly prefer First Impressions, but If you like First Impressions, than you will like Away with words.
I'd offer a different take on this. Yes, one big difference is Zonder on drums; but equally massive is Michael Manring on bass.
First Impresions is nice, very pleasant. Away With Words is freaking spectacular.
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Album is growing on me like a fungus :corn
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Ray Alder on "singing not screaming":
San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: At what point in time did you scale back completely from the high vocal range that you were known for when you first joined the band on "No Exit", and how difficult was it to realize that a change in style was necessary?
Ray Alder: I think it was "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray" when I really came into my own and rearranged what I wanted to do with my voice. In the beginning, the whole thing with the high voice, that's what was going on, to me, in the '80s. I was also a young guy, I was in San Antonio and wanted to sing high, and as I got older, I realized I wanted to sing, not scream. And it was probably "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray" when it came to me. And unfortunately, my voice changed. I grew up. Or whatever you want to call it.
Read more at https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-singer-explains-guitarist-frank-arestis-absence-from-the-road/#qDEzoXlTBgBp75os.99
Well, that's all well and good but why completely ruin your voice so you can't do it? Having the range just makes your singing even better and more diverse, definitely more expressive when used correctly. No need to be No Exit level of screaming, but Parallels is great. Not to mention the whole performing older songs on tour thing...
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People make mistakes. At least he admits his smoking and drinking was a problem for his voice. I respect the honesty ....unlike Ego Tate.
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Disconnected is a top 2 FW album.
...unless this new one tops it. haven't heard it yet, though.
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Album is growing on me like a fungus
Doesn't it ?
But if there is one band I have filed under growing stuff, it's Fates Warning.
For me it was "One" leaving me cold the first time.
On the second or third spin, I got it and was like :o :metal (shockrocked ?)
Same with the chorus of Into The Black.
Sometimes we all need our attention directed to something previously unappreciated.
I'd offer Kneel And Obey 2.47/3.23 & And Yet It Moves 5.58: facehugging kind of riffs.
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I've been quiet on commenting on this album, because everyone seems head over heels for it and it still hadn't grabbed me. So I was silently giving it time. It's been a full week, and I'm still not eating it up like everyone else, for some reason. There are great moments -- "FireFly," "I Am," and "Into the Black" are top-notch tunes. "One Thousand Fires" is also solid. "And Yet It Moves" feels a little overhyped to me, right now. Overall, I feel like the album is lacking some spark or juice. I know I'm in the minority. It feels more like an Engine (Ray Alder's side project from 10 or so years ago) album to me -- which is not a bad thing. Engine had some solid tracks and albums, but it lacked the magic of a FW disc. I feel like this disc is a tad dry sounding as well, and I miss some of the keys and sound effects that FW had incorporated into its three previous albums dating back to APSOG. I find myself craving the Dream Theater album when I'm listening to the new FW, and I'll usually switch over before long to listen to "The Bigger Picture" or "Surrender to Reason." I also don't think it's as good as the Arch/Matheos album from 2011 or any of the past four albums by Redemption (Ray's side project from the past 10 years). In the FW catalog, it's falling in the middle for me, behind APSOG, Disconnected, Parallels and Inside Out. I'm still giving it time, and I'm eagerly awaiting the moment when the switch goes off for me, but it hasn't happened yet. I'm sure it will happen, so I have something to look forward to when it does. FW albums usually take a while to click for me.
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I'm kind of in the same boat as Mebert78 in that this hasn't blown me away the way I had hoped it would. I heard 'Into the Black', 'Firefly' and 'I Am' before release and was really psyched to hear the rest. Unfortunately, those three remain the highlights of this effort for me. 'And yet it moves' is growing on me and 'Falling' is great. The rest still isn't clicking though.
I still cannot wait to see them in November, though.
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I've had the album for two months now since I needed it to edit Nick's review, so I've had more time to digest this album than most people. It's a nice album and has some great stuff, but I don't know if I can honestly say it's in their top 5. Parallels, Disconnected, APSoG, and Perfect Symmetry are a solid 1-2-3-4. FWX makes a strong case for #5. That's pretty much the point I've been at for about a month, but being #6 is no shame IMO.
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I've never listened to Fates Warning before really. I have been aware of them and know many people especially around here have mentioned them in Top50 album threads etc. For some unknown reason I've never dug into them. I just listened to "Firefly" and "I Am" from the new album and liked what I heard.
I noticed people mentioning screaming as a vocal style change so could be that's what had thrown me in the past, but I can't recall right off and my tastes have definitely become attune to different styled vocals over the last several years. Recommendations?
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If anything this album has grown on me over time. It's not that I like my favorites any more, but the ones I wasn't overly fond of have grown on me, especially Into the Black.
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I agree, this one's a grower. I've listened straight through on headphones with no distractions and it just keeps getting better...I'm not afraid to say I love this album...as a whole. Some individual tracks wouldn't be as good to me without the album context. All in all, great record! Love the heaviness, something we haven't had in a while.
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I've never listened to Fates Warning before really. I have been aware of them and know many people especially around here have mentioned them in Top50 album threads etc. For some unknown reason I've never dug into them. I just listened to "Firefly" and "I Am" from the new album and liked what I heard.
I noticed people mentioning screaming as a vocal style change so could be that's what had thrown me in the past, but I can't recall right off and my tastes have definitely become attune to different styled vocals over the last several years. Recommendations?
A lot would depend on your individual tastes. It's hard to give a recommendation to someone without knowing where they're coming from. Having said that, start with A Pleasant Shade of Gray and move outward from there is usually the best place to start in my opinion.
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For me, Arch/Matheos did nothing. It lacked all the elements I loved in A Twist of Fate.
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I feel like the song order doesn't to the album any favors. "Falling" is nice, but it feels like an unexplored idea without "Falling Further" on the main CD to bring the idea to fruition. I also think "Kneel and Obey" gets lost in the seventh spot and would make a killer second track, bumping "Firefly " to the third spot. I don't like "Falling" in the clean-up (4th) spot -- that's a spot for a hard-hitting song, in my opinion. Also, none of the songs bleed into each other, so the album almost feels like a bunch of songs as opposed to a "unit." Just little criticisms, but these are things that would enhance the album for me.
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Alright, I finally listened to the album, bonus songs included...it's pretty good. And Yet It Moves is just beautiful, Lighthouse is nice as well. Falling should have included Falling Deeper, botg would have made an awesome song. O Chloroform sounded cool with Moores lyrics.
Overall a pretty solid album, better than FWX, although FWX has my favorite song...Wish.
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I feel like the song order doesn't to the album any favors. "Falling" is nice, but it feels like an unexplored idea without "Falling Further" on the main CD to bring the idea to fruition. I also think "Kneel and Obey" gets lost in the seventh spot and would make a killer second track, bumping "Firefly " to the third spot. I don't like "Falling" in the clean-up (4th) spot -- that's a spot for a hard-hitting song, in my opinion. Also, none of the songs bleed into each other, so the album almost feels like a bunch of songs as opposed to a "unit." Just little criticisms, but these are things that would enhance the album for me.
Oh good, so I'm not the only one having problems with that.
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Still haven't heard this. I'm hoping I can find it instore this weekend.
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I feel like the song order doesn't to the album any favors. "Falling" is nice, but it feels like an unexplored idea without "Falling Further" on the main CD to bring the idea to fruition. I also think "Kneel and Obey" gets lost in the seventh spot and would make a killer second track, bumping "Firefly " to the third spot. I don't like "Falling" in the clean-up (4th) spot -- that's a spot for a hard-hitting song, in my opinion. Also, none of the songs bleed into each other, so the album almost feels like a bunch of songs as opposed to a "unit." Just little criticisms, but these are things that would enhance the album for me.
Oh good, so I'm not the only one having problems with that.
Kevin Moore fans always think alike. ;)
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No, no they don't :).
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Fates is playing APSOG - Part VI on the tour in Europe! That's my fav FW song. Hope they play it in the U.S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgNHqyjo98g
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Fates is playing APSOG - Part VI on the tour in Europe! That's my fav FW song. Hope they play it in the U.S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgNHqyjo98g
Awesome! I'm lukewarm on APSOG as a whole but that song is also one of my favorite Alder era tracks. Maybe even Top 5. For some reason, I always refer to it as We're Not Children Anymore.
Awesome tune, awesome footage. And Ray Alder sounds...well...awesome!!
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*chills* :omg: :metal :omg:
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Yes, and I love Ray Alder's delivery. He really sings with emotion. I've only seen FW once (Inside Out tour) and I was captivated by Ray the entire night.
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Oh gosh Ray :heart
Proof that range isn't everything - well, not that anyone on this forum judges vocalists exclusively by their range, and not that having a wider range doesn't mean having more possibilities, it's just that you can work with any range if you're a truly good singer, and loss of it over time can be compensated in other ways.
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Love the entire album, except for Kneel and Obey. Just can't dig that song. But other than that the songs are all great! I especially love Lighthouse, Into the Black, and Firefly.
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I just saw a picture of a setlist.... I'll shrink it for those who don't want spoilers...
One Thousand Fires
Life In Still Water
One
APSOG Part 3
Another Perfect Day
Down to the Wire
APSOG Part 6
Pieces of Me
I Am
The Eleventh Hour
Point of View
Firefly
Through Different Eyes
APSOG Part 11
Monument
Encore:
Still Remains
I think it's a really solid set list. I could think of one or two songs I would change....but my expectations were not perfection. This is a REALLY AWESOME setlist, and I'm really thrilled to see it. (I just hope that certain songs are NOT truncated for brevity or I'll be pissed)
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Ooooooh god so jealous.
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I know less then a half of it, but it looks cool!
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I do enjoy APSOG as a whole, but for me... I love the emotion of Ray's voice on the final track, especially on the live version. But i like the setlist. Can't wait to see them here in Dallas!
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I just saw a picture of a setlist.... I'll shrink it for those who don't want spoilers...
One Thousand Fires
Life In Still Water
One
APSOG Part 3
Another Perfect Day
Down to the Wire
APSOG Part 6
Pieces of Me
I Am
The Eleventh Hour
Point of View
Firefly
Through Different Eyes
APSOG Part 11
Monument
Encore:
Still Remains
I think it's a really solid set list. I could think of one or two songs I would change....but my expectations were not perfection. This is a REALLY AWESOME setlist, and I'm really thrilled to see it. (I just hope that certain songs are NOT truncated for brevity or I'll be pissed)
Nice encore! Oh, baby! I'm surprised they left out one track in particular from the new album though.
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That is an awesome set!!!!
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DAT ENCORE. :metal
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I'm liking it overall, but Having some trouble getting truly into it. I find the drums needlessly overplayed a lot of times.
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Still isn't clicking for me. I need to give it a listen away from my computer, away from distractions, because this isn't working for some reason and that's never happened with Fates for me.
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After seeing Down To the Wire in the setlist, I busted out Inside Out last night. It's been a while but I really love that album. Ray is spectacular on it. I'm generally not a fan of bands contracting themselves into a more commercial sound, but Parallels and Inside Out make a great 1-2 punch.
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I'm three spins into it. I need to get at least two more before I do a Jammin Dude Show review.
I LOVE the opening track. I don't think FW has ever done a bad opener. Firefly is the best "single" they've ever recorded IMO. (and I like the longer version better). Desire has done nothing for me so far. Thoughts on Falling and Falling Further in a moment. I Am, Lighthouse, and Into The Black is my favorite run on the album easily. That is a trifecta for the ages. Strongest part of the entire album by a longshot for me. I really like Kneel and Obey, and I don't get the criticism for it....although the rest of the material is strong enough that I would rank it as a lower tier song. I agree that O Chloroform sounds like an OSI holdover....but I love OSI, so you'll get no complaints from me...only a lingering curiosity of what it would sound like with Kevin. And Yet It Moves is a weird one. After three spins I have yet to find any connection between the first half and the second half of the song. It almost feels like a mistake. Like the first 9 minutes is a completely separate song called "Destination Unknown" with it's own beginning, verses, choruses and ending...and then a five minute song called "And Yet It Moves" begins. It's just weird.
Regarding Falling and Falling Farther. Two ideas that I think would have worked better than the way it is now...but I can't decide which idea I prefer.
1) Falling as an intro to Falling Farther....it would become one single 6+ minute song with a beautiful acoustic intro.
2) Swap the titles. The rockin version becomes Falling and remains track 4 on the album. The acoustic piece becomes Falling Farther and appears as an 11th track "coda" for the album after "And Yet It Moves". Riverside did something similar for their new album "Shrine of New Generation Slaves" and I thought it worked brilliantly.
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J-dude, I agree with you on Falling/ Falling Farther.
Been on an FW kick and I spun FWX last night. It is easily my least favorite Alder era album by a large margin.
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I'm still pretty new to FW (only listened to a few albums so far) but I thought the new album was really damn good.
probably gonna end up as one of my favorites from this year :metal
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2) Swap the titles. The rockin version becomes Falling and remains track 4 on the album. The acoustic piece becomes Falling Farther and appears as an 11th track "coda" for the album after "And Yet It Moves". Riverside did something similar for their new album "Shrine of New Generation Slaves" and I thought it worked brilliantly.
PRECISELY it worked soooooo good for Riverside and I love both tracks.
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From Fates Warning's Facebook:
This is just a personal message from the fateswarning.com webmaster, wearing my long-time fan hat.
It would be great to get all of the North American shows packed to capacity, so let's start tossing around ideas to help get them promoted. Join the forum in the link below to share your ideas, or at least go here to download the North American tour flyers and spread the word.
https://fateswarning.com/Forum/tabid/269/aft/202/Default.aspx
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It's finally here!!
I posted it a couple of days late...but when I was recording it, I went on a LONG rant about the history of the band, and it just bloated the entire recording. I ended up with a 25 minute video that was less than half review of the album. So it took me a couple of days to "trim the fat" (which was about 80% of the "band history" rant) and now I have something that I'm mostly happy with.
Hope you all enjoy!!
https://youtu.be/W6hAB0-wwho
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Finally found the 2cd version in store on Saturday. After one listen, this is a tricky one. It obviously feels like a massive grower, so I'm going to be patient and give it time, but on the first listen, it felt a little safe. It sounded more like Arch/Matheos and OSI then Fates Warning, but I think after so long between records, that's bound to happen.
Love the intro track. Firefly has grown on me since initially hearing it. Desire is an interesting one, sounds like a mix of OSI and Pieces of Me IMO. Falling seems out of place and IMO it needs the excellent Falling Further with it. That's a great one, and reminds one of the Parallels/Inside Out times. I Am didn't grab me and neither did Lighthouse to be honest. Kneel and Obey was a good one, and Chloroform was nice too. And Yet It Moves is an instant classic to me. This is what I was waiting for from the album. It's basically a 2013 Still Remains but it's brilliant.
Interesting record. I am also pretty disappointed that Frank Aresti did not contribute any rhythm guitar. Just seeing him credited as 'additional lead guitar' leaves a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth to be honest. It's like he's still a guess, but now him not being on tour, who knows where he will stand with the band in the future.
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Also, I think I'm gonna make a single version of the cd and replace Firefly with the long version. I also would place Falling a little deeper in the record and then follow it with Falling Further. Then add the live tracks on the end.
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Can't find this freakin' album anywhere in stores. :facepalm:
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RR, please, sign this band!
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Finally got a chance to check out the newest release here. I'm really digging it. As I noted previously, I've never really listened to FW much before but this is pretty cool. I know it's hard to recommend based on that but what do you guys think I should check out next from them?
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I listened to APSOG and the new album and both left good first impressions! :) I should get Disconnected/Inside Out soon.
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This album is really growing, I'm glad I've given it time.
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Finally got a chance to check out the newest release here. I'm really digging it. As I noted previously, I've never really listened to FW much before but this is pretty cool. I know it's hard to recommend based on that but what do you guys think I should check out next from them?
I think X sounds the closest to this album. But then again, I am NOT a Fates Warning fan. I like the new album a lot, and I think X is pretty good, but beyond that, there are only a small handful of songs from them that I like. Which is interesting because I LOVE Ray's work in Redemption, and I LOVE the last Arch/Matheos album, which is basically all of Fates Warning's musicians with a different vocalist. If you haven't checked that album out or haven't check out Redemption's last two albums, I would recommend those over any other Fates Warning albums. But that's just me.
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Just have to add this bit of discussion from another forum:
Can anyone tell me what And Yet It Moves is about? This song is so epic musically and I just started to delve into the lyrics which are thought provoking yet I'm not sure what exactly it's about.
I can't tell you specifically what they are about, but I think the post just prior to mine is on the right track. The really unfortunate thing is that, whatever the song means, I can't UN-associate it in my mind with a certain Seinfeld episode, which kind of kills any kind of power the message of the song might otherwise have. Really unfortunate song title in that regard. :lol
(https://i.imgur.com/vGYLX0J.jpg)
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Finally got a chance to check out the newest release here. I'm really digging it. As I noted previously, I've never really listened to FW much before but this is pretty cool. I know it's hard to recommend based on that but what do you guys think I should check out next from them?
Disconnected. It's a little more atmospheric, but I think you'll really dig that if you like the new one.
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Went to Joliet, IL last night for the opening date of the Fates Warning tour. The show was excellent and I'm happy to say the place was packed. The downside is that it wasn't a very big place. Still I would say there was maybe 300 people there.
This might be the lamest review because I cannot for the life of me remember the setlist. It was a pretty long night and they had 4 different opening bands (I think 2 were local). So Fates didn't go on until after 10 but played til after midnight. Halycon Way did not go over very well. They kept trying to get the people into it but it did not go all that well. People weren't hostile they just didn't respond. I was half thinking it was a bad omen for how people would react to Fates but once they got on, the crowd was loud, singing along, throwing their hands in the air, etc.
Hope everyone takes advantage of seeing them. Tickets were only 17 bucks so it was totally worth it.
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I'm going to the show in Cleveland on monday night. I'll try to put up my thoughts in this thread after the show.
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I should be hitting the show in December, I'll add what I can.
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Not really enough activity for this band to justify two threads, so I've merged them.
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So two days after getting the new album in the mail, I got the first two albums in the mail.
And my FW studio collection is now complete. ;D
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So two days after getting the new album in the mail, I got the first two albums in the mail.
And my FW studio collection is now complete. ;D
Enjoy them! Night on Brocken has its ups and downs....but the ups are worth it. The Spectre Within is *amazing*...and every bit Guardian's equal IMHO.
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So two days after getting the new album in the mail, I got the first two albums in the mail.
And my FW studio collection is now complete. ;D
Enjoy them! Night on Brocken has its ups and downs....but the ups are worth it. The Spectre Within is *amazing*...and every bit Guardian's equal IMHO.
Good album, but equal?... I dunno. It's just an opinion I guess.
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So two days after getting the new album in the mail, I got the first two albums in the mail.
And my FW studio collection is now complete. ;D
Enjoy them! Night on Brocken has its ups and downs....but the ups are worth it. The Spectre Within is *amazing*...and every bit Guardian's equal IMHO.
Cool! :metal I've already gotten pre-used to Arch's voice from Sympathetic Resonance (an album I love) and listened to a bit of Awaken The Guardian last month, so I *think* I'm good to go without any "This isn't Ray. :sad: " moments. :lol
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So two days after getting the new album in the mail, I got the first two albums in the mail.
And my FW studio collection is now complete. ;D
Enjoy them! Night on Brocken has its ups and downs....but the ups are worth it. The Spectre Within is *amazing*...and every bit Guardian's equal IMHO.
Good album, but equal?... I dunno. It's just an opinion I guess.
Dude! EPITAPH!! Pirates of the Underground!! Kyrie Eleison!!! Not to mention The Apparition. Yes....TSW is just as good as Guardian.
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So two days after getting the new album in the mail, I got the first two albums in the mail.
And my FW studio collection is now complete. ;D
Enjoy them! Night on Brocken has its ups and downs....but the ups are worth it. The Spectre Within is *amazing*...and every bit Guardian's equal IMHO.
Good album, but equal?... I dunno. It's just an opinion I guess.
Dude! EPITAPH!! Pirates of the Underground!! Kyrie Eleison!!! Not to mention The Apparition. Yes....TSW is just as good as Guardian.
They're definitely pretty close to each other, no doubt about that. Personally I prefer Guardian by a small margin. There's just something special about that album as a whole.
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So two days after getting the new album in the mail, I got the first two albums in the mail.
And my FW studio collection is now complete. ;D
Enjoy them! Night on Brocken has its ups and downs....but the ups are worth it. The Spectre Within is *amazing*...and every bit Guardian's equal IMHO.
Good album, but equal?... I dunno. It's just an opinion I guess.
Dude! EPITAPH!! Pirates of the Underground!! Kyrie Eleison!!! Not to mention The Apparition. Yes....TSW is just as good as Guardian.
All amazing songs. No argument from me. However, ATG is flawless front to back and is easily one of my favorite albums of all time. The only other album with John on it that compares in quality is SR which I consider Fates Warning canon which would also probably make a top 10 list for me. Twist of Fate would probably also be knocking on the door of that list if it was a little bit longer and had more than the two songs.
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New episode of The Jammin Dude show is the second in a series covering the "Unsung Heroes" of music....especially progressive rock artists. This episode goes over a brief history of Fates Warning.
https://youtu.be/MjjKU7qw0jk
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My Cleveland review:
There were a total of 3 opening bands for the show tonight. The first two were local bands and I can't remember their names. Nothing much to note about these two bands other than the fact that the first band had a sax player. If you would have told me that I would have been seeing a band with a guy playing sax before I got to the venue opening for FW, I would have laughed in your face.
Halcyon Way was slightly interesting. They're really not my thing and I'm not sure how I would catagorize them. They seemed to play fairly well for what they were trying to do, but it's not the kind of thing that I would ever be into, so I'm not sure if I could give them a fair review. I will give them props for being energetic and they seemed to be very positive on stage which is always a positive in my book. I think that they would do better if they were on tour with a different kind of band than FW.
FW went on stage a little bit after 10pm. Their set list was the same as was listed previously in this thread. For the sake of not spoiling it for anyone that might be seeing them later in this tour, I won't be "re-posting" the list. However, one thing that I will say about it is that I didn't recognize the opening song that was played over the PA prior to them hitting the stage. I'm not sure if it was a problem with any other spots in the venue, but most of the music that was played over the PA sounded like a garbled mess where I was standing and that might have had an effect on my ability to pick the song out properly.
Performance wise, I would give the band a very solid B+. There were a few "missed notes" by the musicians here and there, but they were very solid for the most part. The most obvious of the "missed notes" was from the young man that replaced Frank for the tour. He didn't play bad at all. It just appears that he might have chosen to make a few of the lead passages his own instead of playing everything note for note. The band wasn't overly active on stage, but that's not what anyone who goes to a FW show is there to see anyways. Joey Vera's facial expressions and general stage presence is very entertaining, though. Bobby was excellent and did a wonderful job of covering Zonder's parts.
I would also give Ray a solid B+. He had wonderful stage presence. However, he did lose much of his voice later in the set right around the time that they played one of their earlier songs from his era. Considering the weather in northern Ohio tonight and some of the other things that have been discussed about his personal habits in the past, I think that the man held up quite well. Another of Ray's strengths is his ability to convey the emotion of a song to an audience. Ray was very much on top of his game in that aspect tonight.
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Falling Further. :metal
I was just expecting a longer version of Falling. This rocks!
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I was just expecting a longer version of Falling. This rocks!
That's pretty much what it is, I love it. Should have been on the album and really the first time the band have gone back to a little of their sound on Paralells and Inside Out. Not much, but a little.
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I was just expecting a longer version of Falling. This rocks!
That's pretty much what it is, I love it. Should have been on the album and really the first time the band have gone back to a little of their sound on Paralells and Inside Out. Not much, but a little.
Paralells and Inside Out are both great albums. Perhaps a little safe compared to the rest of their catalog, and while I typically don't like that kind of thing, Fates was in the pocket on these two albums.
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They are still my two fav albums from them, they did indeed nail it.
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I was just expecting a longer version of Falling. This rocks!
That's pretty much what it is, I love it. Should have been on the album and really the first time the band have gone back to a little of their sound on Paralells and Inside Out. Not much, but a little.
Yeah, I was thinking that it really would have been awesome if they did Falling and then it just lead into Falling Further. Would have been awesome on the album.
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I finally got a chance to listen to the new FW album with no distractions, and it's definitely a grower. I agree with the notion that Falling Further should have made the main album and Falling should have been a reprise at the end of the album, though And Yet It Moves is a fantastic song. Far more solid album than I initially gave it credit for, though I still like Arch/Matheos better.
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I would also give Ray a solid B+. He had wonderful stage presence. However, he did lose much of his voice later in the set right around the time that they played one of their earlier songs from his era. Considering the weather in northern Ohio tonight and some of the other things that have been discussed about his personal habits in the past, I think that the man held up quite well. Another of Ray's strengths is his ability to convey the emotion of a song to an audience. Ray was very much on top of his game in that aspect tonight.
Towards the end of the set in Joliet he put his hand around his neck during one of the songs as his eyes sort of darted back and forth in a joking manner and it sounded like he said in a cartoonish voice, "Oh my voice". There were still some other songs to be played and it didn't seem like he had many problems but it was an odd moment
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I would also give Ray a solid B+. He had wonderful stage presence. However, he did lose much of his voice later in the set right around the time that they played one of their earlier songs from his era. Considering the weather in northern Ohio tonight and some of the other things that have been discussed about his personal habits in the past, I think that the man held up quite well. Another of Ray's strengths is his ability to convey the emotion of a song to an audience. Ray was very much on top of his game in that aspect tonight.
Towards the end of the set in Joliet he put his hand around his neck during one of the songs as his eyes sort of darted back and forth in a joking manner and it sounded like he said in a cartoonish voice, "Oh my voice". There were still some other songs to be played and it didn't seem like he had many problems but it was an odd moment
I wonder how long it's been since he's had to sing a full headline set for a full tour. I'm not sure how much Redemption tours and I wonder if it's something that he's just not used to doing at this point. He's also a person that has lived in warm climates his whole life and he's touring the upper mid-west on the verge of winter...
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https://foxct.com/2013/11/22/morning-extra-progressive-metal-band-fates-warning-performs/
Pretty cool acoustic version of Firefly from this morning's local news
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Yet it moves seems like its about time.
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Going to see them tonite. A friend of mine is opening for them.
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So last night's show in NYC was awesome. The new songs sounded great and so did Ray. Love how this band always has the bass up in the mix. Joey Vera is into it!
I had been at several shows where FW was the opener for Dream Theater or Queensryche or whatnot, so this was my 1st time seeing them as the main act. It was so good that one enthusiastic prog-metaller started chanting "f*ck Dream Theater!" toward the end of the show. Lol
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Less than two weeks until the Dallas show! never having seen FW before, do they pretty much stick to the same setlist throughout their tour, or do they change it up any? The setlist looks fantastic, from what's been posted here, though i would LOVE to hear "O Chloroform" somewhere in there.
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I don't want to see the whole set list, but would like to know if they are playing And Yet It Moves. That's my favorite song of theirs of all time at this point. Are they playing it?
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Wasn't on the setlist that was posted here, anyway.
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I don't want to see the whole set list, but would like to know if they are playing And Yet It Moves. That's my favorite song of theirs of all time at this point. Are they playing it?
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!
No, they did not play it in Cleveland and I've not seen or heard any mention of the song being played elsewhere.
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It seems unfathomable to me that they wouldn't play the epic off their latest album, but oh well. I still hold out hope that they will add it to the set for the second half of the tour.
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Nick, I believe you'll be there tonight. If I see you I'll say hi but I'll use this super secret code phrase:
"hi, I'm phoenix from DTF" ;)
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:lol Sounds good. It looks like doors are at 7, with three opening acts, and so I don't plan to show up till about 8:30. I'll be wearing my Shadow Gallery Tyranny 15th anniversary shirt, and if it's colder inside I'll have my Flying Colors hoodie on.
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Just got back from the show.
Sorry Nick, somehow I missed you.
It was a pretty sweet show. The setlist was pretty much exactly what I wanted, but I kind of felt like the time just flew by and they were done in a heartbeart. I wish they would have cut out one of the god damn FOUR opening bands, so FW could add an extra few songs. FFS, I was starting to feel like I was at a festival.
But I still had a good time and I'm very happy to say that I got to shake hands with Jim and Ray at the end of the show, which was very cool.
Anyway, here's pics:
(https://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/phoenix87x/0FF42F31-F3E6-442C-B802-295AE3C3E314-2584-000001FE24D63816_zpse6a99cfd.jpg) (https://s1182.photobucket.com/user/phoenix87x/media/0FF42F31-F3E6-442C-B802-295AE3C3E314-2584-000001FE24D63816_zpse6a99cfd.jpg.html)
(https://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/phoenix87x/350B324D-9EBA-4582-9588-722FBBFF36F6-2584-000001FE175F9B74_zpse2be3f8e.jpg) (https://s1182.photobucket.com/user/phoenix87x/media/350B324D-9EBA-4582-9588-722FBBFF36F6-2584-000001FE175F9B74_zpse2be3f8e.jpg.html)
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Fates put on an awesome show. I showed up at quarter to nine, and fortunately missed two of the opening acts. After the third opening act I was able to walk right into the front row. Third opening act was actually quite enjoyable, and I ended up being right next to Joey Vera's monitor and mic stand, as there was no barrier between the stage and front row. As someone who had not seen them before I loved the set except for the fact it was lacking in new material.
(https://www.nickeh.com/images/FW01.jpg)
Edit: Oh, and Portnoy was at the show as well.
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YEah, POrtnoy posted about meeting the FW guys on the show.
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So, the Dallas show is this Thursday. I plan on being there with my 15-year-old son in tow. Anyone else plan on attending? Would love to meet other DTF-ers, though i DID meet El Barto at the last DT show here.
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Just read a blurb about the tour that had a few clips of their show in NY. It can be found here: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-fan-filmed-footage-of-new-york-city-concert/
Ray sounds pretty damned good. I am VERY excited about Thursday's show!!!!
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Well, I finally got to see Fate's last night in Portland. It started about 45 minutes late and there were two opening bands, neither of which were very good in my opinion. Then Fate's came out guns a blazing and the intensity didn't let up until the final note. They put on a very energetic, absolutely killer performance. I was standing at the front center right in front of Ray. All of them were totally into it and it was surprising to see that even Jim and the fill in guitarist were smiling and connecting with the audience. I never imagined Jim to be that animated. Joey of course is the man live and Bobby is a machine and his drums couldn't have sounded any better. The overall sound mix from the front was above average for the Hawthorne Theater and the band does it old school with stage monitors. Ray sounded fantastic for the first few songs and sounded particularly great singing the new stuff, but then he started to struggle with some of the old stuff in the middle of the set. But then he had a minute to go backstage and he probably hawked something up and drank some water because he came back out sounded really good again for rest of the set. Still Remains couldn't have been a better encore in my opinion unless they would have played And Yet It Moves so we left the building blown away by a master class in progressive metal. Unfortunately, there were only maybe 200 people there, but all appreciative diehards with a few new young fans thrown in like the two pre-teen girls in front of me who received not one, not two, but three picks from Joey and Jim. I have to attribute the low attendance with the band basically dropping off the face of America for ten years and the Hawthorne Theater doesn't advertise at all. All of the band members made eye contact several times, even Bobby, and the entire band had that bond with the audience which is the reason why we see our favorite bands live. All in all, a great show, better than I had imagined it would be, and I had high expectations.
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I just saw a picture of a setlist.... I'll shrink it for those who don't want spoilers...
One Thousand Fires
Life In Still Water
One
APSOG Part 3
Another Perfect Day
Down to the Wire
APSOG Part 6
Pieces of Me
I Am
The Eleventh Hour
Point of View
Firefly
Through Different Eyes
APSOG Part 11
Monument
Encore:
Still Remains
I think it's a really solid set list. I could think of one or two songs I would change....but my expectations were not perfection. This is a REALLY AWESOME setlist, and I'm really thrilled to see it. (I just hope that certain songs are NOT truncated for brevity or I'll be pissed)
Since there are no more shows, I thought I'd go ahead and say outright that the setlist was the same as the European leg....with the exception that Down to the Wire was not played (APSOG 3 was moved to before One) and near the end of the set, Wish was played just before Monument.
Great show. There will be a Jammin Dude review posted within the next day or two.
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Review is up!!!
Really great show with some AMAZING opening bands. Links to all bands website are contained.
If you're into Enchant, please check out the first opening band Graphic Light Theory...they were AMAZING.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-nvfZiknHE
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Great to hear that they are putting on such great shows. Bummer about the attendance. But the problem is, they just aren't a big draw. I know one of the problems in the past with them is that they did zero promotion for their shows. Not sure if that was an issue this time around, but if so, it is something they should address. Another thing they should think about is making more of a concerted effort to tour with other acts that actually do draw crowds. I know they did a joint tour with Queensryche and DT back in 2003, and I know DT is back to the evening with format for this leg of the tour at least. But trying to get back on a bill with one or both of those bands would be good for them. Maiden is another band that comes to mind that they would probably do well with. In any case, I think they should give that some thought.
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Matheos solo album teaser: https://jimmatheos.com/News/tabid/432/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/103/Halo-Effect-an-experimental-guitar-album-released.aspx
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Matheos solo album teaser: https://jimmatheos.com/News/tabid/432/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/103/Halo-Effect-an-experimental-guitar-album-released.aspx
The consensus so far from facebook has not been good.
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..That actually makes me more interested. :lol
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..That actually makes me more interested. :lol
These are all Fates/Jim Matheos fans from their fan pages.. *shrug*
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Apart from some of FWX and A Pleasant Shade Of Grey, Fates bores me. The fact that they don't like makes it seem more likely that I will like it.
Course, it might still suck, but I'm actually interested in hearing it now.
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Are we sure this just isn't a lost Buckethead album?
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Maybe. He released, like, 700 albums last year. He might have lost one on the way. :lol
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Apart from some of FWX and A Pleasant Shade Of Grey, Fates bores me.
You're stupid and your face is ugly. :biggrin:
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no u
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Review is up!!!
Really great show with some AMAZING opening bands. Links to all bands website are contained.
If you're into Enchant, please check out the first opening band Graphic Light Theory...they were AMAZING.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-nvfZiknHE
Great Review!!!
Also, I need to mention that I was wrong about the setlist when I posted my thoughts about the Cleveland show. I didn't realize it until I watched your review.
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Review is up!!!
Really great show with some AMAZING opening bands. Links to all bands website are contained.
If you're into Enchant, please check out the first opening band Graphic Light Theory...they were AMAZING.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-nvfZiknHE
Great Review!!!
Also, I need to mention that I was wrong about the setlist when I posted my thoughts about the Cleveland show. I didn't realize it until I watched your review.
Thank you! More coming up. Super Bowl....and the Transatlantic show. And all in one day! (thanks to some idiot concert promoter... :-\ )
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Matheos solo album teaser: https://jimmatheos.com/News/tabid/432/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/103/Halo-Effect-an-experimental-guitar-album-released.aspx
The song sounds interesting, but I'm not sure I'd listen to a full album of that kind of music.
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I personally don't understand or see the point of doing stuff like this.
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I personally don't understand or see the point of doing stuff like this.
I don't really get it either, but I'm all for him doing what interests him.
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Plus, let him get this stuff out of his system on a self-contained solo album rather than somewhere else we wouldn't want it. :lol
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I'm curious to see how many copies JM's solo album sells. Not that he's doing it for sales, but I'm curious if there's an interest in this type of music. Jim's two previous solo albums were beautiful.
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There is a market for weird ambient stuff like that but I don't think he'll get the exposure to that listener base coming from where he is mostly known. And I'm sure there will be no promotion done by anyone.
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What he said, there is definitely interest, and I know a bunch of people who listen to that sorta thing, but Fates isn't anywhere on their radar.
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FW has become one of my favorite bands in the past few months and Still Remains is one of the best songs I've ever heard :hefdaddy I've got all the Alder-era albums and I'd probably rank them like this:
1. Disconnected
2. APSOG
3. Parallels
4. Darkness in a Different Light
5. Inside Out
6. Perfect Symmetry
7. FWX
8. No Exit
The top 5 albums are all worth at least 4 stars and Disconnected is perfect in my eyes. Perfect Symmetry is musically good, but Ray's screechy singing makes it a bit hard to listen to. FWX has a few great songs, but isn't very exciting as a full album and No Exit has a thrashy vibe that doesn't appeal to me that much. I've tried listening to some John Arch-era songs, but I don't like his voice and the music isn't on the level of the stuff they've done with Ray IMO.
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John Arch does take some getting used to, but I found that the payoff is worth it. While I love Ray and his work with the band, there's a certain magic that Matheos has with Arch, as shown on both Awaken the Guardian and the Arch/Matheos album that came out three years ago.
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Has anyone else heard Jim's First Impressions album? I'm listening to it for the first time and it's frickin' beautiful :heart
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Has anyone else heard Jim's First Impressions album? I'm listening to it for the first time and it's frickin' beautiful :heart
Yep. I need to get the other one "Away with Words"
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How has Darkness in a Different Light aged for everyone? The first couple of listens didnt do much for me, but this disc is a major grower. I'm listening to it lots, very addicting.
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How has Darkness in a Different Light aged for everyone? The first couple of listens didnt do much for me, but this disc is a major grower. I'm listening to it lots, very addicting.
Meh, and I'm really not trying to be negative. I love Fate's Warning, but I haven't listened to it in months. Its got a few really solid tracks, but they are capable of more.
And also, waiting like 100 years for it to come up doesn't really help that much either.
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I think it's really good. I like it *worlds* better than FWX.
But I'm just stuck on other things right now. I still can't stop listening to Haken's The Mountain...and my next purchase is most likely going to be their first two albums. Also addicted to the new album by Odd Logic, and I'm trying to process their first three albums as well. Add to that...I've been getting nostalgic about an older local area thrash band (Forced Entry) that I'm going to be interviewing soon. I just don't have time for anything else.
Sometimes, even really good albums slip through the cracks, and this is no exception. It's not APSOG or Disconnected, but it's a very solid mid-tier effort from a classic band. And that's not a bad thing.
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I love this album. Keep spinning it at least once a week.
I'm still trying to hunt down the autographed vinyl version of this one. If anybody is willing to part ways with it, please let me know
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I'm not crazy about the album, but it's okay. I'm a much bigger fan of Alder than Arch, but the Arch/Matheos album, to me, turned out a lot better.
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I've honestly had no read desire and go back and listen to this regulary. The book end songs are great, but I find of lot of it in the middle pretty bland. I'd still take FWX over this.
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I love the album, but then again I'm a relatively new fan. The only song I don't like that much is Lighthouse.
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I've honestly had no read desire and go back and listen to this regulary. The book end songs are great, but I find of lot of it in the middle pretty bland. I'd still take FWX over this.
Just one of the bookends for me (And Yet it Moves) - the rest did little for me.
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It's a great album, but the Arch/Matheos album was definitely superior.
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I think I may have said this already in this thread, but: For some reason, Fates Warning in general has never clicked with me. On paper, they bring everything to the table that I like in music. But somehow, it just doesn't work. I love Ray Alder in Redemption. And I love what the rest of the band has done in some other projects, such as Arch/Matheos. But together, their songs just don't do anything for me, with the exception of the odd song here or there (Monument is probably my favorite).
X is the first Fates Warning album I found myelf enjoying and wanting to listen to. The latest album is even a big leap over that, and I would consider it their finest work. Some really good songs on there. I have probably spun it more than all other Fates albums combined.
Related: I ever so briefly met Frank Aresti at the Dream Theater show last week after sound check. He introduced himself to me simply as "Frank," and it did not click right away who he was until John Petrucci gave his full name. I felt a little silly then. :lol I did not say anything about the new album, partly because I was caught off guard by not recognizing him, and partly because, honestly, I have not paid enough attention to know whether he is on the latest album. I believe he is, but I did not want to put my foot in my mouth and say how awsome it was if it turns out he isn't even on it. Anyhow, seems like a really nice guy from what I could tell from such a brief meeting. I caught a few glimpses of he and his wife watching the DT show from over behind JP's guitar world area, hanging out next to Maddi.
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Frank does (did) all the solos on the album.
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My vague recollection was that he played on this album, but like I said, I couldn't remember for sure, and I would have hated to have said something completely off-base.
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My vague recollection was that he played on this album, but like I said, I couldn't remember for sure, and I would have hated to have said something completely off-base.
Yeah I hear you.
I would someday like to meet Jim Matheos. He's probably my favorite all time musician (lyricist and player).
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I got to meet the band on their tour for APSOG in Columbus, Ohio. Frank wasn't with the band at that point and it was Joey's first tour with them. Very nice guys all of them. We spoke to Joey the most, but made our rounds to all of them. Jim seemed to be very reserved, but friendly as well. If you ever get the chance to talk to them definitely take it.
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This is pretty awesome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa1zCov_nXw
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"And I knooooooooooow we're not children anymoreeeeeeeeee! Innocence lost in a seaaaaaaaaa of graaaaaaaay!" :metal
Sorry, just listening to some APSOG. That part always gets me.
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I've honestly had no read desire and go back and listen to this regulary. The book end songs are great, but I find of lot of it in the middle pretty bland. I'd still take FWX over this.
Same here.
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I've been obsessing over Jim Matheo's solo albums the past two weeks. Not the recent solo album that seems to be guitar "noise," but the first two solo albums that have lots of acoustic stuff and violins, etc. Wow, there is some amazing stuff on those two discs. I've listened before, but they never really hit me like this. I'm unhealthily hooked on them right now.
I've even been thinking i'd like to see a short tour of Jim/ Kevin Moore solo material. Jim plays a solo set first comprised of songs from his solo albums, then a short break before Kevin hits the stage for a set of his solo and Chroma Key material, then they both take the stage for an OSI set to close the show. Oh, baby. That would be so killer.
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First impressions and Away with words are amazing.
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I've even been thinking i'd like to see a short tour of Jim/ Kevin Moore solo material. Jim plays a solo set first comprised of songs from his solo albums, then a short break before Kevin hits the stage for a set of his solo and Chroma Key material, then they both take the stage for an OSI set to close the show. Oh, baby. That would be so killer.
Literally shoot me in the face because there's no point in living until I see this.
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For some reason Ray´s vocals shine more in Redemption than in Fates. I´d love to see another Matheos/Arch project.
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Anybody willing to part ways with the signed vinyl version that was up on the Inside Out webshop earlier in the year?
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Anybody willing to part ways with the signed vinyl version that was up on the Inside Out webshop earlier in the year?
I don't recall them being signed, just a specific color. I have one, I think. :rollin
Oh wait, I have the CM Distro double white vinyl.
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Anybody willing to part ways with the signed vinyl version that was up on the Inside Out webshop earlier in the year?
I don't recall them being signed, just a specific color. I have one, I think. :rollin
Oh wait, I have the CM Distro double white vinyl.
The webshop (Inside Out Europe) was offering signed Red copies for a while....I was out of the country and couldn't order from where I was. I'm kicking my head over this everytime I hear this record...I love this one...including the artwork, very simple and minimalistic yet seems powerful.
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The thread prompted me to listen to last year's album again. Yep, still amazing, album of 2013 for me.
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I really like Ray Alder in everything he does. Fates Warning, Engine, Redemption...it's all great. This latest album is really good too, but my all time fav FW album is still APSOG, hands down.
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It's time to make this thread more active. They are going in Europe and will come to city where I'll be in university. I'm not big fan (I like them but don't know all albums) but I got to see them and I like setlist from last leg.
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Fates Warning, Y U NO COME TO FINLAND?!
The only time they were here was in '95 when they were supporting DT. I guess they don't have enough of a fanbase in Nordic countries... :sadpanda:
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Fates Warning, Y U NO COME TO FINLAND?!
The only time they were here was in '95 when they were supporting DT. I guess they don't have enough of a fanbase in Nordic countries... :sadpanda:
I think this is going to be their first time in Croatia.
I always feel they are underrated, alsocthey are playing in small club and ticket is cheap. Reason more for me to go, I like smaller venues.
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FATES WARNING Singer Blames Band's 'Lackadaisical' Attitude For Lack Of DREAM THEATER-Level Commercial Success
Link: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-singer-blames-bands-lackadaisical-attitude-for-lack-of-dream-theater-level-commercial-success/
FATES WARNING singer Ray Alder believes that the group's "lackadaisical" attitude towards recording and touring was was what ultimates cost him and his bandmates the kind of sustained commercial success that is enjoyed by DREAM THEATER, a band that many consider to be the premier progressive metal outfit in the world.
Formed in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman in Hartford, Connecticut, FATES WARNING went through a number of lineup changes in its 30-year-plus career while releasing eleven studio albums, two live albums, one compilation album, one VHS, three DVDs (each of them features live concerts) and four demo tapes. The band experienced major American commercial success with the 1986 release of their third studio album, "Awaken The Guardian", which peaked at No. 191 on The Billboard 200 chart and became the first LP released on Metal Blade to enter that chart. Their next three albums, "No Exit" (1988), "Perfect Symmetry" (1989) and "Parallels" (1991), were also successful; the first two peaked at No. 111 and No. 141 on the Billboard 200, respectively.
Asked by Brazil's "Wikimetal" what he thinks about former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy saying DREAM THEATER often gets mistakenly credited for creating a genre that FATES WARNING launched years earlier, Alder said: "I get asked that a lot." He continued: "It's funny. They changed everything a lot, DREAM THEATER. They're amazing, amazing musicians, and I'm very happy that they have all the success they have. But their formula was much better than ours. You know, we would do an album and do a tour, and then we'd stop for a couple of years, or four years, and we'd another album and tour. They had the right idea — do an album, tour, do an album, tour, do an album tour — and they built their fan base by being there all the time. And the lack of us touring and putting albums out, it certainly hurt us a bit as far as fans [are concerned]. You know, we [release albums and play to] our fans that are there, and then we're not there anymore, so they move on to something else. I think a lot of it is our fault for being a bit lackadaisical in our performance and writing and things like that… Well, not in our performance — we definitely give everything we have when we play live — but I think that's probably one of the things."
Alder added: "But it doesn't bother me at all [that DREAM THEATER gets that kind of credit]. I mean, again, I wish them all the luck in the world, and it seems like they have it. [Laughs]"
In a 2009 interview with The Mooreatorium, former FATES WARNING drummer Mark Zonder was asked what he would say to those who credit the band with defining the progressive metal genre. "I think 'Eye To Eye' and 'Monument' are pretty close to perfect songs," Mark replied. "That is a very nice compliment, but it would have been nice for the band to progress and become a bit more successful in the commercial sense. I think that would have helped things along instead of us always sort of struggling with good tours, etc."
FATES WARNING's eleventh studio album, "Darkness In A Different Light", sold around 2,700 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD was issued in North America on October 1, 2013 via InsideOut Music.
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I tend to agree with him.
I first got in FW around the release of FWX which was in 2004. This is probably the height of my interest in the band, but yet the album drops and then they appear to disappear off the face of the earth. Besides the occasional overseas show, I honestly thought they were broken up permanently.
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Wow, another misleading Blabbermouth article. Who'd have thought.
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Nice to see The Mooreatorium get cited in the Blabbermouth article. That was surprise. Here's my 2009 interview with Zonder they cited, in case anyone is interested. He was pretty candid: https://themooreatorium.tripod.com/interview-with-mark-zonder-%28oct.-2-2009%29.html
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That's an awesome interview, M.
And that's a great quote from Ray about being lacksadsical. You can feel his frustration. I've said many times that Jim has made being a Fates fan a very frustratingthing. I've always felt that if he didn't care for his fans, then why should we? His erratic output, to me, showed a lack of respect for the fans.
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Wow, another misleading Blabbermouth article. Who'd have thought.
Doesn't seem misleading to me.
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They seemed to have the crossover potential with the release of Parallels, but I guess it was a number of factors that held them back. Not sure of all the reasons, but I think Fates should be on the level of DT
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They seemed to have the crossover potential with the release of Parallels, but I guess it was a number of factors that held them back. Not sure of all the reasons, but I think Fates should be on the level of DT
DT seemed to appeal to musicians at the time. I think that really helped their reputation.
Plus DT toured endlessly for I&W. Fates never did anything, especially in the Arch days. They never seemed to have a dirction or drive, even though they were making some pretty thoughtful music.
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They seemed to have the crossover potential with the release of Parallels, but I guess it was a number of factors that held them back. Not sure of all the reasons, but I think Fates should be on the level of DT
DT seemed to appeal to musicians at the time. I think that really helped their reputation.
Plus DT toured endlessly for I&W. Fates never did anything, especially in the Arch days. They never seemed to have a dirction or drive, even though they were making some pretty thoughtful music.
I was around when all that was happening. You have to remember that A) DT had a major label, and B) DT had the push of Pull Me Under hitting it big on MTV. I followed Fates ever since The Spectre Within. They were on Metal Blade back when Metal Blade was almost nothing. Fates did the east coast constantly in those days, and occasionally funneled down into LA. That's the way things have always been. Living in the Seattle area, it was always REALLY depressing to see Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver...etc...etc... all get to see bands that we never could...just because they were en route to LA. Fates Warning finally made it to Seattle on the No Exit tour, but I couldn't go because it was at a bar and I was only 18.
Trust me, FW did what they could. It was mostly when Parallels failed to make the splash that everyone had hoped for. Metal Blade had JUST been acquired briefly by Warner Brothers when Parallels came out, so there was a bit of an advertising push...but the singles just didn't become the "hits" that Pull Me Under did. Less than a year later, WB dropped Metal Blade and very nearly went under. (this was during the grunge push...and Combat *did* go under during this time. All the Combat bands were completely out of a job, and their albums went out of print for awhile)
Inside Out was released under the Metal Blade moniker...but some off brand label had picked up distribution (Priority Records?? I think???) Anyway, interviews with the band kindof hinted that everyone was pretty depressed going back into the studio for that record. They felt like they had had their "one big shot" with Parallels, and it just didn't happen. Then when IO did even less (far less I think) than Parallels did, Frank and Joey flew the coup. To tell you the truth, I thought Fates was completely done at that point....and in many ways, the original incarnation of Fates *was* done at that point. APSOG was essentially Jim re-inventing himself under the FW moniker. Not in a bad way, I'm glad he did. APSOG and Disconnected are now my top 2 FW albums.
All this is just to say that FW really did try hard to be a touring act up through Inside Out. But when Joey and Frank left...it became a bit more of a Jim Matheos side-project...even if the music did improve dramatically.
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Wow, another misleading Blabbermouth article. Who'd have thought.
Doesn't seem misleading to me.
Really? The title reads like Alder slams the band for lackadasical attitude, and denounces them. It frames the situation as "Alder vs. the band".
Then you read the article. Alder is very relaxed. He uses terms like "we" and "us" and generally seems like he's simply imparting facts, not making some sort of judgment, as the article implies. And this is nothing new for blabbermouth, it's basically how all their headlines read.
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The title is a little misleading but considering what Alder says, the title is legit. Anyone who knows Blabbermouth knows to read the article instead of making judgement on the story title alone. I don't think there is any other reason for what they do besides simply getting clicks on their page.
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Yeah, I know, that's what I take issue with. :lol
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It's a pity Fates never got to DT's (or Queensryche's) level of success, because Parallels could've been a big album with the right amount of promotion, but luckily they never stopped putting out quality music.
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I was around when all that was happening. You have to remember that A) DT had a major label, and B) DT had the push of Pull Me Under hitting it big on MTV. I followed Fates ever since The Spectre Within. They were on Metal Blade back when Metal Blade was almost nothing. Fates did the east coast constantly in those days, and occasionally funneled down into LA. That's the way things have always been. Living in the Seattle area, it was always REALLY depressing to see Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver...etc...etc... all get to see bands that we never could...just because they were en route to LA. Fates Warning finally made it to Seattle on the No Exit tour, but I couldn't go because it was at a bar and I was only 18.
Trust me, FW did what they could. It was mostly when Parallels failed to make the splash that everyone had hoped for. Metal Blade had JUST been acquired briefly by Warner Brothers when Parallels came out, so there was a bit of an advertising push...but the singles just didn't become the "hits" that Pull Me Under did. Less than a year later, WB dropped Metal Blade and very nearly went under. (this was during the grunge push...and Combat *did* go under during this time. All the Combat bands were completely out of a job, and their albums went out of print for awhile)
Inside Out was released under the Metal Blade moniker...but some off brand label had picked up distribution (Priority Records?? I think???) Anyway, interviews with the band kindof hinted that everyone was pretty depressed going back into the studio for that record. They felt like they had had their "one big shot" with Parallels, and it just didn't happen. Then when IO did even less (far less I think) than Parallels did, Frank and Joey flew the coup. To tell you the truth, I thought Fates was completely done at that point....and in many ways, the original incarnation of Fates *was* done at that point. APSOG was essentially Jim re-inventing himself under the FW moniker. Not in a bad way, I'm glad he did. APSOG and Disconnected are now my top 2 FW albums.
All this is just to say that FW really did try hard to be a touring act up through Inside Out. But when Joey and Frank left...it became a bit more of a Jim Matheos side-project...even if the music did improve dramatically.
J-Dude, thanks for posting all that. They definitely were a band that just could not get their break. Parallels is a great album, and it;s really too bad things didnt work out. Inetesting bit about the state of mind of the band while recording Inside Out. I love that album too. Saw them in a VERY small club in Providence on the Inside Out tour. I actually felt bad. Maybe 150 people there? I stood about 4 feet from Mark Zonder's drum set. You know who gained my respect that night? Ray Alder. That guy gave it his all in such a depressing place.
I guess my frustration comes after that point. That's when their output gets very haphazzard. The music has always been good, but the albums have come way too few and far between.
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This might sound weird, but I actually prefer seeing FW live than DT in recent years. FW shows are just so intimate. I love it.
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This might sound weird, but I actually prefer seeing FW live than DT in recent years. FW shows are just so intimate. I love it.
An intimate show is always great. I remember going to arena shows in the 80's thinking that it will be awesome when bands like iron Maiden and Dio would not be as popular and would have to play smaller venues.
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I always thought Fates release output was all over the place, not consistent as DT.
But looking back at Paralles and Inside Out, those two albums are either too soft to be considered prog metal, but a bit on the heavy side and prog to be AOR or pop. Comparing it to DT, DT went heavier and got tracking in the metal community. FW did not.
By the way, I love the band to death. Probably my favorite band aside from DT. And Jim M is my favorite musician...hands down (both lyrics and music, including OSI and his solo stuff).
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Remember too that by the time of APSOG, Jim was involved in more side projects. Before that, everything had always only ever been fates.
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I think Fates just never had a real clear vision of where they were going, when compared to DT and their career. It's hard to explain, but I know what I mean.
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Does anyone know if Jim has a day job?
During that 9 year hiatus, I often wondered how is this dude supporting himself, since OSI was here and there and it had been forever since FW released an album.
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I was googling for "Jim Matheos day job" and came across this:
https://www.fateswarning.com/Media/Interviews/2000/20000901.aspx
I never knew Still Remains was about the death of his father. That explains the mood of the song...Will have to revisit.
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That's a top 5 Fates song, maybe top 3. Actually maybe higher.
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Both that and Something From Nothing would be in my Fates Warning top 10. Disconnected as a whole is just an awesome album, but those two are a fantastic one-two punch.
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I always thought Fates release output was all over the place, not consistent as DT.
I think it's the other way round - Fates put out albums rarely and don't fill them up to the max like DT, which makes them much more consistent IMO.
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I always thought Fates release output was all over the place, not consistent as DT.
I think it's the other way round - Fates put out albums rarely and don't fill them up to the max like DT, which makes them much more consistent IMO.
How does this make them consistent?
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I always thought Fates release output was all over the place, not consistent as DT.
I think it's the other way round - Fates put out albums rarely and don't fill them up to the max like DT, which makes them much more consistent IMO.
How does this make them consistent?
And I would say that Fates is anything BUT consistent.
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I always thought Fates release output was all over the place, not consistent as DT.
I think it's the other way round - Fates put out albums rarely and don't fill them up to the max like DT, which makes them much more consistent IMO.
How does this make them consistent?
I'd say Fates are far more consistent in quality than DT, who are just consistent with releasing material in a timely manner. But hey, that's just me.
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I always thought Fates release output was all over the place, not consistent as DT.
I think it's the other way round - Fates put out albums rarely and don't fill them up to the max like DT, which makes them much more consistent IMO.
How does this make them consistent?
And I would say that Fates is anything BUT consistent.
As much as I love them, I totally agree. The only thing consistent with Fates is Parallels and Inside Out. Oh and perhaps Spectre and Guardian.
I always thought Fates release output was all over the place, not consistent as DT.
I think it's the other way round - Fates put out albums rarely and don't fill them up to the max like DT, which makes them much more consistent IMO.
How does this make them consistent?
I'd say Fates are far more consistent in quality than DT, who are just consistent with releasing material in a timely manner. But hey, that's just me.
I have no opinion on this. Both bands have put out mostly quality material.
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I'd say Fates are far more consistent in quality than DT, who are just consistent with releasing material in a timely manner. But hey, that's just me.
Yeah, that's what I was saying.
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Blabbermouth posted an article with a live video from last night: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-video-footage-of-helmond-performance/
Ray sounds great! :tup No setlist hasn't been posted online yet, but Pale Fire is a cool addition. Too bad they're (still) not coming to Finland on this Euro tour, but I pray I'll get to see them one day... :lucien:
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Who this dude filling in/replacing Frank? He's pretty good.
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Who this dude filling in/replacing Frank? He's pretty good.
Yeah, he's pretty insane. His name is Michael Abdow. He does a lot of instrumental work, I believe.
https://www.michaelabdow.com/
As much as I love Frank's work in FW, if he ends up leaving the band, I'd be fine with Abdow replacing him.
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I really love Frank, he's done some of my fav solos of all time, but he is pretty ordinary live and always has been.
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I really love Frank, he's done some of my fav solos of all time, but he is pretty ordinary live and always has been.
Not only are his solos amazing, but he's an incredible songwriter. It'd be a shame to lose him, but if he were to end up leaving the band, maybe he could still help contribute from time-to-time as a guest writer or soloist like Kevin?
It'd be interesting to see what Abdow might contribute to the band as a songwriter if he ends up being a permanent member...
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The new setlist looks pretty awesome: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/fates-warning/2014/rockfabrik-nuremberg-germany-33cc185d.html
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The new setlist looks pretty awesome: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/fates-warning/2014/rockfabrik-nuremberg-germany-33cc185d.html
:hefdaddy What I'd give to see them live with a setlist like this...
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This is the setlist I saw: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/fates-warning/2012/hsbc-brasil-sao-paulo-brazil-2bde7426.html
With Mike Portnoy on drums!!!
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I'd be seriously bummed out if they skip Still Remains for the show in 10 days.
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I really love Frank, he's done some of my fav solos of all time, but he is pretty ordinary live and always has been.
Not only are his solos amazing, but he's an incredible songwriter. It'd be a shame to lose him, but if he were to end up leaving the band, maybe he could still help contribute from time-to-time as a guest writer or soloist like Kevin?
It'd be interesting to see what Abdow might contribute to the band as a songwriter if he ends up being a permanent member...
I'd be happy for Frank to just do songwriting and studio work with the band, because he obviously isn't overly keen on long touring.
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The new setlist looks pretty awesome: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/fates-warning/2014/rockfabrik-nuremberg-germany-33cc185d.html
:hefdaddy What I'd give to see them live with a setlist like this...
Yeah, this is a pretty stellar set.
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I'd be happy for Frank to just do songwriting and studio work with the band, because he obviously isn't overly keen on long touring.
I'm not sure if the issue is that he doesn't want to tour or not. According to Ray, Frank got married last year and started a new job. It could be that he'd love to tour again, he's just insanely busy. Either way, I'd prefer for that to not get in the way of another FW album coming out anytime soon.
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I talked to Frank briefly at the DT show earlier this year. It was a casual conversation, and I did not get into any of that stuff. But I can say that he and his wife relocated to a different part of the country and started new jobs, so that indeed is very likely to play into it.
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DAT SETLIST.
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DAT SETLIST.
Hopefully a DVD comes out of this tour. Amazing setlist...Wish is in it!!
IIRC, Frank got a job at D'DArio strings as an A&R Manager.
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I have a weird Frank story. I met him briefly at an Armored Saint show on Long Island in 2011. He did mention that he works for D'Addario Strings and was living on Long Island at the time. Anyway, the VERY NEXT MORNING I'm on my way to work and I stop at a red light about a mile from my job. A car pulls up next to me at the red light. It was Frank. I couldn't believe it. What are the odds? I was tempted to beep, but I didn't want him to think I was stalking him or something. It was just so ironic. A few blocks later he pulled into a "School of Rock."
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I was tempted to beep, but I didn't want him to think I was stalking him or something.
You? Stalking? Nah! :lol
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DAT SETLIST.
Hopefully a DVD comes out of this tour. Amazing setlist...Wish is in it!!
IIRC, Frank got a job at D'DArio strings as an A&R Manager.
Fair enough, good job. I guess perhaps maybe he does want to tour, but it wouldn't support his family like this day job would. Completely understand why he puts off touring then.
Would just like to say that the Life in Still Water tab is still one of the most difficult solos to play of all time. Just the techniques Frank uses in this is practically impossible to pull off in real time.
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Would just like to say that the Life in Still Water tab is still one of the most difficult solos to play of all time. Just the techniques Frank uses in this is practically impossible to pull off in real time.
I've never tried to learn any of his solos, but every time I've seen him play his approach looked very unique. I'm not surprised to hear someone say this. He's such an awesome and under rated player.
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Great setlist... but I liked previous one bit more :/
They are coming to capital in 6 days (where I'm on university) so venue is about 20-30 minutes from me. I'm still not sure should I go because I have many things to do. But it's only one evening :D and fact they are playing in small club attract me :P
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Would just like to say that the Life in Still Water tab is still one of the most difficult solos to play of all time. Just the techniques Frank uses in this is practically impossible to pull off in real time.
I've never tried to learn any of his solos, but every time I've seen him play his approach looked very unique. I'm not surprised to hear someone say this. He's such an awesome and under rated player.
Yes, he is very, very underrated.
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I saw them two days ago and it was amazing, definitely the best show I've seen this year (Iced Earth, Amorphis and Iron Maiden were all okay but didn't make me even half as emotional). I also met Mladen, and he can tell you they earned his sympathies even though he hasn't listened to them a lot before :)
We got a second encore, and Ray in particular was pretty touched by the audience. People from my friend group made a nice sign for Bernie and we held it up during Wish and We Only Say Goodbye:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10525783_10204685632076964_1368564978706067020_n.jpg?oh=caf6889c5f7bd36598b027c5edd65632&oe=54E0DE83&__gda__=1423385302_7de85513d5f3694803342ce90e7652e5)
this is Fates with the sign and the Serbian opening band, Asymmetry. They had a great concept EP two years ago and should publish something new soon, they're a sort of a dark prog band with shorter songs in vein of Evergrey and FW, so I heartily recommend them: asymmetry-band.bandcamp.com
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It's been a while since the last time I went to see a band that I'm really not that familiar with. But they definitely impressed me, I'll most likely know the stuff next time they come - and they definitely should, since the audience kicked ass as well. :metal It was great meeting Milena, we had a good time. :-*
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Just saw them live a couple of days ago. It was great. Very energetic show and the setlist was awesome too.
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I saw them last week, too and they were amazing. Great thing was venue was so small they were walking through audience to the stage. And also, before the show Bobby was walking through club and I was like WTF, is that really him? And he smiled to me as I was peering t him :blush
Setlist was great, sound was also ok and performance was amazing. 10/10 would see again.
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Second (?) encore, final night of the european tour in Athens:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oio1gZZEJKU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oio1gZZEJKU)
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Whoa, Fates Warning's "Awaken the Guardian" lineup will be re-uniting for a one-off show in 2016, per Blabbermouth. (https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warnings-awaken-the-guardian-lineup-to-headline-2016-edition-of-keep-it-true-festival/)
American progressive power metal legends FATES WARNING will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their "Awaken The Guardian" album with an exclusive headlining live appearance at the 2016 edition of the Keep It True festival, set to take place in April 2016 in Lauda-Konigshofen, Germany. The band — in its original "Awaken The Guardian" lineup, featuring John Arch (vocals), Jim Matheos (guitar), Frank Aresti (guitar), Joe DiBiase (bass) and Steve Zimmerman (drums) — will play the complete LP, as well as other songs from the Arch era of FATES WARNING. This will be an exclusive European show and the first time FATES WARNING will perform an old-school set with Arch on vocals.
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I need that emoticon that runs around in circles with its hands in the air....
The biggest shocker for me here is Zimmerman. I don't even think he played the one-off shows in Connecticut several years ago, did he? Maybe I'm wrong.
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(https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10421995_725079537574992_4781941595014354941_n.jpg?oh=eab97217fb59ab1a0353abd381ead091&oe=54FC6943)
Original Awaken The Guardian lineup featuring John Arch (vocals), Jim Matheos (guitar), Frank Aresti (guitar), Joe DiBiase (bass) and Steve Zimmerman (drums) playing the complete AtG album plus selected songs from the Arch era!
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I need that emoticon that runs around in circles with its hands in the air....
The biggest shocker for me here is Zimmerman. I don't even think he played the one-off shows in Connecticut several years ago, did he? Maybe I'm wrong.
yeah Zimmerman is the big surprise. What has he done post No Exit?
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All the cool shit always ends up in Europe :sadpanda:
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Very interesting news! A wonder if it will actually just be a one time event
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Wow, Ray must be super pissed. This could lead into something.
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Wow, Ray must be super pissed. This could lead into something.
I *really* doubt this. John, Joey and Steve all went back to their day jobs years ago. I'm thinking that this will take extra rehearsals just to get in shape.
When I recently interviewed a retired local drummer about a possible reunion, he said it wasn't really a matter of remembering the parts as it was being out of shape from not playing a full set in so long...he said that process alone takes over a month. Drummers easily have the most physically demanding job of the entire band. I'm wondering how long it's been since Steve *really* sat down to play a set.
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Yeah, I guess you're right. Just first Arch/Mateos and now this. It looks like Jim and John are enjoying working together again, which is great.
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Ray is more than fine with this, it wouldn't be the first time he's either stepped out or shared the stage with John.
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Arch/Matheos should have just been labeled as a FW album.
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I hope they do something similar with A Pleasant Shade of Gray in 2017 to celebrate the 20th anniversary. I know during a meet and greet in 2013, Ray said they were hoping to play APSOG in its entirety again in the near future with that album's lineup -- including an invite to Kevin Moore.
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Oh, imagine the youtube bitching that will follow when Kevin just walks on stage, plays his parts and walks out as if the audience isn't there at all. It's going to be hilarious.
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Does anybody know if Iron Maiden's song Fate's warning from 1990 has anything to do with the band Fate's warning. I've always been curious about this.
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Does anybody know if Iron Maiden's song Fate's warning from 1990 has anything to do with the band Fate's warning. I've always been curious about this.
No, the lyrics have no relation to the band. But even though, I'm sure the band name must have had something to do with the song title, even just the band thinking it was a good name for the song regarding the subject matter.
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Just saw this on Facebook:
(https://s30.postimg.org/mqioi9cqp/fwgray1.jpg)
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haha, nice.
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:lol
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Hah, stealing.
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[slow clap]
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I'm not sure why, it could just be me and probably is, but every album this band releases strikes me as "pretty good" upon the first couple of listens, then I usually put them down for quite a long time (several weeks or longer) and when I come back to them later they BLOW.MY.MIND :hefdaddy
Matheos is just....amazing. His riffs and playing are always interesting.
I wish Ray would quit smoking :facepalm:
Anyway, spun this one yesterday start to finish while shoveling snow. Great album. :hat
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I just made a pretty neat discovery that kinda links FWX to Darkness in a Different Light. I was listening earlier to "Wish," the closing track to 2004's FWX. One of that song's final lines is: "May you never know this darkness, may you always see the light." The new album is called Darkness in a Different Light. Its just a little word theme link between the albums and it also shows how the way jim views dark moments in life might have evolved between albums.
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Kind of an off-topic question, but has anyone heard any news about Bernie lately?
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Kind of an off-topic question, but has anyone heard any news about Bernie lately?
I was wondering the same thing actually.
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Just bought Parallels used for 5.99. Gonna listen to it...soon.
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Just bought Parallels used for 5.99. Gonna listen to it...soon.
That's robbery. I think part of it is my first FW a album bias, but its still my favorite Fates album.
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For SO MANY people that was their first FW album....and it's so weird. Because my first exposure to FW was The Apparition from "The Best of Metal Blade Vol 1" which prompted me to immediately buy the (then) fairly new The Spectre Within.
I'll never forget being absolutely FLOORED by AtG when I first heard it. Then being totally bummed when I heard that Arch was leaving...but how amazed I was when I heard Alder for the first time. Perfect Symmetry really threw me when I first heard it....but I had a four song demo cassette to ease myself into it. It eventually became my favorite FW album.
I say all of this to give you an idea of why I was so let down by Parallels. One of my favorite *METAL* bands had already successfully morphed into Rush territory without "jumping the shark", but after being a huge fan of their metal years for the previous six years straight...Parallels was just a bit too much on the commercial side for me. I grew to love it more as time went on. (I *always* loved LiSW and TEH) But the singles from the album always felt a bit too radio friendly to my ears.
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Just bought Parallels used for 5.99. Gonna listen to it...soon.
It's still my favorite.
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It's actually my 4th Fates Warning album. I enjoyed it, I already heard Life In Still Water, The Eleventh Hour, Point of View.
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Just bought Parallels used for 5.99. Gonna listen to it...soon.
It's still my favorite.
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Just bought Parallels used for 5.99. Gonna listen to it...soon.
It's still my favorite.
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Just bought Parallels used for 5.99. Gonna listen to it...soon.
It's still my favorite.
This.
I'll go one better. I had the original version on cd, and then I purchased the 2CD/DVD or whatever it was when it came out a couple of years ago. About a year after that was released I saw the same new version in the clearance bin for $4.99 Australian dollars, brand new! I picked it up again just out of principal and I was pissed that they had no idea what they were putting in the throw out bin. I have three copies now. :lol
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I got the original cd. Its not even scratched at all, just a few fingerprints which are easy to remove.
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Road goes on forever :heart
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I got the original cd. Its not even scratched at all, just a few fingerprints which are easy to remove.
That's still an amazing price for this quality album.
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I picked it up again just out of principal and I was pissed that they had no idea what they were putting in the throw out bin. I have three copies now. :lol
:lol :hefdaddy
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I picked it up again just out of principal and I was pissed that they had no idea what they were putting in the throw out bin. I have three copies now. :lol
:lol :hefdaddy
That's dedication to metal!
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I picked it up again just out of principal and I was pissed that they had no idea what they were putting in the throw out bin. I have three copies now. :lol
:lol :hefdaddy
That's dedication to metal!
:metal
It's just that good of a CD. It's funny because if you ask me what my favorite Fates Warning CD, I say Parallels without even blinking. Ask me what my second favorite CD is. I have no idea. I feel like it doesn't matter because Parallels is what hooked me on them. Everything else could have sucked and Parallels would still have its brilliance. Luckily, everything else is pretty good too. To pick a second favorite CD though, I'd have to sit and think about it.
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Parallels is the only FW album that I really "know" properly off the top of my head and could immediately name fave tracks etc..........I have all the rest and know that overall I much prefer the Alder stuff , but Parallels is where it's at for me .
If I was pushed to add to that......then the albums either side of it.
PS Zonder's drumming on APSOG stands out in my mind too .
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PS Zonder's drumming on APSOG stands out in my mind too .
He's an extremely underrated drummer. I love watching him play. His technique is so different from what I'm used to seeing.
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I picked it up again just out of principal and I was pissed that they had no idea what they were putting in the throw out bin. I have three copies now. :lol
:lol :hefdaddy
That's dedication to metal!
This was during a time when my cd buying was out of control. Thankfully I see these days how stupid doing things like this is. This certainly wasn't the firt time I've purchased multiple copies of something. :lol Luckilly, I grew up a bit.
In hindsight, by buying the cheap copy I'm robbing some random punter in hearing the album as it would have more of a chance selling to someone just cause of the price, but a few years ago, I didn't think this way at all.
PS Zonder's drumming on APSOG stands out in my mind too .
He's an extremely underrated drummer. I love watching him play. His technique is so different from what I'm used to seeing.
I love Zonder's playing, so underrated. If not one of the most underrated drummers.
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I remember at one of the APSOG shows I went to that I he had this unique style. I actually wound up focusing more on him than the guitars for most of the night, which is unusual for me.
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I picked it up again just out of principal and I was pissed that they had no idea what they were putting in the throw out bin. I have three copies now. :lol
:lol :hefdaddy
That's dedication to metal!
:metal
It's just that good of a CD. It's funny because if you ask me what my favorite Fates Warning CD, I say Parallels without even blinking. Ask me what my second favorite CD is. I have no idea. I feel like it doesn't matter because Parallels is what hooked me on them. Everything else could have sucked and Parallels would still have its brilliance. Luckily, everything else is pretty good too. To pick a second favorite CD though, I'd have to sit and think about it.
It's odd. I like Parallels, but I actually see it as the first big drop-off in quality from the band following the string of quality albums of Awaken the Guardian all the way up to Perfect Symmetry. It's just 'great' to me, instead of being a flat-out masterpiece like what had immediately preceded it and what the band would do later with APSOG and Disconnected.
That said, with that perspective in mind, I can totally relate to it being really difficult to pick a favorite Fates Warning album once Parallels is out of the equation.
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Just a few dates have been officially posted, but it looks like FW will be doing a U.S. tour in the fall!
Current shows listed:
October 09 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater
October 10 - Worcester, MA @ Palladium
October 11 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
October 23 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
October 24 - Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
October 25 - San Antonio, TX @ 210 Kapone's Live
:metal
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In other news, the voice of Siri apparently likes Fates:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11046918_768324259917186_6027423626079027361_n.png?oh=510ade3fd801c63cf40eda651c991afa&oe=558AEB54&__gda__=1434825278_8f8ca72642cd39b69e095bfbc06fb74a)
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Just a few dates have been officially posted, but it looks like FW will be doing a U.S. tour in the fall!
Current shows listed:
October 09 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater
October 10 - Worcester, MA @ Palladium
October 11 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
October 23 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
October 24 - Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
October 25 - San Antonio, TX @ 210 Kapone's Live
:metal
Hoping for something a little closer than Poughkeepsie. :biggrin:
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PS Zonder's drumming on APSOG stands out in my mind too .
He's an extremely underrated drummer. I love watching him play. His technique is so different from what I'm used to seeing.
I love Zonder's playing, so underrated. If not one of the most underrated drummers.
[/quote]
Mark Zonder's style is unusual to say the least. I love it, but I can see how his technique can be off-putting to some. When he joined the band with Perfect Symmetry, it signalled a move to a more ambient 'Pink Floyd-ian' sound that has stayed with them ever since.
If ever there was a metal band that celebrated a minimalistic approach, it would be Fates Warning. There's a sonic space that this band occupies that's maddeningly difficult to put a finger on. From Zonder's drumming to Alder's tone, it's almost as if Fates Warning occupies those spaces in-between...all the musical gray areas so to speak (pun intended).
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"Siri, what is your opinion on--"
"My opinion is just a point of view, and your position is the other side."
"..."
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"Siri, what is your opinion on--"
"My opinion is just a point of view, and your position is the other side."
"..."
...I love you
:rollin
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Mark Zonder's style is unusual to say the least. I love it, but I can see how his technique can be off-putting to some. When he joined the band with Perfect Symmetry, it signalled a move to a more ambient 'Pink Floyd-ian' sound that has stayed with them ever since.
If ever there was a metal band that celebrated a minimalistic approach, it would be Fates Warning. There's a sonic space that this band occupies that's maddeningly difficult to put a finger on. From Zonder's drumming to Alder's tone, it's almost as if Fates Warning occupies those spaces in-between...all the musical gray areas so to speak (pun intended).
Wow, now that is some prog mumbo jumbo! :lol
The Floydian influence though would not show up until APSOG. They still had to get through Paralells and Inside Out, which I still maintain are their two best and most focused albums.
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Mark Zonder's style is unusual to say the least. I love it, but I can see how his technique can be off-putting to some. When he joined the band with Perfect Symmetry, it signalled a move to a more ambient 'Pink Floyd-ian' sound that has stayed with them ever since.
If ever there was a metal band that celebrated a minimalistic approach, it would be Fates Warning. There's a sonic space that this band occupies that's maddeningly difficult to put a finger on. From Zonder's drumming to Alder's tone, it's almost as if Fates Warning occupies those spaces in-between...all the musical gray areas so to speak (pun intended).
Wow, now that is some prog mumbo jumbo! :lol
The Floydian influence though would not show up until APSOG. They still had to get through Paralells and Inside Out, which I still maintain are their two best and most focused albums.
Prog and mumbo jumbo go hand in hand dontchaknow.
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As much as APSOG floored me, Disconnected is pure perfect to me. And for exactly LudwigVan stated. Something From Nothing is a grower, but it is now easily in my top five from their entire catalog. The entire ambient section just floors me every time.
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I love Disconnected. I didn't when I first heard it, the whole thing is a big grower, but it would be top 3 for me.
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Disconnected is a big time grower. Its awesome!
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Seeing still remains live was one of my favorite concert experiences ever. And being directly in front of jim made it even better.
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Disconnected is my favorite as well. :metal
"Siri, what is your opinion on--"
"My opinion is just a point of view, and your position is the other side."
"..."
:clap:
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Updated tour dates!
Oct. 09 The Webster Theater (Hartford, Connecticut)
Oct. 10 The Palladium (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Oct. 11 The Chance Theater (Poughkeepsie, New York)
Oct. 13 St. Vitus (Brooklyn, New York)
Oct. 14 Club Revolution (Amityville, New York)
Oct. 16 Token Lounge (Detroit, Michigan)
Oct. 17 Reggie's (Chicago, Illinois)
Oct. 18 Agora Theater (Cleveland, Ohio)
Oct. 23 Trees (Dallas, Texas)
Oct. 24 Scout Bar (Houston, Texas)
Oct. 25 Kapone's Live (San Antonio, Texas)
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As a quick aside, Joey Vera and John Bush were on Eddie Trunk's radio show last week talking about new Armored Saint.
Eddie did ask Joey about FW, and he said the band is currently in a "writing phase" as we speak. Just an interesting nugget! :metal
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As a quick aside, Joey Vera and John Bush were on Eddie Trunk's radio show last week talking about new Armored Saint.
Eddie did ask Joey about FW, and he said the band is currently in a "writing phase" as we speak. Just an interesting nugget! :metal
That's awesome news! I'm surprised that they would be working on a new album already, but you'll get no complaints from me.
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Look forward to it - and the Armored Saint even a bit more tbh.
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Updated tour dates!
Oct. 09 The Webster Theater (Hartford, Connecticut)
Oct. 10 The Palladium (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Oct. 11 The Chance Theater (Poughkeepsie, New York)
Oct. 13 St. Vitus (Brooklyn, New York)
Oct. 14 Club Revolution (Amityville, New York)
Oct. 16 Token Lounge (Detroit, Michigan)
Oct. 17 Reggie's (Chicago, Illinois)
Oct. 18 Agora Theater (Cleveland, Ohio)
Oct. 23 Trees (Dallas, Texas)
Oct. 24 Scout Bar (Houston, Texas)
Oct. 25 Kapone's Live (San Antonio, Texas)
Brooklyn...excellent!! :metal
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Look forward to it - and the Armored Saint even a bit more tbh.
The Armored Saint cannot come soon enough!
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Look forward to it - and the Armored Saint even a bit more tbh.
The Armored Saint cannot come soon enough!
Should be great!!
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Was there any mention of VIP tickets yet? I don't recall seeing anything. I thought the $50 value was great for what we got last tour on the meet and greets -- sound check, photos, lots of time to talk to the band, etc. Good stuff.
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Just found out about the Chicago Reggies show. Looking forward to getting my ticket :metal
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When I was looking at their current tour dates, there was a banner at the bottom announcing an exclusive European show coming in 2016 with the original Awaken the Guardian lineup playing AtG *IN ITS ENTIRETY* along with other Arch-era material!!
No date or venue yet...just "coming in 2016".
:panicattack:
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That would be badass.
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Parallels is a well produced album, and one of the best albums of the 1990s. The Eleventh Hour is the jewel of this album. Monument is a piece de resistance, but overall Inside Out defers greatness to albums like Disconnected and Awaken The Guardian (and A Pleasant Shade of Gray, which gets better after each listen). Nonetheless, the Parallels / Inside Out combo is miles above the combo that the great Iron Maiden released in the same time period.
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Pleasant Shade Of Gray Deluxe edition!
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-deluxe-reissue-of-a-pleasant-shade-of-gray-to-be-made-available-in-october/ (https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-deluxe-reissue-of-a-pleasant-shade-of-gray-to-be-made-available-in-october/)
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Sounds like a great package. The DVD may entice me to get this.
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Any word on Frank touring this time?
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that's cool and all, and I'll likely be picking it up as I'll admit to be a huge fanboy, but I gotta believe I'm not the only one wondering if a VINYL edition could come out for an anniversary/deluxe, etc. Maybe for the 20th anniversary in 2017?
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I'm very much hoping that this reissue means a tour in 2016 in which the band plays APSOG in its entirety start to finish. I seem to recall Jim mentioning in previous interviews that he'd like to do that at some point. And Ray mentioned at a meet and greet in 2013 that the band had their eye on doing it.
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Any word on Frank touring this time?
Yes. Frank is NOT touring this time around. It's Michael Abdow taking his place.
Great news on the APSOG reissue. Can't wait to get it.
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Looks like an amazing package.
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Any word on Frank touring this time?
Yes. Frank is NOT touring this time around. It's Michael Abdow taking his place.
Great news on the APSOG reissue. Can't wait to get it.
Yeah that's why I skipped last round (2014/2015).. to me without the Jim/Frank chemistry I'm just not sure I want to go.
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very cool!
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Any word on Frank touring this time?
Yes. Frank is NOT touring this time around. It's Michael Abdow taking his place.
Great news on the APSOG reissue. Can't wait to get it.
Yeah that's why I skipped last round (2014/2015).. to me without the Jim/Frank chemistry I'm just not sure I want to go.
I seen them in Cleveland on the last tour. MA did a very good job playing Frank's stuff. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised if you decided to give it a go.
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Looks like an amazing package.
(https://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r47/jammindude/thats-what-she-said-o_zpsvwd84jq3.gif~original)
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:rollin The comment was totally unintentional.
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I'd buy that reissue in a heartbeat if I didn't have the album already... :o
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I'm wondering if the autographed editions of APSOG being signed by the current lineup or the lineup that appeared on the album featuring Zonder and Moore? I posted the question on FW's Facebook thread about the reissue, but I haven't heard back yet.
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And Ray mentioned at a meet and greet in 2013 that the band had their eye on doing it.
Mike, when Ray talked about that, did he really mention inviting Kevin Moore by name or "the original album's lineup" verbatim? I'm really interested, obviously I would die to see it.
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He did say that they'd invite Kevin, but he added that you never know what Kevin is up to -- so they'd have to see how it played out. :)
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Imagine that lineup. Like, fuck, ZONDER, MAN :metal
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my roommate/best friend Tony's band Imminent Sonic Destruction is the support for the east coast portion of FW's tour. You guys should check them out, I'd assume you'll like them
https://imminentsonicdestruction.bandcamp.com/album/recurring-themes
they've got a new record coming out this year, too.
if anyone wants to meet me I'll be at the October 16th show :P
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I did a short, but sweet interview with Jim Matheos today:
https://www.thatdrummerguy.com/blog/that-drummer-guy-interviews-jim-matheos-fates-warning-osi-archmatheos (https://www.thatdrummerguy.com/blog/that-drummer-guy-interviews-jim-matheos-fates-warning-osi-archmatheos)
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Thanks for the interview! Great read!
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Thanks for the interview! Great read!
THanks! :tup
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Thanks for the good intie! :tup Too bad there are no plans for OSI at the moment, but it's great to hear he'd love to make another record.
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Thanks for the interview! Great read!
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Great interview.
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Well, I'd shoot a load if FW ever did an album with both Ray Alder and John Arch. For that matter, I'd shoot one if they just did another Arch\Matheos album. Sympathetic Resonance was so f*cken good.
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I believe Arch / Matheos are looking to make more music:
edit: just re-reading my write-up from a few years ago
https://allmediareviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/archmatheos-sympathetic-resonance-track.html
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A FW album with both Alder and Arch would be spectacular
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I hope they film a DVD for this tour, at some point. The songs they've been bringing back as well as the new songs would be nice to have documented.
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Glad you guys dig the interview!
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So no side-stuff any time soon. Oh well.
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Great interview, JRundquist! I enjoyed that. And good questions about Kevin too!
On a separate note, I still had no luck getting an answer to this question:
I'm wondering if the autographed editions of APSOG being signed by the current lineup or the lineup that appeared on the album featuring Zonder and Moore? I posted the question on FW's Facebook thread about the reissue, but I haven't heard back yet.
I e-mailed Metal Blade and posted on FW, Matheos and Brian Slagel's FB threads about this APSOG re-issue -- and no one replied! To me, it doesn't make sense to have Mike Abdow and Bobby Z sign the re-issues if they had nothing to do with APSOG. It would be cool to have Zonder and Moore sign them.
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0144R8FM4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00
APSOG expanded edition up on Amazon for preorder.
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Listening to APSOG tonight (after listening to Parallels). Looking forward to them coming back through Chicago in October.
And it doesn't fail. Every time I listen to part 6, it moves me, almost like Rush's The Analog Kid.
I love Fates Warning.
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Just got my VIP ticket for the Amityville, NY, show. Woo-hoo! Just realized the Brooklyn show the night before might conflict with MLB baseball playoffs! I'm a Mets fan, and it says the NLDS games are the same night. The Mets never make the playoffs, so they're appearance might cost me a FW show. :/
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FW > sports. And if you make the right decision, try to sneak in an OSI question or two for us :p
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Just got my VIP ticket for the Amityville, NY, show. Woo-hoo! Just realized the Brooklyn show the night before might conflict with MLB baseball playoffs! I'm a Mets fan, and it says the NLDS games are the same night. The Mets never make the playoffs, so they're appearance might cost me a FW show. :/
I can't believe that. You are one of the biggest FW fans I've ever seen, you can't miss a show! PVR!!!
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FW > sports.
This
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Some cool news, according to Bobby J a new FW album will be released next year. He said the material is already all written.
From this interview with Rikki Rachtman on Bravewords (https://bravewords.com/news/riki-rachtman-says-theres-no-chance-of-headbangers-ball-being-resurrected) (not sure why the Bobby part was included):
"We are working on a new record (Fates Warning), it’s going to be in 2016 and it’s going to be really cool. All the material is written.”
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Good
I don't feel like waiting 8 years again
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Good
I don't feel like waiting 8 years again
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Hope Frank is back on lead guitar.
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Hope Frank is back on lead guitar.
Not for the tour. Possibly for the studio work. Has not been confirmed.
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Hope Frank is back on lead guitar.
Not for the tour. Possibly for the studio work. Has not been confirmed.
I meant for the album.
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FW > sports. And if you make the right decision, try to sneak in an OSI question or two for us :p
This.
Some cool news, according to Bobby J a new FW album will be released next year. He said the material is already all written.
:2metal:
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So I got VIP tickets for the San Antonio show.
I was wondering, what CDs should I take to sign? I was planning:
-FW - Darkness
-Chinese Firedrill - Joey Vera
-Both Engine cds - Ray
-Arch Matheos - since I have the metal blade signed booklet with arch and matheos' sig, I was planning to get Vera and Jarzombek.
-Three Jim's solo cds
Seems like an overkill....what do you guys think?
Edit: I also have all Redemption and OSI albums
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Fates Warning just answered my question on Facebook from two months ago regarding which FW lineup is signing the APSOG re-issues:
"Here's an answer straight from Jim: Ray, Mark, Joey and I have signed them all. Of course if anyone wants Mike and/or Bobby to sign them as well they'll be more than glad to at the meet and greet."
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So I got VIP tickets for the San Antonio show.
Man I'd love to go to that.
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Fates Warning just answered my question on Facebook from two months ago regarding which FW lineup is signing the APSOG re-issues:
"Here's an answer straight from Jim: Ray, Mark, Joey and I have signed them all. Of course if anyone wants Mike and/or Bobby to sign them as well they'll be more than glad to at the meet and greet."
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeettttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad Mark accepted to sign on them.
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So I got VIP tickets for the San Antonio show.
Man I'd love to go to that.
There's still VIP tix available.
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So I got VIP tickets for the San Antonio show.
Man I'd love to go to that.
There's still VIP tix available.
I'm not so concerned with the VIP, just the show. I like FW enough and if it was in Austin it would be a no brainer.
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Looks like Chris Collins's band Winterspell is one of the bands opening for FW at the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. Collins is the original singer for DT (Majesty era). Not sure if Winterspell is opening other shows. Would be cool to see him live finally.
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Looks like Chris Collins's band Winterspell is one of the bands opening for FW at the Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. Collins is the original singer for DT (Majesty era). Not sure if Winterspell is opening other shows. Would be cool to see him live finally.
Next to None too, you can say "omg hai" to Max Portnoy and ask him to tell his dad to go to Indonesia.
MP said on twitter he would not be attending Max's shows with FW due to other obligations (Winery Dogs)
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Ooh, should be interesting for Collins and Portnoy to meet again. I wonder if they've bumped into each other since DT's early days.
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Ooh, should be interesting for Collins and Portnoy to meet again. I wonder if they've bumped into each other since DT's early days.
MP won't actually be there. The Winery Dogs will be on tour at that time too.
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Bump.
U.S. progressive metal pioneers FATES WARNING have started work on their upcoming, twelfth studio album, to be released next year via InsideOut Music.
FATES WARNING guitarist and main composer Jim Matheos comments: "I'm happy to announce that all the music for FW12 is now written. Still some work to do on lyrics and final arrangements, but the plan is for us to start tracking in December with a release date planned for the first half of 2016. In the meantime, I hope to see and meet a lot of you on the upcoming U.S. dates."
Read more at https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-to-record-new-album-in-december/#Uy1puG0Aw3us2Iuj.99
:metal :metal :metal
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Bump.
U.S. progressive metal pioneers FATES WARNING have started work on their upcoming, twelfth studio album, to be released next year via InsideOut Music.
FATES WARNING guitarist and main composer Jim Matheos comments: "I'm happy to announce that all the music for FW12 is now written. Still some work to do on lyrics and final arrangements, but the plan is for us to start tracking in December with a release date planned for the first half of 2016. In the meantime, I hope to see and meet a lot of you on the upcoming U.S. dates."
Read more at https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-to-record-new-album-in-december/#Uy1puG0Aw3us2Iuj.99
:metal :metal :metal
(https://s2.quickmeme.com/img/ab/ab709e0a6410c5cedf8b59dc1f7fcedf3b9faf43f040004186aae8204023f752.jpg)
So early next year, we're getting new Dream Theater, Fates Warning AND Redemption albums? Sweet mama.
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great news!
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So, Alder then, right?
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So, Alder then, right?
Presumably, yes. I think Jim would have called it "the next Arch/Matheos album" if John were singing instead.
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I figured that.
Jim is like a man with two wives. ;D
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I think it would be cool if Arch makes an appearance though
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I think it would be cool if Arch makes an appearance though
:metal
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Every time that I listen to it, I find myself baffled that two of DIADL's best songs aren't on the standard edition of the album.
Anyone with me on that?
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I am really sceptical of all of these bonus track versions and alleged limited editions, that don't seem to be so limited.
It's all just a marketing and trying to milk fans for as much as they can.
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Yeah Limited Edition has basically lost its meaning.
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BTW, Chris Collins, yes the Chris Collins will be sharing the stage with Portnoy again.
Well, Max....and not at the same time.
Chris Collins's band Winterspell will be opening for Fates Warning in Worchester, MA. Next to None is opening several dates for Fates Warning including that one.
No word on if NTN will play Your Majesty with Chris guesting on vocals.
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I have no problems with albums being called 'deluxe editions' or whatever, but calling something, 'limited edition' is a contradiction when that version of the album is readily available all the time.
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FW's Worcester show is now up on Dime.
https://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=543469
Sounds fantastic!
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FW's Worcester show is now up on Dime.
https://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=543469
Sounds fantastic!
Thanks. I'll grab that when I get home. Will be seeing them on Sunday :metal
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Overall I really enjoyed the show last night in Denver. I would have loved to have heard Still Remains and I didn't need to hear Another Perfect Day, but the rest of the material was excellent. Great to see so many awesome songs. I saw them on the APSOG tour and the tour where they opened for QR/DT. I would say this was better than both of those.
I was really impressed with Bobby Jarzombek and MIke Abdow. While Bobby has a different style than Mark Zonder, he played those drum parts flawlessly. And Mike covered Frank Aresti's guitar solos perfectly.
Ray Adler can't hit the high notes he used to do on some of the first few albums he was on, but thankfully a) they didn't downtune the songs for it and b) he didn't make failed attempts to hit them and make me cringe. He just sang some different notes that were in the key of the song and I thought that sounded just fine.
Also it was great hanging out with Jackie before the show talking prog.
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Yes, I had a great time! They put on an awesome show, even if I didn't know all of the songs. The APSOG stuff was such a pleasure to hear.
Also I am sick as fuck today, so I'm glad I had fun last night.
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Fates Warning have nearly finished recording!
:metal
https://www.facebook.com/FatesWarning/photos/a.430387470377535.1073741825.180848601998091/950042235078720/?type=3&theater
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Hell yeah :metal :metal
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awesome!!
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Wow, what a nice surprise.
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Theories of Flight coming out on July 1:
(https://i.recordshopx.com/cover/big/4/46/461826.jpg?cd)
CD 1 – Main Album:
1. From The Rooftops (06:52)
2. Seven Stars (05:33)
3. SOS (04:34)
4. The Light And Shade Of Things (10:14)
5. White Flag (05:20)
6. Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen (05:13)
7. The Ghosts Of Home (10:31)
8. Theories of Flight (04:00)
CD2 – Acoustic Bonus Disc:
1. Firefly (03:15, previously unreleased)
2. Seven Stars (04:25, previously unreleased)
3. Another Perfect Day (03:25, previously unreleased)
4. Pray Your Gods (03:45, Toad The Wet Sprocket cover version)
5. Adela (02:25, Joaquin Rodrigo cover version)
6. Rain (04:03, Uriah Heep cover version)
The cover looks eerily similar to Chroma Key's Dead Air for Radios... Hell, there's even a song called SOS!
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Looking forward to this release for sure. Darkness was a major grower, but it's a fantastic album. Just got better and better with each listen
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Goddamnit, I've been checking the FB page each day and every day then when there's news, it just happens to be the day when I stop checking. :lol
This happened again. :lol
Interesting album name / cover. Looking forward to the album.
btw the length is 52:17
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Happy.
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Looking forward to this release for sure. Darkness was a major grower, but it's a fantastic album. Just got better and better with each listen
Exactly my thoughts.
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Can't wait
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stoked.
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Hell yeah!! Looking forward to this one. Jason is right, Darkness was a huge grower, but a wonderful album.
I wonder if Frank is on this? I hope so.
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I wonder if Frank is on this? I hope so.
Not sure why he wouldn't be.
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I wonder if Frank is on this? I hope so.
Not sure why he wouldn't be.
I guess you're right. He only was not touring with them, never officially left them I'm pretty sure.
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He also no longer lives on the East Coast. Not that that in and of itself means he is not on the new album, but just throwing it out there for what it's worth.
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Hell yeah!! Looking forward to this one. Jason is right, Darkness was a huge grower, but a wonderful album.
I honestly couldn't tell you the first thing about it. I think I played it a few times after its release. I should fix that.
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Hell yeah!! Looking forward to this one. Jason is right, Darkness was a huge grower, but a wonderful album.
I honestly couldn't tell you the first thing about it. I think I played it a few times after its release. I should fix that.
It was pretty tough to get into, but worth it. Not the best FW album, but a solid release.
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yeah it was tough to get into, but playing it a number of times really paid off for me
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I wonder if Frank is on this? I hope so.
Not sure why he wouldn't be.
I guess you're right. He only was not touring with them, never officially left them I'm pretty sure.
According to the press release, he's not involved this time:
https://www.fateswarning.com/TheoriesOfFlightannounced.aspx
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Fuck!
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While it sucks that Frank's not on this album, I'm not really all that surprised. The real shock for me is that Jim didn't ask Mike Abdow to contribute any solos on the album, since he's already been touring with the band for the past two or three years. I suspect that he'll probably still be part of the touring lineup for this album though.
In any case, I'm still looking forward to Theories of Flight. Especially if it continues the trend Matheos has been on in the past few years with the Arch/Matheos album and DiaDL.
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It was my first thought too that he possibly wouldn't be part of the album. No surprise really.
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I don't think this will affect the quality of the songs and arrangements, which have been responsability of Jim for a long time now. I guess it will be an album with less guitar solos, what I miss most from APSoG to FWX, although they are all great albums IMO.
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I'm also surprised that Mike Abdow didn't get the nod to contribute a little bit to this album. He deserves it, in my opinion. He's been a great replacement for Frank and is a hell of a nice guy. As a diehard fan, I don't really look at Adbow as a replacement anymore. I've gotten to meet him at a couple times now and he's really likeable. I love the way he plays some of the older FW material. He's a pro.
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Fata Morgana, Keep It Real Festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt1Gh2UdxGM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt1Gh2UdxGM)
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Arch is god :hefdaddy
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I hope a CD or DVD/BR comes out of this performance.
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saw the setlist with pics on FB. The only track that I love from that period they failed to play was "Traveler in Time."
damn..also odd how I had a dream the other night my fiancee said we would be in the Atlanta area during PPUSA and I'd be able to go. And Glen Harveston then commented on a post I made about it saying it was sold out but they may be able to get me in to see the show.
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Second hand tickets will not be hard to come by. You'll always find people selling them over the next few months.
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The one I was the most curious about was Zimmerman. He sounds fine. But I can't SEE him in that clip! :-\
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Never checked out FW with Arch on vocals.
Which album should I check out first?
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Never checked out FW with Arch on vocals.
Which album should I check out first?
Awaken the Guardian or the Arch/Matheos album from a few years ago (Sympathetic Resonance) would probably be the best starting points.
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I have both the AM and JA EP.
I meant old FW with Arch.
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Valley of the dolls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnl2tNxbX30 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnl2tNxbX30)
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The vids are good and Arch sounds great. The band seem nice and tight too.
Thinking about the new album, perhaps Frank just does a few solos but isn't credited as a full member anymore, he may just be listed as a guest on additional guitars or something. Hopefully there are some solos, Jim hasn't been interested it seems in soloing for quite a while now.
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A guitarist that has no interest in soloing ...........I wish him well with his recovery.
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A guitarist that has no interest in soloing ...........I wish him well with his recovery.
:lol Yeah I know. I don't think he's ever come out and said anyhting, but just seems that way as time goes on. Did Jim even have any solos on the last record? I'll have to go back and listen, maybe I'm just going crazy and dunno what I'm talking about.
I remember reading when Nils quit Nocturnal Rites, his reason was he simply lost interest in it. A shame.
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Yeah, it's been a very long time since Jim has done much in the way of soloing. OSI certainly doesn't offer much in that regard (and OSI is still freaking awesome).
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I think the solo in Firefly is Jim's.
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I think the solo in Firefly is Jim's.
I'll have to have a listen.
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Live, the first shreddy part of the solo is done by the other guy (forgot his name) and the second part is by JM.
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there was a point where John Arch was going to be in OSI (oh the potential), and of course Daniel Gildenlow as well.
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I think the solo in Firefly is Jim's.
I'll have to have a listen.
I think it's Frank Aresti on the studio version. JM played the second solo while Mike Abdow played the first when I saw them last year. JM seems to play the more melodical solos while Frank (studio) and Mike (live) play the faster solos.
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there was a point where John Arch was going to be in OSI (oh the potential), and of course Daniel Gildenlow as well.
Yup. But I think it all turned out for the best. OSI would have a totally different vibe with someone other than Kevin singing. Arch/Matheos is certainly badass, though.
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I think the solo in Firefly is Jim's.
I'll have to have a listen.
I think it's Frank Aresti on the studio version. JM played the second solo while Mike Abdow played the first when I saw them last year. JM seems to play the more melodical solos while Frank (studio) and Mike (live) play the faster solos.
Same thing when I saw them.
About that show, I think it was the first time they were in my country and they played in jam-packed club. Such a great experience.
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Theories of Flight is up on Amazon to preorder:
https://amzn.com/B01F7FOJ22
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Theories of Flight is up on Amazon to preorder:
https://amzn.com/B01F7FOJ22
FYI - This is the 2CD edition. Can't wait to get my hands on this one.
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Theories of Flight is up on Amazon to preorder:
https://amzn.com/B01F7FOJ22
FYI - This is the 2CD edition. Can't wait to get my hands on this one.
Yep. Stoked.
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Also stoked!
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New website design at fateswarning.com!
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Seen this on facebook tonight when I got off work. I'm not sure how to link directly to the post, so I'm copying the text from the message.
"Quick comments on the new album from Jim and Frank:
"Hi Everybody,
To clarify Frank's status with the band, he contributed a couple killer solos on the new record (Mike Abdow did one as well), but due to his current work commitments he will not be able to tour with the band for the foreseeable future. He remains part of the extended FW family and the door is always open for him to return anytime his schedule permits.
We hope to have an album sampler up later this week and the first full song shortly after that. As always, thanks for your support."
~Jim Matheos
---
"I absolutely love Theories of Flight, and I'm proud to be a part of it. I'll continue to do as much as I can, as often as I can, with the band. Meantime, they're in good hands with Mike Abdow, a great guitarist and a great guy. I wish them the best of luck, and look forward to sitting in on a song (or two). smile emoticon"
~Frank Aresti"
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Good that Frank is still soloing on this.
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Really looking forward to hearing this, come on July 1!!
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Hey, guys. I did a Q&A with Graceann Warn, the artist who created the cover artwork for Theories of Flight. Enjoy!
Link: Interview with Graceann Warn (May 2016) (https://progzombie.blogspot.com/p/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none_20.html?m=0)
Graceann Warn
Date: May 2016
Graceann Warn is a Michigan artist focusing on paintings and assemblages whose work has been exhibited in various galleries in the U.S. and Canada. In progressive metal, she is known as the artist who created "Theories of Flight," the artwork appearing on the cover of Fates Warning's 2016 album of the same name. Guitarist Jim Matheos adopted the flight-based phrase as the album title after coming across Warn's piece and being drawn to it as a "description of what some of the songs are about."
Q: For readers not familiar with your work, how would you describe yourself as an artist? When did you first start creating art and what style(s) are you best known for?
GW: I make paintings and assemblages. The paintings are encaustic on wood. Encaustic is an ancient medium now enjoying a bit of a resurgence. It is beeswax melted with dry pigment and resin, applied in its molten state, reactivated with a heat gun and manipulated with a palette knife. The assemblages (like the album cover art) are comprised of paper, wax and objects. I started with assemblages and later, once I figured out what I wanted to say, found my voice with paintings. Currently I make both.
My work would generally be described as abstract. Abstraction was always the style of painting that I was moved by as a viewer. The artists I looked at made marks and gestures on canvas that seemed like a secret alphabet to me, yet one that I could somehow read. My training in design probably cemented my interest in seeing form and color as being more relevant (to me) than representation.
Q: Where did you study art and what have been some of your more high-profile, or most meaningful, achievements and exhibitions in the art world – nationally or internationally?
GW: I have my degree in landscape architecture and also did graduate work, first in landscape architecture and later in Classical Art and Architecture (both at University of Michigan). I worked as a landscape architect for a few years after graduating but always felt the pull of art. I transitioned to art full time in 1986 once I found a way to support myself with it. I now show in galleries in the US and Canada. Frequently I have solo exhibitions with galleries, which was always my goal.
This art life has put me in touch with a lot of fascinating people and given me many opportunities. One of my most challenging and eventually satisfying projects was doing the set design for a major opera production of Orfeo. It was a massive two-year design project. I had never worked at such a colossal scale and I have always thought that this project provided a turning point in confidence which led to my making larger paintings.
Q: Is this the first time your art has been used for an album cover?
GW: I have done album art in the past, but it has been quite a while. My husband, Geoff Michael, is a recording engineer with a studio in Ann Arbor so I know many musicians and sometimes they ask for art. I think my first album cover was for a great Detroit band called Missionary Stew back in the early 90s. Fates Warning is the most "known" band I've worked with. I was very happy to have been contacted by Jim Matheos for this project. Similarly, I have worked on book cover art for a couple of published poets the most recent of which is Dan Gerber.
Q: Can you tell me about the piece Theories of Flight? When and how was it created, and how long did it take to make?
GW: Theories of Flight is one of a series of pieces I have been doing for the past couple of years that fall under a more general working title of "Distance and Observation." Much of my work is concerned with the sheer beauty of mystery. Bird flight falls into that category for me. I love to combine things from nature or science in my work. Many of these pieces may combine images that don't necessarily relate to each other in an obvious way.
Q: What is it about bird flight that particularly interests/inspires you?
GW: The flight thing goes back a long way. When I was 17 I took flying lessons until I ran out of waitressing money, but it was just something I needed to experience and I am glad I did it. Some people are fascinated by flying and I am one of them I guess. Just the fact that humans can't fly naturally and yet we go through unbelievable machinations to do so is amazing to me.
Q: Was the artwork modified, tweaked or expanded at all from its original form for use on the album?
GW: We had to tweak a little in order to accommodate the band name. I also added the number 12 to commemorate this twelfth album. For the most part this is the original version.
Q: One thing that caught my eye was the middle bird, which seems to be trapped in some sort of orb behind wire and nails. What kind of symbolism were you going for there?
GW: I'm creating a visual contrast between constraint and free flight. I used a lens over the middle bird image to create a sense of distance – literally and metaphorically. I also use lenses to tell the viewer to "look closer, don't miss this" ("this" in the bigger sense of the word).
Q: Can you shed any light on the meaning behind the writings – such as the Latin-type phrases or the numbers on the left side of the piece?
GW: The Latin text is all original to the astronomical imagery I'm using. These are copies of pages from antique cosmography texts that I collect. I like the obscurity that these ancient languages can provide and the text becomes almost a graphic image more than readable lettering. As I mentioned above, the 12 was made a little more prominent in honor of this album.
Q: Since you mentioned that Theories of Flight is part of a series of pieces under the working title of "Distance and Observation," can you tell me how many pieces are in the series so far and what are some of the other pieces in the series like?
GW: The "Distance and Observation" pieces are numerous and all unique, but I would say I have done maybe 40 or so in that theme. I've attached an image of four other ones in the series so you can see what they are like.
Q: Were you familiar with progressive metal previously? What are some of your favorite musicians in that or other genres?
GW: Admittedly, I was not aware of progressive metal, but now that I know about them I am a fan of Fates Warning!
Paintings generally have their genesis in a word or a line of words or music lyrics. Words connote images very powerfully for me. I have lists of single words or short sentences in journals, post-it notes, and random scraps of paper all over my studio (and car and house) awaiting transformation into a physical entity. I am constantly listening to music, reading, and looking for the zing of engagement with a word or two. Beginning this way generally gives me a strong sense of the direction in which I want to go with a piece, but sometimes things go awry, frequently in a good way, and I change course.
Music I listen to varies a great deal from Bach cello concertos to Neko Case, from Pat Metheny to John Coltrane. Depends on the day and what I need.
Q: What other artists have you looked up to, or been inspired by, during your career?
GW: The visual artists who have moved me the most are Joseph Cornell, Jasper Johns, Antoni Tapies, Robert Motherwell, Eva Hesse, among dozens of others. Poets include Pablo Neruda, Oliver de la Paz, Alexandre Vicente, Dan Gerber and Mary Oliver.
Q: What projects are you working on now?
GW: I am making a series of large (ish) scale paintings for some galleries that carry my work in Philadelphia, Aspen and Detroit. I have a solo exhibit going up on June 3 in a gallery in Cape Cod, and I am finishing those pieces this week. I am looking forward to this next few weeks as I just get to paint with no serious interruptions.
Q: Where can people go to follow, or get more information about, your work?
GW: I have a website: www.graceannwarn.com
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Hoping for a preview of something soon, the album is out in 5 weeks!
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Hoping for a preview of something soon, the album is out in 5 weeks!
Should be something very soon!!
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Fates Warning new album preview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1O7W9PKMEE
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Fates Warning new album preview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1O7W9PKMEE
Sounds pretty cool!
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Sounds incredible! And that video is neat as well. I knew I had a good feeling about this album!
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Wow....gonna be amazing
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So excited about this album. Production seems to be the best they ever had.
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Sounds very cool. The sound is fresh and new.
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Sounds very cool. The sound is fresh and new.
Not the riff starting at 0:14! :lol
But otherwise, yes, there are definitely some new sounds here.
-
Fates Warning new album preview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1O7W9PKMEE
Getting more Sympathetic Resonance vibes rather than DiaDL here, which is great. Loved both albums, but SR was definitely the stronger album of the two.
But yeah, this sounds phenomenal. Ray has more bite and power in his voice this time around than normal. I'm digging it.
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Sounds fantastic
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Shit, this sounds fucking unreal. My anticipation just skyrocketed.
Hoping for a preview of something soon, the album is out in 5 weeks!
They must had seen my post. :tup
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I'm always excited for new FW, but I didn't expect to like the teaser THIS much! I'm pretty giddy right now. Ray sounds outstanding and the whole band is clicking on all cylinders. I couldn't ask for a better teaser.
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I like what I hear.
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Seen this on facebook tonight when I got off work. I'm not sure how to link directly to the post, so I'm copying the text from the message.
"Quick comments on the new album from Jim and Frank:
"Hi Everybody,
To clarify Frank's status with the band, he contributed a couple killer solos on the new record (Mike Abdow did one as well), but due to his current work commitments he will not be able to tour with the band for the foreseeable future. He remains part of the extended FW family and the door is always open for him to return anytime his schedule permits.
We hope to have an album sampler up later this week and the first full song shortly after that. As always, thanks for your support."
~Jim Matheos
---
"I absolutely love Theories of Flight, and I'm proud to be a part of it. I'll continue to do as much as I can, as often as I can, with the band. Meantime, they're in good hands with Mike Abdow, a great guitarist and a great guy. I wish them the best of luck, and look forward to sitting in on a song (or two). smile emoticon"
~Frank Aresti"
A bit of a late response on my part, but thank God both Frank and Mike Abdow are getting to contribute some solos on this album! I have a feeling Jim might be doing some soloing on the album too, from the sound of the album samples (not sure though), but I'm glad to see Frank was able to still be involved for some extent and especially that Mike got to also throw in a contribution too. He's shaping up to be to second guitarist spot in the band what Joey was to the bassist spot back in the APSOG days at this point.
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Yeah, that first song I think it was sounds very much like Jim's lead work.
This should be good.
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I'm freaking stoked for this album.
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Already pre-ordered this bad boy. Fates Warning is one of only a handful of bands I still purchase physical media from.
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Sounds fantastic
Yes, sure does! :metal
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So... a guy stops next to me at a red light today and starts yelling at me. I reluctantly roll down my window and he comments on my DT decal, saying he's a prog drummer. The light turns green, and we drive at 15 mph yelling back and forth about bands through our open windows to the next red light a block away as cars follow behind us. I mention Fates Warning, and he gets pumped when I tell him how good the teaser is and says he's gonna check it out as soon as he gets home. \m/
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:metal
Decal = bumpah stickah!!
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Dat teaser :caffeine: I liked Ray's vocals on DIADL, but he sounds even better here.
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Haven't got time to listen, but omg new song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kkJ8qtgLBY&feature=youtu.be
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Haven't got time to listen, but omg new song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kkJ8qtgLBY&feature=youtu.be
Absolutely fucking brilliant, wow!!
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Haven't got time to listen, but omg new song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kkJ8qtgLBY&feature=youtu.be
Absolutely fucking brilliant, wow!!
Oh man, Ray sounds fantastic!
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Haven't got time to listen, but omg new song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kkJ8qtgLBY&feature=youtu.be
Absolutely fucking brilliant, wow!!
Oh man, Ray sounds fantastic!
Everything here sounds fucking amazing, especially Ray.
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It's really good song. I'm glad to hear they're back in the business of making album or album again.
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Haven't got time to listen, but omg new song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kkJ8qtgLBY&feature=youtu.be
Absolutely fucking brilliant, wow!!
Oh man, Ray sounds fantastic!
Everything here sounds fucking amazing, especially Ray.
Yeah, Ray sounds completely re-energized! It's a pleasant surprise! :hefdaddy
BTW, did Jim do all the solos on this song? The opening one is definitely him, but what about the later one?
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Later one sounds like Frank to me, but I don't know what the other fella sounds like. Second one I'm sure definitely isn't Jim, but would have to listen again.
EDIT: Pretty sure it's Frank.
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Even though Jim seemed to be more of the creative type in the band, I always found Frank to be the better player overall. You can usually tell the difference between their solos in some of their songs.
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Even though Jim seemed to be more of the creative type in the band, I always found Frank to be the better player overall. You can usually tell the difference between their solos in some of their songs.
Their styles are completely different. Frank is more of a shredder and technically more proficient.
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Even though Jim seemed to be more of the creative type in the band, I always found Frank to be the better player overall. You can usually tell the difference between their solos in some of their songs.
Mhmm. Also loved Frank as a songwriter. He whipped up some pretty great tracks during the AtG-Perfect Symmetry days.
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Haven't got time to listen, but omg new song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kkJ8qtgLBY&feature=youtu.be
Absolutely fucking brilliant, wow!!
Wouldn't quite go there, but yeah, fantastic song. This album is a definite purchase for me.
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Haven't got time to listen, but omg new song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kkJ8qtgLBY&feature=youtu.be
(https://s33.postimg.org/3q1w0vr4v/George_Costanza.jpg)
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Epic song. Really looking forward to this album now.
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Yes, sounds great.
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Cool song!!
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I always look forward to new FW. Unfortunately, they never got the popularity they deserved. Still one of my favorite bands.
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Sounds good, but I was hoping for something leaning slightly to the atmosphere of FWX/Disconnected. Guess I'll have to wait a bit, being FW they kinda do the general theme/sound of albums in 2 or 3.
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Good stuff - I was a bit disappointed when the heavy stuff started actually (I felt they had more to do with the intro) but I really enjoyed it anyway
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Very enjoyable song!
Jarzombek has a very recognizable style. Ray has got that tone that just hits the sweet spot. He struggles live sometimes but on
the studio albums he is like the Sinatra of prog metal.
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Very enjoyable song!
Jarzombek has a very recognizable style. Ray has got that tone that just hits the sweet spot. He struggles live sometimes but on
the studio albums he is like the Sinatra of prog metal.
Honestly, Ray's voice has been improving a lot since his weaker performance on Redemption's This Mortal Coil in 2011. Dude recognized that he wasn't taking care of his voice and it seems he has been working to get it back as much as possible. He sounds fantastic here, even if his upper range has diminished. He just sounds so freaking powerful here.
I love it.
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Ray has got that tone that just hits the sweet spot. He struggles live sometimes but on the studio albums he is like the Sinatra of prog metal.
:lol
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I'm hoping to start working on a proper review soon, but will just say this for now:
I've never thought FW sounded anything like Redemption, despite sharing a singer, until now. There are a couple of tracks, or at least spots in tracks that sounded like they came out of NVD's playbook. I'm actually happy to hear it, because it shows Jim doing new things with this album. All in all it's that nice combo of fresh and classic.
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I'm hoping to start working on a proper review soon, but will just say this for now:
I've never thought FW sounded anything like Redemption, despite sharing a singer, until now. There are a couple of tracks, or at least spots in tracks that sounded like they came out of NVD's playbook. I'm actually happy to hear it, because it shows Jim doing new things with this album. All in all it's that nice combo of fresh and classic.
I'm digging the sound of that! Does the album bear much resemblance to the Arch/Matheos album a few years back too? How does Ray fare? He sounds incredible on this and in the album samples.
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I'm hoping to start working on a proper review soon, but will just say this for now:
I've never thought FW sounded anything like Redemption, despite sharing a singer, until now. There are a couple of tracks, or at least spots in tracks that sounded like they came out of NVD's playbook. I'm actually happy to hear it, because it shows Jim doing new things with this album. All in all it's that nice combo of fresh and classic.
I'm digging the sound of that! Does the album bear much resemblance to the Arch/Matheos album a few years back too? How does Ray fare? He sounds incredible on this and in the album samples.
I don't think it hits on the Arch/Matheos style all that much, and I'd certainly say the last album had more of that.
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I'm hoping to start working on a proper review soon, but will just say this for now:
I've never thought FW sounded anything like Redemption, despite sharing a singer, until now. There are a couple of tracks, or at least spots in tracks that sounded like they came out of NVD's playbook. I'm actually happy to hear it, because it shows Jim doing new things with this album. All in all it's that nice combo of fresh and classic.
I'm digging the sound of that! Does the album bear much resemblance to the Arch/Matheos album a few years back too? How does Ray fare? He sounds incredible on this and in the album samples.
I don't think it hits on the Arch/Matheos style all that much, and I'd certainly say the last album had more of that.
Interesting. Out of curiosity, which Redemption and Fates Warning album would you say this most resembles?
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Ray sounds like a difference man to the last Redemption.
Pre-ordered from the IO shop orange vinyl + CD ;D
I must say that I do like IO practise of putting the CD (bare bones not booklet etc) with the vinyl releases.
I wish more labels would do this, instead of trying to milk the fans.
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I hope they do a t-shirt/cd bundle. I'm holding out on my preorder to see if they offer bundles.
Also... I think we should change the thread title to reflect the new album. :)
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I'm hoping to start working on a proper review soon, but will just say this for now:
I've never thought FW sounded anything like Redemption, despite sharing a singer, until now. There are a couple of tracks, or at least spots in tracks that sounded like they came out of NVD's playbook. I'm actually happy to hear it, because it shows Jim doing new things with this album. All in all it's that nice combo of fresh and classic.
I'm digging the sound of that! Does the album bear much resemblance to the Arch/Matheos album a few years back too? How does Ray fare? He sounds incredible on this and in the album samples.
I don't think it hits on the Arch/Matheos style all that much, and I'd certainly say the last album had more of that.
Interesting. Out of curiosity, which Redemption and Fates Warning album would you say this most resembles?
I wouldn't really pin it to any single Redemption album, it just sounds like that general style of metal from time to time. As for Fates, it doesn't really resemble any of them either. I'd say their are parts that certainly remind me of the last album, and in general the album has a heavy catchiness to it, perhaps not as clearly commercial as something like Parallels, but rather more like Inside Out.
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Ray sounds as good as ever on the new track. I'm usually not that into their singles, but this one sounds pretty darn good.
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The more I read and hear about this album (including what Nick said above) the more I think it is going to be my highest rated since Parallels.
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Parallels is still my favorite so this sounds very hopeful.
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My top three would go...
1) A Pleasant Shade of Gray
2) Disconnected
3) Parallels
From what I hear so far though, this new album could definitely be cracking the top three.
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To echo what Nick said, the album doesn't sound like Ray-era Fates; but absolutely not in a bad way. It's going to get lots of positive reviews I think, including from me (and it sounds like Nick as well).
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To echo what Nick said, the album doesn't sound like Ray-era Fates; but absolutely not in a bad way. It's going to get lots of positive reviews I think, including from me (and it sounds like Nick as well).
Isn't anything but the first 3 albums "Ray-Era" Fates?
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Parallels is still my favorite so this sounds very hopeful.
This.
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Damn. Just heard the new Fates Warning track and signed in to say it is pretty amazing.
I thought Megadeth had it in the bag for album of the year but it looks like they have some competition. Loved the guitar tone and the drums. Ray has some nice grit to his voice too.
Hope that the quality of the entire album matches this track. I was a little disappointed in their last release honestly.
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Parallels is still my favorite so this sounds very hopeful.
This.
Me too!
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Parallels is still my favorite so this sounds very hopeful.
This.
Me too!
I always leaned more towards Awaken the Guardian, Perfect Symmetry and A Pleasant Shade of Gray (in no particular order). However Parallels has started to click with me lately, after about three or four years of trying to 'get' that album. :lol
Won't lie though, I'm very excited for Theories of Flight. I have a feeling this one's gonna be something very special. :metal
Damn. Just heard the new Fates Warning track and signed in to say it is pretty amazing.
I thought Megadeth had it in the bag for album of the year but it looks like they have some competition. Loved the guitar tone and the drums. Ray has some nice grit to his voice too.
Hope that the quality of the entire album matches this track. I was a little disappointed in their last release honestly.
I need to go back and revisit the new Megadeth album. I enjoyed my one listen to it earlier this year, but I never bothered to revisit it. However I do think Fates Warning are gonna win the Album of the Year spot for me. There's just something about the band that clicks perfectly for me.
I liked DiaDL a lot personally, but it was a little bit of a letdown compared to the Arch/Matheos album before it at first. It does grow on you with repeated listens though.
However this new track and the album samples all sound more immediately 'energized' than the stuff from DiaDL did imo. I think it's probably a benefit of the band finally getting back into a creative writing mindset, since there was that nine year gap for DiaDL, as opposed to the three year gap for ToL. DiaDL could perhaps be seen as the band turning the old car back on after so long, and ToL in turn is the car after it's gotten fixed up and fine-tuned.
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Parallels is still my favorite so this sounds very hopeful.
This.
Me too!
I always leaned more towards Awaken the Guardian, Perfect Symmetry and A Pleasant Shade of Gray (in no particular order). However Parallels has started to click with me lately, after about three or four years of trying to 'get' that album. :lol
Won't lie though, I'm very excited for Theories of Flight. I have a feeling this one's gonna be something very special. :metal
As do I. I have to say that in the 25 years I've been listening to them, they have never disappointed me. I'm not a huge fan of their John Arch-era releases, but they're good enough to get my full Fates Warning kick in gear. :metal
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As do I. I have to say that in the 25 years I've been listening to them, they have never disappointed me. I'm not a huge fan of their John Arch-era releases, but they're good enough to get my full Fates Warning kick in gear. :metal
Mhmm. I love the Arch-era material a great deal, but it really is something of an acquired taste. Not to mention that the Alder material is just so drastically different from the Arch-era, aside from No Exit. In fact, I think that it's a lot easier to compare most of Ray's material with Arch/Matheos than it is with something like Awaken the Guardian, since A/M is more in line with Jim's songwriting style from Perfect Symmetry onward.
BTW, one of the mods over at Sputnikmusic has heard ToF too. Dude described it as "Arch/Matheos meets Darkness in a Different Light meets Parallels, but with heavier parts than any of those albums" and that it was the best thing the band's done since Parallels.
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Review:
https://seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=18811
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Review:
https://seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=18811
Nice! :metal
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Review:
https://seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=18811
Yessssssssssssss :metal
I'm hoping we hear another new song or two before the rest of the album comes out.
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Review:
https://seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=18811
Yessssssssssssss :metal
I'm hoping we hear another new song or two before the rest of the album comes out.
I would be surprised if "White Flag" is not used in some promotional capacity. There is so much to love about this album, but as far as non-epic Fates Warning tracks are concerned, this could frankly be one of the best in several albums, and it's very catchy. All that said, there are probably 2 other tracks I could pretty much say the same thing about.
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As do I. I have to say that in the 25 years I've been listening to them, they have never disappointed me. I'm not a huge fan of their John Arch-era releases, but they're good enough to get my full Fates Warning kick in gear. :metal
Mhmm. I love the Arch-era material a great deal, but it really is something of an acquired taste. Not to mention that the Alder material is just so drastically different from the Arch-era, aside from No Exit. In fact, I think that it's a lot easier to compare most of Ray's material with Arch/Matheos than it is with something like Awaken the Guardian, since A/M is more in line with Jim's songwriting style from Perfect Symmetry onward.
I've never heard Arch/Matheos. Maybe I'll check it out today. I'll see if it's on Spotify.
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I would be surprised if "White Flag" is not used in some promotional capacity. There is so much to love about this album, but as far as non-epic Fates Warning tracks are concerned, this could frankly be one of the best in several albums, and it's very catchy. All that said, there are probably 2 other tracks I could pretty much say the same thing about.
I'm betting "Seven Stars" will be the first official single off the album, since that's the track they decided to do an acoustic version of on the second disk of the album. Not to mention that its chorus sounded really catchy in the album samples video from before. But "White Flag" could also make sense, based on your comments. Maybe it'll be the "I Am" of this album and be the second single they release?
I've heard elsewhere that either "White Flag" or "Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen" gets kinda Symphony X-ish at times. Is that true? I'm guessing whichever track that is is the one with Mike Abdow's solo. :biggrin:
I've never heard Arch/Matheos. Maybe I'll check it out today. I'll see if it's on Spotify.
Definitely check it out. You can definitely see how the album inspired Matheos' songwriting direction in DiaDL, but I think he did it a lot better on Arch/Matheos. I'd argue that it's one of his best albums ever imo, so long as you can get into Arch's vocals (which sound just like they did on Awaken the Guardian, if not better).
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Seems like the album is out of stock on the CMDistro pre-order. I emailed them and got a response to check back once the album is released.
CMDistro had the cheapest price (10 bucks + shipping ~ 13.50 or so)
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Yeah, it looks like the album is also out of stock on the Inside Out shop too. I just alerted them to this via e-mail. Hopefully they fix that because I haven't pre-ordered yet. Also, for those curious, I'd e-mailed Inside Out inquiring as to whether they are planning to offer a t-shirt-/cd bundle and they replied: "Unfortunately there are no plans to offer a shirt bundle for the new Fates Warning album, sorry."
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Definitely check it out. You can definitely see how the album inspired Matheos' songwriting direction in DiaDL, but I think he did it a lot better on Arch/Matheos. I'd argue that it's one of his best albums ever imo, so long as you can get into Arch's vocals (which sound just like they did on Awaken the Guardian, if not better).
also A Twist of Fate, the 27-minute EP from Arch that includes Portnoy of course.
I talked a bit about it and showed a lot of my FW collection, if anyone is bored, in a Video a few months back here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGqY7QE7kV0
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Just received this reply from Inside Out about the album currently being out of stock: "Our web shop team expects to have the album available to order again by the end of today. Sorry for any troubles."
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Just received this reply from Inside Out about the album currently being out of stock: "Our web shop team expects to have the album available to order again by the end of today. Sorry for any troubles."
Thanks for the update. Will keep F5n' the freaking webpage!
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Just received this reply from Inside Out about the album currently being out of stock: "Our web shop team expects to have the album available to order again by the end of today. Sorry for any troubles."
Thanks for the update. Will keep F5n' the freaking webpage!
Back in stock again. :metal
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A new review's out! :hefdaddy :metal
Progressive metal is, by definition, all about forward movement, change, and intensity. With Theories Of Flight, Fates Warning – ranked as prog-metal pioneers alongside the likes of Queensrÿche and Dream Theater and standing tall today as twelve-album veterans – are currently sitting on a release based around those same core themes.
Theories Of Flight is as progressive as it gets.
Are otherworldly chops your thing? Check out Theories Of Flight opener From The Rooftops for multiple motor-cortex-melting drum moments courtesy of Fates Warning drummer Bobby Jarzombek, and the freaky guitar soloing to be found on empowering powerhouse White Flag. What about extra-long epics? Fates Warning have two to hand this time out in The Light And Shade Of Things and album highlight The Ghosts Of Home. Virtuosic vocal performances? Worry not: Ray Alder has you covered for Theories Of Flight’s fifty-three-minute duration.
Ultimately, Theories Of Flight is a deeply personal album with two major emotional highlights. White Flag is a five-minute tour de force, a blizzard of massive chords, searing leads, churning riffs, and backbreaking grooves that underpin Ray Alder simultaneously talking straight and singing theatrically. Two tracks later, The Ghosts Of Home proves this album’s winner as guitarist/producer/lyricist Jim Matheos digs deep into his past, mulling over the psychological repercussions of repeated childhood uprootings and emerging with a song you just need to hear for yourself, because saying anything more would spoil an experience Fates Warning fans are going to treasure for some time to come.
Listening to Theories Of Flight is like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle without knowing what the final picture is supposed to look like. With the benefit of hindsight, it proves worth every second. Come July 1, those who’ve stuck by Fates Warning will find their support supported in kind by a world-class album from a band of legends.
TMMP RATING: 93% (Essential Listening!)
https://www.themusicalmeltingpot.com/2016/06/08/fates-warning-theories-of-flight-review/
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Wow, another glowing review! I don't recall ever being this excited for an album. Maybe ADToE, because I wanted to see what DT could do without Portnoy. Or maybe the first OSI, because I was eager to hear Kevin's voice over prog metal. July 1 can't come fast enough.
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Great review! (although the first sentence made me cringe; if people don't know what the term "progressive" means in the context of music, they really should not use it) I am excited about this one too.
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Great review! (although the first sentence made me cringe; if people don't know what the term "progressive" means in the context of music, they really should not use it) I am excited about this one too.
What did you think of the released song, "From the Rooftops?" :metal
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Liked it a lot. That is why I am excited (reviews don't really do it for me, since pre-release reviews tend to be overwhelmingly positive in their attempt to promote the album).
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Just listening to From The Rooftops. Not for the first time but it usually take me some time to like something. It is absolutely stunning :hefdaddy
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Ordered this bad boy. 2 disc edition. :metal
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Ordered this bad boy. 2 disc edition. :metal
Did the same a couple days ago on Amazon. :metal
Just hoping that Amazon's AutoRip will end up applying for the album. :lol It did for DiaDL when I got that in 2013, but the US territory Amazon site sadly doesn't let you know if AutoRips will apply for pre-ordered albums. :\
Liked it a lot. That is why I am excited (reviews don't really do it for me, since pre-release reviews tend to be overwhelmingly positive in their attempt to promote the album).
A fair point.
Just listening to From The Rooftops. Not for the first time but it usually take me some time to like something. It is absolutely stunning :hefdaddy
Indeed, it is! I especially love Ray's performance on the track! :metal :hefdaddy
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I would be surprised if "White Flag" is not used in some promotional capacity. There is so much to love about this album, but as far as non-epic Fates Warning tracks are concerned, this could frankly be one of the best in several albums, and it's very catchy. All that said, there are probably 2 other tracks I could pretty much say the same thing about.
I'm betting "Seven Stars" will be the first official single off the album, since that's the track they decided to do an acoustic version of on the second disk of the album. Not to mention that its chorus sounded really catchy in the album samples video from before. But "White Flag" could also make sense, based on your comments. Maybe it'll be the "I Am" of this album and be the second single they release?
I've heard elsewhere that either "White Flag" or "Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen" gets kinda Symphony X-ish at times. Is that true? I'm guessing whichever track that is is the one with Mike Abdow's solo. :biggrin:
Yeah, Mike Abdow did a solo on White Flag.
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Yeah, Mike Abdow did a solo on White Flag.
Called it! :biggrin: So you've heard the album then? Any short impressions of it that you can give us? :D
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Yeah, Mike Abdow did a solo on White Flag.
Called it! :biggrin: So you've heard the album then? Any short impressions of it that you can give us? :D
Listened to it two times as of now, and I think this could be my album of the year so far (I haven't heard Haken's Affinity yet). Best album FW has done in a while, and incredibly strong overall. This is one of those albums I instantly wanted to spin again after my first listen. Darkness in a Different Light was quite good IMO, but this album is on another level.
Ray Alder is one of my favourite voices in metal right now - I'm discovering Redemption these days thanks to Tomislav who sent them in my roulette, so I may be a bit biased - but damn he shines on this album. The record has a nice balance between quite parts and aggressive ones, and even when it's really aggressive and heavy and relentless, it manages to stay catchy and exciting (White Flag). My favourite song is the first album's epic, The Light and Shade of Things, it's just fantastic. Other highlights are aforementioned White Flag - as Nick said, this is probably the best choice for their next single - and of course, From the Rooftops which you guys have already heard. Great opener for the album. My least favourite actual song from the album (not counting the instrumental title track serving as an outro) is the second epic, The Ghosts of Home. I wouldn't even call it an epic, it takes a whole minute for the actual music to start (think the news broadcasts in Sacrificed Sons), then it spends another music on sugary intro I really dislike, and while the song itself isn't bad or anything, when I have The Light and Shade of Things on the same album, which has approximately the same length, I can't help but compare those two, and well, The Light wins big time.
I don't remember all of the details right now after only two listens, but I expect this album will stay in my rotation for a while. My first impression is that I like it better than other metal releases I've heard in 2016, like Headspace, Primal Fear, DT and Avantasia.
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I'm liking the sounds of all of this positive feedback.
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Listened to it two times as of now, and I think this could be my album of the year so far (I haven't heard Haken's Affinity yet). Best album FW has done in a while, and incredibly strong overall. This is one of those albums I instantly wanted to spin again after my first listen. Darkness in a Different Light was quite good IMO, but this album is on another level.
Ray Alder is one of my favourite voices in metal right now - I'm discovering Redemption these days thanks to Tomislav who sent them in my roulette, so I may be a bit biased - but damn he shines on this album. The record has a nice balance between quite parts and aggressive ones, and even when it's really aggressive and heavy and relentless, it manages to stay catchy and exciting (White Flag). My favourite song is the first album's epic, The Light and Shade of Things, it's just fantastic. Other highlights are aforementioned White Flag - as Nick said, this is probably the best choice for their next single - and of course, From the Rooftops which you guys have already heard. Great opener for the album. My least favourite actual song from the album (not counting the instrumental title track serving as an outro) is the second epic, The Ghosts of Home. I wouldn't even call it an epic, it takes a whole minute for the actual music to start (think the news broadcasts in Sacrificed Sons), then it spends another music on sugary intro I really dislike, and while the song itself isn't bad or anything, when I have The Light and Shade of Things on the same album, which has approximately the same length, I can't help but compare those two, and well, The Light wins big time.
I don't remember all of the details right now after only two listens, but I expect this album will stay in my rotation for a while. My first impression is that I like it better than other metal releases I've heard in 2016, like Headspace, Primal Fear, DT and Avantasia.
Sounds like Ray really delivered on this album! :metal I'm assuming he doesn't throw in any high notes, right? I know he said in the press release that he and Jim deliberately chose to mix things up a bit with their approach to the vocals for the album. More aggressive sounding?
Also, I'm eager as hell to hear White Flag now (I really hope Mike Abdow gets to contribute more to Fates in future albums from here on out) and am also curious to see how my opinions on The Light and Shade of Things versus The Ghosts of Home compare and contrast to yours.
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I've heard the album once and absolutely loved it! To me it sounds like a mix of pretty much all the Ray-era stuff without feeling like a rehash. It's a logical follow-up to DIADL, but the songs are a lot catchier - I think this album captures that Parallels spirit that Ray was talking about in interviews before DIADL. Obviously it needs more listens, but I can already see TOF becoming part of my "big 4" of Fates albums alongside Parallels, APSOG and Disconnected.
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The Light and Shade of Things is awesome, and is going to be on most people's short list for best Fates song. It's that good.
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The Light and Shade of Things is awesome, and is going to be on most people's short list for best Fates song. It's that good.
Yeah, some German review for the album called the song "the best thing the band's done since The Eleventh Hour." High praise indeed. I'm very curious to hear the full thing, since what little I heard of the chorus in the album samples video didn't impress me all that much. Hoping there's more to it than that and it sounds like there definitely is.
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I haven't heard the samples but the second half of the chorus starting with "You're nowhere no-o-o-ow" is my favourite part of the album hands down. And the quiet parts are bloody amazing on this song too.
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I think I'm officially hyped for this new album :corn
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I haven't heard the samples but the second half of the chorus starting with "You're nowhere no-o-o-ow" is my favourite part of the album hands down. And the quiet parts are bloody amazing on this song too.
That sounds great! Definitely looking forward to it then. :metal
The part of the chorus that's in the sample is that Ozzy-era Black Sabbath sounding bit with "The Light and Shade of Things, The Light You Held Is Gone!"
I'm also guessing that the bit linked below is one of the verses for TLaSoT too.
https://youtu.be/q1O7W9PKMEE?t=91
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What a tease...they cut that song before the awesome parts.
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JRundquist aka That Drummer Guy interviewed Bobby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-RA7gku4c
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JRundquist aka That Drummer Guy interviewed Bobby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-RA7gku4c
Nice interview! Bobby is so chill.
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A bunch of reviews for the album have been coming out lately and they're all pretty great! :metal Here's some samples of the big ones I've found so far! :metal :hefdaddy
... By contrast, ‘The Light And Shade Of Things’ is one of two compositions that top the 10-minute mark. It begins quietly, taking its time to deliberately build the tension and increase the atmospherics. The lead guitar embellishments are sparingly used but have a vaguely bluesy feel to them when they appear. And then the gentle opening is forgotten as, like a tsunami, heavy riffs, blistering drumming and almost confrontational vocals threaten to knock you off your feet. It might not be as fast-paced as other songs, but what it lacks in speed, it makes up for in intensity and a more pronounced exploration of light and shade. A gorgeous lead guitar solo follows on from a short acoustic-led interlude and the whole thing is rounded out by an addictive, sprawling chorus that shows Alder at his absolute best, deploying his excellent range to dispel any concerns that the high notes can no longer be reached...
The Score Of Much Metal: 9.25
https://manofmuchmetal.wordpress.com/2016/06/16/fates-warning-theories-of-flight-album-review/
... ‘Theories of Flight’ is undoubtedly going to be on the Top 10 lists of many listeners and reviewers at the year’s end. Fates Warning has delivered a nearly flawless piece of high art, and if you’re a serious listener and fan of artistically made metal this album needs to be heard...
Score: 9.0
https://www.metalwani.com/2016/06/review-fates-warning-theories-of-flight.html
... Speaking of great lyrics, the album is not a concept album, but contains themes centered on imminent changes in life. Ray wrote most of the lyrics for the album, and they concern changes that he has chosen for the future. The title “Theories of Flight”, then, is equal parts anxious and searching, uplifting and hopeful; unlike the straight sorrow of past albums. One of my favorite things about “Theories of Flight” is the return of the “drone” sound from “Disconnected”. The new album has many spacey portions that feature a warm drone that feels hopeful and cultivates your spirit. I love it. In fact, the whole final track is one instrumental song of warm pulses and waning drones. So, rather than the grey anxiety of past albums, “Theories of Flight” is all about looking to the skies for your life destination...
... So, I really like “Theories of Flight”. The songs have a proggier feeling than last time, as the structures are especially eschewed. “From the Rooftops” features this style, but pretty much all of them do, too. Many of the songs on “Darkness in a Different Light” were rather straightforward. My favorite tracks, however, are the longer, more atmospheric ones, like “Seven Stars” (killer chorus) and “Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen” (great guitar licks). My absolute favorite, and one of my favorite tracks this year, is “The Light and Shade of Things”. This track really represents the whole album, as it features everything from amazing drumming and guitar work to Ray’s awesome voice to a longer, differentiated song structure that it is wreathed in grey and hope.
“Theories of Flight” might not be the best Fates Warning album yet, but it reminds me of my favorite from them, “Disconnected”. It is an album that reflects our life journey; the ups and downs, the unknowns and triumphs, the light and the darkness. Mostly, however, it conveys warm feelings of hope, all while giving us that signature Fates Warning sound in a proggier package.
Score: 8.5
https://theprogmind.com/2016/06/16/fates-warning-theories-of-flight/
And here's one last review I found from a Greek reviewer and translated via Google Translator... :rollin
In theory the new album of Fates Warning could be treated with a certain distrust. The "Darkness In A Different Light" was the first moderate album of the band (always speaking based on its own data and modern history), finding the Ray Alder sound more tired than ever. If, indeed, telling someone that Matheos and his friends chose to "build" upon their more metallic sound, perhaps enough to driven in preterm wrong conclusions. Theories to throw away so ...
Because in practice the "Theories Of Flight" is excellent and probably the best album of Fates for fifteen years. It seems to continue from where it left off the "Disconnected" and to my ears exceeds as a whole beautiful "FWX", although this probably is the acoustic angle at which approximates each album the individual listener, because it is a different job.
Initially, it is obvious that we live «Jarzombeck era" of the complex. As once the jazz playing of Mark Zonder has characterized the sound of the band and gave a special color to the music, so the metal (and outrageously good) playing Bobby seems to be what leads to harder trails, parasernontas the Jim Matheos to enlist some of the most metal of riffs. As a result, we have more heavy album of contemporary history of Fates Warning, which would not be an exaggeration to say that at times reminiscent of the (epic) "Sympathetic Resonance" of Arch / Matheos.
Starting with the introduction of calm "From The Rooftops" gives a misleading impression as to the sound of the disc direction, but possible riff comes after two minutes putting things in their true dimension. But aggressive yet melodic, with a Ray Alder shining from the first notes of the opening song of the album is staggering and is like an early restoration of faith across the band.
Then comes the potential chitaki "Seven Stars", one of the best and most catchy compositions written by band for years, especially because of the vocal lines of Alder, while in the same vein - although clearly less impressive - is the equally short and heavy "SOS", to come first lengthy composition of the album with the 10 minute "the Light and Shade of Things", which looks like a natural extension of the "Disconnected" sound, with calm introduction, variations in intensity and another excellent vocal line in the chorus.
The completely metal "White Flag", the dual guitar attack is one of the compositions stand out, both for music force that sees, but mainly for their inspiring lyrics Alder, while "Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen" not stand but is still a nice addition to the album.
Just before closing, is the second 10-minute composition, "The Ghosts Of Home", which is the only song that fully edited by Jim Matheos and is the most adventurous composition of the album, with metallized Rushoeides, basic riff and many changes before the eponymous composition ideally completed both the "Ghosts of Home" and the album as a whole. It is an amazing instrumental composition overflowing with lyricism and prog mentality, recalling the always restless synthetic spirit of this band and the level of musicians who compose it.
There are three elements that I think make the "Theories Of Flight" so special. The first is consistency, as the band built on the sound of the previous album, managing to sound much more convincing and effective. The second is that all compositions without exception (except the homonymous obviously) were extremely inspiring vocal lines and the third performance of anagenimmenou Ray Alder, who is the great protagonist of the album.
Sure, there are some asterisks to be highlighted. Specifically, lyricism always an important component of the music of Fates is clearly limited by the more heavy direction have been taken, the - unique introspective - lyrics Matheos conspicuous by their absence, while the absence of Frank Aresti is noticeable, as only appears to play two solos. In reality, however important they may seem the above factors for friends band, the "Theories Of Flight" is so well made and so inspired that eventually no one reduces its value.
Any theories go strolling and Fates Warning returning to high flights.
https://www.rocking.gr/reviews/album/Fates-Warning-Theories-Of-Flight/6727
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This is sounding like a major album of the year contender!
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This is sounding like a major album of the year contender!
Mhmm! :tup It also got a review from LadyObscure's website!
Upon receiving the promo copy of the 12th studio album from progressive metal pioneers Fates Warning, I was faced with a dilemma. What does one write about when trying to describe a legendary band that blazed a trail for every band that followed them? Do I start from the very beginning when the band hailing from Hartford, Connecticut burst upon an unsuspecting metal world with Night on Bröcken, performing their unique brand of Iron Maiden/Black Sabbath inspired technical heavy metal with original vocalist John Arch or how the band reinvented themselves on 1988’s thrashier and heavier No Exit with new singer Ray Alder? Since that time and numerous line up changes, the band continues to defy trends, re-invent and re-invigorate their sound with incredibly inspired masterpieces such as Perfect Symmetry, Parallels, A Pleasant Shade of Grey, and now their latest opus, Theories of Flight.
Admittedly, I was not a huge fan of their last studio offering Darkness In A Different Light. Not that it was a band album by any means, the songs simply didn’t resonate with me and stick with me over repeated listens. This is not the case with Thories In Flight. From the first listen I was drawn in by the atmospheric melancholy intro to From The Rooftops which at the two minute mark transforms into a maelstrom of heavy riffs, a technical barrage of drum work by longtime drummer Bobby Jarzombek, a blistering guest guitar solo from sometimes Fates member Frank Aresti, and a huge catchy chorus that ranks up their with Fates Warning’s best work.
Speaking of catchy choruses and memorable hooks, the next track, Seven Stars is simply a stunning piece that rivals anything on the Parallels album, which is arguably the benchmark for the bands most melodic and most commercially successful period. From start to finish, Seven Stars is a perfect Fates Warning song; a blend of melody, hooks, heaviness, and a soaring, memorable chorus that will stick with you long after the song is over, just begging for another spin.
The next track titled SOS is another intense and immediate heavy yet hook-laden song with an amazing vocal from Ray Alder, whose voice sounds better than it has in years, using his powerful mid-range and talent for finding the perfect vocal melody to capture the vibe of the song and make it his own. When Alder sings the line Sink or Swim during the chorus you feel every word deep in the recesses of your heart and soul.
The Light And Shade of Things is classic Alder-era atmospheric, melancholy, brilliantly performed progressive metal with an intensity and ferocity and passion in Alder’s vocal delivery. Every word that is being sung feels as if its being ripped from the depths of Alder’s very soul. The chorus is huge, emotional, and soaring into the stratosphere. The breakdown mid-song harkens back to the Parallels album, reminiscent of The Road Goes On Forever.
White Flag is a heavier prog metal burner with a great riff and driving rhythm and Aresti once again lends a brilliant shredding guest solo to the proceedings, which fits the songs intensity and power perfectly. Newest touring member Mike Abdow also adds a creative and impressive solo as well.
Alder once again shines on Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen, singing with passion and intense emotion to convey the songs message as well as the overall theme of the album, which deals with upcoming change — deliberate choices to take a different direction in life, a large part of the album’s overarching themes of transience, disconnection and the search for solid ground. Alder’s lyrics and emotive vocals are beautiful, self-reflection, asking the listener to trust their memories, to hold onto them even as we forge into future unknowns. This songs subject matter as well as the overall lyrical concept hit me especially hard due to current things going on in my personal life and made me really take a deep look at my own inner self, my emotions, and my own sense of being.
Matheos’ lone lyric wrting credit is on the albums magnum opus, the ten minute-plus Ghosts of Home, deals with, as Matheos describes in the albums promotional sheet, “The Ghosts Of Home is me reflecting on how moving frequently as a child — eight times in the first nine years of school — affected and shaped my personality, something I’ve only recently been digging in to. It also references me revisiting a lot of those places as an adult.” The lyrics convey a cathartic release of very personal emotions for the usually reserved Matheos, the quiet yet masterful songwriter. The amazing thing is that no matter how many years go by and how many albums/songs that Matheos writes and records, he still never fails to impress and provide awestruck amazement at his ability to draw emotional responses from the Fates Warning faithful, which as an artist, that would be incredibly rewarding to make the lister feel like they are part of your journey.
The albums final song, the instrumental title track brings the album full circle with an atmospheric textural feel, summing up the albums overall message, talking about various uprootings, escapes…flights, how life is always changing, giving us new experiences, good and bad, and how we deal with these changes, how they affect us, change us, and how we evolve with change. With Theories of Flight, Fates Warning has once again outdone themselves, creating an album that stands tall alongside their best work, as well as proviing to their peers and newer bands who have taken inspiration in their work that this band has much more to say and has plenty left in the tank! If you have ever been a fan of Fates Warning, I urge you to pick up Theories of Flight. You can thank me later!
Rating: 5 stars
https://ladyobscure.com/albums/fates-warning-theories-of-flight/
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I would have been content with a decent Fates Warning album.
But I will gladly take a five star album of the year contender instead!
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I would have been content with a decent Fates Warning album.
But I will gladly take a five star album of the year contender instead!
After having listened to this album several times now... We may have just gotten the Fates Warning album. No joking here. It's a top contender imo. Very catchy like Parallels, but it's also a lot heavier and proggier too- Even more so than the Arch/Matheos album was. Any of the "weaker" songs on this album would have been considered a top highlight on DiaDL, I think. This album is really freaking consistent.
Also the hype for The Light and Shade of Things is real; it's definitely going to be on most people's shortlist for Best Fates Song Ever. I'm very tempted to give it that title already myself. Been listening to that one over and over for the past several hours. It reminds me a lot of A Pleasant Shade of Gray, especially the quieter parts.
And yeah, the band and label will be shooting themselves in the foot if they don't put out White Flag as the next single. I love Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen just as much, but WF is more suited to be a single and make a music video out of, I think.
I'll need to listen to Ghosts of Home a few more times to really wrap around my thoughts on that one- it isn't as good as The Light, but like I said earlier, it would have been a huge highlight on DiaDL, I think. Moreover the subject matter for that song resonates really deeply with me, having been someone who grew up in a military family and moved all around all throughout my childhood, adolescence and young adult life. Both Ghosts and the instrumental title track reminds me a lot of Disconnected. Very Floydian and I think Kevin Moore rubbed off on Jim for that ditty; plenty of soundscapes that weave alongside Jim's guitar work.
Actually, I'll say this much more on Ghosts of Home: It's like if Still Remains and Stained Glass Sky conceived a baby while listening to Porcupine Tree. The only reason I think it might be seen as a letdown by some folks is because it's got the misfortune of being the "other" epic on the same Fates Warning album that has The Light and Shade of Things.
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This is so good so far. I'm reminded mostly of APSOG, but also Parallels and Inside Out.
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My initial impression (need more listens as half the album is not as "immediate" as the other and requires time to grow) is that the album is top tier but won't be touching Parallels in my ratings. Aside from that I will reserve judgement. Certainly the most interested I have been in a FW album since the 90's :metal
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This is so good so far. I'm reminded mostly of APSOG, but also Parallels and Inside Out.
Yup, but it also reminds me a lot of Arch/Matheos too.
Also Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen has to be the heaviest song in Fates Warning history. Reminds me a lot of Nevermore! :hefdaddy :metal
My initial impression (need more listens as half the album is not as "immediate" as the other and requires time to grow) is that the album is top tier but won't be touching Parallels in my ratings. Aside from that I will reserve judgement. Certainly the most interested I have been in a FW album since the 90's :metal
It's definitely a tough call between Fates' best albums imo. I've really come to appreciate Parallels a lot more lately than I used to, but Theories definitely appeals more to my personal tastes.
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Yeah this is a really strong album - leagues ahead of the last one. Hard to say how it'll rank eventually, but from a first listen it's definitely up there among their best.
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Agreed. It'll probably wind up after Parallels and APSOG for me. After the first listen, I feel it has potential to surpass Inside Out in my list and become a Top 3 album.
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Yeah this is a really strong album - leagues ahead of the last one. Hard to say how it'll rank eventually, but from a first listen it's definitely up there among their best.
Wow. The last one is my favorite Fates album, so that is high praise indeed. Can't wait to check it out.
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Yeah this is a really strong album - leagues ahead of the last one. Hard to say how it'll rank eventually, but from a first listen it's definitely up there among their best.
Wow. The last one is my favorite Fates album, so that is high praise indeed. Can't wait to check it out.
Ok, well I was only going by my own opinions, but I found the last album solid enough but weaker. For reference, may favourites of their albums are (in chronological order) APSOG, Disconnected and FWX.
Although I'm finding the new album in some ways less experimental than those ones were (which is part of why I like them so much), it's very strong melodically, and superbly produced. I can sort of see why some are comparing it to the Arch/Matheos album, though I think this could be even better.
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Yeah this is a really strong album - leagues ahead of the last one. Hard to say how it'll rank eventually, but from a first listen it's definitely up there among their best.
Wow. The last one is my favorite Fates album, so that is high praise indeed. Can't wait to check it out.
Ok, well I was only going by my own opinions, but I found the last album solid enough but weaker. For reference, may favourites of their albums are (in chronological order) APSOG, Disconnected and FWX.
Although I'm finding the new album in some ways less experimental than those ones were (which is part of why I like them so much), it's very strong melodically, and superbly produced. I can sort of see why some are comparing it to the Arch/Matheos album, though I think this could be even better.
No, no. Fair enough. I'm not really much of a Fates Warning guy. As I have said in the past, they are one of those bands where, "on paper," I should love them. But they have never really done anything for me for some reason. I like the last album a lot, liked X a lot, but didn't really like any of their prior albums much at all, with the possible exception of Parallels, which I would say is "okay." So my ranking would be:
1. Darkness In a Different Light
2. X
3. Parallels
...everything else
But I loved Arch/Matheos. It was a contender for album of the year, and I still love to spin it.
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Yeah I'm really similar with FW. Like you, they're the kind of band I should like on paper, but I only really dig about half their albums (at most), and the rest, while usually solid, I'm pretty lukewarm towards (which includes Darkness).
Based on what you just said (including your love of Arch/Matheos), I expect you to like this one. It really is very strong. I now feel silly for not rushing to download the promo when it came through - someone else was writing the review for this one, and I was lukewarm on Darkness, so didn't feel there was any urgency.
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Sounds like FW was really close to doing a few shows playing APSOG in its entirety with Kevin Moore to celebrate its reissue last year. Totally sucks that it didn't happen. Argh!!
Link: https://staticagemag.com/post/ray-alder-from-fates-warning
Q: Could you imagine doing a "No Exit" special show for Keep it True or Headbanger's Open Air or some such special occasion?
A: I don't know, maybe, who knows what's down the line... I don't know if I can sing that shit anymore. I could find my way to doing it, but we did that kind of thing for "Parallels", and we wanted to do it for the re-release of "A Pleasant Shade of Grey", but Mark Zonder didn't want to do it, so... we really were looking forward to do that, and we even wanted to bring Kevin Moore out for a couple of shows, which would've been amazing, but since Mark didn't want to do it, which just put it to the side. But we actually played with the idea of having Bobby come out and do it, but Bobby wasn't very happy about it, he didnt' really want to do it - so you have to respect everybody's wishes. Maybe, who knows. maybe some time in the future.
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Yeah, I mean, I liked Darkness in a Different Light, but I listened to it and the new one a few times back to back and there's no contest for me. Theories of Flight is miles ahead.
I think the song run from From the Rooftops to White Flag is flawless, Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen is also pretty great but a bit weaker then everything that came before, and while The Ghosts of Home loses me with the intro and the first verse, it gets my attention back with "Home again" parts. And the final track is beautiful. Now that I'm familiar with the album, like 10-12 spins in, I really think there are no weak tracks at all, and most of them are at least great.
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Just finished listening to it for the first time and I already think it's great. :metal
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:metal I'm going to listen to it again.
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Yeah, I mean, I liked Darkness in a Different Light, but I listened to it and the new one a few times back to back and there's no contest for me. Theories of Flight is miles ahead.
I think the song run from From the Rooftops to White Flag is flawless, Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen is also pretty great but a bit weaker then everything that came before, and while The Ghosts of Home loses me with the intro and the first verse, it gets my attention back with "Home again" parts. And the final track is beautiful. Now that I'm familiar with the album, like 10-12 spins in, I really think there are no weak tracks at all, and most of them are at least great.
Yeah, there really isn't a weak track on this album at all. However I personally like LSOEHS more than Seven Stars or SOS though personally (though they're all pretty spectacular)! :hat Having said that, White Flag is almost definitely the best short song on this album. Just... ooph! :metal
It'll be interesting to see how the band decides to decide about which of these songs to play live.
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I was pretty surprised with second solo in White Flag, it feels more like something from melodic thrash band (Megadeth) than Fates Warning.
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I was pretty surprised with second solo in White Flag, it feels more like something from melodic thrash band (Megadeth) than Fates Warning.
Yeah, it's definitely a different sort of solo for Fates, but I really liked it! Definitely hope Mike Abdow gets to contribute more solos or possibly even some songwriting in future albums! :metal
Also, did anyone else notice that Jim reused the main riff from Stained Glass Sky on The Ghosts of Home? :lol
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I was thinking a bit more deeply about the album's artwork last night, and my interpretation is that in order to truly fly and appreciate the act of flight we need to experience being confined/trapped/caged in some way. That's why the middle bird on the flight path is confined -- it's symbolic of the obstacles in our flight path that make us withdraw and isolate ourselves, whether a broken heart, loss of a loved one, etc. Once we push through those low points and gain an appreciation for flight and happiness, the act of flight is much sweeter.
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Theories may become really addictive. the 1st 4 tracks have this great, *FW-energy* to sound sort of cheesy. I feel like I'm listening to an album that sounds like Parallels, APOSG, Disconnected and XV yet is very modern.
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A guitar playthrough video of "White Flag" by Matheos, Aresti and Abdow: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-guitar-playthrough-video-for-new-song-white-flag/
"No surrender -- Don't give up!"
"No surrender -- Now get up!"
"Rise and bury your white flag..."
\m/
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A guitar playthrough video of "White Flag" by Matheos, Aresti and Abdow: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-guitar-playthrough-video-for-new-song-white-flag/
That song is awesome. Can't wait for next week
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A guitar playthrough video of "White Flag" by Matheos, Aresti and Abdow: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-guitar-playthrough-video-for-new-song-white-flag/
"No surrender -- Don't give up!"
"No surrender -- Now get up!"
"Rise and bury your white flag..."
\m/
That's so great to see Jim, Mike and Frank all playing their parts for this song! :D I'm still hoping we get a proper music video for this song though! :metal
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This is my first exposure to the album. I really like what I am hearing.
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So, I'm on my first listen.
From the Rooftops alone beats everything on Darkness, except maybe Falling Further.
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Brilliant, this album is gonna be a monster.
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Brilliant, this album is gonna be a monster.
:metal
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White Flag is awesome but I wouldn't call it representative of the album.
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Wow, that's a really great song. Was a bit disappointed they chose another guitar driven album after the previous one but from what I've heard, it's gonna be guuuuuuuuud. Frank fucking killed it.
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I haven't heard the album yet (unlike many of you, it seems :lol), but I'm hoping for plenty of heavy riffs in the vein of Arch/Matheos.
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Heard it once so far and it's good. But I don't see this one blowing Darkness out of the water (yet?). That's not to say that ToF is bad, it's just that I really really like Darkness.
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Just curious, what are the songs on the second disc?
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Does anyone know how often Ray has written lyrics in the past? It's not something I've followed too closely with FW -- who wrote lyrics to which songs. I ask because I know he wrote all of the lyrics on the new album (except for "Ghosts of Home") and his lyrics are really resonating with me. I don't know if he stepped up his lyric writing, or if I just overlooked his lyrical prowess in the past. I believe Jim wrote all of APSOG, which is my top FW album, so I've always wanted him to write lyrics since then. But now, I'm loving Ray's stuff!
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Just curious, what are the songs on the second disc?
CD2 – Acoustic Bonus Disc:
1. Firefly (03:15, previously unreleased)
2. Seven Stars (04:25, previously unreleased)
3. Another Perfect Day (03:25, previously unreleased)
4. Pray Your Gods (03:45, Toad The Wet Sprocket cover version)
5. Adela (02:25, Joaquin Rodrigo cover version)
6. Rain (04:03, Uriah Heep cover version)
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Ray hasn't had any much of lyrical input until Darkness and Theories. All of the lyrics from Parallels, Inside Out, and APSOG were written by Jim.
Disconnected had one or two songs where the lyrics were written by Ray (One, Pieces, Something from Nothing).
FWX had Simple Human, Heal Me and Crawl written by Ray (lyrics).
Darkness had One Thousand Fires, Firefly, Desire, Falling, I am, Lighthouse, Into the Black were co-written by Jim and Ray (with the exception of I am, which Bobby has a writing credit and Aresti on One Thousand Fires).
I think one of the reviews pointed out that The Ghosts of Home was the only lyrical contribution by Jim this time.
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Ray hasn't had any much of lyrical input until Darkness and Theories. All of the lyrics from Parallels, Inside Out, and APSOG were written by Jim.
If memory serves, he wrote the lyrics for "Down To The Wire". But, yeah, he's definitely stepped up lyrically over the last couple albums. :)
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I think one of the reviews pointed out that The Ghosts of Home was the only lyrical contribution by Jim this time.
That's true. Here's the quote from the promo press file:
As main lyricist, vocalist Ray Alder had plenty of musical emotion to work with. Themes of upcoming change --
deliberate choices to take a different direction in life – are a large part of the album’s overarching themes of
transience, disconnection and the search for solid ground. Alder’s writing and passionate singing in “Like Stars Our
Eyes Have Seen” is beautifully reflective, urging us to trust our memories, to hold onto them even as we forge into
future unknowns: “See the dark road that’s ahead / Lit by memories you knew / Now the ghosts begin to follow /
Let it all come back to you.”
Matheos’s sole lyric credit is an especially personal one. “‘The Ghosts Of Home’ is me reflecting on how moving
frequently as a child -- eight times in the first nine years of school -- affected and shaped my personality,
something I’ve only recently been digging in to. It also references me revisiting a lot of those places as an adult.
Similarly, a lot of Ray’s lyrics touch on a big move or change coming for him, although by choice. So, we’re both
talking about various uprootings, escapes…flights.”
I thought Alder nailed it lyrically on this album. The Light and Shade of Things isn't only the best song music-wise, I also think it's wonderful lyric-wise. Been a while I've enjoyed the lyrics from a heavy / progressive metal band that much.
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I think one of the reviews pointed out that The Ghosts of Home was the only lyrical contribution by Jim this time.
That's true. Here's the quote from the promo press file:
As main lyricist, vocalist Ray Alder had plenty of musical emotion to work with. Themes of upcoming change --
deliberate choices to take a different direction in life – are a large part of the album’s overarching themes of
transience, disconnection and the search for solid ground. Alder’s writing and passionate singing in “Like Stars Our
Eyes Have Seen” is beautifully reflective, urging us to trust our memories, to hold onto them even as we forge into
future unknowns: “See the dark road that’s ahead / Lit by memories you knew / Now the ghosts begin to follow /
Let it all come back to you.”
Matheos’s sole lyric credit is an especially personal one. “‘The Ghosts Of Home’ is me reflecting on how moving
frequently as a child -- eight times in the first nine years of school -- affected and shaped my personality,
something I’ve only recently been digging in to. It also references me revisiting a lot of those places as an adult.
Similarly, a lot of Ray’s lyrics touch on a big move or change coming for him, although by choice. So, we’re both
talking about various uprootings, escapes…flights.”
I thought Alder nailed it lyrically on this album. The Light and Shade of Things isn't only the best song music-wise, I also think it's wonderful lyric-wise. Been a while I've enjoyed the lyrics from a heavy / progressive metal band that much.
Yeah, Ray's lyrics on this album are pretty freaking great. TLaSoT is a great example, but I'm also really fond of his lyrics for SOS and Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen too.
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It has arrived.
(https://s31.postimg.org/iip442sxj/20160627_183903_1.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/iip442sxj/)
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I absolutely love Ghosts of Home.
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Still on my FW marathon and will attempt to rank everything along with the new one. One thing I have realised is that I think I made a mistake not including Parallels in my DTF Top 50.
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Still on my FW marathon and will attempt to rank everything along with the new one. One thing I have realised is that I think I made a mistake not including Parallels in my DTF Top 50.
I like everything about this post.
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It has arrived.
(https://s31.postimg.org/iip442sxj/20160627_183903_1.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/iip442sxj/)
Mine came yesterday, as well. Darkness was a great welcome back, this effort is really making me wonder (yet again) why it is that this band isn't bigger than they are.
I haven't stopped listening, I love FW release day!
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Still on my FW marathon and will attempt to rank everything along with the new one. One thing I have realised is that I think I made a mistake not including Parallels in my DTF Top 50.
When I started The TAC Top 50, I had a master list of about 80 albums. Even though Parallels is far and away my favorite FW album, it didn't make the list. I suppose it would make the Top 100 though, so if I ever do a v.2, it could be there.
The 1-2 punch of Parallels/Inside Out, to me, is FW at their best.
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I absolutely love Ghosts of Home.
Probably my favorite song on the album. :tup
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Still on my FW marathon and will attempt to rank everything along with the new one. One thing I have realised is that I think I made a mistake not including Parallels in my DTF Top 50.
When I started The TAC Top 50, I had a master list of about 80 albums. Even though Parallels is far and away my favorite FW album, it didn't make the list. I suppose it would make the Top 100 though, so if I ever do a v.2, it could be there.
The 1-2 punch of Parallels/Inside Out, to me, is FW at their best.
Add Perfect Symmetry to those two for me and you have my favorites from FW. But it sounds like this new one has potential to join those three at the top
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It's funny how much love Parallels gets from the "metal guys".
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Parallels is almost a perfect album. Hard to diss it, metal or not.
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Yup, a great album.
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Parallels is Images and Words before Images and Words :D
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It's funny how much love Parallels gets from the "metal guys".
I've never really understood the love for it. I like all of their albums, but Parallels is certainly not in the upper echelon of Fates Warning material for me.
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I am certainly not the biggest fates guy around. Their catalog is so varied but I find most of their albums very uneven. Not that it's any different than any other band. But Parallels seems pretty flawless throughout. They are truly firing on all cylinders.
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I am certainly not the biggest fates guy around. Their catalog is so varied but I find most of their albums very uneven. Not that it's any different than any other band. But Parallels seems pretty flawless throughout. They are truly firing on all cylinders.
Actually, I shouldn't say that I don't understand the love for it. It has a lot of catchy material. It has a more "glossy," radio-friendly sort of feel. It has an appeal, certainly. There's just a good chunk of it that I don't find interesting.
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That's cool. I have been fairly critical of FW in the past for sure. I find Parallels right in their sweet spot.
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Parallels is Images and Words before Images and Words :D
In fact, Parallels is more like Empire after Empire :lol
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Images And Words is genre defining. Parallels really doesn't get to that level.
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I am certainly not the biggest fates guy around. Their catalog is so varied but I find most of their albums very uneven. Not that it's any different than any other band. But Parallels seems pretty flawless throughout. They are truly firing on all cylinders.
Actually, I shouldn't say that I don't understand the love for it. It has a lot of catchy material. It has a more "glossy," radio-friendly sort of feel. It has an appeal, certainly. There's just a good chunk of it that I don't find interesting.
THIS
I never got it. I had been a fan since Spectre, and I really thought they totally peaked with Perfect Symmetry. Parallels was a let down to me. Life in Still Water and The Eleventh Hour are amazing. And I suppose I've grown more fond of it over the years. In spite of the glossy production and a couple of overly commercial pieces, it's really not quite as big a "sell out" that I thought it was at the time.
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I just want to say that it is so nice waiting 3 years and not 9 for a new album. That 9 years was excruciating.
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I never got it. I had been a fan since Spectre, and I really thought they totally peaked with Perfect Symmetry. Parallels was a let down to me. Life in Still Water and The Eleventh Hour are amazing. And I suppose I've grown more fond of it over the years. In spite of the glossy production and a couple of overly commercial pieces, it's really not quite as big a "sell out" that I thought it was at the time.
I can see how you might've thought it was a letdown. It's a lot less metal than the Arch albums and No Exit, and a lot less progressive than PS. But Fates felt like a band that seemed like they were in search of that something special. A sound, a style. It took me a couple of listens as well, but it hit m that THIS is where Fates fires the most on.
J-Dude, you must've really disliked Inside Out!
I just want to say that it is so nice waiting 3 years and not 9 for a new album. That 9 years was excruciating.
The lack of material has always been my biggest criticism of the band.
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I am certainly not the biggest fates guy around. Their catalog is so varied but I find most of their albums very uneven. Not that it's any different than any other band. But Parallels seems pretty flawless throughout. They are truly firing on all cylinders.
Actually, I shouldn't say that I don't understand the love for it. It has a lot of catchy material. It has a more "glossy," radio-friendly sort of feel. It has an appeal, certainly. There's just a good chunk of it that I don't find interesting.
THIS
I never got it. I had been a fan since Spectre, and I really thought they totally peaked with Perfect Symmetry. Parallels was a let down to me. Life in Still Water and The Eleventh Hour are amazing. And I suppose I've grown more fond of it over the years. In spite of the glossy production and a couple of overly commercial pieces, it's really not quite as big a "sell out" that I thought it was at the time.
Having been a Fates fan for the past four years or so, it's taken me literally four years to get into Parallels. I've only started to appreciate it for what it is over the past month or so... still, I don't think I rank it as the band's absolute best.
Not when this is the same band that gave us Awaken the Guardian, Perfect Symmetry, A Pleasant Shade of Grey and now Theories of Flight too.
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I am certainly not the biggest fates guy around. Their catalog is so varied but I find most of their albums very uneven. Not that it's any different than any other band. But Parallels seems pretty flawless throughout. They are truly firing on all cylinders.
Actually, I shouldn't say that I don't understand the love for it. It has a lot of catchy material. It has a more "glossy," radio-friendly sort of feel. It has an appeal, certainly. There's just a good chunk of it that I don't find interesting.
I agree. And while it is their most commercially successful, it is not in the same tier as either Images & Words or Empire. Beyond the commercial success aspect, it really has little in common with those albums. As TAC put it:Images And Words is genre defining. Parallels really doesn't get to that level.
That said, that isn't really a knock on the album. Until X, I can't say that I ever really liked Fates Warning, other than a song or two here and there. But Parallels was the closest they came to hooking me. I definitely appreciate it more now in hindsight. But it is still very rare that I actually spin it (or any of the early Fates albums, for that matter).
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To Parallels' credit, I think it's a better Empire than Empire is.
The only reason it isn't as frequently considered to be in the same tier of albums as Empire is because of the unfortunate luck Fates Warning had with timing (it came out like a month after Nevermind did, I think).
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To Parallels' credit, I think it's a better Empire than Empire is.
I don't really understand what this means.
The only reason it isn't as frequently considered to be in the same tier of albums as Empire is because of the unfortunate luck Fates Warning had with timing (it came out like a month after Nevermind did, I think).
No, the reason it isn't as frequently considered to be in the same tier of albums is because most don't consider it to be as strong an album as Empire. Timing has nothing to do with it.
Not to mention the fact that, by your logic, Images & Words should not be highly regarded either, since it came out after Facelift, Apple, Nevermind, Ten, Badmotorfinger, Temple of the Dog, etc. But that clearly is not the case. It is highly regarded despite coming out in the middle of the "grunge craze" because it is a strong, dare I say "genre defining," album.
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Bosk, I would think that Parallels would be right up your alley.
I've actually never cared for X. I remember creating a thread where I forced myself to do a review of it. Not sure if it was here or on Samsara's site. I think it was there. I gained an appreciation for it, but it's still my least favorite.
While Perfect Symmetry maybe their most technical album pre APSOG, I&W really took off as it appealed to musicians. Dream Theater became a "musician's" band and really gave them a strong foothold within that community. And I think that was really what propelled Dream Theater in those early days. The thing about it was even if it was technical, it was still accessible.
Perfect Symmetry, while technical, isn't as accessible. Parallels, while accessible, isn't as technical. As Images & Words, that is.
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To Parallels' credit, I think it's a better Empire than Empire is.
I don't really understand what this means.
That's me being me. I'm not much of a fan of Empire, save for Anybody Listening? (which is probably the band's best song). As far as a more "commercialized effort" from a band that sounds like a cross between Iron Maiden and Pink Floyd goes, I'd say Parallels is the one that catches my ear more.
But that is purely my opinion. Feel free to disagree with me on that one, as I'd wager most folks out there do.
The only reason it isn't as frequently considered to be in the same tier of albums as Empire is because of the unfortunate luck Fates Warning had with timing (it came out like a month after Nevermind did, I think).
No, the reason it isn't as frequently considered to be in the same tier of albums is because most don't consider it to be as strong an album as Empire. Timing has nothing to do with it.
Not to mention the fact that, by your logic, Images & Words should not be highly regarded either, since it came out after Facelift, Apple, Nevermind, Ten, Badmotorfinger, Temple of the Dog, etc. But that clearly is not the case. It is highly regarded despite coming out in the middle of the "grunge craze" because it is a strong, dare I say "genre defining," album.
I think someone described I&W's success timing-wise over Parallels pretty well over at the Breakdown Room: By the time I&W came out, the grunge movement had already established itself and people knew whether they liked it or not. Parallels came out just as the movement was getting its first kicks and was "the hot new thing."
Moreover, I've also heard something to the effect that Metal Blade Records dropped pretty much all financial backing for Fates Warning while they were in the middle of supporting of Parallels to instead support some other band that ended up exploding in popularity briefly instead. So I'd argue that there's also a business factor that comes into play here too.
Now, to be perfectly fair and upfront, I wasn't even born yet when either albums were released (1993, yo). So this is all coming from someone who wasn't there to witness the whole thing firsthand... but from as far as I can tell, there are other factors going on with the success stories for Queensryche and Dream Theater over Fates Warning than merely their "genre defining" albums and that comes down to the business end of the spectrum.
And, as TAC already pointed out earlier, the band made the big mistake of being slower with their album releases from 2000 onward. It took them four years to follow up on Disconnected with FWX and then another nine years to put out Darkness in a Different Light. While I doubt the band would have ever gotten the sort of success that QR or DT did back in the late 80's/early 90's from that timeframe, I think the band could have jumped up a bit in the name recognition.
Hell, an argument could be made that the band was too slow to follow up on Parallels. It took them three years to get back on the saddle and make Inside Out and then another three years for A Pleasant Shade of Grey and the same for Disconnected.
Bosk, I would think that Parallels would be right up your alley.
I've actually never cared for X. I remember creating a thread where I forced myself to do a review of it. Not sure if it was here or on Samsara's site. I think it was there. I gained an appreciation for it, but it's still my least favorite.
While Perfect Symmetry maybe their most technical album pre APSOG, I&W really took off as it appealed to musicians. Dream Theater became a "musician's" band and really gave them a strong foothold within that community. And I think that was really what propelled Dream Theater in those early days. The thing about it was even if it was technical, it was still accessible.
Perfect Symmetry, while technical, isn't as accessible. Parallels, while accessible, isn't as technical. As Images & Words, that is.
While I rank Perfect Symmetry over pretty much every DT album, save for maybe Awake, I'd agree that it's not as accessible as I&W. You bring up a good point on the balance I&W has over both PS and Parallels in that it's both catchy and technical.
Still, I maintain that Fates Warning probably had a business problem that factored into their lack of commercial success when compared to QR and DT.
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I never got it. I had been a fan since Spectre, and I really thought they totally peaked with Perfect Symmetry. Parallels was a let down to me. Life in Still Water and The Eleventh Hour are amazing. And I suppose I've grown more fond of it over the years. In spite of the glossy production and a couple of overly commercial pieces, it's really not quite as big a "sell out" that I thought it was at the time.
I can see how you might've thought it was a letdown. It's a lot less metal than the Arch albums and No Exit, and a lot less progressive than PS. But Fates felt like a band that seemed like they were in search of that something special. A sound, a style. It took me a couple of listens as well, but it hit m that THIS is where Fates fires the most on.
J-Dude, you must've really disliked Inside Out!
I grew to really like Parallels more than I did when I first heard it. It was more progressive than I gave it credit for when I first heard it.
Inside Out OTOH, was just a very bland album. You know how totally tired and generally "done" Joey looks on the band photo? That's a perfect reflection of what that album feels like to me. Like Parallels was their *one big chance* that got missed, and now they are wandering back into the studio with an air of defeat about them. There are some gems. Island in the Stream is good. Pale Fire is excellent. Monument is also excellent. But even the good stuff lacks punch. Monument LIVE was almost a different song.
At least Parallels had a hunger to it.
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Bosk, I would think that Parallels would be right up your alley.
I've actually never cared for X. I remember creating a thread where I forced myself to do a review of it. Not sure if it was here or on Samsara's site. I think it was there. I gained an appreciation for it, but it's still my least favorite.
As I've said before, I'm not sure what it is, but I just don't care for their earlier sound, in all its permutations. On paper, they are a band I "should" like. But when it comes to their earlier stuff, I just can't connect with it.
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FW had NOTHING for promotion. I do remember a flimsy 45 included with an issue of Kerrang when Ray Alder joined of Anarchy Divine.
Having seen the I&W tour a number of times, each show had increasingly larger crowds. And PMU was not played much around here. In fact, I don't ever remember hearing it on the radio. After a few months, they had a pretty low budget video, which did open up some eyes, but DT had a groundswell of word of mouth support. But it was all based on the musicianship of the band. THAT was the draw.
I grew to really like Parallels more than I did when I first heard it. It was more progressive than I gave it credit for when I first heard it.
Inside Out OTOH, was just a very bland album. You know how totally tired and generally "done" Joey looks on the band photo? That's a perfect reflection of what that album feels like to me. Like Parallels was their *one big chance* that got missed, and now they are wandering back into the studio with an air of defeat about them. There are some gems. Island in the Stream is good. Pale Fire is excellent. Monument is also excellent. But even the good stuff lacks punch. Monument LIVE was almost a different song.
I like Inside Out. It's like Journey, where their earlier stuff was more technical or adventurous, but Escape hits the sweet spot. Parallels-Inside Out, to me, are like hard rock Journey albums. Or something like that.
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I seem to have a lot less perception of the huge difference between Perfect Symmetry and Parallels - songs like Through Different Eyes sound like they could easily be on Parallels. Sure - perhaps the most heavy and technical moments on PS are heavier and more technical but overall I would rate the difference between Mindcrime and Empire as far greater than the difference between Perfect Symmetry and Parallels.
FWX was the only Fates album I hadn't heard until this week and I found it one of their weaker efforts.
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For me, Fates has become my favorite band. The lyrics and the musics...just a perfect blend. They just displaced Dream Theater...Jim is probably my all time favorite musician. His output has been flawless in my opinion. But that is just me.
Ray just hit a home run with his performance on Theories of Flight. I think the last two albums are the sound that the band was aiming/looking for. With Theories, they took a step further and I absolute love this album. I think it's perfect. Sound wise, it's beautiful. Perfect mix in my opinion. Anyways, The Ghost of Home, from the 7 min mark to about the 8:30....what a beautiful passage. This album sounds like a perfect blend of Disconnected and Darkness with some Parallels in it.
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Another amazing thing that FW has done as a whole is to adapt to the changes in Ray's voice over time. Yeah, it's a damn shame that he was boozing and smoking for years and has completely eliminated his upper register, but he still has a beautiful voice and the way they utilize it doesn't sound forced. Not once I come out thinking "this is great but it would have been even better if he could go higher". It's just a perfect fit.
Something I wish DT/James would do.
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Another amazing thing that FW has done as a whole is to adapt to the changes in Ray's voice over time. Yeah, it's a damn shame that he was boozing and smoking for years and has completely eliminated his upper register, but he still has a beautiful voice and the way they utilize it doesn't sound forced. Not once I come out thinking "this is great but it would have been even better if he could go higher". It's just a perfect fit.
Something I wish DT/James would do.
I absolutely agree. Moreover, it's a testament to Ray's ability as a singer that he's managed to adapt as a singer too. He's lost a lot of his upper range over the years, but I'd argue his lower and mid-range have both blossomed from APSoG onward.
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Another amazing thing that FW has done as a whole is to adapt to the changes in Ray's voice over time. Yeah, it's a damn shame that he was boozing and smoking for years and has completely eliminated his upper register, but he still has a beautiful voice and the way they utilize it doesn't sound forced. Not once I come out thinking "this is great but it would have been even better if he could go higher". It's just a perfect fit.
Something I wish DT/James would do.
I absolutely agree. Moreover, it's a testament to Ray's ability as a singer that he's managed to adapt as a singer too. He's lost a lot of his upper range over the years, but I'd argue his lower and mid-range have both blossomed from APSoG onward.
I agree with all of that (except Abydos' comment about DT/James, which makes no sense to me). I think this is one of the reasons I took so quickly to Redemption from Snowfall onward. To me, Ray really shines on those albums. I don't really care for his higher vocals. I just don't like the timbre of his voice when he is wailing. But he sounds great to me in his mid and lower registers.
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Parallels has always been a record I've enjoyed, and it was maybe the easiest album to get into initially.
I guess it is early on with Theories, but if I had to rank their catalog,
APSOG
Disconnected
No Exit
Perfect Symmetry
Spectre Within
Theories of Flight
Parallels
Awaken the Guardian
FWX
Inside Out
Darkness in a Different Light
Night on Brocken
so it's in the middle, although after Disconnected, I guess I see all the records down to FWX being about or slightly above 4-stars.
By the way, I made a video on YouTube awhile back showing my collection, if any fans have 15 minutes to kill :P
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGqY7QE7kV0
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FWIW here is my ranking. I have listened to the new album 3 times and all the others twice over the last week or two. I have divided them into rating groups and , as I expected , the 1988-1994 period dominates. It's nice to have an album from the more modern era that slots in up there. I would say that my favourite songs on the other 90's albums might edge those on Theories of Flight (White Flag aside) , but the new album is just so consistent and has given my interest in the band a much needed shot of adrenaline.
90%+
Parallels
Theories of Flight
No Exit
Inside Out
Perfect Symmetry
80-89%
Night on Brocken (scrapes in with 80%)
70-79%
Disconnected
Darkness In A Different Light
FWX
A Pleasant Shade of Grey
The Spectre Within
Awaken The Guardian
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Damn...Night on Brocken beats out APSOG. For me, NoB is their worst.
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Interesting rankings indeed Brent. Good to see the new one getting rated so high. Looking forward to it and hopefully can pick it up this weekend.
I love Disconnected, probably top 3 for me behind Parallels and Inside Out.
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I feel a bit ill at seeing Awaken the Guardian being ranked at the absolute bottom of the list, even over Night on Brocken. That was the album that got me into Fates Warning to begin with... :'(
Still, interesting rankings, Brent. Even if I do disagree with 'em! :lol
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My rankings:
-Theories
-Disconnected
-FWX
-Parallels
-Darkness
-APSOG
-Inside Out
-PS
-NE
The John Arch era unfortunately doesn't do much for me but Sympathetic Resonace became a desert island disc for me..LOL.
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I'm obviously not a huge Arch fan - Brocken just had a couple of songs I really liked in an early Queensryche sorta style and to me his voice was a bit better controlled than on the later albums. The more modern Alder albums are quality but nothing really stands out to me. That's why Theories is so refreshing - it has an energy that they have been missing for a long time.
APSOG is an interesting one, and I know it's highly regarded around here. I think when it comes down to it , I come at this more from a metal and melody perspective (as a priority) and the prog is nice if the first two click and it all works as a unit. I am a bit the same with DT - I&W was #2 all time in my DTF Top 50 but I rarely feel the need to listen to ToT or SC as I get prog fatigue and not enough structure/melody. I also really struggle with concept albums that are missing strong individual songs - or albums where I feel the concept is forcing the lyrics/melodies to places they may not naturally go. I don't subscribe to the idea of "you need to listen to it as a whole ". If I don't like the individual songs then it ain't happenin' for me with the concept and , as such , I also rank SFAM lower than most in the DTF list.
The thing that stood out for me on APSOG was Zonder's drumming and I am not normally one to notice drummers :D
So hey..........it's just me :lol
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Oh hey, rankings. What would DTF be without them.
1. Disconnected
2. Theories of Flight
3. A Pleasant Shade of Grey
4. No Exit
5. Darkness in a Different Light
6. Awaken the Guardian
7. Parallels
8. The Spectre Within
I still have to get around to checking out Night on Brocken, Perfect Symmetry, Inside Out and FWX.
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I'm obviously not a huge Arch fan - Brocken just had a couple of songs I really liked in an early Queensryche sorta style and to me his voice was a bit better controlled than on the later albums. The more modern Alder albums are quality but nothing really stands out to me. That's why Theories is so refreshing - it has an energy that they have been missing for a long time.
APSOG is an interesting one, and I know it's highly regarded around here. I think when it comes down to it , I come at this more from a metal and melody perspective (as a priority) and the prog is nice if the first two click and it all works as a unit. I am a bit the same with DT - I&W was #2 all time in my DTF Top 50 but I rarely feel the need to listen to ToT or SC as I get prog fatigue and not enough structure/melody. I also really struggle with concept albums that are missing strong individual songs - or albums where I feel the concept is forcing the lyrics/melodies to places they may not naturally go. I don't subscribe to the idea of "you need to listen to it as a whole ". If I don't like the individual songs then it ain't happenin' for me with the concept and , as such , I also rank SFAM lower than most in the DTF list.
The thing that stood out for me on APSOG was Zonder's drumming and I am not normally one to notice drummers :D
So hey..........it's just me :lol
Good description. Call me weird, but I like when someone pulls something out of left field. I like to hear their reasons. Chances are they'll stumble on something you never noticed before.
Personally, I think it was an exceedingly brazen attempt on their part to put out an album that was basically just one song broken down into pieces. However, I think they did a really good job. The problem is that after Parallels, Inside Out and APSOG had a lot to live up to.
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My review of TOF (https://www.musicalypse.net/2016-fates-warning-theories-of-flight-english/) is finally out! :)
As for my ranking, it looks like this (haven't listened to the Arch albums, because I don't like his voice):
1. Theories of Flight
2. Disconnected
3. Parallels
4. APSOG
5. DIADL
6. Inside Out
7. FWX
8. Perfect Symmetry
9. No Exit
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Wow, this album really is rating high, unreal.
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Wow, this album really is rating high, unreal.
This is sounding like one of the greatest albums ever!
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Wow, this album really is rating high, unreal.
This is sounding like one of the greatest albums ever!
No kidding.
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Wow, this album really is rating high, unreal.
This is sounding like one of the greatest albums ever!
No kidding.
I'm admittedly biased, since Fates Warning is one of my absolute favorite bands ever, but Theories of Flight definitely feels like an album that's going to be recognized as a classic in the years to come. Definitely one of the best works to ever come from the band, if not their absolute best (and I think it may very well be)!
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My review of TOF (https://www.musicalypse.net/2016-fates-warning-theories-of-flight-english/) is finally out! :)
As for my ranking, it looks like this (haven't listened to the Arch albums, because I don't like his voice):
1. Theories of Flight
2. Disconnected
3. Parallels
4. APSOG
5. DIADL
6. Inside Out
7. FWX
8. Perfect Symmetry
9. No Exit
Enjoyed your review. I hope this album does great things for the band - they deserve it
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I'm obviously not a huge Arch fan - Brocken just had a couple of songs I really liked in an early Queensryche sorta style and to me his voice was a bit better controlled than on the later albums. The more modern Alder albums are quality but nothing really stands out to me. That's why Theories is so refreshing - it has an energy that they have been missing for a long time.
APSOG is an interesting one, and I know it's highly regarded around here. I think when it comes down to it , I come at this more from a metal and melody perspective (as a priority) and the prog is nice if the first two click and it all works as a unit. I am a bit the same with DT - I&W was #2 all time in my DTF Top 50 but I rarely feel the need to listen to ToT or SC as I get prog fatigue and not enough structure/melody. I also really struggle with concept albums that are missing strong individual songs - or albums where I feel the concept is forcing the lyrics/melodies to places they may not naturally go. I don't subscribe to the idea of "you need to listen to it as a whole ". If I don't like the individual songs then it ain't happenin' for me with the concept and , as such , I also rank SFAM lower than most in the DTF list.
The thing that stood out for me on APSOG was Zonder's drumming and I am not normally one to notice drummers :D
So hey..........it's just me :lol
No, it's not just you. I actually think APSOG is bloated and way overrated. I do think there are a few excellent songs on it though. But I can never remember what "Part" they are! :lol On my iPod, I think I renamed them to a line in the song.
My top three are "
"We're Not Children Anymore"
"Where You Are (I Am)
"Do You Think That I"
:biggrin:
I've always had trouble with Arch's vocals. Those albums just sound like a garage band full of fans of Maiden and Queensryche. I feel like if the ever rerecorded them with the Arch/Matheos lineup, they'd be great.
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I still am baffled how little talk about A Twist of Fate there is.
I would put it as the best thing Matheos and Arch have done the last 15 years.
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No, it's not just you. I actually think APSOG is bloated and way overrated. I do think there are a few excellent songs on it though. But I can never remember what "Part" they are! :lol On my iPod, I think I renamed them to a line in the song.
My top three are "
"We're Not Children Anymore"
"Where You Are (I Am)
"Do You Think That I"
:biggrin:
I kind of feel like that with the studio version but the live version is way better. So much energy in APSOG. Sutdio version feels very sterile.
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Ok, not the worlds biggest FW fan here (more a casual fan) but this sounds like a winner from first listen. Very nice, and love the vocals - something I can't say of Arch Mattheos.
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"Spinning" the new album now! :metal
Jim stepped outside of his usual box a few times on this one. SOS is where it stood out to me the most.
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"Spinning" the new album now! :metal
Jim stepped outside of his usual box a few times on this one. SOS is where it stood out to me the most.
SOS and Light and Shade are probably my favourites, but really it's strong all the way through.
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Yup, a really great album.
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I still am baffled how little talk about A Twist of Fate there is.
I would put it as the best thing Matheos and Arch have done the last 15 years.
Only two songs, but holy shit did they nail it!!! Relentless is one of my all-time favorites.
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Well, now that its actually out, I can enjoy what everyone else has been talking about. I don't really feel like its a masterpiece, but it is really decent. The only song I don't really like is SOS. Everything else is really good though.
I do love the alternate version of seven stars and white flag is badass :metal
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Listening to the new album now... Not a big Fates fan, but my curiosity has been peaked by the glowing reviews in this thread.
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Listening to the new album now... Not a big Fates fan, but my curiosity has been peaked by the glowing reviews in this thread.
Piqued?
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This album may end up being my favorite Fates Warning album ever. It's fucking magnificent. :o
I was absolutely sure that Ray Alder did not have another performance like this in him but holy shit does he carry this album on his back or what? Everything about this one just clicks right into place. The riffs, the guitar tone, the drums, the melodies, all of it just blended into a nice big fat juicy sonic feast :hat
This album is nothing like "Darkness In a Different Light" which I liked, but wasn't crazy about. It reminds me more of "Disconnected" - another album of theirs that I liked, but wished it had some guitar solos in it. This album feels like it could have followed "Disconnected." And holy shit the guitar solos on this album some of the best Matheos has ever done. Man, he knows exactly when to shred and when to pull back. Incredible musician. Incredible album. Didn't expect this at all.
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I wish I had a way to pick it up today. I will have to wait until next week.
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Can't wait to get home to down load this.
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Listening to the new album now... Not a big Fates fan, but my curiosity has been peaked by the glowing reviews in this thread.
Piqued?
:lol Nicely done, my mistake.
BTW, I really, really like this album so far, almost 3/4 of the way through it.
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Common mistake. And common pet peeve of mine (along with using "jive" instead of "jibe," or "would of" instead of "would have"), so I continue my crusade to right the wrongs of Internet word mis-usage. :borlag:
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Common mistake. And common pet peeve of mine (along with using "jive" instead of "jibe," or "would of" instead of "would have"), so I continue my crusade to right the wrongs of Internet word mis-usage. :borlag:
Haha. I really enjoyed Theories of Flight, any recommendations as to where I should head in their discography next?
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This album may end up being my favorite Fates Warning album ever. It's fucking magnificent. :o
I was absolutely sure that Ray Alder did not have another performance like this in him but holy shit does he carry this album on his back or what? Everything about this one just clicks right into place. The riffs, the guitar tone, the drums, the melodies, all of it just blended into a nice big fat juicy sonic feast :hat
This album is nothing like "Darkness In a Different Light" which I liked, but wasn't crazy about. It reminds me more of "Disconnected" - another album of theirs that I liked, but wished it had some guitar solos in it. This album feels like it could have followed "Disconnected." And holy shit the guitar solos on this album some of the best Matheos has ever done. Man, he knows exactly when to shred and when to pull back. Incredible musician. Incredible album. Didn't expect this at all.
Kirk
The slow solos are played mostly by Matheos. The shredding/fast solos are played (in this record) by Frank Aresti and Mike Abdow (on one song I think). But Jim's solos have always been very tasteful.
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I wasn't aware of that. But now that you mention it I'll be listening for the two guitars next time I spin it.
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I wasn't aware of that. But now that you mention it I'll be listening for the two guitars next time I spin it.
If you watch the "White Flag" play-through on Youtube, you'll probably be able to get a good feel for who's who. By order of appearance: Matheos, Abdow, Aresti.
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I'll have to pick it up tommorow. Most stores are closed today for Canada Day
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It's currently the best-selling album in Amazon's hard rock and metal category. Couldn't happen to a more deserving band!
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Music-Metal/zgbs/music/67207/ref=zg_bs_nav_m_1_m
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Looks like I should be able to pick this up instore today.
Is the bonus cd worth while? I'm not that fussed with it.
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On my first listen right now.
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Looks like I should be able to pick this up instore today.
Is the bonus cd worth while? I'm not that fussed with it.
Gave it a listen nothing to make me want to go back again.
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Looks like I should be able to pick this up instore today.
Is the bonus cd worth while? I'm not that fussed with it.
I'd say it's worth getting the bonus disc. My favorite version of Firefly is on it.
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I have not been able to find the 1CD edition anywhere online. I bought the 2CD digipack but wanted an additional copy.
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My review of TOF (https://www.musicalypse.net/2016-fates-warning-theories-of-flight-english/) is finally out! :)
As for my ranking, it looks like this (haven't listened to the Arch albums, because I don't like his voice):
1. Theories of Flight
2. Disconnected
3. Parallels
4. APSOG
5. DIADL
6. Inside Out
7. FWX
8. Perfect Symmetry
9. No Exit
Enjoyed your review. I hope this album does great things for the band - they deserve it
Thanks! :tup And yeah, this album deserves to be big.
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The Light and Shade of Things... What a fucking masterpiece!
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The Light and Shade of Things... What a fucking masterpiece!
The whole album is incredible. A true masterpiece.
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The Light and Shade of Things... What a fucking masterpiece!
The whole album is incredible. A true masterpiece.
I agree wholeheartedly.
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After about two listens, this is an excellent album. Ray is incredible.
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I Have to be honest. I was a huge FW fan for a long period of time, but with age and having too many kids, I lost track. I have also just been diving soooo deep into The Astonishing, that I wasnt aware that FW was even in studio or, that they even had another album out! I was lurking and saw this thread and was like wh wh what? After seeing alot of your input, I bought it last evening and I havent stopped listening to it since. What an amazing piece of work. I thought Alder was surprisingly wonderful. i had heard his vocals were failing, but this is one of his best works in a while. I was a huge fan of Parallels and APSOG. This rivals both. Some truley, unforgetable, riffs on this album , about 2 mins into "From the Rooftops" Whoa!
"Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen" Seven Stars" are great tracks. My favorite track I keep coming back to is The Light and Shade of Things.
stellar release!!
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Don't tell me you lost track so much that you missed out on Disconnected, FWX and Darkness in a Different Light?
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Not much of a surprise, but HMV and WalMart didn't have any copies; the girl at HMV didn't have a hot clue what I was talking about.
Oh well, amazon to the rescue!
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Another huge fan of this new album. Honestly, I wasn't a fan of the last album. A couple of songs were ok to me but I'm sure I never listened to the album more than once all the way through.
Got the new one based on all the positive comments and WOW!!! Really good listen. Honestly, there's not a lot of whole FW albums I like, probably just Disconnected (the only album I listen to as a whole at least semi-regularly). This will be listened to regularly for a while, that's for sure.
No songs I didn't like. The longer songs need a couple more listens to get a deeper opinion on, but that's normal.
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CoverKillerNation's review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8Lr3vTCO94
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Lucky enough to find a copy of the double cd this weekend in store for $20. About to have my first listen now.
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Lucky enough to find a copy of the double cd this weekend in store for $20. About to have my first listen now.
It's worth every single cent, I tell you. I'm going to visit my local store tomorrow and see if they have a copy, I've got the digital promo files but I need to have a physical copy of this album.
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Just had my first spin and obviously needs a few but hot damn, where did this come from? Love the aggresion and attitude of the whole thing, and Ray sounds wonderful. Looking forward to getting into these songs.
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Just listened on my way to work. Ray totally nails this. Amazing. You're right, Kade. Where did this come from? It's progressive but immediate.
This may be their best album.
And Bobby J is incredible.
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Just listened on my way to work. Ray totally nails this. Amazing. You're right, Kade. Where did this come from? It's progressive but immediate.
This may be their best album.
And Bobby J is incredible.
Yeah, I agree with the bolded big time. I noticed how great drums were almost on every song which is a rare thing for me - I don't usually pay a lot of attention to the drums.
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Just listened on my way to work. Ray totally nails this. Amazing. You're right, Kade. Where did this come from? It's progressive but immediate.
This may be their best album.
And Bobby J is incredible.
I was excited when I heard Rooftops and thought it wasn't actually going to be a propper representation of the album. I heard White Flag and thought they must have been the two staple heavy songs but I was wrong, this thing grabs the balls from the start and doesn't let go. Even though I've only heard it once the riff in Ghosts of Home has me hooked.
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Just listened on my way to work. Ray totally nails this. Amazing. You're right, Kade. Where did this come from? It's progressive but immediate.
This may be their best album.
And Bobby J is incredible.
See? I told ya! :tup :hefdaddy :metal
And yeah, it is surprising to see just how great the album is. Last time a veteran band impressed me this much with a late era album was Rush with Clockwork Angels! :hefdaddy
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When I read the booklet first up and saw that Frank only played the two solos on the album I was disappointed but when I actually heard the album, damn it's good to hear Jim solo again, he kills it here too.
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Last time a veteran band impressed me this much with a late era album was Rush with Clockwork Angels! :hefdaddy
It's been a great year for Old School bands. Anthrax, Megadeth, Metal Church, Flotsam & Jetsam. All fantastic albums.
When I read the booklet first up and saw that Frank only played the two solos on the album I was disappointed but when I actually heard the album, damn it's good to hear Jim solo again, he kills it here too.
The lead guitar playing rally stands out on this album, and that's not usually the case for FW.
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When I read the booklet first up and saw that Frank only played the two solos on the album I was disappointed but when I actually heard the album, damn it's good to hear Jim solo again, he kills it here too.
The lead guitar playing rally stands out on this album, and that's not usually the case for FW.
Yeah, and Jim adding some more killer solos than normal this time really gives it that FW feel even more IMO.
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Between OSI, Arch/Matheos, and Theories of Flight, Jim Matheos has just been releasing a ton of awesome music.
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Now that I heard it maybe five times, I think it's great, probably better than Darkness, although I still really like Darkness. Ray sings his heart out and the band is on fire. Catchy and progressive and heavy, what more can you ask? The only mild criticism I have is that the title track could have been more, it feels a bit unfinished for me.
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Only listened to it twice but IMO it kicks the crap out of Darkness.
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Last time a veteran band impressed me this much with a late era album was Rush with Clockwork Angels! :hefdaddy
It's been a great year for Old School bands. Anthrax, Megadeth, Metal Church, Flotsam & Jetsam. All fantastic albums.
When I read the booklet first up and saw that Frank only played the two solos on the album I was disappointed but when I actually heard the album, damn it's good to hear Jim solo again, he kills it here too.
The lead guitar playing rally stands out on this album, and that's not usually the case for FW.
Also a new Testament CD is coming out too that has a lot of potential.
Agreed with the above except that I have never liked Joey Belladona. I preferred John Bush's voice by a mile. Just can't get into Anthrax with Joey as the singer. I could tell that I would be a fan of these new Anthrax songs if someone else was singing. Probably in the minority though.
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My Jim Matheos rankings since the year 2000:
1. A Twist of Fate
2. Disconnected
3. Office of Strategic Influence
4. Theories of Flight
5. Sympathetic Resonance
6. FWX
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Also a new Testament CD is coming out too that has a lot of potential.
Agreed with the above except that I have never liked Joey Belladona. I preferred John Bush's voice by a mile. Just can't get into Anthrax with Joey as the singer. I could tell that I would be a fan of these new Anthrax songs if someone else was singing. Probably in the minority though.
I am John Bush's biggest fan here at DTF, but the Anthrax gig just didn't work out. I've never had a problem with Joey, and really understood the decision to sack him in the early 90's.
3. Office of Strategic Influence
I just do not get OSI. At. All.
With Sympathetic Resonance, and Theories Of Flight, Jim may have 2 of the Top 10 albums of this decade on his hands. Bobby Jarzombek and Joey Vera work incredibly together. Joey has come a long way from Can U Deliver!
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I think after this album I'm gonna go back to SR. It was good, but it just didn't ever grab me like it should have.
This new one is certainly a cracker though.
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The section from 2:12 to 4:20 in Ghosts of Home is one of the coolest fucking things the band has ever done.
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The section from 2:12 to 4:20 in Ghosts of Home is one of the coolest fucking things the band has ever done.
I agree.
While I think APSOG is overbloated and overrated, this part reminds me of that album.
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I can see myself revisitng a lot of FW in the weeks ahead, good stuff.
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The section from 2:12 to 4:20 in Ghosts of Home is one of the coolest fucking things the band has ever done.
I agree.
While I think APSOG is overbloated and overrated, this part reminds me of that album.
Yeah, and reminds me of Disconnected too.
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While I don't remember such intricate musicianship on Disconnected, the album as a whole definitely reminds me of Disconnected. Feels a bit more complete than Disconnected, which I always felt was too short.
They each have two longer awesome tracks with a bunch of very cool shorter tracks.
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While I don't remember such intricate musicianship on Disconnected, the album as a whole definitely reminds me of Disconnected. Feels a bit more complete than Disconnected, which I always felt was too short.
They each have two longer awesome tracks with a bunch of very cool shorter tracks.
You're pretty spot on here with everything and I agree. This new one has a little more agression and melodies to sink the teeth into though. I would have even loved a 20-25 minute song on this new one. Ghosts of Home could have even been made longer IMO.
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Bobby J is like Zonder(who is awesome) on steroids. Yeah, I don't want Ghosts Of Home to end!
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Does the part at 5:06 in The Ghosts of Home sound really familiar to anyone else?
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Does the part at 5:06 in The Ghosts of Home sound really familiar to anyone else?
What do you mean, another band or something from Fates before?
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I think I've decided that Theories of Flight is my joint favourite along with Disconnected.
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Joey Vera interview:
https://www.joelgausten.com/2016/07/a-new-flight-joey-vera-on-fates.html
Joey is one of the coolest guys in metal.
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My Jim Matheos rankings since the year 2000:
1. A Twist of Fate
2. Disconnected
3. Office of Strategic Influence
4. Theories of Flight
5. Sympathetic Resonance
6. FWX
This is a cool thing, and you're a cool person for having done it.
My top Matheos since 2000:
5. Disconnected
4. Free
3. Sympathetic Resonance
2. Theories of Flight
1. Office of Strategic Influence
And this really shows how great Jim is, considering how Darkness, and A Twist of Fate would easily make my cut for many other composers, especially ones as far into their career.
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I have only listened to this once so far, but I am REALLY liking it. Early standouts are The Ghosts of Home and White Flag.
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Jim Matheos rankings since 2000:
1. Fire Make Thunder
2. Theories of Flight
3. Sympathetic Resonance
4. Free
5. Blood
6. Office of Strategic Influence
7. Disconnected
8. FWX
9. Darkness in a Different Light
Those top 3 are very fluid and could easily change from one day to the next.
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Can stop listening to this one. My AOTY right now :metal
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Can stop listening to this one. My AOTY right now :metal
+1 on this. Took over Haken's #1 spot for me.
Even the acoustic bonus cd is unreal.
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Really cool interview with Jim Matheos. More extensive than we usually see from him. He comments on the quality of Ray's vocals:
I think a lot of that has to do with him writing a lot more of the lyrics, writing more melody lines, so he has that conviction behind it as well. It’s always hard for a singer. I think he does a really good job but I think it’s hard for a singer to sing other people’s lyrics and melody lines. A lot of times that conviction does’t come across. Him doing it this time, most of the stuff was his. That comes across a little more.
https://fateswarning.com/2016/07/01/goldmine-magazine-interview-with-jim-matheos-07012016/ (https://fateswarning.com/2016/07/01/goldmine-magazine-interview-with-jim-matheos-07012016/)
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GM: And Ray (Alder) sounds as strong and melodic as he did on “No Exit.”
JM: Yeah, I think he did a great job on this. For some reason he’s been hitting the real sweet spots. He always sounds good — he had a rough patch in maybe the early 2000s — but I know him really well and he’s not doing anything different. He hasn’t like started taking care of himself. Ray is Ray. He hasn’t changed in a long time. He’s just hit a sweet spot. These songs really resonated with him and to me this is one of his best performances ever. He sounds great on this record.
Well this is a bit sad to hear but glad that Ray has managed to remain sounding so good.
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Really nice interview though. I like it when an interviewer deviates from script a little bit and asks follow-up questions when something interesting is said. This guy did that, and it was great.
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Can stop listening to this one. My AOTY right now :metal
+1 on this. Took over Haken's #1 spot for me.
Even the acoustic bonus cd is unreal.
oooh, I'll have to spin that one up. Haven't tried it yet.
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GM: And Ray (Alder) sounds as strong and melodic as he did on “No Exit.”
JM: Yeah, I think he did a great job on this. For some reason he’s been hitting the real sweet spots. He always sounds good — he had a rough patch in maybe the early 2000s — but I know him really well and he’s not doing anything different. He hasn’t like started taking care of himself. Ray is Ray. He hasn’t changed in a long time. He’s just hit a sweet spot. These songs really resonated with him and to me this is one of his best performances ever. He sounds great on this record.
Well this is a bit sad to hear but glad that Ray has managed to remain sounding so good.
Given all that I know about how careless he's been when it comes to taking care of himself and his gift it's remarkable to me that he sounds this good after everything he's been through. I had a feeling these were his melodies and lyrics because they are vaguely remeniscent of Redemption (I mean that in a good way).
Matheos is definitely right about one thing - it's really hard to sing someone else's lyrics and melodies with the kind of conviction that the author intended. He's right that Ray's personal connection with these lyrics are the spark that made the difference between a good album and a great album.
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GM: And Ray (Alder) sounds as strong and melodic as he did on “No Exit.”
JM: Yeah, I think he did a great job on this. For some reason he’s been hitting the real sweet spots. He always sounds good — he had a rough patch in maybe the early 2000s — but I know him really well and he’s not doing anything different. He hasn’t like started taking care of himself. Ray is Ray. He hasn’t changed in a long time. He’s just hit a sweet spot. These songs really resonated with him and to me this is one of his best performances ever. He sounds great on this record.
Well this is a bit sad to hear but glad that Ray has managed to remain sounding so good.
Honestly, I'm not sure what to think of Jim's comments there, because Ray has to be doing something different. His voice really took a turn for the worse back in 2010/2011 (as shown on Redemption's This Mortal Coil) and then from 2012 onward, Ray's voice seems to have been growing progressively stronger again.
You don't go from where Ray was vocally five years ago to where he is now on Theories of Flight without making some sort of change.
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My top 5 Jim records since 2000:
1. Free
2. Theories of Flight
3. Disconnected
4. Fire Make Thunder
5. Blood
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My top Jim records since 2000:
1. Theories of Flight
2. Fire Make Thunder
3. Disconnected
4. FWX
5. Blood/Darkness
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Honestly, I'm not sure what to think of Jim's comments there, because Ray has to be doing something different. His voice really took a turn for the worse back in 2010/2011 (as shown on Redemption's This Mortal Coil) and then from 2012 onward, Ray's voice seems to have been growing progressively stronger again.
You don't go from where Ray was vocally five years ago to where he is now on Theories of Flight without making some sort of change.
Maybe his wife has been a good influence on him?
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What's wrong with the vocals on This Mortal Coil? ???
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What's wrong with the vocals on This Mortal Coil? ???
Yeah, I don't see the struggle in the studio releases. The live releases on the other hand, Ray struggles quite a bit. When I saw them in the Darkness tour he actually sang pretty well (better than the Redemption live releases).
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What's wrong with the vocals on This Mortal Coil? ???
I thought the same thing. I love that album!
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I haven't enjoyed a Redemption album since The Origins of Ruin :(
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What's wrong with the vocals on This Mortal Coil? ???
Ray just sounds really thin and dry at times on that album, I think. Especially on the cover for Edge of the Blade.
That's not to say the album is bad or that Ray was awful on it- It's just the album that always stood out in my head as being Ray's low-point. Seriously, compare Ray's performance there to Snowfall on Judgement Day, Darkness in a Different Light, Art of Loss and especially to Theories of Flight. There's something amiss on This Mortal Coil that isn't there on the other albums.
However, and I didn't think of this possibility beforehand, but it could be more that his performance on the album was hindered more by the weird production than by his actual voice at the time.
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This new album is fucking amazing. It's absolute quality and refreshing to hear an album of such creativity, originality and basically something perfectly written, well thought out and performed. So much new music these days is just becoming more and more bland, generic and lacks the passion and drive to create something that deserves attention and multiple listens. This album you can just feel the work and heart that has gone into it, well done Jim, Ray and co, a brilliant piece of music from start to finish.
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This new album is fucking amazing. It's absolute quality and refreshing to hear an album of such creativity, originality and basically something perfectly written, well thought out and performed. So much new music these days is just becoming more and more bland, generic and lacks the passion and drive to create something that deserves attention and multiple listens. This album you can just feel the work and heart that has gone into it, well done Jim, Ray and co, a brilliant piece of music from start to finish.
:tup
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I haven't enjoyed a Redemption album since The Origins of Ruin :(
I love The origins of Ruin. :metal
I have never listened to Fates Warning, but listened to Theories of Flight on youtube and will be buying soon.
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After the new Redemption and now the new Fates Warning, I'm seriously thinking Ray could be my favorite singer. He does a phenomenal job on Theories of Flight!!!!
Theories of Flight is hands down my favorite FW album. I didn't think I'd ever enjoy a FW album as much as a Redemption album, but this is close.
And, The Light and Shade of Things is my favorite FW song of all time. It is such a masterpiece.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
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Jim Matheos interviewed by The Prog Report
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4DyuZRF8LE
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
Not for me, no. While it's still a nice tune, The Ghosts of Home is still my least favourite song from the album. But hey, great to see some people love this song, just shows how tastes work sometimes.
The Light and Shade of Things though... this could be indeed the best thing the band has ever done, in my opinion.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
Not for me, no. While it's still a nice tune, The Ghosts of Home is still my least favourite song from the album. But hey, great to see some people love this song, just shows how tastes work sometimes.
The Light and Shade of Things though... this could be indeed the best thing the band has ever done, in my opinion.
The Light and Shade is middle tier at the moment but is growing. Shows the strength of this brilliant album.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
This song reminds me OSI a lot.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
This song reminds me OSI a lot.
What OSI song does it remind you of? Everything I've heard from OSI is just noise.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
Funny you should say that. I was just sitting listening to it in my car in the parking lot and could not turn it off. Such a good song.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
This song reminds me OSI a lot.
What OSI song does it remind you of? Everything I've heard from OSI is just noise.
It reminds me the overall music style of OSI, not a specific song. I don't think OSI music is too far of FW style, aka Disconnected. Also I like OSI much more than Chroma Key, which has much more " noise" music.
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Just stopping in to say The Light and Shade of Things is really a spectacular song.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
Funny you should say that. I was just sitting listening to it in my car in the parking lot and could not turn it off. Such a good song.
I absolutely love the song from the 7 min mark towards the 8:42. Just a gorgeous beautiful passage.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
This song reminds me OSI a lot.
What OSI song does it remind you of? Everything I've heard from OSI is just noise.
The whole first minute of the song sounds EXACTLY like OSI, because Jim and Kevin use radio samples like that a lot.
And as always, Jim's riffs are largely pretty similar in both bands.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
This song reminds me OSI a lot.
What OSI song does it remind you of? Everything I've heard from OSI is just noise.
The whole first minute of the song sounds EXACTLY like OSI, because Jim and Kevin use radio samples like that a lot.
Small wonder... the first minute of The Ghosts of Home is just noise for me.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
This song reminds me OSI a lot.
What OSI song does it remind you of? Everything I've heard from OSI is just noise.
The whole first minute of the song sounds EXACTLY like OSI, because Jim and Kevin use radio samples like that a lot.
Small wonder... the first minute of The Ghosts of Home is just noise for me.
Only now I see what I did here. In fact, I was thinking in Theories of Flight as the song that reminded me OSI! :facepalm: ;D Sorry, my bad!
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This new album is fucking amazing. It's absolute quality and refreshing to hear an album of such creativity, originality and basically something perfectly written, well thought out and performed. So much new music these days is just becoming more and more bland, generic and lacks the passion and drive to create something that deserves attention and multiple listens. This album you can just feel the work and heart that has gone into it, well done Jim, Ray and co, a brilliant piece of music from start to finish.
Well put. I wholeheartedly agree. :hat
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
Funny you should say that. I was just sitting listening to it in my car in the parking lot and could not turn it off. Such a good song.
Everytime I listen to the album, I have to listen to this song about 3 times.
This new album is fucking amazing. It's absolute quality and refreshing to hear an album of such creativity, originality and basically something perfectly written, well thought out and performed. So much new music these days is just becoming more and more bland, generic and lacks the passion and drive to create something that deserves attention and multiple listens. This album you can just feel the work and heart that has gone into it, well done Jim, Ray and co, a brilliant piece of music from start to finish.
Well put. I wholeheartedly agree. :hat
:metal
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
Funny you should say that. I was just sitting listening to it in my car in the parking lot and could not turn it off. Such a good song.
Everytime I listen to the album, I have to listen to this song about 3 times.
For real, or are you just wolfking with me?
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He's trying to say that the song is A-O-Kade with him.
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The Ghosts of Home possibly the best thing the band has ever done? Could be.
Funny you should say that. I was just sitting listening to it in my car in the parking lot and could not turn it off. Such a good song.
Everytime I listen to the album, I have to listen to this song about 3 times.
For real, or are you just wolfking with me?
Seriously, I'm not bosking you around, it's incredible. That instrumental section from 2:10 is just one ofthe coolest things, and the last few minutes is just perfect.
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He's trying to say that the song is A-O-Kade with him.
Absolutely, I just have to listen to it Tim and Tim again.
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(https://memecrunch.com/meme/63K9M/well-played-sir/image.jpg?w=600&c=1)
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Can't Google image from my phone but...
Well played, sir!
(https://media.giphy.com/media/7Dk4apSbWKpZ6/giphy.gif)
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This is already my favorite Fates Warning album.
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This is already my favorite Fates Warning album.
I don't know if I can properly rank it yet, but it's looking like it's going to sit at least top 3, it's wonderful.
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I hesitate to make such statements so early either. But it is a function of (1) it easily being SO good, and (2) their other albums for the most part failing to connect with me (you might say they leave me feeling...Disconnected :lhk: ). I mean, I liked the last album and X, and a few songs here and there from Parallels and other parts of their discography. But this is the first album of theirs that I can say I am definitely interested in from start to finish.
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X doesn't even rate for me. It's easily my least favorite Alder era album.
But this album could be Top 3. Not sure it's going to outdo Parallels. I have way too much history with that album. But it's knocking on Inside Out's door for #2.
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I've always enjoyed FWX
1. Left Here..good, moody opening track
2. Simple Human..great riff
3. River Wide Ocean Deep..very cool, moody piece
4. Another Perfect Day..catchy, memorable, poppy track that works well.
5. Heal Me..cool, hypnotic, riffy track
6. Sequence # 7
7. Crawl
8. A Handful of Doubt..great, emotional track
9. Stranger (With a Familiar Face)
10. Wish..cool ending to the record
for a record I haven't listened to in many years, my memories of it and most of the songs are still quite favorable; per I don't follow the lack of interest. The only thing I recall about it when it came out and over the years being it came out on the heals of the likes of APSOG, Disconnected..and even OSI and A Twist of Fate, so that is the only thing that I've felt lesser about it. But beyond that, it's certainly a record I enjoy and hardly would look past.
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Now that I've listened to it some more I can agree with most of you that this is a really great album, could became my favorite FW album (although my FW discography has a lot of holes) and is a strong contender for album of the year.
This reminds me a lot of Sympathetic Resonance but as of now I think the Arch/Matheos record is just a little bit better. And I still think the title track could have been more, it has some nice ideas but doesn't really develop into a full song (for me).
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FWX is an interesting album, I've always liked it a lot.
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I like FWX, but it took me a long time to. I think what hurt it the most was I legit thought it was the last FW album. The thought of them ending their career on that one didn't sit well with me. And them disappearing for like a decade afterward didn't help either.
Its a very different album, but I like to spin it from time to time.
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I like FWX, but it took me a long time to. I think what hurt it the most was I legit thought it was the last FW album. The thought of them ending their career on that one didn't sit well with me. And them disappearing for like a decade afterward didn't help either.
Its a very different album, but I like to spin it from time to time.
It was really the first time the band hooked me and made me want to listen to an entire album. As I said earlier, I had liked a few individual songs up to this point. But every time I tried listening to an entire album of theirs, I quickly got bored. X wasn't amazing to me, but it was more than enough to hold my interest.
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I can't find any faults with this one...it's such a great album and the bonus disc is awesome as well. As a fan since Perfect Symmetry, this may very well be my favorite. It's been in constant rotation since its release.
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Just listened to No Exit while cutting the grass. Holy Hell Ray!! :metal
This album is way underplayed in my collection. Some great stuff.
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I have never been the biggest FW fan, but I just bought this one after listening on Spotify for ten minutes. Sounded amazing!
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Just listened to No Exit while cutting the grass. Holy Hell Ray!! :metal
This album is way underplayed in my collection. Some great stuff.
Great underrated album. One of my favorite FW albums.
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Just listened to No Exit while cutting the grass. Holy Hell Ray!! :metal
This album is way underplayed in my collection. Some great stuff.
This is one that's underplayed by me also, big time actually, I need to fix that.
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Theories Of Flight - A damn fine album. Amazing that a band can put out this caliber of work with their twelfth album. Their career might even be peaking now!
FWX - Underrated. This album rocks.
No Exit - Very cool album. Interestingly, the melodies still have a touch of the vocal acrobatics we heard from the Arch -era albums. It's also the last album that you can hear the remnants of the NWOBHM influence. After No Exit, they moved toward a more ambient Pink Floydian sound.
A Pleasant Shade of Gray - TAC is wrong again about it being bloated and overrated. :-* One of their finest works.
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No Exit - Very cool album. Interestingly, the melodies still have a touch of the vocal acrobatics we heard from the Arch -era albums.
I've always thought Ray tried a bit too hard to maintain the Arch style on No Exit. It's certainly understandable for whomever made that decision, but I'm glad he's since found his own style, and he obviously killed it on Theories of Flight (which I think is the best performance of his career).
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Never listened to anything by Fates Warning but this album is getting such positive vibes that I might start here.
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Never listened to anything by Fates Warning but this album is getting such positive vibes that I might start here.
This is a very good decision.
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No Exit - Very cool album. Interestingly, the melodies still have a touch of the vocal acrobatics we heard from the Arch -era albums.
I've always thought Ray tried a bit too hard to maintain the Arch style on No Exit. It's certainly understandable for whomever made that decision, but I'm glad he's since found his own style, and he obviously killed it on Theories of Flight (which I think is the best performance of his career).
I was never a huge fan of No Exit. I definitely hear what you hear with the vocals. I think they're a bit over the top and, while that can be good, there's just no melody to them as there are on later releases. The music reminds me of the Arch-era albums which never did much for me except for a select handful of songs.
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Since the recent surge of FW love, I would also suggest checking out their live album Still Life. It has APSOG in full + awesome songs from previous albums, including the 20something minute Ivory Gates of Dreams. I don't know if the album was touched and dubbed for the release, but it's one of the best sounding live performances I've listened to, definitely worth it.
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Since the recent surge of FW love, I would also suggest checking out their live album Still Life. It has APSOG in full + awesome songs from previous albums, including the 20something minute Ivory Gates of Dreams. I don't know if the album was touched and dubbed for the release, but it's one of the best sounding live performances I've listened to, definitely worth it.
Actually listened to Disc 2 a couple of days ago!
A Pleasant Shade of Gray - TAC is wrong again
:lol
I know, right!
No Exit - Very cool album. Interestingly, the melodies still have a touch of the vocal acrobatics we heard from the Arch -era albums.
Very true and was thinking the same think as I was listening the other day. I find it a little Queensryche-ish.
I've always thought Ray tried a bit too hard to maintain the Arch style on No Exit. It's certainly understandable for whomever made that decision, but I'm glad he's since found his own style, and he obviously killed it on Theories of Flight (which I think is the best performance of his career).
I think Ray's peak was Parallels/Inside Out. Theories is certainly his most improbable. But yes, it IS an amazing performance. Everyone's performance on Theories is amazing.
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Everyone's performance on Theories is amazing.
I'll be the first to admit that I don't know that much about drumming--it's the only typical rock instrument that I never learned to play--but Bobby Jarzombek is fast becoming one of my favorite drummers, and I think he definitely deserves some credit for how good this album sounds.
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Everyone's performance on Theories is amazing.
I'll be the first to admit that I don't know that much about drumming--it's the only typical rock instrument that I never learned to play--but Bobby Jarzombek is fast becoming one of my favorite drummers, and I think he definitely deserves some credit for how good this album sounds.
It's a team effort for sure. Joey Vera knocks this out too.
Bobby Jarzombek actually reminds me a little of Mark Zonder, but is way more powerful.
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In Ray's defense on No Exit, if I remember right, he only had a very short period of time to write the vocal melodies for the album. He was brought into the band, then into the studio very quickly. Considering the fact that he was doing all of this for the very first time in his life with that quick of a turn around I think he did an admirable job.
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No Exit - Very cool album. Interestingly, the melodies still have a touch of the vocal acrobatics we heard from the Arch -era albums.
Very true and was thinking the same think as I was listening the other day. I find it a little Queensryche-ish.
Yes! There were definitely some moments on No Exit that I went, wait.... is this Queensryche? The thing is, since this music was pretty much concurrent, it's hard to tell who came first.
I think Ray's peak was Parallels/Inside Out. Theories is certainly his most improbable. But yes, it IS an amazing performance. Everyone's performance on Theories is amazing.
[/quote]
The thing about Inside Out for me is that it has some good songs, but the production is kind of sterile and laid back. It's missing that aggressive edge.
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Very true and was thinking the same think as I was listening the other day. I find it a little Queensryche-ish.
Yes! There were definitely some moments on No Exit that I went, wait.... is this Queensryche? The thing is, since this music was pretty much concurrent, it's hard to tell who came first.
I think Ray's peak was Parallels/Inside Out. Theories is certainly his most improbable. But yes, it IS an amazing performance. Everyone's performance on Theories is amazing.
[/quote]
The thing about Inside Out for me is that it has some good songs, but the production is kind of sterile and laid back. It's missing that aggressive edge.
[/quote]
Sorry for the quote fail :loser:
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Theories of Flight is amazing! I had tried to get into the band with various other albums but nothing clicked, and certainly not like this one. "Seven Stars" got me immediately, and now every other song is opening up just as much. Loving it more with every listen.
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Sorry for the quote fail :loser:
:lol
The thing about Inside Out for me is that it has some good songs, but the production is kind of sterile and laid back. It's missing that aggressive edge.
At the time, I really enjoyed it. Melody, especially vocally, were in short supply in the FW catalog at the time. Listening back to it now, it does come off as slightly weaker. Not that it hasn't aged well, but that most of their catalog has aged much better.
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I think Ray's peak was Parallels/Inside Out. Theories is certainly his most improbable. But yes, it IS an amazing performance. Everyone's performance on Theories is amazing.
Ray is actually one of the major reasons I don't get into a lot of their back catalog. I just don't like his timbre back then, most of the time. To go outside the genre a bit, I would kind of compare it to Michael Sweet of Stryper. Back in the '80s when the band were at their peak, he was doing some AMAZING things vocally. But a lot of people are just kind of put off by his voice. Nowadays, he is still incredibly powerful, but doesn't quite have the range he used to. But his voice has a grit and warmth to it that he didn't have back then. Kinda similar to Ray. His voice in the early days was stellar--I'm not taking anything away from that. But the quality of his voice just didn't do it for me. I like the warmth and grit that has come with age, even if some of the range may be diminished. It really adds a lot of depth and emotion to his voice that I found missing, and makes his vocal parts much more interesting to me.
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I literally cannot decide which I like better, The Light And Shade Of Things or The Ghosts Of Home.
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It was really the first time the band hooked me and made me want to listen to an entire album. As I said earlier, I had liked a few individual songs up to this point. But every time I tried listening to an entire album of theirs, I quickly got bored. X wasn't amazing to me, but it was more than enough to hold my interest.
It was the same for me, or at least, a nice gateway to the rest of their stuff. FWX has some of the band's most accessible stuff to me. Left Here. Another Perfect Day, A Handful Of Doubt, and Wish all sound like they could be on mainstream radio. I liked those tracks the first time I heard them, and that finally gave me the patience to ease into more of their stuff.
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I literally cannot decide which I like better, The Light And Shade Of Things or The Ghosts Of Home.
This is the only issue I've had with this CD to be honest. Each one is my favorite while it's playing. This is exactly what I want from 'epics' - they end and I cannot figure out how 10 minutes passed already.
It's really great seeing so much love for this effort universally - I cannot wait for the tour. They always kick off in Hartford, I'll be there.
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They both totally hook me in a way that And Yet It Moves, while showcasing some great playing, never does.
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Solid. Simply, solid. This album has no weak spots for me. The entire album is golden!
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My first Fates Warning CD. The guitar parts in The Ghosts Of Home reminded me of early Rush. SOS :metal
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Anyone know how well the album did with first week sales?
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Just got this a few days ago and my first impression was very good. Better than DIADL. On my 3rd spin now and it will get many more. I've been a FW fan for a long time. They have been consistently good for that long.
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My copy just arrived yesterday so I'm late to the party.
Worth the wait, this is an excellent album. As compared to Darkness, which was a grower, this one clicked right away.
For me, the best since Inside Out.
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Looking to pick up the new album soon as I've been wanting to give this band a listen and this new album seems a great place to start given all the positivity around it. If I do love this album then would it be well advised to then just start to work backwards chronologically?
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Good CD. Much better than the last one
Disappointed in the Light and Shade chorus because the song is so awesome and the chorus doesn't flow well. This song deserved better.
I really like the last 3 tracks on the bonus CD. Ray's voice sounds awesome on them. Wish they would have done a version of "Wish" on the bonus cd
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I have never really gotten into FW or even Ray's voice until I heard this record. Damn, that was surprise how it got me right away! Some songs (especially SOS) sounds really OSI with heavy metal singer in my opinion but that's just great. Every song is great here so this album will be surprisingly high in my top albums of the year list. Doesn't fight with Haken but it's near.
Seven Stars is one of the best songs of the year. Instantly on my training playlist.
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Looking to pick up the new album soon as I've been wanting to give this band a listen and this new album seems a great place to start given all the positivity around it. If I do love this album then would it be well advised to then just start to work backwards chronologically?
A Pleasant Shade of Grey would be a great place to start IMO. Accessible and good quality music
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I have never really gotten into FW or even Ray's voice until I heard this record. Damn, that was surprise how it got me right away! Some songs (especially SOS) sounds really OSI with heavy metal singer in my opinion but that's just great. Every song is great here so this album will be surprisingly high in my top albums of the year list. Doesn't fight with Haken but it's near.
Seven Stars is one of the best songs of the year. Instantly on my training playlist.
Absolutely. Like Stars our Eyes have Seen is right there with it for me, both are top tier FW short tunes. Just a great album all around
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Disappointed in the Light and Shade chorus because the song is so awesome and the chorus doesn't flow well. This song deserved better.
Interesting. I love that chorus.
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Disappointed in the Light and Shade chorus because the song is so awesome and the chorus doesn't flow well. This song deserved better.
Interesting. I love that chorus.
To me, especially the last time Ray sings it on that song, maybe it's the most emotional part of any song ever sung by Ray. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :chill
Excellent record, by a very solid/impressive band since Perfect Symmetry IMO!
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Disappointed in the Light and Shade chorus because the song is so awesome and the chorus doesn't flow well. This song deserved better.
Interesting. I love that chorus.
Agreed. I think it's perfect for the flow. In fact, I think the whole song flows just perfectly.
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Disappointed in the Light and Shade chorus because the song is so awesome and the chorus doesn't flow well. This song deserved better.
Interesting. I love that chorus.
To me, especially the last time Ray sings it on that song, maybe it's the most emotional part of any song ever sung by Ray. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :chill
Excellent record, by a very solid/impressive band since Perfect Symmetry IMO!
I meant, not exactly the chorus, but this part, kind of a "post-chorus":
"You're nowhere now, you're nowhere now
I know that it's hard to find
A heart that's there inside
It's hard to find your heart now"
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Ignore Hanz. He gets thrown off the Nakatomi Tower for his poor taste.
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"You're nowhere now, you're nowhere now
I know that it's hard to find
A heart that's there inside
It's hard to find your heart now"
One of my all time Ray moments in their entire catalog.
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"You're nowhere now, you're nowhere now
I know that it's hard to find
A heart that's there inside
It's hard to find your heart now"
One of my all time Ray moments in their entire catalog.
Love that section, definitely one of the best sections on the album, that's for sure.
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Disappointed in the Light and Shade chorus because the song is so awesome and the chorus doesn't flow well. This song deserved better.
Interesting. I love that chorus.
To me, especially the last time Ray sings it on that song, maybe it's the most emotional part of any song ever sung by Ray. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :chill
Excellent record, by a very solid/impressive band since Perfect Symmetry IMO!
I meant, not exactly the chorus, but this part, kind of a "post-chorus":
"You're nowhere now, you're nowhere now
I know that it's hard to find
A heart that's there inside
It's hard to find your heart now"
That section is just so damn good. Probably my favourite moment on the album.
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The light and shade of things is awesome and After that 6 min mark, I am in heaven.
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I have never really gotten into FW or even Ray's voice until I heard this record. Damn, that was surprise how it got me right away! Some songs (especially SOS) sounds really OSI with heavy metal singer in my opinion but that's just great. Every song is great here so this album will be surprisingly high in my top albums of the year list. Doesn't fight with Haken but it's near.
Seven Stars is one of the best songs of the year. Instantly on my training playlist.
Great to hear you like it, man! :tup
"You're nowhere now, you're nowhere now
I know that it's hard to find
A heart that's there inside
It's hard to find your heart now"
One of my all time Ray moments in their entire catalog.
Mine as well! I named White Flag my favorite song in my review (here (https://www.musicalypse.net/2016-fates-warning-theories-of-flight-english/) for those who missed it), but Light and Shade has slowly but surely taken over. Also, The Ghosts of Home and the title-track is easily the best two-song closer combo on a FW album besides Still Remains and Disconnected 2 :hefdaddy
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To me, TOF (the song) and Disconnected 2 are pretty much just noise.
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Disappointed in the Light and Shade chorus because the song is so awesome and the chorus doesn't flow well. This song deserved better.
Interesting. I love that chorus.
To me, especially the last time Ray sings it on that song, maybe it's the most emotional part of any song ever sung by Ray. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :chill
Excellent record, by a very solid/impressive band since Perfect Symmetry IMO!
I meant, not exactly the chorus, but this part, kind of a "post-chorus":
"You're nowhere now, you're nowhere now
I know that it's hard to find
A heart that's there inside
It's hard to find your heart now"
That section is just so damn good. Probably my favourite moment on the album.
I said it before and I'll say it again, my favourite moment of the whole album no doubt.
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A couple of cool play through videos of White Flag.
https://bravewords.com/news/fates-warning-hit-the-charts-with-theories-of-flight-new-white-flag-drum-bass-playthrough-video-streaming
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I have never really gotten into FW or even Ray's voice until I heard this record. Damn, that was surprise how it got me right away! Some songs (especially SOS) sounds really OSI with heavy metal singer in my opinion but that's just great. Every song is great here so this album will be surprisingly high in my top albums of the year list. Doesn't fight with Haken but it's near.
Seven Stars is one of the best songs of the year. Instantly on my training playlist.
Great to hear you like it, man! :tup
Actually your review was the reason I checked the album twice and it was worth it!
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I have never really gotten into FW or even Ray's voice until I heard this record. Damn, that was surprise how it got me right away! Some songs (especially SOS) sounds really OSI with heavy metal singer in my opinion but that's just great. Every song is great here so this album will be surprisingly high in my top albums of the year list. Doesn't fight with Haken but it's near.
Seven Stars is one of the best songs of the year. Instantly on my training playlist.
Great to hear you like it, man! :tup
Actually your review was the reason I checked the album twice and it was worth it!
Oh cool, I'm glad I managed to convince at least one person to check it out!
A couple of cool play through videos of White Flag.
https://bravewords.com/news/fates-warning-hit-the-charts-with-theories-of-flight-new-white-flag-drum-bass-playthrough-video-streaming
Bobby's playing barefooted? :o
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My review of Theories of Flight....(and a brief review of my latest CD haul)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9aB9E7RxxI
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Just posted by Bobby on Facebook:
"Hey all, I'm in CT for a few days. I'm here at The Carriage House Studios with Fates Warning. We're not here recording, we're shooting band videos for 2 songs from our new release 'Theories Of Flight'. Not sure when these videos will be released, but until then, check out the drums and bass play-through video of me and Joey on the song 'White Flag' from the new cd."
Drum and bass play-through link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=317&v=dwtknUNsCx0
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:metal
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Liking this album more and more with each listen. FW is one of the most underrated bands out there. They deserve a lot more recognition than they get.
My review of Theories of Flight....(and a brief review of my latest CD haul)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9aB9E7RxxI
Great review Jammin. I agree with all of it. Good job. :tup
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Thank you.
I thought it was pretty cool that Ray himself retweeted and "favorited" my review. (didn't lead to a lot of extra views, which surprised me a bit, but I thought it was cool that he did that)
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You're welcome. Wow, that is pretty cool. Right on. :biggrin:
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Disappointed in the Light and Shade chorus because the song is so awesome and the chorus doesn't flow well. This song deserved better.
Interesting. I love that chorus.
To me, especially the last time Ray sings it on that song, maybe it's the most emotional part of any song ever sung by Ray. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :chill
Excellent record, by a very solid/impressive band since Perfect Symmetry IMO!
I meant, not exactly the chorus, but this part, kind of a "post-chorus":
"You're nowhere now, you're nowhere now
I know that it's hard to find
A heart that's there inside
It's hard to find your heart now"
That section is just so damn good. Probably my favourite moment on the album.
I said it before and I'll say it again, my favourite moment of the whole album no doubt.
I completely agree. I can't get enough of this song. The whole album is solid, but this is definitely one of the top standouts for me.
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Yeah, TLASOT is probably the best song on the album. The chorus and vocal melodies are absolutely stellar. Ray just nails everything on this album and they pretty much all do for that matter.
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Being a newer fan, the last album was good, but this one is my fav. hands down.
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Yeah, me too. Excellent album. Honestly, the only thing I don't care for is the voice samples in ToF. It really detracts from what is otherwise a great album closer.
BTW, in ToF the section between 1:47 and 2:20 is brilliant. :hefdaddy
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Now we need TOUR DATES!!! I missed them the last time they came to Dallas, and will NOT miss them again!
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Now we need TOUR DATES!!! I missed them the last time they came to Dallas, and will NOT miss them again!
I believe Joey is touring with Armored Saint this fall, so FW shows might not come until next year, unfortunately.
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Theories of Flight just moved way up on the rateyourmusic.com 2016 Album Chart, up to #5, right behind Swans, and just ahead of King Crimson new live album.
https://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/2016
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Listened to this album again in the car this weekend, so good.
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Listened to this album again in the car this weekend, so good.
:metal
Seven Stars is my fav so far
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Listened to this album again in the car this weekend, so good.
:metal
Seven Stars is my fav so far
Brilliant song that one.
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Listened to this album again in the car this weekend, so good.
:metal
Seven Stars is my fav so far
Brilliant song that one.
Yes, I think that is my new favorite.
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They pretty much ALL are brilliant songs.
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Ghost of Home still easily my favourite, so good.
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Ghost of Home still easily my favourite, so good.
I didn't care for it at first, but I've definitely warmed up to it. The only track that I don't care about is the final one. Everything else on the album is amazing!
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Anybody think that ToF is too short? I really wish they would've extended such a great closer. Could've used a few more variations on that epic middle section. Oh well, still awesome.
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I like it as is, short and sweet, kind of like a satisfying cliffhanger but still offering closure. Too bad the special edition didn't feature a version of it remixed by Kevin Moore.
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Special Edition? I must've missed something.
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Special Edition? I must've missed something.
The special edition is a 2CD version. It has a bonus disc with 6 extra acoustic songs: 3 cover songs and 3 FW songs.
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Ghost of Home still easily my favourite, so good.
Same here. The guitar sounds like early Rush to me.
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The Ghosts of Home is easily my least favourite, but still a cool song. And yeah, the album is magnificent.
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Special Edition? I must've missed something.
The special edition is a 2CD version. It has a bonus disc with 6 extra acoustic songs: 3 cover songs and 3 FW songs.
I haven't even listened to the second cd yet.
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The Ghosts of Home is easily my least favourite, but still a cool song. And yeah, the album is magnificent.
This just shows how insanely strong this album is.
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The Ghosts of Home is easily my least favourite, but still a cool song. And yeah, the album is magnificent.
This just shows how insanely strong this album is.
This just shows how insanely insane Evermind is.
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The Ghosts of Home is easily my least favourite, but still a cool song. And yeah, the album is magnificent.
This just shows how insanely strong this album is.
This just shows how insanely insane Evermind is.
That too, yeah. :rollin
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Special Edition? I must've missed something.
The special edition is a 2CD version. It has a bonus disc with 6 extra acoustic songs: 3 cover songs and 3 FW songs.
Bummer. I don't see a special edition on iTunes. :(
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I have never really been a FW fan. I have pointed that out in the past.
I love The Astonishing. I still have no idea where I will ultimately rank it because, notwithstanding that I really like it, I don't know if it will really have a lot of staying power in the long run. But I do love it.
And yet, Theories of Flight may end up being my album of the year for 2016. It is that good. Since SFAM, I have never not had a DT album as my album of the year in a year they had a release (in 2009, Redemption and Transatlantic challenged BCSL, but at least at the time, I still gave the nod to DT). But this album is that good. What a huge accomplishment for a band that is this far into their career.
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I have never really been a FW fan. I have pointed that out in the past.
I love The Astonishing. I still have no idea where I will ultimately rank it because, notwithstanding that I really like it, I don't know if it will really have a lot of staying power in the long run. But I do love it.
And yet, Theories of Flight may end up being my album of the year for 2016. It is that good. Since SFAM, I have never not had a DT album as my album of the year in a year they had a release (in 2009, Redemption and Transatlantic challenged BCSL, but at least at the time, I still gave the nod to DT). But this album is that good. What a huge accomplishment for a band that is this far into their career.
Damn right it is. I didn't expect this at all - I was expecting more plodding and heavier approach as they did with DiaDL - but this album just blew me away on the first listen and continues to do so every time I put it on.
The Ghosts of Home is easily my least favourite, but still a cool song. And yeah, the album is magnificent.
This just shows how insanely strong this album is.
This just shows how insanely insane Evermind is.
That too, yeah. :rollin
:lol
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I have never really been a FW fan. I have pointed that out in the past.
I love The Astonishing. I still have no idea where I will ultimately rank it because, notwithstanding that I really like it, I don't know if it will really have a lot of staying power in the long run. But I do love it.
And yet, Theories of Flight may end up being my album of the year for 2016. It is that good. Since SFAM, I have never not had a DT album as my album of the year in a year they had a release (in 2009, Redemption and Transatlantic challenged BCSL, but at least at the time, I still gave the nod to DT). But this album is that good. What a huge accomplishment for a band that is this far into their career.
I think Theories of Flight blows the doors off The Astonishing. But this coming from a Fates Warning fan who sees FW and DT as being pretty close over the years in a head-to-head battle of prog-metal bands.
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For me there is just no comparing the two albums IMO, TOF leaves TA for dead in every single aspect.
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I think Theories of Flight blows the doors off The Astonishing.
For me there is just no comparing the two albums IMO, TOF leaves TA for dead in every single aspect.
No issue with anyone picking TOF over TA. It's a great album. To me, FW has had a lot of ups and downs, but TOF is next level great. So I'll give it that. But you guys are selling TA way too short.
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TA is the first DT album I have not bought and I have a collection of over 200 official CD's including bootlegs.
The last 2 were not impressive and TA sealed it for me, I'm pretty much done with any new stuff from DT.
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I think Theories of Flight blows the doors off The Astonishing.
For me there is just no comparing the two albums IMO, TOF leaves TA for dead in every single aspect.
No issue with anyone picking TOF over TA. It's a great album. To me, FW has had a lot of ups and downs, but TOF is next level great. So I'll give it that. But you guys are selling TA way too short.
From my own personal perspective, I have TOF neck and neck with ADTOE.
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Redeemed!
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Anybody know why both "Something From Nothing" and "Still Remains" are missing from Disconnected on Spotify? Bloody streaming services. It's on Apple Music.
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that's pathetic.
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Anybody know why both "Something From Nothing" and "Still Remains" are missing from Disconnected on Spotify? Bloody streaming services. It's on Apple Music.
Hm...they aren't on Google Play Music Unlimited either. (except for the versions in my cloud, that is)
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The Light and Shade of Things gets stuck in my head often. :hefdaddy
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Theories of Flight is my first purchase of Fates Warning and I love it. I listened to samples of their material after learning that Ray Alder was the singer, but did not really give it a fair shot. I normally like the heavier material from most bands. Is there another cd of FW that is on the heavy side?
Thanks
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Disconnected, FWX, Darkness in a Different light are their heaviest other than the latest one.
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FWX isn't in TOF's league, but if you like TOF, Disconnected should be next.
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Disconnected, FWX, Darkness in a Different light are their heaviest other than the latest one.
There are some fairly heavy moments on The Spectre Within and No Exit. More in the mode of thrash at the times that the albums were released ect. ect...
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FWX isn't in TOF's league, but if you like TOF, Disconnected should be next.
I agree!
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Get No Exit.....right away.
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Yeah, No Exit is a definite must. :2metal:
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Get No Exit.....right away.
Yeah, No Exit is a definite must. :2metal:
Yup, one of the more underrated Fates albums imo. :metal
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Get No Exit.....right away.
Yeah, No Exit is a definite must. :2metal:
Yup, one of the more underrated Fates albums imo. :metal
+3
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It should be noted that, while No Exit may be good, it is not even remotely similar to Theories of Flight. So I don't know if it's necessarily the album I would recommend next.
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It should be noted that, while No Exit may be good, it is not even remotely similar to Theories of Flight. So I don't know if it's necessarily the album I would recommend next.
This is definitely true. No Exit is more musically akin to the John Arch era of Fates Warning, I think. However until Theories of Flight and DiaDL came out, I'd argue it was definitely the heaviest Fates album out there and is a great, underrated entry from the band.
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Right, but the original question poised was where to go to next and what would be closest to TOF, and Disconnected is it.
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Right, but the original question poised was where to go to next and what would be closest to TOF, and Disconnected is it.
Probably Disconnected. It's a different beast to TOF though, much less in your face, more spacious, more ambiance and prog IMO.
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I love the sounds and ambiance in Disconnected. A few years ago, I was looking through the liner notes and realized that Steve Tushar provided "additional keyboards, sequencing and noise" to Disconnected. Tushar worked w/ Kevin Moore on Chroma Key's You Go Now, which was also released in 2000. So, for those who like CK, there's a link in the ambiance contributions from YGN and Disconnected.
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Hansi from Blind Guardian has often cited Fates Warning as an influence, particularly early Fates Warning. I'm looking to get into them, what albums should I listen to?
The only Fates Warning I've heard was some of Darkness In A Different Light. What is the general opinion of it from fans?
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DIADL is very well received at the time and while it's still a great record today, it is vastly outshined by the latest one. In every way from production, to songwriting. That said, it's still a great album worth listening to. If you like it, check Theories of Flight next as it's a somewhat similar in direction but improved in every single way and it has a lot more ambience to it even without a keyboard player and has a superior pacing as well.
If you're looking into more metal-oriented FW sound, look at albums like No Exit, pretty much anything pre-Parallels.
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Awaken the Guardian is frequently mentioned as being a classic prog-metal album that was very influential to the genre. The music on Awaken is definitely 'out there' and can be tough to digest.
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I think the production doesn't help it either. It's hard to follow the guitar lines. Of course with ZERO vocal melody, it's even more difficult to follow. But I think if one can find a way to dig into it, it's an amazing album.
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Yeah Awaken the Guardian is quite dense. The vocals twist and turn all over the place. You'd think a song's melody is heading one way and then without warning it cuts back in a completely different direction. The guitar riffs too!
But I think you can draw a straight line from bands like Zero Hour, Cynic and Spiral Architect right back to this album.
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Perfect Symmetry is a pretty good transitional record.
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Perfect Symmetry is a pretty good transitional record.
Yep. Actually, I'm surprised by lack of mentions of that album here.
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Perfect Symmetry is a pretty good transitional record.
Yep. Actually, I'm surprised by lack of mentions of that album here.
In my opinion, it's their most progressive album and I really like most of the songs. It does suffer from horrible guitar tone. I'm not sure what they were thinking when they decided to go with that sound in the studio. Through Different Eyes was probably their first "radio friendly" song/single. Chasing Time and Nothing Left to Say are top-notch FW!!!
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In my opinion, it's their most progressive album and I really like most of the songs. It does suffer from horrible guitar tone. I'm not sure what they were thinking when they decided to go with that sound in the studio. Through Different Eyes was probably their first "radio friendly" song/single. Chasing Time and Nothing Left to Say are top-notch FW!!!
I was fortunate enough to hear them play Through Different Eyes and Part of the Machine two years ago :)
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Perfect Symmetry is a pretty good transitional record.
Yep. Actually, I'm surprised by lack of mentions of that album here.
I love Perfect Symmetry. Had actually mentioned it in the 'Albums you appreciate but nobody else does' thread. Both No Exit and Perfect Symmetry can be considered transitional albums, as you can hear the evolution of the band from one era to the other. Those 2 albums are like watching an artist at work, or a painter at the canvas trying to hash out what the finished product should be.
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Perfect Symmetry is a pretty good transitional record.
Yep. Actually, I'm surprised by lack of mentions of that album here.
I love Perfect Symmetry. Had actually mentioned it in the 'Albums you appreciate but nobody else does' thread. Both No Exit and Perfect Symmetry can be considered transitional albums, as you can hear the evolution of the band from one era to the other. Those 2 albums are like watching an artist at work, or a painter at the canvas trying to hash out what the finished product should be.
I love Perfect Symmetry as well. It's one of their best very best albums, in my opinion.
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Lots of love for Perfect Symmetry here also. I always thought it was a highly regarded album from Fates among fans, and obviously such an important part of the bands transistion in style and sound.
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Perfect Symmetry is top tier for me as well
As far as Theories of Flight goes, this is just a beast of an album. Gets better and better all the time, and I can't see it not being my album of the year. Just fantastic.
I think my new favorite song is now "The Light and Shade of Things"
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I became a FW fan after Ray Alder joined. Not a John Arch fan at all, but the music from that era is still good. Since my fandom started in the late 80's, APSOG is still my favorite FW album hands down.
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Perfect Symmetry is top tier for me as well
As far as Theories of Flight goes, this is just a beast of an album. Gets better and better all the time, and I can't see it not being my album of the year. Just fantastic.
I think my new favorite song is now "The Light and Shade of Things"
Same. I'm stoked for Alter Bridge's new album, but I'm skeptical that they have any shot of topping Theories of Flight this year.
And yes, The Light and Shade of Things... just... :hefdaddy :metal
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Finally listened....
The Light and Shade of Things....
My god....what a nice song. It's a mix of both Wish and Still Remains.
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Final track, Theories of Flight, first sample after clean guitar starts, "I know your dog was in the military." :lol I know it's probably "dad", but totally sounds like dog.
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Final track, Theories of Flight, first sample after clean guitar starts, "I know your dog was in the military." :lol I know it's probably "dad", but totally sounds like dog.
:lol For some reason this song comes up often in my 550 song ipod shuffle. The ladies voice really annoys, but love the riffs in the song.
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"I'm from Seattle"
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Final track, Theories of Flight, first sample after clean guitar starts, "I know your dog was in the military." :lol I know it's probably "dad", but totally sounds like dog.
:lol For some reason this song comes up often in my 550 song ipod shuffle. The ladies voice really annoys, but love the riffs in the song.
Yeah, she is annoying. Not sure why they picked that sample. She talks likes she's on drugs. Anyway, not really a major detractor. Gotta love ToF. :tup
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Never bothered me.
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Awaken the Guardian line up playing awaken the gaurdian :metal
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/video-fates-warning-awaken-the-guardian-lineup-performs-at-progpower-usa-festival/
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Very cool!!!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hguUU-VYug
Seven Stars video
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Great selection for the next single
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hguUU-VYug
Seven Stars video
Excellent stuff! Apparently Ray's wife shot the B&W parts- it was footage of a trip the two were taking together from New York to Madrid. No clue if she also shot the band performance stuff or not, but the B&W stuff is some pretty sweet cinematography! :metal
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Great video! Long live, FW!!
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Awesome video from an awesome album
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Fates never disappoints.
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This song kicks major ass. I would actually go as far and say that "Seven Stars" and "The Light and Shade of Things" will go down as two of my all time favorite Fates Warning songs.
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This song kicks major ass. I would actually go as far and say that "Seven Stars" and "The Light and Shade of Things" will go down as two of my all time favorite Fates Warning songs.
Well said, add Ghosts of Home for me too.
This album just doesn't get old. I had it cranking in the car this weekend and it's just brilliant. Album of year I think for me.
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It's lost it's #1 of the year ranking for me, but it's still amazing. I listened to it again yesterday and it was just amazing all the way through. Even the song that I care for the least (SOS) is still a really enjoyable listen, and The Light and Shade of Things might be my favourite prog metal song of the year, even ahead of Haken's 1985.
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My #1 of 2016. Also one of my favorites of this decade :hefdaddy I just love it that much. Seven Stars and The Light and Shade of Things are also my favorite songs on album.
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Theories of Flight is definitely my Album of the Year still and I doubt I'll find anything that tops it between now and the rest of the year. Alter Bridge did a good job with The Last Hero, but it has the issue of having a few too many songs and overstaying its welcome. Theories of Flight hits that sweet spot in its length and is incredibly consistent as hell in its top-notch quality from start-to-finish.
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The album of the year right now for me it's between Haken and Fates' album.
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I love that Seven Stars video too, awesome stuff.
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At the moment ToF is likely to miss being in my top 10 albums of the year. I like it but there have been plenty of releases I personally prefer. It is a really cool album and I should probably mention it's the only FW album I've heard.
As far as comparing it to Affinity goes, I prefer Affinity quite a bit but that will probably end up between #5-10.
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New video for "SOS." Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRXFODSZSxM
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I got excited seeing this thread on Page 1 thinking there were US Dates announced :(
The video is cool though!
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This album is a home run
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Fates never disappoints.
Amen.
I haven't watched the new SOS video yet. But the chorus to that song gets on my nerves. one of the VERY few misfires from this record for me. Dig the song overall, just not the chorus.
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I'm digging the SOS video. Great song, and a good, simple, but elegant video.
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Fates never disappoints.
Amen.
I haven't watched the new SOS video yet. But the chorus to that song gets on my nerves. one of the VERY few misfires from this record for me. Dig the song overall, just not the chorus.
I'm the total opposite. It's the chorus IMO that saves the track. Well, not the "sink or swim" part, but what comes right after. Those lines are glorious.
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The "Seven Stars" video played on the gym television station today at Planet Fitness. I had to do a double take, lol. I couldn't help but sing along!
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This album is a home run
Fucking this.
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Fates never disappoints.
Amen.
I haven't watched the new SOS video yet. But the chorus to that song gets on my nerves. one of the VERY few misfires from this record for me. Dig the song overall, just not the chorus.
I'm the total opposite. It's the chorus IMO that saves the track. Well, not the "sink or swim" part, but what comes right after. Those lines are glorious.
I'm referring specifically to the "sink or swim" part. The rest is fine.
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I'm listening to Darkness in a Different Light for the first time in about a year. While it's definitely not as good as Theories of Flight, if it had the production of Theories of Flight, it would sound SO much better. I'm not much of an expert when it comes to recording/engineering/mixing, but whatever they changed from one album to the next made a huge difference.
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If memory serves, Darkness in a Different Light was done entirely by Jim Matheos, whereas Theories of Flight was mixed by...the name escapes me now (of course). While Jim did a good job on Darkness, Theories went up to a whole different level.
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If memory serves, Darkness in a Different Light was done entirely by Jim Matheos, whereas Theories of Flight was mixed by...the name escapes me now (of course). While Jim did a good job on Darkness, Theories went up to a whole different level.
Some guy named Linus Corneliusson and everybody's god Jens Bogren both have mix credits. Can't find anything more specific.
DIADL was mixed by Phil Magnotti.
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Thanks for that. Jens Bogren is who I was thinking of. I didn't realize DIADL was mixed by Magnotti. I thought it was Jim. Sorry! :)
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Thanks for that. Jens Bogren is who I was thinking of. I didn't realize DIADL was mixed by Magnotti. I thought it was Jim. Sorry! :)
Darkness was mixed by Magnotti but mastered by Maor Appelbaum who seems to have very well known credits.
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Finally listened to Theories of Flight. An amazing album. Love the music and lyrics. The Light and Shade of Things is one awesome song, it may surpass Still Remains as my favorite.
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Finally listened to Theories of Flight. An amazing album. Love the music and lyrics. The Light and Shade of Things is one awesome song, it may surpass Still Remains as my favorite.
It's now my favorite Fates Warning song no question.
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Finally listened to Theories of Flight. An amazing album. Love the music and lyrics. The Light and Shade of Things is one awesome song, it may surpass Still Remains as my favorite.
It's now my favorite Fates Warning song no question.
It's getting there....
I also like how TTOF is instrumental and closes the album. It's like Disconnected
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Finally listened to Theories of Flight. An amazing album. Love the music and lyrics. The Light and Shade of Things is one awesome song, it may surpass Still Remains as my favorite.
It's now my favorite Fates Warning song no question.
It's definitely in contention for me. And I'm quite sure Theories of Flight is now my favorite FW album.
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TOF, the song is directly connected to Ghosts from Home. Just listen to the spoken parts woven into the instrumental...
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I just noticed seven of Fates Warning's 17 scheduled shows over the next month or so are taking place in Germany. That's interesting. I'd never realized Germany has so much fan support for the band. I knew Greece liked Fates Warning, but not Germany. Cool stuff!
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Can I get some love for "Island in the Stream," off of Inside Out? I've always loved it, but man, was listening today, and had one of those moments where you're just blown away by how good it is. Anybody else out there think this is one FW's finest moments?
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Can I get some love for "Island in the Stream," off of Inside Out? I've always loved it, but man, was listening today, and had one of those moments where you're just blown away by how good it is. Anybody else out there think this is one FW's finest moments?
First of all, Inside Out is a GREAT album. Might be odd coming from me, as it is not necessarily heavy nor is it really progressive. It's simple and melodical. Not the tyope of album that I think a band should make. But it just works. Totally.
TBH, Island In The Stream usually gets skipped. I'll spin it in your honor tonight!
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Inside Out was top 3 for me for a long time. Not sure it would still be these days, but wouldn't be far off. Great melodies, great performances, excellent solos and just a great record. Not far off the quality of Parallels if you ask me.
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Can I get some love for "Island in the Stream," off of Inside Out? I've always loved it, but man, was listening today, and had one of those moments where you're just blown away by how good it is. Anybody else out there think this is one FW's finest moments?
First of all, Inside Out is a GREAT album. Might be odd coming from me, as it is not necessarily heavy nor is it really progressive. It's simple and melodical. Not the tyope of album that I think a band should make. But it just works. Totally.
TBH, Island In The Stream usually gets skipped. I'll spin it in your honor tonight!
It's a pretty rainy day here, so the emotion in the song really came out. Yep, I've always known you've liked Inside Out, Tim! :laugh:
Inside Out was top 3 for me for a long time. Not sure it would still be these days, but wouldn't be far off. Great melodies, great performances, excellent solos and just a great record. Not far off the quality of Parallels if you ask me.
Agree completely. I've always considered it more Parallels Pt. 2 -- same general direction. Obviously, they took a bit of a turn with APSOG after that...
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Island in the stream is my second favorite FW song and one of my favorite songs ever written. It has on occasion brought tears to my eyes and has helped me through some rough times.
I love the album of inside out as well.
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Island in the stream is my second favorite FW song and one of my favorite songs ever written. It has on occasion brought tears to my eyes and has helped me through some rough times.
I love the album of inside out as well.
Nice dude.
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Inside Out is excellent
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Finally listened to Theories of Flight. An amazing album. Love the music and lyrics. The Light and Shade of Things is one awesome song, it may surpass Still Remains as my favorite.
It's now my favorite Fates Warning song no question.
It's definitely in contention for me. And I'm quite sure Theories of Flight is now my favorite FW album.
Agreed on both counts. :metal
As for Inside Out, it's an album that's grown on me a bit over the past few months- but my personal fave off that album is Pale Fire. Really love the lyrics on that one.
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Inside Out and APSOG were the first two Fates albums I heard. I found them used at a local store and listened to them both that night. Not sure which one I actually spun first, but Inside Out is special to me for that reason. I remember staring at the cover for a long time before realizing it actually said "Inside Out."
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Thinking about a top 3 FW;
1. Parallels (I don't think this will ever be dethroned)
2. Theories of Flight (I'm pretty confident to have this as my number two, it's incredible.)
3. Inside Out or Disconnected (This is where it gets tough for me, depends on my mood, but Disconnected might edge it.)
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Thinking about a top 3 FW;
1. Parallels (I don't think this will ever be dethroned)
2. Theories of Flight (I'm pretty confident to have this as my number two, it's incredible.)
3. Inside Out
This is mine! :metal
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A few years ago Inside Out would be number three without question. Disconnected took so long for me to get into, at first, I didn't get it at all. But now I've grown to love the sounds, mood, atmosphere and everything about it. I'm not the proggiest of prog guys, that that is brilliant prog done right. Might have to listen to both.
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What do you guys think of "A Handful of Doubt" from X? I love this track. It starts slow, builds and has a powerful moody second half.
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What do you guys think of "A Handful of Doubt" from X? I love this track. It starts slow, builds and has a powerful moody second half.
I remember really liking X when it came out, but it's been years since I've listened to it, I can't remember much about it, except for Left Here and Another Perfect Day. Great songs.
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What do you guys think of "A Handful of Doubt" from X? I love this track. It starts slow, builds and has a powerful moody second half.
That and Wish are my favorite songs from X.
My top 3:
1. APSOG
2. Parrallels
3. ToF
Inside out is a great album, and I would probably rank it somewhere around 5-7 in their discography. Islands is an amazing song!
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They're playing hand full of doubt on the current tour. Plus, the last part of Ivory Gates. Inside Out was always in my top 3 Fates albums. Very underrated, I feel.
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They're playing hand full of doubt on the current tour. Plus, the last part of Ivory Gates. Inside Out was always in my top 3 Fates albums. Very underrated, I feel.
Definitely. Because it came after Parallels.
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Can I get some love for "Island in the Stream," off of Inside Out? I've always loved it, but man, was listening today, and had one of those moments where you're just blown away by how good it is. Anybody else out there think this is one FW's finest moments?
Definitely my favorite track on what is probably their most underrated effort. I love the evolution this band has made throughout their career. Each effort has everything I love about the band but is delivered in such a variety of ways.
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I don't get why people don't talk more about FWX. It's a great record, yet there's a percentage of people who think it's their worst album.
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Yeah, FWX is fucking amazing. I do get some people might like it less, as I did in the beginning - hard to follow up Disconnected. But over time I've started ranking it among their best.
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Yeah, FWX is fucking amazing. I do get some people might like it less, as I did in the beginning - hard to follow up Disconnected. But over time I've started ranking it among their best.
Glad I'm not the only one. My Top 5 would be:
-Theories
-Disconnected
-FWX
-Parallels/Inside Out
-Darkness
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What do you guys think of "A Handful of Doubt" from X? I love this track. It starts slow, builds and has a powerful moody second half.
Funny, when you first posted about "Island in the Stream", the first thing that popped into my head was "A Handful of Doubt". They both have a mellow, contemplative quality punctuated by bits of heaviness in the middle. Both so good.
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Add me to those who love FWX. Love it from start to finish. Top 3 for sure maybe #2.
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They're playing hand full of doubt on the current tour. Plus, the last part of Ivory Gates. Inside Out was always in my top 3 Fates albums. Very underrated, I feel.
Begging them to bring this to the U.S. I would love to see both of those tunes. We'll see if it happens. Most likely timeframe would be Fall...
Glad there is some love from the crowd here for FWX. I had been a casual fan for years until I saw them open for QR and DT in 2003, and I immediately couldn't believe I hadn't fully explored the catalog. So FWX was my first "new" FW album. So I became a hardcore in summer 2003, bought everything, and have purchased every release starting with FWX on release day. I was fortunate to see them twice on the 2003 summer tour, and then once in support of Darkness in a Different Light (they didn't play anywhere within 300 miles of me for FWX -- LA was the only gigs, I believe).
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Hopefully they release a live album from this tour; I think they are due for a live release and its a perfect time with such a strong positive reaction for the new album.
I always enjoy FWX when I play it, but I don't listen to it very often. I'll listen to it this week.
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A bunch of folks posted their favorite Fates records. To be honest, I've never really thought about it aside from Parallels.
Right now (although subject to a ton of change), my top-2 are:
Parallels
Theories of Flight
The rest are really in a melting pot. I'm a bigger fan of the Alder-fronted Fates for sure. But while I love all the albums, those two rise to the top. I do have a soft spot for FWX though...
Hopefully they release a live album from this tour; I think they are due for a live release and its a perfect time with such a strong positive reaction for the new album.
I always enjoy FWX when I play it, but I don't listen to it very often. I'll listen to it this week.
They are absolutely due for a live record for sure. I'm wondering if they are going to release the shows with Arch in celebration of Awaken the Guardian. But personally, I'd prefer a live Blu-ray/CD package from the last two tours...(Darkness and the current one).
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My three favorite Fates Warning albums had been Parallels, Perfect Symmetry, and Inside Out.
But now Theories has taken the top spot, but Parallels is still a close second.
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If I didn't buy FWX, which was the only album at the Hastings, I'd have never heard my favorite FW song...Wish. the atmosphere and lyrics give me a feeling of ease. It's one song I put on when I'm feeling down or to calm my mind.
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My three favorite Fates Warning albums had been Parallels, Perfect Symmetry, and Inside Out.
But now Theories has taken the top spot, but Parallels is still a close second.
It's kinda funny; I've been a Fates fan since 2012- but I really didn't start to appreciate how great an album Parallels was until last year, in the weeks while I waited for Theories of Flight to be released. And ever since Theories came out, I haven't really stopped to think about what my exact ranking for all of the albums are now, aside from Theories being the new benchmark for me.
I got into the band through the John Arch era with Awaken the Guardian, which is still an album I hold rather closely to my heart, but then my mind drifts back to later works with Ray like Perfect Symmetry or Parallels or A Pleasant Shade of Gray and I have absolutely no clue what order to rank all those wonderful albums in. :lol
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Legendary progressive metal act Fates Warning celebrated the 30th anniversary of their third album, Awaken the Guardian, in 2016. To celebrate this milestone, Jim Matheos (guitar) reassembled the Awaken the Guardian-era lineup for two special festival appearances last year: Keep it True XIX and Prog Power USA XVII. Fortunately for fans that were not able to attend, each show was filmed and recorded in its entirety for the upcoming DVD/Blu-ray, Awaken the Guardian Live!
For a preview of this release, a video for "Fata Morgana" from Keep it True XIX can be viewed at: metalblade.com/fateswarning - where Awaken the Guardian Live can also be pre-ordered in the following formats:
--Deluxe Edition Artbook (52 pages, 4-CD, DVD, Blu-ray - limited to 2000 copies)
--2CD + DVD Digipak
--Blu-ray (USA exclusive)
--180g black vinyl
--indigo blue vinyl (limited to 300 copies - EU exclusive)
--turquois green vinyl (limited to 200 copies - EU exclusive)
--purple vinyl (limited to 300 copies - USA exclusive)
*exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available!
Directed and edited by Oliver "Bomber" Barth, the Keep It True XIX footage was recorded on April 30th, 2016 in Lauda-Konigshofen, Germany; the Prog Power USA footage was recorded on September 9th, 2016 in Atlanta, GA with sound recording and video editing by Kent Smith, plus audio and video recording services provided by Lucid Lounge Studios - Atlanta. Mixed and mastered by Bill Metoyer at SkullSeven Studio in North Hollywood, CA, Awaken the Guardian Live also features art direction, design, and artwork by Ioannis (dangerousage.com), making this a must-have piece for any fan's collection. Awaken the Guardian vocalist John Arch comments about the experience: "It was truly a surreal experience being able to share the spirit of 'Awaken The Guardian' at these shows. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the fans that have given back so much over the 30 year span since the album's release. To all our family and friends, much gratitude."
Fates Warning online:
https://www.fateswarning.com
https://www.facebook.com/FatesWarning
https://twitter.com/fateswarning
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Yeah, pretty cool stuff. I picked up the Deluxe Edition Artbook version. To me, it's totally worth it for 49.99. The DVD is a throwaway for me, but the Blu-Ray, 4 CDs, and the book for what amounts to about 9 bucks per piece, with the DVD as a throw in? Easy justification on that one. I almost splurged on the version with the Purple Vinyl, but hey, it's tax time, so gotta pay the man. :lol :tdwn
Can't wait to get it. I'm a much bigger fan of the Alder era, but there's no denying Awaken the Guardian, and I've come to really appreciate John Arch's unique tone and style. Bring on April 21!
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Here's my money!
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I ended up getting the BR, DVD+2CD and the Artbook LOL. Not sure why, but I felt I need to support FW big time. Love FW!
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Arch is my god. I will definitely be picking this up :metal
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Must have.
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Considering I was at the ProgPower show, this is an easy buy.
Also, WTF April 28th.
Big Big Train, Ayreon, MindMaze, Lonely Robot, Pyramaze, and now Fates Warning all releasing that day.
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Here's my money!
:lol
Yup.
It'll be great for these tunes to get a real updated treatment.
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I just don't like the old material. But perhaps hearing it with modern sound will change my opinion.
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I just don't like the old material. But perhaps hearing it with modern sound will change my opinion.
This is with the original singer, John Arch, bosk. I'm not sure you'd be into it. He's got a very distinct style if you're not as familiar with him as you are with Ray Alder. It took me forever to really enjoy Arch. But it's still an acquired taste for me, and not something I consciously reach for when wanting to listen to FW.
There are some YouTube clips up (audience recordings) of these shows with Arch. You should probably sample them first...
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I just don't like the old material. But perhaps hearing it with modern sound will change my opinion.
This is with the original singer, John Arch, bosk. I'm not sure you'd be into it. He's got a very distinct style if you're not as familiar with him as you are with Ray Alder. It took me forever to really enjoy Arch. But it's still an acquired taste for me, and not something I consciously reach for when wanting to listen to FW.
There are some YouTube clips up (audience recordings) of these shows with Arch. You should probably sample them first...
Arch isn't really the problem I had with the earlier songs. In fact, Ray's timbre on the pre-X stuff with him is more of a sticking point for me than Arch's. It's just their overall sound. As I've said before, it's hard for me to pinpoint exactly what I don't like about their earlier stuff. On paper, they are a band that pretty much checks all the boxes for me. But the sum total of that just never worked for me until the more recent albums, other than a song here and there (the "hits" from Parallels, Monument, and a few others). But I actually like the odd combo of power and quirkiness of Arch's voice. I still listen to Arch/Matheos fairly regularly.
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While Awaken the Guardian isn't my favorite FW album anymore (that'd be Theories of Flight now), I am definitely going to get myself a copy of this set. Awaken the Guardian is a masterpiece and the fan footage online of these performances looked awesome! :metal :hefdaddy
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For me Awaken The Guardian is a good one that has a sub-par production, so it will be nice to have a version with an updated sound. But why is there no audio only version? Don't need the visuals as I normally watch it once and then shelf it. Maybe there's a download option?
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For me Awaken The Guardian is a good one that has a sub-par production, so it will be nice to have a version with an updated sound. But why is there no audio only version? Don't need the visuals as I normally watch it once and then shelf it. Maybe there's a download option?
Yes, there's a download version available. The link for the digital version is on the right side
https://metalblade.com/fateswarning/
Yes, that's what I loved about Sympathetic Resonance. Would love to hear Awaken with an updated production and this will be it.
I hope they do the same for parallels down the road since they have toured with the original lineup a few years back
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Yep, if memory serves, they did reunion tours for both Parallels and Inside Out. So I wouldn't be surprised if they did some sort of live package that includes both of those tours in one big thing like they are doing with AWG.
Probably another four or five disc set featuring that era performing those records. I hope so. That would be pretty cool to have. Although to be honest, I love Theories of Flight and really enjoyed the show I saw on the Darkness in a Different Light tour, so I am hoping they do a proper live release at some point.
The thing about these live releases though...YouTube, I think is killing the probability of them. I mean, I am sure Metal Blade is making a little bit, otherwise they wouldn't do it. But I have had a couple of guys talk to me over the last several years that rep other bands in the same genre, and both said that while fans love the live releases, they simply don't sell because of YouTube, which makes it an unattractive idea to a lot of labels and bands nowadays.
So when I see stuff like this huge AWG package come out, it makes me happy, because I love live stuff. But they now (it seems) have to go over the top with the different packages (vinyl, colored vinyl, books, etc.) in order to make it attractive to most people to buy. And even then, I doubt it'll sell huge.
For the huge bands, it doesn't matter. I mean, Muse doing a live record, Foo Fighters, Metallica, etc., those will sell. But for bands like Fates Warning, it's sorta a bummer, because I'm not sure we'll get a normal "live record/Blu-ray" of a modern tour because of the sinking profitability of that. They need some sort of landmark (AWG, Parallels) in order for it to sell, and even then, it's not a foregone conclusion that it will.
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Arch still sounds awesome. I bow down :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
I wish I could have seen this live
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U.S. tour dates!!!!
Link: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-announces-u-s-tour-dates/
Jun. 11 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
Jun. 13 - Clifton Park. NY - Upstate Concert Hall
Jun. 16 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
Jun. 17 - Patchogue, NY - 89 North
Jun. 20 - Buffalo, NY - Ironworks
Jun. 22 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom
Jun. 23 - Detroit, MI - Token Lounge
Jun. 24 - Joliet, IL - The Forge
Jun. 25 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall
Jun. 27 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Rex
Jun. 30 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theater
Jul. 01 - Allston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
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U.S. northeast tour dates!!!!
Link: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-announces-u-s-tour-dates/
Jun. 11 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
Jun. 13 - Clifton Park. NY - Upstate Concert Hall
Jun. 16 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
Jun. 17 - Patchogue, NY - 89 North
Jun. 20 - Buffalo, NY - Ironworks
Jun. 22 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom
Jun. 23 - Detroit, MI - Token Lounge
Jun. 24 - Joliet, IL - The Forge
Jun. 25 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall
Jun. 27 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Rex
Jun. 30 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theater
Jul. 01 - Allston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
Fixed
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U.S. northeast tour dates!!!!
Link: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-announces-u-s-tour-dates/
Jun. 11 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
Jun. 13 - Clifton Park. NY - Upstate Concert Hall
Jun. 16 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
Jun. 17 - Patchogue, NY - 89 North
Jun. 20 - Buffalo, NY - Ironworks
Jun. 22 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Ballroom
Jun. 23 - Detroit, MI - Token Lounge
Jun. 24 - Joliet, IL - The Forge
Jun. 25 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall
Jun. 27 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Rex
Jun. 30 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theater
Jul. 01 - Allston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
Fixed
Since when are Illinois and Wisconsin in the northeast?
A Saturday night show in Illinois is very tempting, but I'm scheduled to be out of town for work for 4 days/nights that week. Not sure the wife would like me coming home for a day, then taking a night to be out while she's left with the kid again.
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Since when are Illinois and Wisconsin in the northeast?
Since "close enough." :p They are definitely north, and they are pretty far east of here, so...
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Ray just posted a flyer on Facebook that has a NJ date on June 18. That means there are three FW shows within 90 minutes of my home from Friday-Sunday, June 16-18. Oh, baby! Fates Warning weekend!
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They're playing Cleveland (about 70 miles north of me) the day before my birthday. I'm fuckin' pumped!!!
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Oh wow, they are playing The Rex in Pittsburgh, that's like 25 minutes away from me... Might have to hit this up.
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I consider myself lucky to have seen them, since they only came near Philly like once in the past 15 years.
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Oh wow, they are playing The Rex in Pittsburgh, that's like 25 minutes away from me... Might have to hit this up.
Is that a nice venue? Depending on work obligations that might be a better choice for me.
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Ray just posted a flyer on Facebook that has a NJ date on June 18.
YES. Basically anywhere Eastern PA or NJ is preferable to going to NYC.
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Oh wow, they are playing The Rex in Pittsburgh, that's like 25 minutes away from me... Might have to hit this up.
Is that a nice venue? Depending on work obligations that might be a better choice for me.
Eh, I haven't been there in a while. I don't remember it being bad, just your usual club/bar type venue.
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Sadly there's no tour dates anywhere remotely close to where I live so far, so I'm hoping we get a later tour leg in the Southeast so that I have a better shot at attending a show. lol
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Sadly there's no tour dates anywhere remotely close to where I live so far, so I'm hoping we get a later tour leg in the Southeast so that I have a better shot at attending a show. lol
Ray did say that they are hitting the south later in the year.
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Jun. 30 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theater
Yes, the long wait is finally over!!
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YES.
Sellersville date added on June 28th.
This could not be more perfect. 10 minutes from me, easy to park, excellent venue. Not a lot comes there, but I love it when bands do.
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Very cool. I can't make a planned east coast swing happen in June, around Father's Day. But I will probably do a little roadtrip in the fall if that is around the timeframe the west coast is booked.
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probably will go to that sellersville show. That's fairly convenient
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VIP Meet and Greet for those interested
https://65.36.150.245/rockeventsonline/TourMasterPage2.cfm?BandName=Fates%20Warning&TourName=FW-US-TOFT-2017
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I can't get into John Arch's singing at all and I'd much rather have a dvd from the current Theories tour with Alder-era songs, but it's cool that they documented both of the ATG shows for the old-school fans.
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That would be cool if they released another live album this year from the current line up as well.
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That would be cool if they released another live album this year from the current line up as well.
Agreed. It has been way too long since Live in Athens, and even then, that was DVD only. No audio.
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Still Life is the only live album I have from Fates, and that's 20 years old. I don't think they have another official live cd, so I would say they are due for one. Still Life is great though.
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Still Life is fantastic. Mark Zonder! And The Ivory Gates of Dreams! They played the final part during the last tour in europe.
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great new interview with John Arch from That Drummer Guy (JRundquist on the dtf), including a little mention about him working on new music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIxd-uS_iA8&t=0s
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And my interview with Arch as well: https://wpapu.com/interview-john-arch-of-archmatheos-and-ex-fates-warning/
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New instrumental rock project announced by Matheos, featuring Kevin Moore on two songs. It's named Tuesday the Sky. Ironically, Moore has a solo song from the mid 1990s named "Wednesday the Sky." :)
Link: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-jim-matheos-to-release-debut-album-from-instrumental-rock-project-tuesday-the-sky/
FATES WARNING's JIM MATHEOS To Release Debut Album From Instrumental Rock Project TUESDAY THE SKY
Jim Matheos, founding guitarist of legendary U.S. progressive metallers FATES WARNING, has announced the release of the debut album from his new ambient instrumental rock project TUESDAY THE SKY. Due on June 30 via InsideOut Music, "Drift" sees Matheos expanding the boundaries of his sound ever further.
"Drift" came together in the downtime between FATES WARNING finishing "Theories Of Flight" and the beginning of the touring cycle, enabling Matheos to explore a type of atmospheric and instrumental music you might not expect of him. He comments: "With this kind of music, it's a lot about creating a mood and letting that sink in and develop over long periods of time, as opposed to the more frenetic format of most prog music." Taking cues from artists like Brian Eno, BOARDS OF CANADA, SIGUR ROS and EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, he explores expansive textures and ambient electronica, as well as some of the most colossal riffs he has ever produced.
The album also features the talents of GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT's drummer Lloyd Hanney, who provides a rhythmic backbone that is at once punchy, precise and restrained when necessary. Other guests include long-time OSI collaborator and former DREAM THEATER member Kevin Moore who plays keys on two songs as well as Anna-Lynne Williams (TRESPASSERS WILLIAM, LOTTE KESTNER), who provides ethereal vocals (of the non-verbal kind) on two other songs.
What the future of this project holds and whether it will be taken out on the road is yet to be seen. Matheos comments: "It would be a challenge to bring this project but it is an interesting idea and one I would at least consider if there seems to be enough interest." What is sure, though, is that TUESDAY THE SKY's debut is a bold, brave, creative and ultimately successful album from one of rock's most underrated of musicians.
"Drift" track listing:
01. Today The Sky (04:15)
02. Kite (05:10)
03. Vortex Street (04:46)
04. It Comes In Waves (04:30)
05. Dyatlov Pass (07:29)
06. Far And Away (04:19)
07. Westerlies (05:27)
08. Roger, Gordo (04:06)
09. The Rowing Endeth (04:31)
10. Drift (04:09)
The album will be released as special edition CD, black LP + CD and digital download.
Read more at https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-jim-matheos-to-release-debut-album-from-instrumental-rock-project-tuesday-the-sky/#lZ9yJmZg4THmHasA.99
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^^^ I am looking forward to it
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The artwork is likely done by the guy who did Kevin's Shine album artwork. I feel like it's a similar style -- and both include a giant sun.
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Did I miss this on another page somewhere or did nobody even post it?
Full Blu-ray show, September 5th, 2014 in Rio.
https://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=589579
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Got my bluray of the Awaken the Guardian anniversary shows last night. Watched some of the PPUSA show, not all though. Good stuff! Made me realize this is probably the best quality footage of the FW guys, ever. I only got through the first four songs, but it particularly stood out to me how Jim was really into it during "Guardian." He was grooving and posing more than I have ever noticed of him before, flicking his hair around, and just seemed to be basking in the moment. John Arch sounded on point too. Can't wait to watch the rest!
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I finished watching and listening to the set yesterday. The band sounded very tight; great show!
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I haven't watched the video yet, but I prefer the audio quality on the PPUSA set than the Keep It True. Fucking amazing to relive this album. I hope they do the same for Night on Broken and Spectre.
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My pre-order of the deluxe book doesn't arrive until next week (of course), so I've yet to see a blasted thing. So ridiculous. :tdwn
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Just got my preorder of the deluxe book. Kind of lame that it took a full week after it was released.
Also weird that the DVD disc says "Disc 3", then there is the bluray that doesnt specify which disc, and the CDs labeled discs 1-4. Very weird that the DVD disc is just randomly labeled disc 3.
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Loving the new live album. Was watching the DVD tonight and it's great to have a modern well produced version of this great album. Arch is still a chore though. But he is still amazing too.
I'm very impressed with Steve Zimmerman. What has he been doing all these years? He has good chops.
And I wasn't aware that Steve Buscemi could play bass.
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My deluxe book arrived Friday night. I was really impressed. I felt the set from ProgPower was mixed better, but both sets from KIT and PP were outstanding. Really enjoyed it.
Just got my preorder of the deluxe book. Kind of lame that it took a full week after it was released.
Also weird that the DVD disc says "Disc 3", then there is the bluray that doesnt specify which disc, and the CDs labeled discs 1-4. Very weird that the DVD disc is just randomly labeled disc 3.
I flipped out at that too at first. But despite the error, I thought the package was worth what we spent on it. Six discs, great book and pictures, etc. The individual pictures and certificate of authenticity was cool too.
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Fates Warning tomorrow night in Wantagh, NY! So pumped! Anyone going from here?
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No, not going (not feasible from the Left Coast). But would love to hear your report.
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Fates Warning tomorrow night in Wantagh, NY! So pumped! Anyone going from here?
Not fair! The northeastern part of the country gets to see all of the cool bands.
Have a great time!
I would love to hear 'The Light and Shade of Things' in concert
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I'll catch them in Toronto!!
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I'm going to attempt to make it to the show in Cleveland on the 22nd. It's the day before my birthday, so I really want to make the show. However, a woman that I've been dating off and on the last few years is having surgery the day before, and might need my assistance for a few days.
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Fates Warning tomorrow night in Wantagh, NY! So pumped! Anyone going from here?
Not fair! The northeastern part of the country gets to see all of the cool bands.
Have a great time!
I would love to hear 'The Light and Shade of Things' in concert
That would be fantastic if they played that tune!
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In just a matter of hours, I'll be doing one of my favorite things: singing the "oooooooo"s in "The Eleventh Hour" at the top of my lungs at a Fates Warning concert. \m/
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In just a matter of hours, I'll be doing one of my favorite things: singing the "oooooooo"s in "The Eleventh Hour" at the top of my lungs at a Fates Warning concert. \m/
Jealous. No dates at all near me, within six hours drive time. I was all set to road trip, but that's the farthest. And I think the closest they are coming is double that. It's weird they aren't doing any shows in California at all.
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Just did the meet and greet on Long Island. Ray sounded like ticket sales could be better, so we'll see what the crowd is like. I asked jim if there are plans to eventually play 25th anniversary APSOG shows with Zonder and Kevin (it's one of my fav albums so I had to plant the seed) and he joked they might be retired by then, which broke my heart, lol. These guys are so nice. Also, I was the only fan for the meet and greet. How is that possible? Although, I should note there were supposed to be two other meet-and-greeters, but something came up last minute for them.
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Just did the meet and greet on Long Island. Ray sounded like the tickets sales have not been good so far for the tour, unfortunately. But they're all pumped to play the new material. I asked jim if there are any plans to play 25th anniversary shows with Kevin Moore for APSOG in five years (it's one of my fav albums so I had to ask) and he joked "we might be retired by then." That broke my heart, lol. These guys are so nice. Love this band. Also, I was the only fan for the meet and greet. How is that possible?
Oh god, that's heartbreaking! :omg:
I've been itching to see the band live, but I've yet to hear about any shows anywhere near North Carolina. Alas I don't have the kind of money to do trips to other states for a concert at this point in my life.
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The only fan? That's cool but also quite unfortunate too lol. How long did you hang out with the band and is there any mention of a live album?
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It was cool but intimidating being the only one. All of a sudden all five band members walk up to you at once and you're not sure who to talk to first, lol.
And, I didn't ask about a live album. But good question! I was with them for about 10 minutes.
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I did a "free" meet and greet once when they played in São Paulo. Mike Portnoy replaced Bobby Jarzombeck because he had a gig with Sebastian Bach (on the same city!!). I had a connection in the Brazilian DT Fan Club who told me the hotel the band stayed in, and I booked a room in the same place. I needed a place anyway, coming from Rio, so it worked out perfectly. The band was really nice, especially MP and Joey Vera.
They opened the show for Queensryche - that was the show where Geoff Tate spit in Scott Rockenfield, which led to his departure from the band. Geoff was actually quite nice to me too, as well as the other Queensryche members. But in hindsight, you could tell something was not right - Geoff was a few steps away from the other members all the time.
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If their ticket sales are so poor, they should just refund the M&Gs and go out and mingle.
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I wonder if they waited too long after releasing the album to tour in support of it? Personally, I think that it's one of their finest albums, and I haven't noticed anyone mentioning that they didn't like the record. So the quality of the record probably isn't the reason for the lack of support.
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Is Frank Aresti touring with them this time?
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Is Frank Aresti touring with them this time?
No. It's Mike Abdow (who does a phenomenal job).
Yeah, unfortunately, it is hard out there in the U.S. right now for a band like Fates to tour across the country. The guarantees from promoters are smaller, and there aren't as many. That's why certain areas are being completely left off the itinerary (which sucks ass).
The Fates guys are an awesome bunch of people. Glad you were able to talk to them Mike. How was the gig itself?
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They usually play at Revolution in Amityville on Long Island, which has a capacity of 500. But that was booked so they played Mulcahy's in Wantagh, which has a capacity of 1,200. Since it's a bigger place, the crowd felt sparse. Hopefully the future shows on the tour are a little more full. They sounded totally on point though, as always!
(https://i65.tinypic.com/33aug6h.jpg)
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Details, man! Details!
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New video from Jim's Tuesday the Sky project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWIq6Wul8Fw
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Alright, well thanks, Mike, for pointing out that you are one of the lucky few that get a gig in your area, and refusing now SEVERAL requests to post anything about it. Nice job, man.
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Alright, well thanks, Mike, for pointing out that you are one of the lucky few that get a gig in your area, and refusing now SEVERAL requests to post anything about it. Nice job, man.
Aww, lol. My bad -- it's been a hectic couple of days. Well, like I said, I was kinda disappointed by the turnout first and foremost. I counted about 75 people in attendance toward the end of the FW set. I even have multiple FW friends from Long Island that were no-shows. I feel like the band deserves better, so I was a little bummed, especially considering Theories of Flight was such a strong album for them. It might be due to the fact that they are playing multiple shows in the same area (for example, their three NY/NJ shows are all within like an hour or two of each other.) I heard last night's show in Annapolis was a full house. I'm also going to the NYC show tonight, so we'll see how that goes crowd-wise. The band sounded terrific though. I give them credit for putting on a great show despite the small crowd. They played four songs from the new album: From the Rooftops, Seven Stars, SOS, and Light and Shade. The rest of the setlist was as expected: The Eleventh Hour, Monument, One, Firefly, etc.
Hmm, let me think of what else they said during the meet and greet. I'm usually nervous during the M&G and say stupid stuff. This time though, I made sure to take a moment to thank them for their music from the bottom of my heart and tell them how meaningful their music is to me. I said FW music "feels like home" and is always so comforting to me. They thanked me and acknowledged that even though their fanbase is small, the fans they do have are really diehard and they appreciate it. I also told them I think the "SOS" video is the best one they've made, I told Mike Abdow that his solo in "White Flag" is killer and they should be playing that song live, and I told Jim I enjoyed his guitar work in the new Chroma Key song.
Also, there were multiple shirts available for sale. There's a cool maroon-colored Theories of Flight shirt that I bought (band shirts are often black, so the color caught my eye), as well as a black ToF shirt and a grey long-sleeved ToF shirt. They also had a Still Life (their live album from the 1990s) shirt, which was unexpected, so I might pick that one up too. There were one or two others, I think.
And here's a video of them performing SOS that I shot during soundcheck in Wantagh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_HvR3V2YbA
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They're also playing three or four parts of APSOG this time, and from what I heard they sound awesome!!! Can't wait for next Wednesday!!
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Great video! Someone else had one that came up after yours of Monument. :metal
That shirt sounds cool. I am going to check their site and see if they are selling them there.
EDIT: nope. :(
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I really need to see them live. They are in Cleveland this tour, but it's on a Thursday, which is basically impossible for me given the distance. They are also in Detroit, which is 3.5 hours from me and might be possible with a half day that Friday. That is a lot of driving, though, especially since I will probably do 4 hours of driving at work that day already.
Edit: I'll add that the only time I've seen them was on the DT/QR/FW tour. Which feels like an eternity ago.
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The NYC show at the Gramercy on Friday night was wonderful. Looked close to a full house and the crowd brought lots of energy, and the band was on fire. Definitely one of my most favorite FW shows I've been to.
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I ended up getting a ticket for tonight, so I'll be seeing them then and also in a week and a half in Sellersville, yaaaas.
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Begging Jim to get a few Cali dates on the schedule after those Texas gigs later this summer...
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Saw them yesterday in Toronto, and they really nailed it, despite the scarce and somewhat quiet crowd.
One thing I noticed is how Ray changed his vocals on the older tracks - he'd never be able to sing them as they were recorded originally. But it sounded quite cool. I didn't notice any detuning of those tracks. Can anyone with a more educated ear confirm?
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One thing I noticed is how Ray changed his vocals on the older tracks - he'd never be able to sing them as they were recorded originally. But it sounded quite cool. I didn't notice any detuning of those tracks. Can anyone with a more educated ear confirm?
I can't confirm, but I can say when I saw them in Dec. 2013 on the Darkness in a Different Light tour, Ray sounded the same way, and he sounded amazing. He does still have some of that old range. He chooses not to do it to save his voice, and because he just doesn't want to sing like that. He's commented a couple times about it in the last few years. I did notice he went a little higher on some parts on Theories of Flight (not old school high, but highER) in the spots that called for it...
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I'll be seeing them tonight in Cleveland. I'll try to give a little report on the show. I can usually pick up when bands change tuning in a live setting, but it's not always easy for me to pick up on.
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One thing I noticed is how Ray changed his vocals on the older tracks - he'd never be able to sing them as they were recorded originally. But it sounded quite cool. I didn't notice any detuning of those tracks. Can anyone with a more educated ear confirm?
I don't have a perfect ear, and I haven't played an instrument in a few years. However, I believe that on the songs that Jim used the guitar with the dark blue coloring on the older songs(and The Light and Shade of Things) that he was tuned down a full step from standard tuning. Basically the tuning on the original songs would have been EADGBA (aka A440). The tuning that I think that he was using tonight in Cleveland would be DGCFAD. That's only a guess.
When he was using the guitar with the clear coat finish I believe that they were tuned C,F,Asharp/Bflat,Dsharp/Eflat,Gsharp/Aflat,C. That tuning is used on all of the songs from FWX onward with the exception of The Light and Shade of Things.
Once again, someone with a better ear could confirm, or deny this.
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New instrumental playthrough video featuring Jim Matheos, Kevin Moore and God is an Astronaut drummer Lloyd Hanney for Tuesday the Sky's song, "It Comes in Waves."
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq85M8O2IgA&feature=share
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One thing I noticed is how Ray changed his vocals on the older tracks - he'd never be able to sing them as they were recorded originally. But it sounded quite cool. I didn't notice any detuning of those tracks. Can anyone with a more educated ear confirm?
I don't have a perfect ear, and I haven't played an instrument in a few years. However, I believe that on the songs that Jim used the guitar with the dark blue coloring on the older songs(and The Light and Shade of Things) that he was tuned down a full step from standard tuning. Basically the tuning on the original songs would have been EADGBA (aka A440). The tuning that I think that he was using tonight in Cleveland would be DGCFAD. That's only a guess.
When he was using the guitar with the clear coat finish I believe that they were tuned C,F,Asharp/Bflat,Dsharp/Eflat,Gsharp/Aflat,C. That tuning is used on all of the songs from FWX onward with the exception of The Light and Shade of Things.
Once again, someone with a better ear could confirm, or deny this.
Ever since FWX, They've tuned mostly to a half-step down and drop C#/Db. Occasionally, they still use Drop D on record (One Thousand Fires, I Am, Seven Stars, SOS). Everything on Theories, with the exception of the two mentioned above is either a half-step down or drop C#. :)
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One thing I noticed is how Ray changed his vocals on the older tracks - he'd never be able to sing them as they were recorded originally. But it sounded quite cool. I didn't notice any detuning of those tracks. Can anyone with a more educated ear confirm?
I don't have a perfect ear, and I haven't played an instrument in a few years. However, I believe that on the songs that Jim used the guitar with the dark blue coloring on the older songs(and The Light and Shade of Things) that he was tuned down a full step from standard tuning. Basically the tuning on the original songs would have been EADGBA (aka A440). The tuning that I think that he was using tonight in Cleveland would be DGCFAD. That's only a guess.
When he was using the guitar with the clear coat finish I believe that they were tuned C,F,Asharp/Bflat,Dsharp/Eflat,Gsharp/Aflat,C. That tuning is used on all of the songs from FWX onward with the exception of The Light and Shade of Things.
Once again, someone with a better ear could confirm, or deny this.
Ever since FWX, They've tuned mostly to a half-step down and drop C#/Db. Occasionally, they still use Drop D on record (One Thousand Fires, I Am, Seven Stars, SOS). Everything on Theories, with the exception of the two mentioned above is either a half-step down or drop C#. :)
Ahh, good to know. I could definitely tell on a few things that they played last night, and I was trying to make a slightly educated guess. It was very apparent when they played Through Different Eyes, but I had a hard time picking up on a major pitch change on most of the other "older" stuff. Your explanation of the tuning being closer to the original than mine makes a ton more sense.
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If you want to improve your Portuguese skills, check out the review I wrote for Brazilian website Whiplash:
https://whiplash.net/materias/shows/265003-fateswarning.html
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One thing I noticed is how Ray changed his vocals on the older tracks - he'd never be able to sing them as they were recorded originally. But it sounded quite cool. I didn't notice any detuning of those tracks. Can anyone with a more educated ear confirm?
I don't have a perfect ear, and I haven't played an instrument in a few years. However, I believe that on the songs that Jim used the guitar with the dark blue coloring on the older songs(and The Light and Shade of Things) that he was tuned down a full step from standard tuning. Basically the tuning on the original songs would have been EADGBA (aka A440). The tuning that I think that he was using tonight in Cleveland would be DGCFAD. That's only a guess.
When he was using the guitar with the clear coat finish I believe that they were tuned C,F,Asharp/Bflat,Dsharp/Eflat,Gsharp/Aflat,C. That tuning is used on all of the songs from FWX onward with the exception of The Light and Shade of Things.
Once again, someone with a better ear could confirm, or deny this.
Ever since FWX, They've tuned mostly to a half-step down and drop C#/Db. Occasionally, they still use Drop D on record (One Thousand Fires, I Am, Seven Stars, SOS). Everything on Theories, with the exception of the two mentioned above is either a half-step down or drop C#. :)
Yup, and occasionally they go even lower - Firefly is in drop B and some of the stuff on FWX is in drop C.
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I went to the final two shows of the FW tour in Hartford and Boston. To me, the Boston show was the best one I saw (I also saw the Long Island and Manhattan shows). The Boston venue was Brighton Music Hall and it was the perfect size and type of venue for FW. I feel like the venue can make a big difference in the overall vibe of a show. Things just seemed electric last night. Anyway, I stumbled across a YouTube video from last night's show for "Life in Still Water," which kicks ass live: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gP5FMVPmJl8
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Apparently Ray was overheard telling Jim, "There's that guy again."
;D
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I also went to the final two shows of the FW tour in Hartford and Boston. To me, the Boston show was the best of the four I saw (I also saw the Long Island and Manhattan shows). The Boston venue was Brighton Music Hall and it was the perfect size and type of venue for FW. I feel like the venue can make a big difference in the overall vibe of a show. Things just seemed electric last night. Anyway, I recorded the final song of the final show, as well as the final bows of the band at the end. The sound quality didn't come through well on my phone, but here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNdySXT9uKA
I'm seeing Haken there again
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Not entirely Fates related but still quite interesting and surprising - Mark Zonder joins Tim Ripper Owens, Steve DiGiorgio and Chris Caffery
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/tim-ripper-owens-and-chris-caffery-joined-in-new-project-by-steve-digiorgio-and-mark-zonder/
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Not entirely Fates related but still quite interesting and surprising - Mark Zonder joins Tim Ripper Owens, Steve DiGiorgio and Chris Caffery
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/tim-ripper-owens-and-chris-caffery-joined-in-new-project-by-steve-digiorgio-and-mark-zonder/
Looking forward to it. But hey, why did Mark leave FW?
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Not entirely Fates related but still quite interesting and surprising - Mark Zonder joins Tim Ripper Owens, Steve DiGiorgio and Chris Caffery
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/tim-ripper-owens-and-chris-caffery-joined-in-new-project-by-steve-digiorgio-and-mark-zonder/
Looking forward to it. But hey, why did Mark leave FW?
One of the reasons that Mark mentioned was the inconsistent touring schedule with Fates. Not sure if that's entirely the whole reason(s).
But since Mark left, touring has been more consistent and Fates has been firing on all cylinders with the last two releases.
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Not entirely Fates related but still quite interesting and surprising - Mark Zonder joins Tim Ripper Owens, Steve DiGiorgio and Chris Caffery
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/tim-ripper-owens-and-chris-caffery-joined-in-new-project-by-steve-digiorgio-and-mark-zonder/
Looking forward to it. But hey, why did Mark leave FW?
One of the reasons that Mark mentioned was the inconsistent touring schedule with Fates. Not sure if that's entirely the whole reason(s).
But since Mark left, touring has been more consistent and Fates has been firing on all cylinders with the last two releases.
I forget exactly when Mark left, but I do believe it was during the period that OSI was more of a priority for Jim than Fates Warning. So Fates wasn't touring much at all, and Mark wanted other opportunities. Ironically, when Jim shifted over to concentrating more on Fates starting...I think it was a couple years prior to Darkness in a Different Light, Fates began touring more heavily again and they cemented the lineup with Bobby Jarzombek on drums.
There's no real animosity between Zonder and the Fates guys. He played the Parallels reunion gigs a couple years back with Fates. I think it was just all around weird timing and priorities at certain times for each of the guys. It appears (and I'm happy about it, personally) that the current four-man lineup of Ray, Jim, Bobby, and Joey are set in stone (as much as this stuff is permanent) with both Frank Aresti and Mike Abdow contributing solos and small pieces to the records, with Mike handling live duties.
All in all, it has been pretty good as a Fates fan lately...
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I forget exactly when Mark left, but I do believe it was during the period that OSI was more of a priority for Jim than Fates Warning. So Fates wasn't touring much at all, and Mark wanted other opportunities. Ironically, when Jim shifted over to concentrating more on Fates starting...I think it was a couple years prior to Darkness in a Different Light, Fates began touring more heavily again and they cemented the lineup with Bobby Jarzombek on drums.
There's no real animosity between Zonder and the Fates guys. He played the Parallels reunion gigs a couple years back with Fates. I think it was just all around weird timing and priorities at certain times for each of the guys. It appears (and I'm happy about it, personally) that the current four-man lineup of Ray, Jim, Bobby, and Joey are set in stone (as much as this stuff is permanent) with both Frank Aresti and Mike Abdow contributing solos and small pieces to the records, with Mike handling live duties.
All in all, it has been pretty good as a Fates fan lately...
I've never heard that before - about him wanting other opportunities. I thought he actually wanted to tour less. He was still in the band when Nick D'Virgilio was filling in at the live shows. I thought him leaving officially was part of the reason (maybe just a small part) that Fates went on a hiatus (at least in the studio)? He doesn't seem to have been doing much since he left that would have prevented him from also being with Fates Warning. I could be completely wrong as it has been a long time since I've read anything about it.
I like Bobby Jarzombek in the line up and think you're right: things have been good as a Fates fan. I do wish Frank Aresti would play a few live shows. Maybe in a few years his schedule will allow it.
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I do remember reading an interview with him a few years ago that confirms what Sam is saying about the tour schedule. Unfortunately, I'm not having any luck when I try to do a search to find the interview online.
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I do remember reading an interview with him a few years ago that confirms what Sam is saying about the tour schedule. Unfortunately, I'm not having any luck when I try to do a search to find the interview online.
I couldn't find it either. But at least I know my memory isn't completely faulty! :lol
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I do remember reading an interview with him a few years ago that confirms what Sam is saying about the tour schedule. Unfortunately, I'm not having any luck when I try to do a search to find the interview online.
I couldn't find it either. But at least I know my memory isn't completely faulty! :lol
Oh no, I'm not saying you're wrong at all. I remember reading that he didn't want to tour with them, and I probably assumed it was because he didn't want to tour as much, because that's a reasonable assumption and happens all the time. But in this case I was probably wrong. I did find this on his reasons for leaving/not touring:
USAProgMusic: I understand completely. I’ve been in my share of bands and they’re all about what they want to do, but nobody’s open to any ideas or change. Now, one of the rumors circulating was you didn’t want to do much touring with Fates Warning when you were with them. Do you plan on taking Slavior out on the road?
Mark: Well, I was in the band for 14 years and it was fun touring and I loved it, but that 14 years later, it just started to be a drag. It just wasn’t any fun anymore and the band wasn’t progressing in a way that I had wanted it to. I didn’t see any big future in it so it was just time to go. It’s not about touring, but who you’re touring with. Having a good time and doing what you love, you know? Because with touring, there’s a lot of sacrifice that goes along with it; you’re leaving home, you’re leaving everything behind and so on and so forth. It needs to be at least fun. The bottom line is, if you’re going out and not having any fun and it’s a drag, then why do it? Now, Slavior is a full touring band. That was the whole idea from the beginning. We did a few shows back in January and that was to show that we’re a full band, not just a project. There’s a couple things being set up as we speak in gear for the summer time. We’re currently rehearsing with our new bass player and we’re basically ready to go. It’s a matter of finding the right opportunity to go. We’re not a band that could just get up and go out in our hometown, we just can’t pick up and play next Friday night. It takes a little bit of getting together since Gregg lives in New Mexico, and the rest of us live in San Diego. We’re not all 19 years old and we’re not about to get up and play a whole bunch of crappy gigs just to play. There’s no point.
Found here: https://usaprogmusic.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54&Itemid=45
I'd say you were right, and I was just working it out in the thread instead of in my head, so to speak. :)
In any case, I think Bobby is a great fit for them and can't say I like him better or worse than Mark.
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Fates show from Boston last month.
https://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=599627
Sounds great.
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https://fateswarning.com/2017/09/07/announcing-next-european-tour-dates-and-live-release-recordings/
New live album
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:metal
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https://fateswarning.com/2017/09/07/announcing-next-european-tour-dates-and-live-release-recordings/
New live album
Awesome! :metal Hopefully, a DVD too.
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They're playing my city. I'm not a huge fan, but I went and had a good time last time around, so I might consider going again.
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They miss Zagreb this time but tbh this could make me visit Slovenia, ToF might be my favorite album of this decade :azn: BTW they get so much more concerts than us :'( (I guess Mladen knows what I'm talking about, too)
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Yeah, Slovenia gets more concerts than Croatia, which gets more concerts than Serbia. But we still get more concerts than Bosnia and Herzegovina. ;)
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https://fateswarning.com/2017/09/07/announcing-next-european-tour-dates-and-live-release-recordings/
New live album
Awesome! :metal Hopefully, a DVD too.
Hopefully, but since Jim mentions Still Life and there have been DVD's since then, it might only be an album. Fingers crossed though. The new album deserves a thorough representation of a live CD and DVD.
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I hope for a live DVD too! But I agree it seems unlikely because the way they announced it.
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Really disappointed it sounds like they're only doing a live ALBUM. After seeing the Awaken the Guardian blu ray, I'm itching for a blu ray of this current version of FW on the Theories of Flight tour. The last live video release they had was Live in Athens from like 2004, which was so long ago. Hopefully they reconsider and do a video release too. Personally, I never listen to live albums, but I'll sure watch a video!
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Really disappointed it sounds like they're only doing a live ALBUM. After seeing the Awaken the Guardian blu ray, I'm itching for a blu ray of this current version of FW on the Theories of Flight tour. The last live video release they had was Live in Athens from like 2004, which was so long ago. Hopefully they reconsider and do a video release too. Personally, I never listen to live albums, but I'll sure watch a video!
Me too. But it is hard to financially justify it. AtG was a no-brainer, because those were two sold out performances of a legendary record with the guys that recorded it. That's a big deal. But while I consider Theories of Flight to be one of Fates Warning's best records (its up there as arguably the best record with Ray), it simply doesn't draw enough attention to probably cover the cost of capturing and producing a Blu-ray. Sucks though. I wish they could find a way. Hell, I'd contribute a bunch on a kickstarter or go fund me something to raise money for it.
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same, per their tours never come to my hometown (last was in 2001).
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I'm thrilled that they are making a point to avoid overlap as much as possible for this live set.
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I'm thrilled that they are making a point to avoid overlap as much as possible for this live set.
Amen. Gonna be fantastic. My hopes are:
Seven Stars
White Flag
The Light and Shade of Things
From the Rooftops
One Thousand Fires
Firefly
>>>And then whatever else. But I am really hoping this six make the cut for the live record.
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I'm thrilled that they are making a point to avoid overlap as much as possible for this live set.
Amen. Gonna be fantastic. My hopes are:
Seven Stars
White Flag
The Light and Shade of Things
From the Rooftops
One Thousand Fires
Firefly
>>>And then whatever else. But I am really hoping this six make the cut for the live record.
They were playing Pale Fire and Part of The Machine on the last tour. I'm hoping they bring those back for the live album. Also, not very likely, but I hope they bust out either "And Yet it Moves" or "Ghosts of Home", as those are my favorites from their respective albums. I'm pretty confident that "Rooftops", "Light and Shade", and "Firefly" will make the cut, at least. :) I'd also love to see...hear "White Flag", as well.
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So this is a band that I've heard about my whole life but never actually listened to until recently. Way too many classic metal and prog and rock bands to keep up with over the years (not to mention modern bands, and fledgling projects), so unfortunately they were one of the groups that got shafted.
I've only heard the first three albums but they're awesome. Old school speed metal, proto-power metal in a way, they sound exactly like early Helloween but they came first, and I actually like them more than the Keepers albums. The production is totally old school but I hope it gets better with later albums (I'm listening in chronological order). No Exit is next and I see there's a 22 minute song on there which has me psyched.
Glad to finally sink my teeth into this band. Seems like I'm going to love them.
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everyone has their own take and perspective, but beyond the production and some falsettos, the Helloween comparison is odd to me (and maybe the 1st time I've seen it before).
Granted, people who enjoy Helloween, enjoy FW and those 1st albums with John Arch.
the style, production and vocals at more than point/in more than 1 way change.
I'll be curious to hear your take on their other albums, namely like A Pleasant Shade of Gray, Theories of Flight and Parallels beyond No Exit.
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For me everything from Disconnected forward is amazing. I like parts of APSoG and Parallels. Also the Arch/Matheos album is
stellar.
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So this is a band that I've heard about my whole life but never actually listened to until recently. Way too many classic metal and prog and rock bands to keep up with over the years (not to mention modern bands, and fledgling projects), so unfortunately they were one of the groups that got shafted.
I've only heard the first three albums but they're awesome. Old school speed metal, proto-power metal in a way, they sound exactly like early Helloween but they came first, and I actually like them more than the Keepers albums. The production is totally old school but I hope it gets better with later albums (I'm listening in chronological order). No Exit is next and I see there's a 22 minute song on there which has me psyched.
Glad to finally sink my teeth into this band. Seems like I'm going to love them.
After No Exit, the band starts to shift a bit and become more melodic. Perfect Symmetry is a nice blend, but Parallels and forward, they really embrace a less thrashy vibe. There are moments, but for the most part, Fates is more melodic-progressive, as opposed to thrashy-progressive, if that makes sense.
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I'm actually eager to get to that development of their sound. I wasn't expecting anything when I started the first album, but as soon as the riffs started, I was like, okay, here we go! But I can tell since these are 30+ year old records, there's gotta be surprises waiting for me on later albums. Very interested to see where they go.
everyone has their own take and perspective, but beyond the production and some falsettos, the Helloween comparison is odd to me (and maybe the 1st time I've seen it before).
Granted, people who enjoy Helloween, enjoy FW and those 1st albums with John Arch.
the style, production and vocals at more than point/in more than 1 way change.
I'll be curious to hear your take on their other albums, namely like A Pleasant Shade of Gray, Theories of Flight and Parallels beyond No Exit.
I've heard of Parallels and A Pleasant Shade of Gray so I'm definitely excited to play those. To the bolded part: really?! From the minute John Arch started singing I thought, "Wow, that's Michael Kiske, when Michael Kiske was barely a teenager!" I kid you not, with how I perceived his vocals and the Euro-style guitar work on those three albums, I thought this band was from Germany until a few minutes ago when I looked at their page on Metal Archives. You gotta be kidding me. East coast and they sounded like that?! Blows my mind. For the record, I'm 26. I was born almost 10 months to the day before Parallels came out. :)
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I have never EVER thought John Arch and Michael Kiske sounded remotely similar.
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Man, I must be the only one. I hear it all over his voice. The higher wails, the inflection in his voice when he ends phrases especially if they go up at the end, the buttery timbre, how he sometimes 'sing-shouts' words (don't know how better to describe it), it screams Kiske to me. That's why I thought they were German at first :lol :lol
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Buttery timbre? John Arch? :lol
I mean, that's great if you hear all that.
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Man, I must be the only one. I hear it all over his voice. The higher wails, the inflection in his voice when he ends phrases especially if they go up at the end, the buttery timbre, how he sometimes 'sing-shouts' words (don't know how better to describe it), it screams Kiske to me. That's why I thought they were German at first :lol :lol
Same. I don't know Kiske very well as I'm not fan of classic power metal but when I heard him on Avantasia's Ghostlights, I thought it was Arch.
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Kiske and Arch sound nothing alike, you guys are "hearing things" :lol
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Man, I must be the only one. I hear it all over his voice. The higher wails, the inflection in his voice when he ends phrases especially if they go up at the end, the buttery timbre, how he sometimes 'sing-shouts' words (don't know how better to describe it), it screams Kiske to me. That's why I thought they were German at first :lol :lol
Same. I don't know Kiske very well as I'm not fan of classic power metal but when I heard him on Avantasia's Ghostlights, I thought it was Arch.
I'm not the only one! Hooray!
I feel like I should maybe not mention this comparison at the next few live shows I go to while I'm bantering with people in line :lol
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Add me to the list that doesn't hear Kiske at all. Arch has his own unique thing going on that not many can capture (none, to my ears). When Fates got Ray, Ray was able to channel that, but he ended up becoming a much different type of singer (thankfully). I love Arch, but I prefer Alder by leaps and bounds. There's no denying their greatness as vocalists, but I have to be in a mood for Arch's timbre and quirky delivery. I can put on Alder at any time (particularly post-No Exit) and just let it go...
Really cool that you are just getting into them Kattelox. I did a similar journey about...damn, back in 2003. Same thing -- knew of FW, knew some songs, but never really invested in the catalog. I saw them live with Queensryche/DT twice, and got completely hooked.
Funny story. My wife and I back in 2003 were hanging out early at one of the shows, and me, not being a huge Fates fan at the time (nowadays, Fates is probably my #3 band), is just standing there, and Ray Alder walks by. My wife pokes me and says to go say hello (Ray was on line getting some food). I shrugged it off, and acted like it was no big deal. :lol I was a total idiot. I really regretted that a couple years later when I became a huge fan. Luckily, I was able to meet and spent a little time with him in 2013, told him that story, and he got a good laugh at it.
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This is the first time I see Kiske/Arch comparison. I wasn't even sure this was serious at first, they sound nothing alike to my ears. :lol
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Not sure why I didn't post this pic here. I've shown it to a few guys already.
Here's a shot of Jim and John (I didn't know it was John until Mebert told me!) watching Saxon a week and a half ago in Worcester.
(https://i.imgur.com/J7jmfoQ.jpg)
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I really hope that at some point, Fates does a record that unites John and Ray. It doesn't have to be a whole record -- just a song. There is no animosity whatsoever between the two and they've sang live together before. The last couple of Fates records, I kept my fingers crossed that there would be this opus of a track that let both singers do their thing, with a unison at the end. Still holding out hope. One day it'll happen. :)
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Thanks Samsara :biggrin: It's fun finding a band that I'm enthusiastic about exploring these days. Very hard to find new bands (even if they're old) that get me excited these days.
I feel silly saying they sound similar now, but damn, I just went back and listened and yup, they sound alike to me... and the production and riffs totally scream Keepers Helloween... but hey, that's just me, I also have never heard a note of FW or any Arch/Matheos/etc. material past Awaken the Guardian so keep that in mind :biggrin:
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I'll be curious to hear if you still think they sound so alike after you've been listening to Arch a bit more.
When I first heard Helloween, I thought Kiske sounded a lot like Geoff Tate. Now I don't really think so, but I think he's a lot more similar to Tate than he is to Arch.
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I have to give special thanks to Lethean as you were the one who urged me to get into FW in the first place :)
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Any time. :) Although truth be told, I would have suggested that you start with the Ray Alder stuff first and then go backwards. Just because I find that when there's a band with such a large back catalog, and you listen to the old stuff first, you might really like it and then be bummed as the band changes, or might dislike it and not persist to listen to the present material.
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I feel silly saying they sound similar now, but damn, I just went back and listened and yup, they sound alike to me... and the production and riffs totally scream Keepers Helloween... but hey, that's just me, I also have never heard a note of FW or any Arch/Matheos/etc. material past Awaken the Guardian so keep that in mind :biggrin:
I don't hear the Kiske/Arch thing either, other that they both sing in a very high register.
But I'm with you, that the first FW records sound a little bit like Helloween, but I thought they were even more sounding like Iron Maiden, Night on Bröcken and Spectre Within in particular. After that they set themselves more apart from their influences and developed their own style imo.
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I am super stoked FW is doing a final run of U.S. dates to warmup for the last leg in Europe in support of Theories of Flight (and yay, new live record). I was worried I wouldn't be able to see them on this tour. Fortunately, I am able to go to two of the January U.S. shows and couldn't be more excited.
Theories of Flight is probably...top-3 for me in the Alder-era catalog. Their finest for me personally since Parallels for sure (and I love em all, none of the records are bad). To me, Theories took everything that was great about Fates Warning, put it in a blender, and gave us pretty much the record that can serve as a template for who they are as a band. And Ray sounds so much more inspired. Love the fact he wrote a lot of lyrics on the album. I find it when singers write their own lyrics, even if someone else helps with the vocal melodies (not sure if that is how it works in FW or not), it really brings a connection to the tune.
Anyway, just F'in PUMPED for January!
(https://fateswarning.ivorygate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/fw_tour_USA_MEX_2018-1-800x1144.jpg)
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Hoorj! (are we allowed to hoorj here?)
Seattle, a week before G3! 2018 is starting with a bang!
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Not to hijack the thread again but I made it through No Exit and Perfect Symmetry this morning. No Exit was great, but Perfect Symmetry really impressed me. Ray Alder's voice is just as awesome as Arch's, and the songwriting is getting so much better. At Fates Hands was where I realized it's my favorite album yet. I'm definitely ordering all of these ASAP. Gonna try to get one or two more albums in this afternoon.
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Not to hijack the thread again but I made it through No Exit and Perfect Symmetry this morning. No Exit was great, but Perfect Symmetry really impressed me. Ray Alder's voice is just as awesome as Arch's, and the songwriting is getting so much better. At Fates Hands was where I realized it's my favorite album yet. I'm definitely ordering all of these ASAP. Gonna try to get one or two more albums in this afternoon.
You aren't hijacking anything. That's what the thread is for -- FW talk! Perfect Symmetry is just killer. Through Different Eyes really set the stage for Parallels. You can easily hear it, once you've heard Parallels. I think Jim has said that in interviews before as well. Very cool you are diggin' all the FW stuff.
Such a great band with a really cool evolution in style, but still retaining who they are as a band.
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I truly love Perfect symmetry. A pleasant shade of grey will always be my favorite, but perfect symmetry is a very close second. Its got a foot in No exit and a foot in parallels and at fate's hands is a top FW song for me. I absolutely love it.
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For me, I STRONGLY feel that their past three albums (X, Darkness in a Different Light, and Theories of Flight) are far and away the best things they have ever done. Kattelox, I think you will like the more modern production on those albums.
If you like Arch's voice and want to hear "Fates" with his voice and modern production, the closest you can get to that is the Arch/Matheos album, Sympathetic Resonance from 2011. I love that album and still play it somewhat regularly.
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If I had to do the "ranking," I'd probably go (separating by singer)
(Arch)
Awaken the Guardian
The Spectre Within
Night on Brocken
(Alder)
Parallels
Theories of Flight
No Exit
Disconnected
Perfect Symmetry
Darkness in a Different Light
X
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Inside Out
>>>>>>>>>But that list is very misleading. Particularly the Alder era. I LOVE all the records. I just have to be in a mood for APSOG, because it is very dark and introspective. But I love it. Inside Out, to me, is the weakest, but it still has some outstanding songs on it (Island in a Stream, Pale Fire...and...of course...Monument). I love it too. So the "list" here is very, very fluid. I love 'em all. But find I typically go to Parallels, Theories of Flight, and No Exit the most.
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Ranking them is really hard; A Pleasant Shade of Gray is my favorite and No Exit is my least favorite of the Ray albums, but the others move around in the rankings a lot.
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
X
Inside Out
Perfect Symmetry
Darkness in a Different Light
Parallels
No Exit
Awaken the Guardian
The Spectre Within
Night on Brocken
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For me, I STRONGLY feel that their past three albums (X, Darkness in a Different Light, and Theories of Flight) are far and away the best things they have ever done. Kattelox, I think you will like the more modern production on those albums.
If you like Arch's voice and want to hear "Fates" with his voice and modern production, the closest you can get to that is the Arch/Matheos album, Sympathetic Resonance from 2011. I love that album and still play it somewhat regularly.
A TWIST OF FATE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS8FHsHdyTk
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I'll be sure to check out the Arch/Matheos album. That sounds really cool!
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I'll be sure to check out the Arch/Matheos album. That sounds really cool!
I love the last 2 albuns from Fates, but the Arch/Matheos album to is so incredibly perfect that I don't know if it's even fair to compare.
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The Arch Matheos album is one of the best albums released this decade. It is amazing.
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I like the Arch Matheos album a lot, and much more than the Arch Fates albums, but I do find that I have to be in the mood for his voice, or perhaps vocal melodies. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it grates on me.
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I like the Arch Matheos album a lot, and much more than the Arch Fates albums, but I do find that I have to be in the mood for his voice, or perhaps vocal melodies. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it grates on me.
Yup. Totally fair.
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I like the Arch Matheos album a lot, and much more than the Arch Fates albums, but I do find that I have to be in the mood for his voice, or perhaps vocal melodies. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it grates on me.
Yup. Totally fair.
I agree. It's like a King Diamond album: awesome, but you have to be in the right frame of mind to listen to it.
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I like the Arch Matheos album a lot, and much more than the Arch Fates albums, but I do find that I have to be in the mood for his voice, or perhaps vocal melodies. Sometimes it works for me, sometimes it grates on me.
Bingo. Perfectly sums up how I feel. Arch is incredible and extremely distinct.
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The Arch Matheos album is one of the best albums released this decade. It is amazing.
Quoted for truth.
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Got a bit sidetracked the last couple days but got to Parallels and just finished my second spin of it. Wow. That might be my favorite FW record yet. Some really strong songs on there, We Only Say Goodbye is one that I like a whole lot. Eye To Eye and Life In Still Water also stand out after 2 listens.
Each record seems to be getting better and better with Parallels and Perfect Symmetry as my favorites so far. The Arch albums are pretty good although they all sound very similar. No Exit was an interesting and noteworthy transition, still sounds like the old stuff but with that progressive tinge. PS and Parallels are going straight to prog metal (and much better production). I'm very much looking forward to checking out the following albums but... I think I need to go listen to Parallels one more time.
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My favorite thing about parallels is The road goes on forever which is my favorite FW song and one of my favorite songs ever written.
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Kattelox, I'm going to be very interested to see what your take on the next few albums is going to be. I don't want to say anything to color your impressions of them, but in many ways I consider the next album to be the end of an era due to approach and line-up changes that will occur afterward. It's going to be an interesting journey for you, musically.
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Parallels is certainly "easier listening"....but I suppose that's why I prefer PS. By nature, I'm just drawn to music that jars me and challenges me. Music for me is almost like a "puzzle box" that I have to figure out. There isn't much to figure out about a radio friendly pop song like Eye to Eye, but I still think it's nice for a fluff piece. I do love what Zonder does on Life in Still Water, and that makes that a much more interesting song to my ears, but still more polished.
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I didn't hear too much poppy about Eye To Eye. It has a memorable melody and a catchy chorus, does that make it so? Not that being poppy is a bad thing, hell, my gym playlist regularly switches from black metal straight to new age back to prog and then even Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, I just heard a good catchy tune :)
PowerSlave, I got to Inside Out today. Great album. And I'm keeping myself blind to news about band history, lineup changes etc. just so I can focus on the music - I've tried learning to treat music like I used to when I was younger, simply playing the albums and then learning about the people behind it after I'm familiar with the material, if I like it enough. That said, I thought Inside Out was a great album. "Monument" was the highlight for me. Just a great prog metal song, complete with odd MIDI ending. I need to hear the album one more time though because Parallels is still rattling my brains - and I think Parallels is definitely my favorite album so far, with Perfect Symmetry and (potentially) Inside Out right behind it. I'm really enjoying this era of the band, they seem to have embraced prog metal entirely, the speed metal sound is gone - which makes me curious to hear the Arch/Matheos album after all the FW albums. I wonder what that will sound like.
Really happy I dug into this band. Been a long time since I've heard so many albums in a row from one band that I enjoy so much.
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Can't wait until you get to Disconnected and go forward from there. Many people love A Pleasant Shade Of Gray and I like it too
but it's gone a bit of a monotone feeling, which I think was part of the overall plan due to the nature of the album, but I have
to be in a certain mood for it. From Disconnected forward I love all the albums and they seem light years better to me than
the early stuff.
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Island in the Stream. :) One of those tracks that gets overlooked at first but then really makes an impact.
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Island In The Stream left me with the impression that it would click with me after a few listens, I clearly remember that one being interesting. In fact I'm going to have to play all these albums more than once - the only ones I've done repeat listens with are Night on Brocken, Perfect Symmetry and Parallels I believe. The proggier the material gets the more listens it'll take to click but I try to latch onto one or two songs that are noteworthy enough to remember when I return to them. Ray Alder did some different stuff with his voice on that album which I enjoyed. I love the high pitch singing but - especially with the Arch albums - it all blends together after a while.
Also special shoutout to We Only Say Goodbye from Parallels. I just can't get that song out of my head. New favorite FW tune so far, hopefully something on the next few albums comes along to best it :)
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Also special shoutout to We Only Say Goodbye from Parallels. I just can't get that song out of my head. New favorite FW tune so far, hopefully something on the next few albums comes along to best it :)
Love it! I think it often gets overlooked on masterpiece of an album Parallels is :azn:
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Parallels was the first FW album I ever listened to. Bought the cassette tape probably around 2000-2001 but I couldn't listen to it cos it got late in that evening. Next morning (aroudn 5am), I hit play when I woke up to get ready for school and it was so hard to stop it once I really had to go (and almost ran from the bus stop back home after school to continue to listen to the full album) - I was in my early days of being a DT fan but the melodies in Parallels caught me by surprise. Even though I can see why some people might think it's too "poppy" because of the hooks and seemingly more simplistic structure, I just can't understand how someone can hear that and not be grabbed by it.
It's so good, for me at least, that if I had never heard it and that same album came out by some pop star or w/e I would still love it as much.
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"Monument" was the highlight for me. Just a great prog metal song, complete with odd MIDI ending.
What the hell is up with that, anyway? Has anyone ever heard an explanation for it? It makes me cringe every time. :lol
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I thoroughly enjoy Inside out. Island in the stream is so incredibly beautiful and is my second FW song. Monument is a killer track as well.
I forgot to mention during the No Exit discussion how absolutely badass Anarchy divine is, and the Ivory gate of dreams in incredible as well.
One of my favorite bands ever.
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I'll admit that if I had heard Parallels first, I probably would have loved it far more. But I had purchased The Spectre Within on the new release rack. So I had been a fan since 1985. After having been through AtG, NE, and PS as brand new releases (I even had a prerelease cassette of PS almost 2 months in advance IIRC), Parallels just seemed a bit of a shock by comparison. I had been extremely "underground" since I had first bought Ride the Lightning in 1985, and I had almost completely stopped buying anything on a major label (except for all the Combat, Megaforce, and Metal Blade bands that had already been signed). So the 90s were a bit of a bummer to me.
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I think Parallels is a fine album. I like most of the other Ray albums better, and I do think maybe it's a little too Queensryche-y at times, whereas the other albums seem a little more unique to FW. But it's still a great album.
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Island in the Stream. :) One of those tracks that gets overlooked at first but then really makes an impact.
I tend to forget about it, and then when I listen to it, BOOM, I am reminded of just how awesome it is.
Many people love A Pleasant Shade Of Gray and I like it too
but it's gone a bit of a monotone feeling, which I think was part of the overall plan due to the nature of the album, but I have
to be in a certain mood for it.
I agree on APSOG. I like it, but I really have to be in a mood for it.
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Sorry I can't keep up with the comments, there are people I want to respond to personally but I'm making progress today. Already got two new Fates Warning records in - APSOG and Disconnected. :biggrin:
And wow, wow, wow.
A Pleasant Shade of Gray - awesome prog album. It's different, in a good way. It's dark, it's somber, it's brooding, it's a different animal than all the previous albums. And I loved it. I just loved it. The long moments where the bass kept pounding away and the songs would build and build... lovely. I didn't pay attention to what song was what (since there are no names, just 'parts'), but I did make note of Parts 7 and 8 having killer piano parts, and 8 had some awesome instrumental stuff going on. Part 10 was really nice too. Overall, a great record, one that demands a couple more listens. I can't wait to revisit this one after I've caught up to the current material.
But we have a new favorite Fates Warning record for Kat, ya'll, and that's Disconnected. I loved hearing the album kick off with that almost Alice in Chains-y groaning guitar. When Pieces of Me came on, I immediately knew this would rank high. And then Still Remains came and kicked my ass hard. What an epic tune! This album rocks, plain and simple. Ray Alder's voice is fantastic, I've really come to love his singing and that's a big reason why I like this band so much, and he knocks it out of the park on Disconnected, especially on Pieces of Me. I'm not sure how or why but after the first listen I really do enjoy Disconnected a bit more than Parallels. It's the sound of a mature band knowing what they do best and just hitting the mark from start to finish. Not sure what the popular consensus is on this one, but that's where I'm at right now.
I'm putting on Fates Warning X right after I post this. I may even get to the one after that this afternoon, because it's a productive day here.
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Still Remains being the highlight, don't forget about Something From Nothing. It's easy to overlook it and it seems that a lot of fans do, I rarely see it mentioned, but it's an absolutely killer song.
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Ima tellin' ya, no Fates record is "bad." They are all good! Disconnected is amazing. Still Remains and One are my favorites, but I enjoy the whole disc.
X is great too. A Handful of Doubt is VERY under-the-radar and shouldn't be. Fates had it in its set this summer, I am hoping they carry it forward in January.
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Man, Something From Nothing was so good. I was thinking, "Okay, just gotta get through Still Remains and the last track and I'm good" but then Still Remains revealed itself to be a monumental epic. Now I don't remember SFN, except that I know it rocked! But now I'm 8 tracks deep into FWX and holy shit this album rocks! I can't believe I haven't heard a single record I dislike from these guys. Since I've gone through all three this early I'm going to replay some tracks from APSOG, Disconnected, and FWX this afternoon. Some REALLY good music this morning - beats the f out of the same old boring grunge we listen to every day lately at my job. Need to put on some early Fates to get the morning going!
EDIT: Just finished Handful of Doubt, how can that be under the radar? It's so damn good!
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Cool! Glad you like the newer albums. Still Remains is one of my favorite songs. Gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.
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Firewings OMG what's the Rush? Slow down. Take your time. Get to know the albums. They'll still be here tomorrow. :)
As for Handful of Doubt - it probably is overlooked. I feel like the whole X album is, in a way.
Island in the Stream. :) One of those tracks that gets overlooked at first but then really makes an impact.
I tend to forget about it, and then when I listen to it, BOOM, I am reminded of just how awesome it is.
:) Indeed.
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Firewings OMG what's the Rush? Slow down. Take your time. Get to know the albums. They'll still be here tomorrow. :)
:lol I love this band! I usually have a problem diving into bands with decades of material because if I dwell on a particular album, I am always dogged by this nagging thought: "What else am I missing out on? What's the other stuff sound like?" instead of focusing on the music. This way I can be familiar with all the albums, then I can zero in on one or two at a time from there. I had to take the very same approach with Helloween, Iced Earth, even Dream Theater once upon a time! I need to do it with Vanden Plas and Queensryche next...
Also I'm almost finished with Darkness In A Different Light, so... might as well go to Theories of Flight at the gym tonight :lol :lol :lol
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Wait till you listen to "The Light and Shade of Things" off Theories of Flight. I'm a big fan of every FW album and song, but this is my favorite song out of their entire discography.
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Theories of Flight was my album of the year last year. And that should be saying something coming from someone who (1) wouldn't really consider themselves a Fates Warning "fan" and (2) had previously never not voted Dream Theater in a release year as having album of the year going back through SFAM.
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Sidenote, if you're gonna go into Vanden Plas (something I fully support as their 1997 - 2006 period is among the best, albeit a little more traditional, prog metal, imo), you must check out their singer's solo band Abydos as well.
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Sounds like Theories of Flight is where it's at. How does this band (apparently) get better with age? Sheesh. I'll likely put it on tonight at the gym.
Sidenote, if you're gonna go into Vanden Plas (something I fully support as their 1997 - 2006 period is among the best, albeit a little more traditional, prog metal, imo), you must check out their singer's solo band Abydos as well.
I actually ordered Beyond Daylight last week and it should be in my mailbox right now - if not, hopefully tomorrow - along with some other CDs. And I like Christ 0 a lot, too. Like Arch/Matheos after FW, I'll remember to check out Abydos after VP :biggrin:
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Here is Jarzombek showing his studio work on Arch/Matheos. This is part 1. He has 2 more parts that you can click on.
The dude is a monster on the drums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgVu9lMter4
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Kattleox, it's cool that you are discovering Fates Warning! Such a great band.
I go back to late 91/early 92 with these guys. I saw the video for Point of View on Headbangers Ball and I was hooked. Ended up buying Parallels on cassette in early 92, and then later getting The Spectre Within and Perfect Symmetry. Fates Warning was actually how I ended up discovering Dream Theater. I remember seeing James' name in the liner notes for Parallels, and then Kevin Moore as the keyboardist on At Fates Hands, and I knew I would have to keep an eye out for them as well. Being a drummer, Mark Zonder's drumming was a huge deal for me back then, and I still find his drumming to be some of the most unique and left-of-center metal drumming ever. I never really got into their John Arch stuff, though I need to remedy that and grab Awaken the Guardian as well as A Twist of Fate and Arch/Matheos. Some random thoughts:
-Inside Out is by far my least favorite of the Alder era. Felt to me like it was Parallels left-overs, save Monument, which is one of their all time best tunes.
-Loved APSOG when it came out, now, not quite as much. However, the live performance on Still Life really takes it up a notch for me.
-Disconnected is awesome top to bottom, and Still Remains is the best thing they've ever written.
-A Handful of Doubt is the best track on X.
-Darkness in a Different Light was a cool return, but the lead guitar tones were weak.
-Theories of Flight is amazing, and for me, up with Parallels and Disconnected as my top three.
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@romdrums... I did some quick Metal Archives sleuthing just now after reading your post. I had no idea KevMo was involved with two of the band's albums, and lyrics on a later song. Small world... surprised I didn't know that, guess I'm not as big a KevMo fan as I previously thought. :)
I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on the band now that I'm catching up. What do all of you think about the change from Arch to Alder, and the shift in style? When do you think they really got a hold on the prog side of their music; if you were following them in the 80s and 90s, what did you think of their progression with each album? Why was there such a drought in material between FWX and Darkness... and why did Mark Zonder leave the band?
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I heard Ray era Fates Warning first, and listened to the Arch stuff later. I'm a much bigger fan of the Ray era not only prefer his voice but I prefer the music as well.
I think the departure of Mark Zonder had a little to do with the long hiatus, but also during that time Ray was in Redemption and Jim Matheos was doing other stuff as well. I remember reading an interview where he said they never intended for it to be 9 years, but it just kinda happened.
Even though Theories of Flight was not my album of the year, it's a fantastic album and The Light and Shade of Things was definitely my favorite song of the year.
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When Alder joined, it shifted Fates toward a more melodic prog metal style, one that I personally prefer.
Musically, the journey is mostly Jim Matheos'. Just like any songwriter who has been lucky enough to helm a band in this genre (Chris DeGarmo from Queensryche 1981-1997, John Petrucci from Dream THeater, etc.), the band musically emulates the natural evolution of the main guy(s).
Jim is really into ambient music, and if you checked out his solo stuff, you'd easily hear it. I love the way Fates has evolved, honestly. For me personally, I got into them a little later, so I had the luxury of doing what you're doing now, back in 2004 (I got into them in 2003). It's a hell of a ride, and they are continually getting better.
I also like this current lineup a great deal. I think Bobby brings a metal tinge to the band that it needs to balance out the melodic approach. Loved Zonder, but he was more of a feel guy. Guitar-wise, it is all Jim really, after Inside Out. There are a few solos here and there from others, but mostly all Jim.
I prefer when that is spread out with Frank Aresti. I think Aresti and Matheos really have distinct styles that really make the guitar tandem dynamic (much like original lineup Queensryche). On this last record, Aresti did...I think two solos, with Mike Abdow (touring lead player) doing one. They sound great. Just wish it was even more.
Aresti doesn't tour with them due to work considerations. Abdow is a New England guy who is incredible. Hell of a nice guy (they both are). But Fates is the four guys (Matheos-Alder-Vera-Jazormbek - apologies to Bobby on misspelling his name), plus Abdow as a touring member.
But the live lineup is STRONG, and studio-wise, I don't think Ray has sounded better since Parallels. After seeing them in 2003 twice with opening sets for QR/DT, I saw them in 2013 once, and Ray was great. Looking forward to January, when I see them twice as headliners. I am sure they will be just as powerful.
Re: Theories of Flight - I actually like Seven Stars the best. But The Light and Shade of Things is certainly in the top-3 or 4.
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Ah, so FW is Matheos's baby, essentially. That's cool. I like bands that have a consistent 'leader' so to speak. I love ambient music so his solo stuff sounds interesting, I'm absolutely gonna check that out. Now I'm hoping I get a chance to see these guys live before it's too late (not that I have to worry about that, they seem like they're still going strong as hell).
I know Bobby's drumming, oddly, from an incredibly obscure project called Zierler. His drumming is amazing, so is that album, highly recommended to any prog metal fans who don't know them. It's a bizarre hour-or-more of challenging metal.
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The band evolved. Matheos started the group, and was always one of the major songwriters. But after Arch left, and then moreso after Perfect Symmetry, it evolved that way, yeah. Just recently Ray Alder has been the primary lyricist. Ray wrote most of the lyrics on Darkness in a Different LIght and Theories of Flight. Whereas before, Jim wrote a lot of lyrics. That's been a more recent shift.
I'm not sure of the business structure of the band, but if I had to guess, I'd guess both Jim and Ray are the main two guys.
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Ah, so FW is Matheos's baby, essentially. That's cool. I like bands that have a consistent 'leader' so to speak. I love ambient music so his solo stuff sounds interesting, I'm absolutely gonna check that out. Now I'm hoping I get a chance to see these guys live before it's too late (not that I have to worry about that, they seem like they're still going strong as hell).
I know Bobby's drumming, oddly, from an incredibly obscure project called Zierler. His drumming is amazing, so is that album, highly recommended to any prog metal fans who don't know them. It's a bizarre hour-or-more of challenging metal.
I have Zierler and it's outstanding. Bobby's drumming is the highlight for me. He signed my Zierler copy during this last run of FW gigs in Texas.
You guys have to watch the documentary on the recording on Parallels. Pretty good stuff on how the band used to write.
As Samsara said, lyrics have been shifted to Ray and Matheos has been able to write some amazing music for Fates and outside of Fates. Tuesday the Sky is his post-rock project and it is pretty impressive. The last two OSI albums have been heavier and there's some great songs written with Moore there. Arch-Matheos' Sympathetic Resonance was just a home run overall. I think his shift to concentrate more on the music rather than the lyrics has been reflected on his last album recordings, whereas on Paralles, PS, and Inside Out, you can see he was kind of pressured when writing lyrics. I think he addresses this on the Parallels DVD.
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Firewings OMG what's the Rush? Slow down. Take your time. Get to know the albums. They'll still be here tomorrow. :)
:lol I love this band! I usually have a problem diving into bands with decades of material because if I dwell on a particular album, I am always dogged by this nagging thought: "What else am I missing out on? What's the other stuff sound like?" instead of focusing on the music. This way I can be familiar with all the albums, then I can zero in on one or two at a time from there. I had to take the very same approach with Helloween, Iced Earth, even Dream Theater once upon a time! I need to do it with Vanden Plas and Queensryche next...
Also I'm almost finished with Darkness In A Different Light, so... might as well go to Theories of Flight at the gym tonight :lol :lol :lol
I suppose that makes sense. I almost always need more time to absorb a new album - if I listen to something once, I could well dislike it, I very very rarely think it's great or have enough of an opinion to compare it to other albums by the same band. I don't think I could say I was familiar with all of the albums just listening once. However, what I sometimes will do, is go on an obsessive quest to own all of their material as soon as possible - even if I know full well I'm not going to listen to all of it right away. :)
Don't do it with Queensryche - I don't mean don't ever do it, just don't do it next. I think I've already given you a few recommendations, not that you have to listen to me. :) (And they are quite different from FW and QR). Also, how familiar are you with Rush? 'Cuz if you're not, you got some some work to do... :)
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Jim is really into ambient music, and if you checked out his solo stuff, you'd easily hear it. I love the way Fates has evolved, honestly. For me personally, I got into them a little later, so I had the luxury of doing what you're doing now, back in 2004 (I got into them in 2003). It's a hell of a ride, and they are continually getting better.
This was me, except I started getting into them in 2002. Did you get into them because of the tour they did with DT and Queensryche? For me, it was because someone gave me a cd with an FW track on it.
I prefer when that is spread out with Frank Aresti. I think Aresti and Matheos really have distinct styles that really make the guitar tandem dynamic (much like original lineup Queensryche). On this last record, Aresti did...I think two solos, with Mike Abdow (touring lead player) doing one. They sound great. Just wish it was even more.
I miss Aresti. I dunno why, but I love watching him play. Mike Abdow does a fine job.
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Ah, so FW is Matheos's baby, essentially. That's cool. I like bands that have a consistent 'leader' so to speak. I love ambient music so his solo stuff sounds interesting, I'm absolutely gonna check that out. Now I'm hoping I get a chance to see these guys live before it's too late (not that I have to worry about that, they seem like they're still going strong as hell).
If only someone had suggested that you go see them live when they toured earlier this year....
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Ah, so FW is Matheos's baby, essentially. That's cool. I like bands that have a consistent 'leader' so to speak. I love ambient music so his solo stuff sounds interesting, I'm absolutely gonna check that out. Now I'm hoping I get a chance to see these guys live before it's too late (not that I have to worry about that, they seem like they're still going strong as hell).
If only someone had suggested that you go see them live when they toured earlier this year....
... oops :lol
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Firewings OMG what's the Rush? Slow down. Take your time. Get to know the albums. They'll still be here tomorrow. :)
:lol I love this band! I usually have a problem diving into bands with decades of material because if I dwell on a particular album, I am always dogged by this nagging thought: "What else am I missing out on? What's the other stuff sound like?" instead of focusing on the music. This way I can be familiar with all the albums, then I can zero in on one or two at a time from there. I had to take the very same approach with Helloween, Iced Earth, even Dream Theater once upon a time! I need to do it with Vanden Plas and Queensryche next...
Also I'm almost finished with Darkness In A Different Light, so... might as well go to Theories of Flight at the gym tonight :lol :lol :lol
I suppose that makes sense. I almost always need more time to absorb a new album - if I listen to something once, I could well dislike it, I very very rarely think it's great or have enough of an opinion to compare it to other albums by the same band. I don't think I could say I was familiar with all of the albums just listening once. However, what I sometimes will do, is go on an obsessive quest to own all of their material as soon as possible - even if I know full well I'm not going to listen to all of it right away. :)
Don't do it with Queensryche - I don't mean don't ever do it, just don't do it next. I think I've already given you a few recommendations, not that you have to listen to me. :) (And they are quite different from FW and QR). Also, how familiar are you with Rush? 'Cuz if you're not, you got some some work to do... :)
VP is definitely next after I hear Arch/Matheos, and then maybe Leprous/Queensryche/something else. :) I have four Rush albums but I don't know them well and don't know anything they've done in 30 years except Roll The Bones and I have nothing good to say about that song or the video. I don't mind Rush but they (from the albums I own) don't do much for me.
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Firewings OMG what's the Rush? Slow down. Take your time. Get to know the albums. They'll still be here tomorrow. :)
:lol I love this band! I usually have a problem diving into bands with decades of material because if I dwell on a particular album, I am always dogged by this nagging thought: "What else am I missing out on? What's the other stuff sound like?" instead of focusing on the music. This way I can be familiar with all the albums, then I can zero in on one or two at a time from there. I had to take the very same approach with Helloween, Iced Earth, even Dream Theater once upon a time! I need to do it with Vanden Plas and Queensryche next...
Also I'm almost finished with Darkness In A Different Light, so... might as well go to Theories of Flight at the gym tonight :lol :lol :lol
I suppose that makes sense. I almost always need more time to absorb a new album - if I listen to something once, I could well dislike it, I very very rarely think it's great or have enough of an opinion to compare it to other albums by the same band. I don't think I could say I was familiar with all of the albums just listening once. However, what I sometimes will do, is go on an obsessive quest to own all of their material as soon as possible - even if I know full well I'm not going to listen to all of it right away. :)
Don't do it with Queensryche - I don't mean don't ever do it, just don't do it next. I think I've already given you a few recommendations, not that you have to listen to me. :) (And they are quite different from FW and QR). Also, how familiar are you with Rush? 'Cuz if you're not, you got some some work to do... :)
VP is definitely next after I hear Arch/Matheos, and then maybe Leprous/Queensryche/something else. :) I have four Rush albums but I don't know them well and don't know anything they've done in 30 years except Roll The Bones and I have nothing good to say about that song or the video. I don't mind Rush but they (from the albums I own) don't do much for me.
2112, Hemispheres, Moving Pictures and Signals. Do those four albums and you'll be hooked.
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2112, Hemispheres, Moving Pictures and Signals. Do those four albums and you'll be hooked.
Hey, I like Signals as much as anybody, but I would NEVER start anyone there.
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Firewings OMG what's the Rush? Slow down. Take your time. Get to know the albums. They'll still be here tomorrow. :)
:lol I love this band! I usually have a problem diving into bands with decades of material because if I dwell on a particular album, I am always dogged by this nagging thought: "What else am I missing out on? What's the other stuff sound like?" instead of focusing on the music. This way I can be familiar with all the albums, then I can zero in on one or two at a time from there. I had to take the very same approach with Helloween, Iced Earth, even Dream Theater once upon a time! I need to do it with Vanden Plas and Queensryche next...
Also I'm almost finished with Darkness In A Different Light, so... might as well go to Theories of Flight at the gym tonight :lol :lol :lol
I suppose that makes sense. I almost always need more time to absorb a new album - if I listen to something once, I could well dislike it, I very very rarely think it's great or have enough of an opinion to compare it to other albums by the same band. I don't think I could say I was familiar with all of the albums just listening once. However, what I sometimes will do, is go on an obsessive quest to own all of their material as soon as possible - even if I know full well I'm not going to listen to all of it right away. :)
Don't do it with Queensryche - I don't mean don't ever do it, just don't do it next. I think I've already given you a few recommendations, not that you have to listen to me. :) (And they are quite different from FW and QR). Also, how familiar are you with Rush? 'Cuz if you're not, you got some some work to do... :)
VP is definitely next after I hear Arch/Matheos, and then maybe Leprous/Queensryche/something else. :) I have four Rush albums but I don't know them well and don't know anything they've done in 30 years except Roll The Bones and I have nothing good to say about that song or the video. I don't mind Rush but they (from the albums I own) don't do much for me.
Which albums do you own? Whichever ones they are, if you don't like them, you probably just haven't listened to them enough... :) I'd be very curious if you started from the beginning with them and worked your way through, but I wouldn't suggest speed listening. Even if you (foolishly) decide you don't like them, you'll have a better idea of where DT came from. JP, JM, and JLB, and MP are all big Rush fans. And Jim Matheos. Come on, try it. All the cool people are doing it... :)
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At the risk of derailing the FW thread, I dunno. I've tried to like Rush for 15 years. I can't deal with Geddy's voice. Singers tend to make or break bands for me, I have the exact same issue with Genesis and Yes. The albums I own... Moving Pictures, A Farewell To Kings, Fly By Night, and Hold Your Fire. Oh, and I've heard 2112 before. I like Temples of Syrinx? Does that count?
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2112, Hemispheres, Moving Pictures and Signals. Do those four albums and you'll be hooked.
Hey, I like Signals as much as anybody, but I would NEVER start anyone there.
It's a toss-up between that and Hemispheres as being my favorite Rush album.
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At the risk of derailing the FW thread, I dunno. I've tried to like Rush for 15 years. I can't deal with Geddy's voice. Singers tend to make or break bands for me, I have the exact same issue with Genesis and Yes. The albums I own... Moving Pictures, A Farewell To Kings, Fly By Night, and Hold Your Fire. Oh, and I've heard 2112 before. I like Temples of Syrinx? Does that count?
It totally counts. If you like that, there's no reason you won't like some more. :). Not saying you have to listen to their whole catalog tomorrow, but you should so it at some point.
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I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on the band now that I'm catching up. What do all of you think about the change from Arch to Alder, and the shift in style? When do you think they really got a hold on the prog side of their music; if you were following them in the 80s and 90s, what did you think of their progression with each album? Why was there such a drought in material between FWX and Darkness... and why did Mark Zonder leave the band?
I love arch's era, but if I absolutely had to choose it would be Alder's material. Arch's stuff is fun and rocking, but the later music they made truly means a lot to me on a deeper level.
The drought between FWX and darkness was FUCKING rough... And me of all people literally got into the band in 2004 right as FWX came out. I was all like "oh, they are so great. I can't wait to hear what they do next" cut to NINE YEARS LATER :'(
I am also curious about why there was such a long gap
But anyway, thoughts on the latest albums discussed:
APSOG - masterpiece, prog metal at its proggiest. I worship this album and its my favorite by FW and perhaps a top favorite album of all time :hefdaddy
Disconnected - I think I wore out my CD from how many times I spun this one. Its a little lop sided due to the two epics, but whatever. Still remains is up there as one of my favorite FW songs. Utterly inredible and I got to hear and see that shit live son, right up in front of JIM. FUCK YEAH.
FWX- The oddball album. This is the one FW album that no other sounds like. This was my first FW album along with awaken the guardian, so i didn't have anything else to go off of really, so I just went with it. FWX sort of has an OSI vibe to it, and took me a whole lot of time to really appreciate, but I really like it a lot now.
Darkness and Theories. They are solid. Not my favorites. I enjoyed them when they came out and I am glad there were made. I really love White flags, seven stars, One thousand fires, Firefly, and into the black.
Anyway, I can't say how happy I am that they are active again. One of my favorite bands of all time. And one last thing I wanted to say is that I love Kevin moore's involvement in the band.
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I'm having trouble understanding APSOG's concept. Can someone shed some light for me?
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I think it's just about a man contemplating his past life and (specifically) a past love.
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Did you get into them because of the tour they did with DT and Queensryche? For me, it was because someone gave me a cd with an FW track on it.
I had always known of Fates Warning. I never checked them out, and never really saw their videos back in the day (I didn't have cable regularly, so no MTV). My wife was absolutely flabbergasted when I told her I had never listened to Fates Warning. She wasn't an uber fan, but since we both shared a love of Queensryche, she felt it was only natural. I, stupidly, had always assumed (this should get a laugh), without hearing them, that Fates Warning was some sort of death metal band, and I wasn't interested in checking them out. Oops. :rollin
I remember hearing "One" in 2003, live, and that sold me. Immediately. Just love the groove, love everything about it. I literally went out the next day and bought the entire catalog, and never looked back. Was lucky enough to see Fates twice on that tour. Interestingly enough, while Frank Aresti rejoined them on that tour, I didn't see Frank. I saw the QR/DT/FW tour in...I want to say it was late July, out on the West Coast. Both gigs Aresti was absent, I think because he had some work-related thing he needed to be back for. So my wife and I saw FW as a four-piece. They were two Nor Cal shows, if anyone else was there. I recall MP coming out at one of them and doing an OSI track...SHUTdown, if i remember right.
p.s. One of my biggest concert regrets was in 2006. Fates was playing two warm-up shows in So Cal before heading out to do the Rock Hard festival on June 4, 2006, in Germany.
The lineup for this tour was: Jim Matheos, Ray Alder, Joey Vera, Frank Aresti and Nick D’Virgillio
05/31/2006 Galaxy Theater. Santa Ana, California (with Three, Resistance, Hollowshell)
06/01/2006 The Knitting Factory. Hollywood, California (with Agent Steel, Ascension)
>>>>>>>>>>>I had an opportunity to see them both those shows, and just decided not to make the trek down, figuring they'd be back up North soon enough. Well, they didn't play another show near me until 7 years later in 2013 on the Darkness tour (which I attended). So this time around, in January, I'm not repeating the mistake. Going to multiple west coast shows. :lol
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VP is definitely next after I hear Arch/Matheos, and then maybe Leprous/Queensryche/something else. :) I have four Rush albums but I don't know them well and don't know anything they've done in 30 years except Roll The Bones and I have nothing good to say about that song or the video. I don't mind Rush but they (from the albums I own) don't do much for me.
When you're ready for Queensryche, click my signature, read the history, and then hit me up via PM. I'll set you on the right path...
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I listened to Tuesday the Sky last night (before heading to the gym and hearing Theories of Flight). I'm a big fan of post rock and that was some seriously good music. I played it again while I had my coffee this morning. Jim Matheos is going to be a burden on my bank account. :lol
You got it Samsara :)
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VP is definitely next after I hear Arch/Matheos, and then maybe Leprous/Queensryche/something else. :) I have four Rush albums but I don't know them well and don't know anything they've done in 30 years except Roll The Bones and I have nothing good to say about that song or the video. I don't mind Rush but they (from the albums I own) don't do much for me.
When you're ready for Queensryche, click my signature, read the history, and then hit me up via PM. I'll set you on the right path...
I was going to offer something similar, but you are in good hands with Samsara. He knows his stuff. And his musical taste when it comes to Queensryche is mostly pretty sound. When you get into the latter years after Promised Land, he has a few opinions that are questionable, but I forgive him for those. :lol
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Jim Matheos is going to be a burden on my bank account. :lol
Yep, that's how its' been for me for many years now. He is probably my favorite all time musician. I have a man crush on the guy!
I do think Matheos has found his place with everything he is doing now. Seems like he is having a lot of fun when he is on stage now. He is smiling, making eye contact with the fans. Before this last two tours, he didn't like being on the spotlight. Kind of a not-so-extreme Robert Fripp guy.
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VP is definitely next after I hear Arch/Matheos, and then maybe Leprous/Queensryche/something else. :) I have four Rush albums but I don't know them well and don't know anything they've done in 30 years except Roll The Bones and I have nothing good to say about that song or the video. I don't mind Rush but they (from the albums I own) don't do much for me.
When you're ready for Queensryche, click my signature, read the history, and then hit me up via PM. I'll set you on the right path...
I was going to offer something similar, but you are in good hands with Samsara. He knows his stuff. And his musical taste when it comes to Queensryche is mostly pretty sound. When you get into the latter years after Promised Land, he has a few opinions that are questionable, but I forgive him for those. :lol
"ALL I WANT" IS AWFUL. JUST ADMIT THIS! :lol :lol :lol :lol
In regard to Fates Warning and this discovery trend you're on with some bands, yeah, kattelox, good luck with the bank account. I do want to say, however, it is refreshing to see someone sample some stuff, and then go buy the catalog. That's how many of us old schoolers do it. Gotta support the artists. If end up not liking it, you can always sell the CDs to a used store for credit, but still give the artist a sale.
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I love (LOVE!) buying CDs, so yeah, eventually I'll have all the FW albums sitting nice and pretty on my shelves, sandwiched between Explosions In The Sky and whatever my first F albums are. Finntroll? Why did I ever buy a Finntroll album in the first place...
And yeah. I spent so many years exploring obscure power metal, black metal, etc. that I just completely skipped bands like FW and Queensryche, lots of classic rock etc. :lol
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At the risk of derailing the FW thread, I dunno. I've tried to like Rush for 15 years. I can't deal with Geddy's voice. Singers tend to make or break bands for me, I have the exact same issue with Genesis and Yes. The albums I own... Moving Pictures, A Farewell To Kings, Fly By Night, and Hold Your Fire. Oh, and I've heard 2112 before. I like Temples of Syrinx? Does that count?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIsYwGVIgBw
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Oh god, it's one of the hits! At least it's not Working Man again... EDIT: Oh, whew, it's Fates Warning :lol :lol
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I'm having trouble understanding APSOG's concept. Can someone shed some light for me?
I think it's just about a man contemplating his past life and (specifically) a past love.
I am not fully versed in APSOG's meaning, but I always took it a a reflective and melancholy record on life, much like Queensryche's Promised Land. A record you appreciate more the older you get and can relate to changes in life more readily.
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That Rush cover was the first time I heard Fates Warning. I didn't pay it much attention, but went back after I became an FW fan.
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I gotta say I like it more than the original... but Ray Alder's voice is also a hundred times better than Geddy's. :)
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One day you will realize just how great Geddy is...
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The alarm clock is the key element for me.
These are the musings of an insomniac and the thoughts that keep him awake all night. But at the very end, the morning comes, and the morning gives him the new fresh hope of a new day. Finally at peace with embracing this shade of gray. In that moment of peace of a rainy early morning, he finally fades off to sleep for just a moment.....and then the alarm goes off. Time to start a new day with a bit of hope.
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I'm having trouble understanding APSOG's concept. Can someone shed some light for me?
I think it's just about a man contemplating his past life and (specifically) a past love.
I am not fully versed in APSOG's meaning, but I always took it a a reflective and melancholy record on life, much like Queensryche's Promised Land. A record you appreciate more the older you get and can relate to changes in life more readily.
I specifically asked Jim about the meaning of APSOG during a meet-and-greet two or three years ago for the Darkness in a Different Light tour. He said it's about a man laying in bed reflecting upon his life's regrets. :)
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Yup. That makes total sense.
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The plus side of listening to their last 5 albums yesterday is that I knew I'd enjoy listening to Darkness In A Different Light and Theories of Flight all day today. Those two, Disconnected, Parallels, and Perfect Symmetry would be my top 5 if I had to choose right now. I'm gonna buy those first, probably the latest 2 because they're the most recent and easiest to find. Also I believe it was bosk who said he thought I'd really enjoy them and he's right. Stellar albums, great from start to finish, the production, lyrics, songwriting, they have it all. I love Ray's voice on these albums. Maybe it's just me but it sounds like it has a lot more character on them, he still has great range but the melodies sound more organic and he knows when and how to put power behind it, exactly what I like to hear in a metal singer.
Been a real treat exploring this band from past to present, and learning a whole lot about them and side albums like Arch/Matheos and Tuesday the Sky. Can't stop listening to 'em. Thanks to all of your help Fates Warning has a new huge fan in me :metal
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don't forget about A Twist of Fate. It's just 2 tracks, but 2 epics, and honestly, I would put it up against anything both Arch and Fates has done in their entire catalog.
A Twist of Fate to me is simply perfection. 28 minutes of pure prog metal bliss with John Arch and actually in a lot of ways both Matheos and Portnoy never sounding better.
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I'll admit that if I had heard Parallels first, I probably would have loved it far more. But I had purchased The Spectre Within on the new release rack. So I had been a fan since 1985. After having been through AtG, NE, and PS as brand new releases (I even had a prerelease cassette of PS almost 2 months in advance IIRC), Parallels just seemed a bit of a shock by comparison.
That's a pretty interesting view from a modern fan's perspective, because to me Parallels is an extension of what they started with Through Different Eyes on PS, and even on a song like Nothing Left to Say Ray is singing in a slightly lower register, which he'd continue to do on Parallels.
I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on the band now that I'm catching up. What do all of you think about the change from Arch to Alder, and the shift in style? When do you think they really got a hold on the prog side of their music; if you were following them in the 80s and 90s, what did you think of their progression with each album? Why was there such a drought in material between FWX and Darkness... and why did Mark Zonder leave the band?
I'm a newer fan (I've listened to them since DIADL came out), but I have to say I can't get into Arch's style of singing at all, so for me the real FW began with Ray's arrival, and even then it wasn't until Parallels that they found their own sound. They've been really consistent, as the only mediocre album they've put out since then IMO is FWX - it's got some great songs, but also some pretty forgettable filler stuff.
I prefer when that is spread out with Frank Aresti. I think Aresti and Matheos really have distinct styles that really make the guitar tandem dynamic (much like original lineup Queensryche).
Actually Jim has said that starting with Perfect Symmetry, Frank has played just solos on his (Jim's) songs: https://fateswarning.com/2013/11/06/rocking-gr-interview-with-jim-matheos-11062013/
It’s confusing because a lot of people think that he’s actually playing… He plays solos in the record. He plays five or six guitar solos. But that’s it. Everything else is basically as we’ve been doing it. And we’ve been doing it that way since “Perfect Symmetry”, believe it or not. We would play the songs that we wrote. So, if there was a song that I wrote it would be all me. So that was this record. It is all myself and Frank just came in and did the solos. That’s quite a big accomplishment to me because he’s a great lead guitar player. He plays a lot of things that I can’t play or I wouldn’t play – most of it I can’t play. So, he added a lot to it. It was great to have him there. We miss him on tour.
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I prefer when that is spread out with Frank Aresti. I think Aresti and Matheos really have distinct styles that really make the guitar tandem dynamic (much like original lineup Queensryche).
Actually Jim has said that starting with Perfect Symmetry, Frank has played just solos on his (Jim's) songs: https://fateswarning.com/2013/11/06/rocking-gr-interview-with-jim-matheos-11062013/
It’s confusing because a lot of people think that he’s actually playing… He plays solos in the record. He plays five or six guitar solos. But that’s it. Everything else is basically as we’ve been doing it. And we’ve been doing it that way since “Perfect Symmetry”, believe it or not. We would play the songs that we wrote. So, if there was a song that I wrote it would be all me. So that was this record. It is all myself and Frank just came in and did the solos. That’s quite a big accomplishment to me because he’s a great lead guitar player. He plays a lot of things that I can’t play or I wouldn’t play – most of it I can’t play. So, he added a lot to it. It was great to have him there. We miss him on tour.
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Interesting to know that, because, even in the CDs that Frank didn''t record, I've always felt that the rhythm guitars are at same quality, almost always with two very distinct lines, but complementary with each other. So always really a great job from Jim!
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I dunno if this has been discussed here, but to me, Mark Zonder is a true unsung hero of prog metal. I never understood why he's not praised as much as MP - he's just as creative and groundbreaking.
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I dunno if this has been discussed here, but to me, Mark Zonder is a true unsung hero of prog metal. I never understood why he's not praised as much as MP - he's just as creative and groundbreaking.
You'll get no argument from me. I think the biggest problem is that the band never got a great deal of recognition outside of a brief time around Parralels.
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I knew that about Aresti. But it's not always just the solos. Take One Thousand Fires. Aresti gets a credit on that song (I believe it was for the bridge, and of course, the solo, but solos don't count toward writing credit generally), but it's mostly just Jim the whole time except in those parts Aresti wrote, which he plays.
I just love the distinctiveness between Aresti and Matheos. The moment Aresti solos, you know it is him. Jim is a more melodic soloist. I sort of think of it in terms of comparison with other bands I love.
Queensryche: DeGarmo/Wilton equals Matheos/Aresti
Alter Bridge: Kennedy/Tremonti equals Matheos/Aresti
When Aresti isn't there, doing a bunch of solos, it is still great, but I love the different dynamic. That's why I loved the fact that both Aresti and Abdow did the trade-off solo in White Flag. Just completely different players, and you know them when you hear them.
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I knew that about Aresti. But it's not always just the solos. Take One Thousand Fires. Aresti gets a credit on that song (I believe it was for the bridge, and of course, the solo, but solos don't count toward writing credit generally), but it's mostly just Jim the whole time except in those parts Aresti wrote, which he plays.
I just love the distinctiveness between Aresti and Matheos. The moment Aresti solos, you know it is him. Jim is a more melodic soloist. I sort of think of it in terms of comparison with other bands I love.
Queensryche: DeGarmo/Wilton equals Matheos/Aresti
Alter Bridge: Kennedy/Tremonti equals Matheos/Aresti
When Aresti isn't there, doing a bunch of solos, it is still great, but I love the different dynamic. That's why I loved the fact that both Aresti and Abdow did the trade-off solo in White Flag. Just completely different players, and you know them when you hear them.
Ah, my bad - I thought you were talking about the rhythm and lead parts, because you used Wilton and DeGarmo as an example.
I dunno if this has been discussed here, but to me, Mark Zonder is a true unsung hero of prog metal. I never understood why he's not praised as much as MP - he's just as creative and groundbreaking.
Yeah, Zonder is a really underrated drummer.
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Zonder's playing has everything and nobody mix acoustic and eletronic drums the way he does, so well blended (among others, listen to Life in Still Water)! By the way, it amazed me that he wasn't even invited to DT auditions. This was confirmed by Zonder in his Facebook - after a fan asked him about it and, worst, Zonder replied using "unfortunately..." (or something in that sense). I guess he had interest on it... oh, well
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That would've been far more interesting than seeing Derek Roddy or even (as much as I love him) Aquiles Priester.
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Zonder's playing has everything and nobody mix acoustic and eletronic drums the way he does, so well blended (among others, listen to Life in Still Water)! By the way, it amazed me that he wasn't even invited to DT auditions. This was confirmed by Zonder in his Facebook - after a fan asked him about it and, worst, Zonder replied using "unfortunately..." (or something in that sense). I guess he had interest on it... oh, well
Well, to be fair, they did invite a FW drummer to audition (Bobby Jarzombek)
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While I toiled away at work, I put on the new Threshold album... and then I decided, why the hell not, I'll put on Arch/Matheos and see how good this is.
I'm still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor. None of you were exaggerating. That album is INCREDIBLE.
Many years ago I'd pirate the hell out of music... I'm glad Spotify gives me a chance to legally listen to most anything I want, even if it's not exactly a fair compensation to the artists. But that's why I also buy CDs in this day and age... hope I can snag a copy of this because DUDE. Stained Glass Sky!!
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Zonder's playing has everything and nobody mix acoustic and eletronic drums the way he does, so well blended (among others, listen to Life in Still Water)! By the way, it amazed me that he wasn't even invited to DT auditions. This was confirmed by Zonder in his Facebook - after a fan asked him about it and, worst, Zonder replied using "unfortunately..." (or something in that sense). I guess he had interest on it... oh, well
Well, to be fair, they did invite a FW drummer to audition (Bobby Jarzombek)
Well, also to be fair, Zonder and Jarzombek would be my ideal choices to replace MP and certainly I wouldn't know decide who to choose! ;)
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While I toiled away at work, I put on the new Threshold album... and then I decided, why the hell not, I'll put on Arch/Matheos and see how good this is.
I'm still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor. None of you were exaggerating. That album is INCREDIBLE.
Many years ago I'd pirate the hell out of music... I'm glad Spotify gives me a chance to legally listen to most anything I want, even if it's not exactly a fair compensation to the artists. But that's why I also buy CDs in this day and age... hope I can snag a copy of this because DUDE. Stained Glass Sky!!
Sympathetic Resonance is GREAT. I put in my top 5 albums from 2011.
But I'll say it again.
This is EVEN BETTER
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Arch_TwistofFate.jpg/220px-Arch_TwistofFate.jpg)
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While I toiled away at work, I put on the new Threshold album... and then I decided, why the hell not, I'll put on Arch/Matheos and see how good this is.
I'm still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor. None of you were exaggerating. That album is INCREDIBLE.
Many years ago I'd pirate the hell out of music... I'm glad Spotify gives me a chance to legally listen to most anything I want, even if it's not exactly a fair compensation to the artists. But that's why I also buy CDs in this day and age... hope I can snag a copy of this because DUDE. Stained Glass Sky!!
I could never get through that album. Great musicianship, but Arch's vocals just don't do it for me :-\
Zonder's playing has everything and nobody mix acoustic and eletronic drums the way he does, so well blended (among others, listen to Life in Still Water)! By the way, it amazed me that he wasn't even invited to DT auditions. This was confirmed by Zonder in his Facebook - after a fan asked him about it and, worst, Zonder replied using "unfortunately..." (or something in that sense). I guess he had interest on it... oh, well
Well, to be fair, they did invite a FW drummer to audition (Bobby Jarzombek)
Well, also to be fair, Zonder and Jarzombek would be my ideal choices to replace MP and certainly I wouldn't know decide who to choose! ;)
I think BJ would be a perfect fit for DT if MM ever decides to leave.
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While I toiled away at work, I put on the new Threshold album... and then I decided, why the hell not, I'll put on Arch/Matheos and see how good this is.
I'm still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor. None of you were exaggerating. That album is INCREDIBLE.
Many years ago I'd pirate the hell out of music... I'm glad Spotify gives me a chance to legally listen to most anything I want, even if it's not exactly a fair compensation to the artists. But that's why I also buy CDs in this day and age... hope I can snag a copy of this because DUDE. Stained Glass Sky!!
Sympathetic Resonance is GREAT. I put in my top 5 albums from 2011.
But I'll say it again.
This is EVEN BETTER
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Arch_TwistofFate.jpg/220px-Arch_TwistofFate.jpg)
Relentless is one of my favorite songs of all time. OF ALL TIME!!!
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Sympathetic Resonance blew my damn mind the first time I heard it. I had always written off John Arch before that.
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While I toiled away at work, I put on the new Threshold album... and then I decided, why the hell not, I'll put on Arch/Matheos and see how good this is.
I'm still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor. None of you were exaggerating. That album is INCREDIBLE.
Many years ago I'd pirate the hell out of music... I'm glad Spotify gives me a chance to legally listen to most anything I want, even if it's not exactly a fair compensation to the artists. But that's why I also buy CDs in this day and age... hope I can snag a copy of this because DUDE. Stained Glass Sky!!
Sympathetic Resonance is GREAT. I put in my top 5 albums from 2011.
But I'll say it again.
This is EVEN BETTER
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Arch_TwistofFate.jpg/220px-Arch_TwistofFate.jpg)
Twist of Fate's good and all, but it is not better than Sympathetic Resonance. Not by a long shot.
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While I toiled away at work, I put on the new Threshold album... and then I decided, why the hell not, I'll put on Arch/Matheos and see how good this is.
I'm still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor. None of you were exaggerating. That album is INCREDIBLE.
Many years ago I'd pirate the hell out of music... I'm glad Spotify gives me a chance to legally listen to most anything I want, even if it's not exactly a fair compensation to the artists. But that's why I also buy CDs in this day and age... hope I can snag a copy of this because DUDE. Stained Glass Sky!!
Sympathetic Resonance is GREAT. I put in my top 5 albums from 2011.
But I'll say it again.
This is EVEN BETTER
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Arch_TwistofFate.jpg/220px-Arch_TwistofFate.jpg)
Twist of Fate's good and all, but it is not better than Sympathetic Resonance. Not by a long shot.
+1 Sympathetic Resonance is by far the best thing I've heard with Arch.
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I've been listening to Sympathetic Resonance at least twice a day every day... just listened to Stained Glass Sky again. This is the best Fates Warning album that the actual Fates Warning didn't put out (even though it might as well be a FW album). The music is great and Jim Matheos is a star but I just can't wrap my head around how good Arch sounds nearly 30 years later. It's just unbelievable. I don't understand why he hasn't been on a ton of prog/metal/prog metal releases throughout the decades, it just seems to be his solo album, the FW stuff, and Arch/Matheos. And another band called Misfit prior to FW. This guy should be so much bigger...
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I've been listening to Sympathetic Resonance at least twice a day every day... just listened to Stained Glass Sky again. This is the best Fates Warning album that the actual Fates Warning didn't put out (even though it might as well be a FW album). The music is great and Jim Matheos is a star but I just can't wrap my head around how good Arch sounds nearly 30 years later. It's just unbelievable. I don't understand why he hasn't been on a ton of prog/metal/prog metal releases throughout the decades, it just seems to be his solo album, the FW stuff, and Arch/Matheos. And another band called Misfit prior to FW. This guy should be so much bigger...
The primary reason, from what I understand, is that he just doesn't enjoy the touring lifestyle that goes along with being a full-time musician.
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I've been listening to Sympathetic Resonance at least twice a day every day... just listened to Stained Glass Sky again. This is the best Fates Warning album that the actual Fates Warning didn't put out (even though it might as well be a FW album). The music is great and Jim Matheos is a star but I just can't wrap my head around how good Arch sounds nearly 30 years later. It's just unbelievable. I don't understand why he hasn't been on a ton of prog/metal/prog metal releases throughout the decades, it just seems to be his solo album, the FW stuff, and Arch/Matheos. And another band called Misfit prior to FW. This guy should be so much bigger...
The primary reason, from what I understand, is that he just doesn't enjoy the touring lifestyle that goes along with being a full-time musician.
That's a shame. It would've been great to hear him on a bunch of studio recordings over the years, though. On the plus side I suppose it kept his voice in shape enough for Sympathetic Resonance, so... :biggrin:
I know Kai Hansen is similar, he hates touring big time but for some reason he's stuck with it. When he toured the USA with Gamma Ray in 2011, he only played five shows!
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I think Symphathic Resonance is a great album, but again, those vocals are just hard for me to take on a consistent basis. I do better listening to maybe half the album, or less, at a time. Whereas the albums with Ray - usually when they're over, I'm not ready for them to be over. I'm so glad they made the switch.
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I think Symphathic Resonance is a great album, but again, those vocals are just hard for me to take on a consistent basis. I do better listening to maybe half the album, or less, at a time. Whereas the albums with Ray - usually when they're over, I'm not ready for them to be over. I'm so glad they made the switch.
Exactly. Arch's voice is not for everybody. Last time I put SR on, I couldn't get through half of it. The music's great but John's voice is definitely not my cup of tea. I'm glad they brought in Ray as well.
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Bump...
I first got into Fates Warning after hearing something on MTV about "other bands you might like if you like Queensryche." I bought No Exit and was completely blown away -- especially by the Ivory Gate of Dreams, which reminded me so much of 2112 and Hemispheres (conceptually at least) if they had been performed by Iron Maiden. I learned only recently that it's based on a literary device from Homer's Odyssey (gates of horn and ivory).
I can't remember if I bought Brocken, Spectre and Guardian before or after Perfect Symmetry came out. I think I only bought Brocken after hearing "Damnation" live. The studio track paled in comparison, and I never got into the album, feeling like it was a poor excuse for an Iron Maiden copycat. Spectre and Guardian are HUGE improvements over Brocken, with some truly great songs: Traveler in Time, The Apparition, Epitaph, Fata Morgana, Guardian, Giant's Lore and Exodus. However, I will never enjoy the Arch material as much as the Alder material. Arch's singing style is just strange. Not that there's necessarily anything wrong with strange, but he seems too often to try and cram twice as many words into a space as he reasonably should. I've also never heard any live material in which he wasn't horribly out of tune.
Perfect Symmetry is one of the ultimate prog metal masterpieces. Parallels and Inside Out are obviously more commercial, but they're both so well done (I know Inside Out doesn't get nearly as much love as Parallels, and it's a step down, but it has so very many strong moments). APSOG was so unexpected, but it's such an amazing record. When I decide to listen to it, I tend to listen to it a half dozen or more times in a row before moving onto something else. Disconnected and FWX have never clicked with me, but each has one or two really strong songs. Darkness in a Different Light was another unexpected gem -- especially I Am, Into the Black and And Yet It Moves. Theories of Flight still hasn't clicked with me, but I haven't given it enough listens yet, so I'm reserving judgment.
One of the highlights of my concert-going life was seeing the Parallels version of the band in 2010 for the Parallels anniversary mini-tour. Such an amazing and underrated band.
By the way, my interpretation of the quote about Aresti only playing solos since Perfect Symmetry is that, on the songs Jim wrote, he played all the guitars (except for Frank's solos) and, on the songs that Frank wrote, Frank played all the guitars (except for Jim's solos). So...on Static Acts, A World Apart and The Arena, that's all Frank (unless Jim has solos on those songs). Frank didn't have any writing credits on Parallels and Inside Out, so I assume his only playing on those records is is solos (with a special nod to both solos on Monument).
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By the way, my interpretation of the quote about Aresti only playing solos since Perfect Symmetry is that, on the songs Jim wrote, he played all the guitars (except for Frank's solos) and, on the songs that Frank wrote, Frank played all the guitars (except for Jim's solos). So...on Static Acts, A World Apart and The Arena, that's all Frank (unless Jim has solos on those songs). Frank didn't have any writing credits on Parallels and Inside Out, so I assume his only playing on those records is is solos (with a special nod to both solos on Monument).
The first solo on A World Apart is Jim and the second is Frank, I'm pretty sure.
I think Frank's solos on Parallels are only Leave the Past Behind, Life in Still Water, Point of View and Don't Follow Me. I think the rest is Jim.
I'm not too sure with Inside Out, but maybe Outside, Pale Fire, Island in the Stream, Down to the Wire, Face the Fear, and his one in Momument obviously. Pretty sure Afterglow is Jim, but maybe the first half of Inward Bound could be Frank.
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vinyl collectors:
Perfect Symmetry and Parallels reissues
https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords/search/?q=fates+warning
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A FB post from last week (the tour started last night): https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1518887058194232&id=180848601998091
We are having a great time finally touring the West Coast with Theories Of Flight! Next week we begin touring/recording in Europe for our upcoming live album. The band took two days off in Los Angeles to rehearse new material which we have divided into two sets that we will be alternating every night. We are very excited to be playing some songs we haven’t played in a while as well as some we have never played live. We hope to see you all there!!
Bobby's comment on the post:
Yeah, total (West Coast and Europe) = 26 songs in all! Two of them are 14 minutes long, and a few of ‘em are at least half that length.
This is the most drumming that I’ve ever had crammed in my brain!
Two 14-minute songs = Still Remains and the premiere of And Yet It Moves, perhaps? :caffeine: It sucks that they're not coming nearby, but I'm stoked for the live album.
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Oh, this is a nice surprise. I'll be seeing them in Greece next week so I hope we get Still Remains and The Light And Shade Of Things.
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A FB post from last week (the tour started last night): https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1518887058194232&id=180848601998091
We are having a great time finally touring the West Coast with Theories Of Flight! Next week we begin touring/recording in Europe for our upcoming live album. The band took two days off in Los Angeles to rehearse new material which we have divided into two sets that we will be alternating every night. We are very excited to be playing some songs we haven’t played in a while as well as some we have never played live. We hope to see you all there!!
Bobby's comment on the post:
Yeah, total (West Coast and Europe) = 26 songs in all! Two of them are 14 minutes long, and a few of ‘em are at least half that length.
This is the most drumming that I’ve ever had crammed in my brain!
Two 14-minute songs = Still Remains and the premiere of And Yet It Moves, perhaps? :caffeine: It sucks that they're not coming nearby, but I'm stoked for the live album.
I'm bummed I missed this show in Los Angeles. Based on the set list from the first European show last night, the only song that's 14+ minutes on the album is Still Remains. Would LOVE a live version of And Yet It Moves. That song is FAN-flipping-TASTIC!
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That setlist has me drooling like Homer. The Light and Shade of Things, Wish, and Still Remains, almost back to back would have me on my knees crying.
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Saw them opening night in Seattle. The whole set list was "FAN-flippin-TASTIC". The only thing I wish they played was, well, Wish. Everything else was incredible. Getting the closing movements of IGOD was an expected surprise.
Ray sounded better than he did in years. The whole band sounded incredible.
Where were you, Ben? I looked for you there but didn't see you. I was camped out front and center in the loft.
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Saw them opening night in Seattle. The whole set list was "FAN-flippin-TASTIC". The only thing I wish they played was, well, Wish. Everything else was incredible. Getting the closing movements of IGOD was an expected surprise.
Ray sounded better than he did in years. The whole band sounded incredible.
Where were you, Ben? I looked for you there but didn't see you. I was camped out front and center in the loft.
I hadn't heard from you!! I would have totally dug seeing you! I was front left on Jim's side. Awesome show.
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For me it's the same with Arch i kinda like his voice but it's his way of singing it !! Can't stand it. Back in the day i got Night on brocken through tapetrading and i liked that album but never became a fan.This all changed when Ray Alder became the singer fantastic voice !And ofcourse the albums are great as well,Lately i'm more appreciating Disconnected,i always thought of it as a dark album but there are some fantastic songs on it my favorite is Still Remains and One.
And indeed Mark Zonder what a drummer right?? I've seen a live few drumvideo's of him playing Fates songs like Monument or APSOG and i can't seem to find one for Still Remains but i did find this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nbfmKio7E4 I'm loving it !!
I also went to Essen this thursday and what a show indeed great setlist,band in real good shape.The venue was close to sold out i guess it was rather packed and the crowd went a long very well with reacting and singing,i think sometimes over Ray's singing.And the band enjoyed it as you could tell from the smiles on their faces.Especially if Jim laughs.
Now i understand they didn't pick Holland for a show,the last show i saw in Leiden there was a very small audience,a real shame for such a great band!!
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Ray sounded better than he did in years. The whole band sounded incredible.
I saw them on the DIADL tour at a little hole in the wall club outside Phoenix. Ray was lights out. Ray's live performance was about the only negative for me when I first saw FW back in the late 80s. He had real trouble with the high notes. When we met the band in the parking lot outside the club after the show and he was smoking, I knew what the problem was. Kicking that habit and altering some of the vocal melodies really help him and he sounds stronger than ever. It's one thing for guys like Lemmy or even Axl Rose, but I have never understood why singers who really want to SING would smoke.
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I can't tell you how jealous I am of you folks in Europe. They didn't come to my area for this leg of the tour, and I'd love to see them doing the new setlist.
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Me too...me too...
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I don't post much any more, but I wanted to jump in on this thread. I saw the gigs in San Diego and LA. Was fortunate enough to catch soundcheck at both shows, and what a treat. In San Diego, they played "And Yet it Moves," which until Europe, had never been played live before. The show in San Diego had a GREAT crowd, who knew all the songs, and Ray acknowledged how surprised the band was and how much they appreciated it.
One of the many highlights was Ray hitting a great note at the end of Ivory Gate of Dreams VII. Acquiescence. He went really high, and the band also added in Eye to Eye as a final encore, after saying in soundcheck they weren't going to do it that night.
I am a huge fan of Fates (my #2 band of all-time after the original lineup of Queensryche), and I love Theories of Flight, so it was great to hear them support that album well. Such a great record.
In LA, Joey Vera couldn't make soundcheck. He was spending the day (rightfully so) at home celebrating his daughter's birthday. So the band asked any of the folks watching if they could play bass. A couple of people were timid, and one guy said he didn't know their stuff, but was a bass player (he was really shy). So instead, Mike Abdow put his guitar down, took one of Joey's basses, and they did a one guitar soundcheck of "One" with Mike on bass. He was really good! Mike is an outstanding musician. Folks that enjoy some good prog/jazz/rock instrumentals should check out his solo album titled ESO.
Anyway, once the show started, the Whisky was completely packed. The crowd was a lot more rude and obnoxious, but they were into it, and also knew the more modern material. :metal Same setlist as San Diego. Ray sounded good, although not quite as good as San Diego. But he talked about it during the show...I was at the Rainbow for dinner with a friend, and in walked Ray. He grabbed some pizza and headed upstairs. When FW got on stage, he jokingly (sorta) asked the crowd if they had any Rolaids and said he should have known not to eat Rainbow pizza before singing. :rollin :rollin
It was a recurring joke throughout the night. He also went for the same high note in Ivory Gate VII. Acquiescence, and didn't quite get where he got the previous night, but he hit it pretty good. After the tune and the loud applause, Ray said something to the effect of: "thanks. That...doesn't always work. And when it doesn't, it can be really embarrassing!" and laughed.
For those folks eager for the live record they were recording in Europe. A few people asked in soundcheck at both San Diego and LA, and they had been rehearsing 26 or 27 songs. And looking at the setlists, they got through most of them. A friend asked if the plan was to include all the songs on the 2 CD set, and they said they were going to try to. I think it'll all depend on how they felt the quality came out.
In Europe, one of the bigger surprises was "Silent Cries," which was performed just once. So either they nailed a good one, or it wasn't so good and they didn't bother to do it again. That chorus is a bitch, even when dropped. :lol
Anyway, stoked for the new live record. Fingers crossed it ends up being not just a 2 CD, but a 4 LP set too. They probably don't have the same budget they had for the Awaken the Guardian live set, but I really hope this new live record comes out on vinyl.
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They sounded great when I saw them in Greece (first time I left my country too, good occasion I'd say) but it could have been a bit better - apparently they were held on the border for 3 hours and they were late with the soundcheck which was still going on at the time the show was supposed to have started. Bummed out that we didn't get Still Remains. Those fuckers in Athens got both SR and Yet It Moves!
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found a copy of of the new remastered-for-vinyl Parallels at my local record store in St.Paul last night.
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I saw them a couple times last year and they were incredible. Definitely a little jealous of those getting to see them now, and the setlists look amazing.
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So, for A pleasant shade of grey, could someone explain the concept and story of that album. What's it about? I couldn't find anything on wikipedia and am super curious.
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So, for A pleasant shade of grey, could someone explain the concept and story of that album. What's it about? I couldn't find anything on wikipedia and am super curious.
My personal interpretation is that it’s a guy who is tossing and turning all night with all these thoughts and regrets about where his life is, where it’s going, mistakes made, regrets, the meaningless of life...all this stuff going through your head that sometimes won’t let you sleep...
But then, there’s that little ray of hope at the end. That each new day brings a new opportunity. A reason to wake up tomorrow and embrace life...this pleasant shade of gray.
And then when you finally fall asleep, the alarm goes off one minute later.
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:'(
So, for A pleasant shade of grey, could someone explain the concept and story of that album. What's it about? I couldn't find anything on wikipedia and am super curious.
Written 8 years ago :omg: but it's in the old DTF Reviews sub forum.
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=10098.0
And jammindude had it right about the theme.
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That is perfect. Thank you guys
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I just want to say that I really, really love FWX. I have been listening to it non stop the past two days.
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I definitely don't play FWX a lot, but I do enjoy it when I bring it out. It's a very moody atmospheric album.
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I just want to say that I really, really love FWX. I have been listening to it non stop the past two days.
It is very good. It gets overshadowed by the albums surrounding it. The two before and the two after tend to get a lot more attention. But I would actually say that DIADL didn’t age that well for me, and I would probably put FWX just above it. But wow, all of their last 5 albums have been pretty great. And Theories continues to age VERY well.
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I'm never sure which albums the general Fates Warning fan bases likes/doesn't like. I think it's because people's opinions are all over the place. But I've gotten the impression that both Disconnected and FWX aren't as high on fans rankings as they are on mine. FWX is a really good album.
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Personally, I grew into Disconnected...but once it stuck....wow. I think Disconnected and APSOG are in a perpetual dog fight for #1. I just can’t choose. One day it’s Shade, the next its DC....
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Those are my favorite 2 as well. :)
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Of all of their songs, for some reason, Pieces of Me has stuck with me the most. I freaking love that song - may not be my favorite but it's the one that has never left my head. Disconnected is fantastic.
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The “slow grower” for me was Something From Nothing. I can’t even describe the feeling when it finally hit me. It’s like I was waiting for something to happen, and then when I got the broad scope of the piece, it gave me goosebumps.
Sort of like when you see a film for the first time, and you don’t see at first how an earlier scene ties into the payoff later. But then when you rewatch the film, you see the foreshadowing in a different light, and it just gives you chills. Ya....it’s like that.
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I would put FWX much higher than Darkness..
FWX is excellent and I fail to follow why many people don't care for it, per when it came out, there was a ton of discussion about it. Many fans saying it was a return to form (those who weren't into APSOG and Disconnected).
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I just want to say that I really, really love FWX. I have been listening to it non stop the past two days.
It is very good. It gets overshadowed by the albums surrounding it. The two before and the two after tend to get a lot more attention. But I would actually say that DIADL didn’t age that well for me, and I would probably put FWX just above it. But wow, all of their last 5 albums have been pretty great. And Theories continues to age VERY well.
Agreed. FWX is when I really became a big fan. I discovered Fates late, with APSOG, and initially didn't like it. I didn't listen to Fates again until...2002 or so. I picked up Parallels because my wife said I would love it, and she was right. But after the QR/DT/FW shows in 2003, I picked up the rest of the catalog and FWX in 2004 sealed the deal.
I am glad they've broken out some of the songs from it on the last two album cycle tours (Wish and A Handful of Doubt). Given they've played both live extensively, I expect them to be on the new live record, which is cool.
I would put FWX much higher than Darkness..
FWX is excellent and I fail to follow why many people don't care for it, per when it came out, there was a ton of discussion about it. Many fans saying it was a return to form (those who weren't into APSOG and Disconnected).
I have FWX ahead of Darkness. For me, Darkness is pushed by three great tracks - One Thousand Fires, Firefly, And Yet it Moves. I think FWX, aside from River Wide Ocean Deep, is superior to the rest of Darkness, except for those three songs. It's (FWX) is a better whole listening experience.
Theories of Flight, however. Damn. That record not only has aged well for me, it is probably #3 all time for me of the Alder era (Parallels, No Exit, Theories).
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I'm never sure which albums the general Fates Warning fan bases likes/doesn't like. I think it's because people's opinions are all over the place. But I've gotten the impression that both Disconnected and FWX aren't as high on fans rankings as they are on mine. FWX is a really good album.
For whatever reason, both Disconnected and FWX fell flat for me. There are only a small handful of songs on the two that ever resonated for me.
Since you mentioned rankings:
APSOG: Not just FW's best album, but a top 5 all time album
Perfect Symmetry: The first "new" FW album for me. I was absolutely blown away by the opening track, Part of the Machine. As a whole, it's prog metal masterpiece, with the only instrumental I would put on the same level as La Villa Strangiato. The only weaknesses are, surprisingly, two of the Frank Aresti songs (A World Apart and The Arena).
Parallels: An almost perfect blend of prog and accessible metal. It's what Queensryche tried to do with Empire, which is, for me, an ultimately disappointing album. But FW nailed it.
DIADL: Given my disappointment with Disconnected and FWX, I was cautiously optimistic when this album was announced. Songs like I Am and Into the Black kick serious ass. They're better than the two "lead" tracks, One Thousand Fires and Firefly. But the hidden gem is And Yet It Moves. It's a song that fits its title to a T. From the intro to the end, it never fails to impress. Quite possible FW's best single song ever. An honorable mention to Falling Further on the limited edition bonus disc. It's a song that would have fit proudly on Parallels or Inside Out.
No Exit: A little while after Operation: Mindcrime came out, I saw something on MTV saying, "if you like Mindcrime, check out these bands." They mentioned Dream Theater, Fates Warning and Crimson Glory. I went hunting and couldn't find anything by Dream Theater, but I found No Exit. I was a fan immediately. Side 1 sounded like a slightly heavier and less polished Queensryche, but The Ivory Gate of Dreams on side 2 was on a completely different level, from the acoustic intro to the harmony guitars on Quietus to the gentle Whispers on the Wind, to blistering conclusion in Acquiescence and its epic ending.
Inside Out: If there had been no Parallels, this album would have gotten a lot more run, and I honestly can't figure out why it didn't keep up the momentum FW had gained with Parallels. There are a couple clunkers, but it's strong from start to finish, and Monument is a great song.
The Spectre Within: It's a bit unfair to compare the Arch albums to the Alder albums. For me, Arch's voice is ok, but I don't like a lot of his phrasings. Awaken the Guardian tends to get more run than Spectre, but I like Spectre a little better. The opening track, Traveler in Time, is probably my favorite Arch era song, and The Apparition and Epitaph are also great.
Awaken the Guardian: The line between Guardian and Spectre is slim, and you could really tell here that good things were coming. Fata Morgana, Guardian, Giant's Lore and Exodus are the standout tracks.
Theories of Flight: This album hasn't quite connected with me yet. It's much more moody and atmospheric, like Disconnected and FWX.
Disconnected: As mentioned above, only a few songs on this album and FWX have connected with me. I like Pieces of Me and Still Remains.
FWX: Another Perfect Day is a bit of an outlier on this album, but it's the only song that ever really connected for me. Some of it has to do with what was going on in my life when this album was released.
Night on Brocken: This album is very much analogous to Rush's debut. Very derivative, raw and immature, but still showing signs of brilliance to come. Damnation is the standout track.
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APSOG: Not just FW's best album, but a top 5 all time album
I've been a FW fan for nearly 30 years. Not very difficult at all to agree with this. :tup
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Ranking FW is hard for me. Because while I appreciate the uniqueness of John Arch, I have to be in the mood to hear him sing, whereas I can put on Ray Alder at any time. John's distinct pitch takes some getting used to. So, I am only going to rank the Alder-era FW records.
1. Parallels - to this day, to my ear, the band's artistic pinnacle, molding their technical sound with a more mainstream, accessible vibe. Great songs, great performance, great production.
2. No Exit - I love how Ray goes for broke on his debut. There is so much passion, great technicality and just killer metal right here.
3. Theories of Flight - It is beyond me how a band, so many years down the road, can release an album so high in quality that encapsulates everything from their past, but still pushes forward. Ray sounds great, and very inspired, and the performances are top notch. Love the production on this one too.
4. FWX - The songs here, with the exception of "River Wide, Ocean Deep," and the segue, Track #7, are really strong. The OSI influence on this record is present, but it is crossed with a more modern hard rock sound, and some of Parallels. Really dig it. A Handful of Doubt is such a powerful tune. Love the emotion.
After these four, it is a bit murky for me. For example, on Disconnected, One and Still Remains remain in my top-5 from FW, all time. But while I like the rest of the record, to my ears, none of the rest rise to the level of these two. APSOG is brilliant, but it isn't as accessible, and requires me to work at it a bit. I can't just put it on, and let it go. And that makes it tough to bring up in the rankings. Inside Out is good, but seems like a slightly darker, but not quite as good version of Parallels. A few really great songs though. Darkness in a Different Light has three of my favorite FW tracks in 1k Fires, Firefly (extended), and And Yet it Moves, but I think the album was hurt my decisions to not use Falling Further in the main track listing, along with the extended version of Firefly. Not a huge fan of Lighthouse or Kneel and Obey either.
Don't get me wrong, those albums in the paragraph I love - I enjoy them all, just nitpicking. But it varies where I would put them in a best-of list after the top-four in the Alder era.
For Arch, pretty simple: Guardian, Spectre, Night. They got better with each record, as expected...
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Did someone say rankings????
1. A Pleasant Shade of Gray - Just an amazing achievement. And it was an even bigger shocker because I figured they were essentially done after Inside Out. They just seemed like a broken band on that album. The (relative) commercial failure of Parallels, the disappointment that followed, the record label issues, the delays in getting a new label and recording IO, the lack of promotion from said new label, and then Frank and Bones both leaving. I was surprised Jim didn't hang it up right there and then. But to come back with his magnum opus was amazing. One of the greatest progressive rock albums in history.
2. Disconnected - Sometimes this fights for the #1 spot depending on my mood. So much perfection here. Oddly enough, the "fan favorites" are my "also rans". Songs like One and Pieces of Me are cool and all, but seem like filler when they are put along side Still Remains and the criminally overlooked and underrated Something From Nothing.
3. Perfect Symmetry - I wish Jim would have continued to give Frank more writing time. Frank's stuff is my favorite stuff from this album. Static Acts and A World Apart are stand outs. Again....to me...."singles" are not FW's strong suit. Through Different Eyes is probably my least favorite from the album.
4. Awaken the Guardian - I had bought Spectre when it was brand new. I loved the cover and I had heard The Apparition on a Metal Blade compilation. But the album was a tough pill to swallow for a 16 yr old who wasn't used to quite that many time changes. So I didn't make ATG a high priority when it first came out. But then I started dating a girl a few months later who had a copy, and after I heard it....I practically stole it from her. I can honestly say that THIS was the album that turned me from a passive fan to an OMG THESE GUYS ARE AMAZING fan.
5. Theories of Flight - This has climbed the chart pretty darn fast. The Light and Shade of Things puts this album in the top 5 all by itself.
6. No Exit - I was extremely skeptical when I found out John was gone. I really loved him. But I took a chance, and I wasn't sorry. Silent Cries is better than most of their singles, and In a Word is a BLATANT "Sanitarium" rip off. But all the rest of it is amazing. Still never heard why Zimmerman left....hmmmm....but they definitely traded up.
7. The Spectre Within - Once I "got it" after hearing and absorbing ATG, I really appreciated this album a lot more. Songs I liked at first haven't aged well (I'm looking at you Without a Trace) but songs I didn't care for at first are now my favorites (Pirates of the Underground and Epitaph)
8. Parallels - Tough call between this and Spectre. I'm just not as thrilled with this album as most people are. Considering I had been a fan from all way back to Spectre....and the fact that all my heroes were selling out at the same time (this came out at roughly the same time as The Black Album and Empire) and my tastes were just getting heavier and heavier at the time. (the early 90's is when I became so fed up with all my thrash metal bands wussing out that I turned to the newly evolving Tampa death metal scene) This was just too commercial for my tastes. Life in Still Water and The Eleventh Hour are amazing. Eye to Eye, Point of View, and We Only Say Goodbye are a bit too radio friendly for me. But it's a pretty good album.
9. FWX - Again....what is it with Jim's singles? I just don't like it when I feel like he's trying to write "a single". Simple Human, Another Perfect Day, and Stranger really bring this album down quite a bit. I like it when Jim writes more "moody" stuff and gives the music time to breathe. Left Here, River Wide Ocean Deep, and Crawl are my favorites.
10. Darkness in a Different Light - I'm actually very surprised that this ended up this low. I guess it just speaks to the strength of their catalog. In fact, as I'm sitting here typing this, I'm tempted to take back what I said earlier about putting it lower than FWX. But I guess that, as much as I liked it when it came out, there just wasn't much there that kept me coming back. Even the really good And Yet It Moves sounds like two different songs instead of one. It sounds really good, but it just didn't hold up on repeated listens.
11. Inside Out - Parallels-lite....and Parallels was only ok to begin with. Monument is excellent, but after hearing the live version a couple of times, the studio version feels like its balls have been chopped off. The band photo says it all. The band looks tired...and they sound tired. Pale Fire and Island in the Stream are also worthy of mention.
12. Night on Brocken - No contest here. Though that's not saying it's bad. For a young Iron Maiden wannabe, it's not too bad. I still love Kiss of Death, Misfit, Damnation, and I was really happy they pulled out the title track for the reunion show. I like that song...but there a really REALLY bad "sour note" that John hits at the end that just ruins it. It's terribly off key and I can't believe they left it in. He hits it properly in the new live version.
EDIT - I had forgotten Inside Out.
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OMG SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!
https://www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic/posts/10156381362435439
Progressive Metal pioneers Fates Warning are proud to announce the upcoming release of their new live album “Live Over Europe” on June 29th, 2018 via InsideOutMusic.
Gathered during the group’s most recent European headlining run for FATES WARNING’s much acclaimed latest studio album “Theories Of Flight” in January 2018, “Live Over Europe” includes recordings from 8 different cities (Aschaffenburg / Germany, Belgrade / Serbia, Thessaloniki and Athens / Greece, Rome and Milan / Italy, Budapest / Hungary as well as Ljubljana / Slovenia) and a total of 23 songs in over 138 minutes of playing time, spanning 30 years of the group’s seminal career.
“Live Over Europe” was mixed by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Kreator, Symphony X) and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden and will be available as limited 2CD Mediabook, Gatefold 3LP + Bonus-2CD or as Digital Album.
Here is the complete track-listing for the release:
FATES WARNING – “Live Over Europe“
CD 1:
1. From the Rooftops
2. Life in Still Water
3. One
4. Pale Fire
5. Seven Stars
6. SOS
7. Pieces of Me
8. Firefly
9. The Light and Shade of Things
10. Wish
11. Another Perfect Day
12. Silent Cries
13. And Yet it Moves
CD 2:
1. Still Remains
2. Nothing Left to Say
3. Acquiescence
4. The Eleventh Hour
5. Point of View
6. Falling
7. A Pleasant Shade of Gray, Pt. IX
8. Through Different Eyes
9. Monument
10. Eye to Eye
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Automatic buy.
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Color me interested :hat
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Automatic buy.
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Automatic buy.
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Pre-ordering everything the moment it is available.
I saw one show on the Darkness in a Different Light tour, and two shows on the Theories tour. All three were amazing. Great run by the Fates guys. My only slight complaints are that they left off "A Handful of Doubt" (which I got to see twice, thankfully), and "One Thousand Fires," which I got to see on the Darkness tour. (Both of those tunes are in my Fates top-20.) For my personal tastes, I think they could have left out the other stuff that is on the Still Life live album to include those two tracks, but its just a minor complaint in an otherwise, stellar live release.
So glad I was able to go to two gigs in January. It was an incredible weekend of great music and meeting some good people. :smiley:
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Very cool release, almost every song on this latest tour was included! The only exceptions that I could indentify (from setlist.fm) are:
One Thousand Fires (Yes, I also wished very much that this one was in this live release!), APSoG Part III and The Ivory Gate of Dreams IV: Quietus.
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Is it audio only? I can't remember if that was previously discussed. I know the FB post lists "CD1" and "CD2" tracks, but that alone doesn't necessarily mean there isn't a DVD/BR. Anyone know?
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Before these European shows I remember that FW announced that it would be a live CD from the tour. I guess they just stayed on that.
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Is it audio only? I can't remember if that was previously discussed. I know the FB post lists "CD1" and "CD2" tracks, but that alone doesn't necessarily mean there isn't a DVD/BR. Anyone know?
Just audio.
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https://www.facebook.com/FatesWarning/posts/1406447669438172
It was the intention from the beginning.
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Wow. That's an incredible setlist. :)
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OMG SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!
https://www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic/posts/10156381362435439
Progressive Metal pioneers Fates Warning are proud to announce the upcoming release of their new live album “Live Over Europe” on June 29th, 2018 via InsideOutMusic.
Nice...that is a KILLER set list!
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They did say that the release is going to be culled from something like six or seven different shows. They probably didn’t film anything.
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They did say that the release is going to be culled from something like six or seven different shows. They probably didn’t film anything.
Oh, that's a good point. I hadn't thought of that.
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OMG SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!
https://www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic/posts/10156381362435439
Progressive Metal pioneers Fates Warning are proud to announce the upcoming release of their new live album “Live Over Europe” on June 29th, 2018 via InsideOutMusic.
Nice...that is a KILLER set list!
Indeed :metal
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per I have not seen them since 2009, I probably will be checking this one out. The set list is quite good.
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Saw them during the last tour. Automatic buy for me as well.
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Very cool release, almost every song on this latest tour was included! The only exceptions that I could indentify (from setlist.fm) are:
One Thousand Fires (Yes, I also wished very much that this one was in this live release!), APSoG Part III and The Ivory Gate of Dreams IV: Quietus.
Those, plus APSOG XI and A Handful of Doubt, which wasn't played in Europe. I wish One Thousand Fires was there too, but 23 tracks is quite a lot already, so I'm not disappointed.
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Automatic buy.
Obvious statement is obvious. Too bad it wasn't filmed, but I'm ok with them making it audio only and taking the best quality from the tour.
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"Firefly" from Live Over Europe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n90v_ZQ-d4s
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"Firefly" from Live Over Europe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n90v_ZQ-d4s
I LOVE that song.
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"Firefly" from Live Over Europe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n90v_ZQ-d4s
I LOVE that song.
I LOVE this band's output for the past three albums.
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I LOVE this band's output for the past three albums.
Yeah they've been crushing it lately.
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"Firefly" from Live Over Europe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n90v_ZQ-d4s
sounds really good!
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"Firefly" from Live Over Europe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n90v_ZQ-d4s
sounds really good!
Yeah it does. Ray sounds great.
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"Firefly" from Live Over Europe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n90v_ZQ-d4s
I LOVE that song.
I LOVE this band's output for the past three albums.
Including Arch/Matheos, it has been a great run of music.
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"Firefly" from Live Over Europe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n90v_ZQ-d4s
I'm strongly tempted to say this is better than the original album version. Ray's vocals are stronger overall here, I think.
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It's gonna be so killer. I can't wait to hear how Silent Cries sounded. Jim said that Ray had to obviously sing it lower, but that it came out really well. So I am pumped to hear it. Great track list. I still wish they would have put One Thousand Fires and A Handful of Doubt on there, but that's nitpicking. I have the vinyl and CD mediabook on pre-order. Can't wait to crank it.
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"Firefly" from Live Over Europe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n90v_ZQ-d4s
Woah, that sounds better than the studio version :hefdaddy
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"Firefly" from Live Over Europe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n90v_ZQ-d4s
sounds really good!
Yeah it does. Ray sounds great.
I got to see them on the opening night of this tour, and Ray sounded fantastic. Rewind to the Prog Nation tour with Redemption and Ray sounded, to be kind, terrible. Props to him for obviously working on getting his voice back in shape.
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I just posted a vaguely accurate ranking of all the studio work on another forum.
Fates Warning/Arch Matheos/John Arch
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
A Twist of Fate
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
Perfect Symmetry
No Exit
Sympathetic Resonance
The Spectre Within
Parallels
Awaken the Guardian
FWX
Inside Out
Darkness in a Different Light
Night on Brocken
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Damn, that Firefly rendition was good. As others have said, that's actually an improvement over the album version in my book. Ray seems on fire these days.
Totally purchasing this one as soon as I see it in the record store.
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I just posted a vaguely accurate ranking of all the studio work on another forum.
Fates Warning/Arch Matheos/John Arch
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
A Twist of Fate
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
Perfect Symmetry
No Exit
Sympathetic Resonance
The Spectre Within
Parallels
Awaken the Guardian
FWX
Inside Out
Darkness in a Different Light
Night on Brocken
It's interesting to see a list that's nearly a mirror image of mine (except for the first and last albums, and my doesn't include the non-FW Arch stuff):
APSOG
Symmetry
Parallels
DIADL
No Exit
Inside Out
Spectre
Guardian
Theories
Disconnected
FWX
Brocken
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I couldn't rank them if my life depended on it :lol
With the exception of Night on brocken, I actively listen to all of the FW albums and enjoy what each has to offer. I worship APSOG and its a top 5 favorite album of all time for me.
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Yeah, I'm not sure that I could rank them, either. I've been a fan since the late 80's, and each record has special parts that I'll always love.
The debut is is probably most people's least favorite, but Damnation is an absolutely stellar track.
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It's a little easier for me, because I am not an uber fan of the Arch era. I by far prefer Ray (although I have crazy respect for John and his unique phrasing).
Parallels
No Exit
Theories of Flight
FWX
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Awaken the Guardian
Disconnected
Darkness in a Different Light
Perfect Symmetry
Inside Out
The Spectre Within
Night on Brocken
>>>The top 5 are solid. The others really vary depending on mood. The only two records I don't listen to with regularity are the bottom two. But I still like them.
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
Amazing :metal
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
Hell yes. Ray is sounding good. I hope these aren't all overdubs.
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This isn't the show that I saw but from my memory, he sounded better on the show that I saw than here, so I doubt that there are dubs or many of them.
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Super solid performance :metal
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
Hell yes. Ray is sounding good. I hope these aren't all overdubs.
I doubt there were any overdubs. I saw them on the first night of their tour and Ray sounded fantastic.
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
:metal :metal :metal :metal
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Hell yeah, this is great! :metal My favourite song from Theories of Flight too.
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
I think this song just clicked for me. great performance.
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
Fantastic live rendition of what is arguably the band's best song to date! :hefdaddy
Also, as a side-note, I really hope we see more of a presence from Mike Abdow on the next Fates Warning album. Dude had a siiiick solo in White Flag and his own solo work is really impressive too. It'd be neat to see him fully enlisted into the band. The dude's totally earned it at this point, imo.
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
Fantastic live rendition of what is arguably the band's best song to date! :hefdaddy
Agreed... and as great as this is, I'm now even more bummed there isn't a DVD/Blu-Ray for this. :-[
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
Fantastic live rendition of what is arguably the band's best song to date! :hefdaddy
Agreed... and as great as this is, I'm now even more bummed there isn't a DVD/Blu-Ray for this. :-[
I completely agree. I'm honestly stunned we even got a music video for this release.
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Hello new favorite song for a while. I Hadn't heard Theories of flight yet because I was working my way through their discography in order. I loved this song so much that I listened to the full album earlier today.
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The Light and Shade of Things is an amazing song. :)
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I really think it may be in the running for my favorite Fates Warning song period. Top three at least, but just might get the top spot.
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Add me to the choir wishing we had a Blu-ray edition of the video. I get why we don't, but man. I am refusing to listen to any more samples. I can't wait for it to arrive. Got the LPs and the CD Media Book.
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I really think it may be in the running for my favorite Fates Warning song period. Top three at least, but just might get the top spot.
Yep, I feel pretty safe in giving that title to The Light & Shade of Things. Off the top of my head, the other possible contenders for the spot might be Guardian, Nothing Left to Say and The Eleventh Hour? I'd have to mull it over in terms of the exact rankings, but TLaSoT is pretty secured in the top spot, I think.
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I really think it may be in the running for my favorite Fates Warning song period. Top three at least, but just might get the top spot.
Yep, I feel pretty safe in giving that title to The Light & Shade of Things. Off the top of my head, the other possible contenders for the spot might be Guardian, Nothing Left to Say and The Eleventh Hour? I'd have to mull it over in terms of the exact rankings, but TLaSoT is pretty secured in the top spot, I think.
My top three for sure would be The Light and Shade of Things, Through Different Eyes and Point of View. But I would likely give the top spot to TLASOT.
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I really think it may be in the running for my favorite Fates Warning song period. Top three at least, but just might get the top spot.
Yep, I feel pretty safe in giving that title to The Light & Shade of Things. Off the top of my head, the other possible contenders for the spot might be Guardian, Nothing Left to Say and The Eleventh Hour? I'd have to mull it over in terms of the exact rankings, but TLaSoT is pretty secured in the top spot, I think.
My top three for sure would be The Light and Shade of Things, Through Different Eyes and Point of View. But I would likely give the top spot to TLASOT.
Those are definitely two insanely awesome songs from the band. I especially love Through Different Eyes myself. :metal
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I love Light and Shade, but its not my favorite on the record. That would be Seven Stars.
As for all-time songs, it is probably in the top-15, but nowhere near the top-five. I'd have to think about those top-5, but it is pretty easy for me to say Light and Shade isn't in consideration.
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I love Light and Shade, but its not my favorite on the record. That would be Seven Stars.
As for all-time songs, it is probably in the top-15, but nowhere near the top-five. I'd have to think about those top-5, but it is pretty easy for me to say Light and Shade isn't in consideration.
I don't think I'd have anything from ToF in a top 20, much less a top 5. A top 5 would be REALLY hard to pick. Off the top of my head, the following songs would be in the running:
Traveler in Time
The Apparition
Fata Morgana
Giant's Lore
Quietus
Acquiescence
Part of the Machine
Static Acts
At Fates Hands
Nothing Left to Say
The Eleventh Hour
Don't Follow Me
Shelter Me
Face the Fear
Monument
APSOG X/XI
APSOG XII
I Am
Into the Black
And Yet It Moves
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The Light and Shade of Things is really special song, probably my favorite of theirs at the moment. 9 minutes song that feels like 5 minutes long at the most. Too bad I couldn't see them on last tour, they weren't in my country and couldn't travel abroad then.
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It's not listed on Wikipedia but I'm sure it's been talked about in here. Who's been filling in for Frank Aresti since he went off to do whatever he's doing now?
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It's not listed on Wikipedia but I'm sure it's been talked about in here. Who's been filling in for Frank Aresti since he went off to do whatever he's doing now?
Mike Abdow
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It's not listed on Wikipedia but I'm sure it's been talked about in here. Who's been filling in for Frank Aresti since he went off to do whatever he's doing now?
Michael Abdow. He's awesome.
https://www.michaelabdow.com/
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Thanks! The name just wasn't coming to me.
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Yep, like I said the other day, I really hope Michael Abdow is fully ushered into Fates Warning as a permanent member sometime in the near future. The guy's totally earned it by this point and is one heck of a talent. :metal
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Yep, like I said the other day, I really hope Michael Abdow is fully ushered into Fates Warning as a permanent member sometime in the near future. The guy's totally earned it by this point and is one heck of a talent. :metal
He seems solid... though I'd like to see Aresti back in the fold which probably won't happen.
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Yep, like I said the other day, I really hope Michael Abdow is fully ushered into Fates Warning as a permanent member sometime in the near future. The guy's totally earned it by this point and is one heck of a talent. :metal
He seems solid... though I'd like to see Aresti back in the fold which probably won't happen.
I love Aresti, but he's probably only going to ever come back every now and then with a guest solo. Aside from already arguably being the most technically proficient guitarist Fates has ever had, Abdow has proven his dedication to the band for the past five years. Just reminds me of the situation of how Joey Vera slowly transitioned from being a guest musician doing the bass parts on Fates Warning albums to being the band's official bassist over the course of the 90's and 00's.
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I'm not close to the band or "in the know," but Aresti now lives a few thousand miles away from the rest of the band. And my understanding is that he is focusing more on his "private life" than on being a musician.
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I'm not close to the band or "in the know," but Aresti now lives a few thousand miles away from the rest of the band. And my understanding is that he is focusing more on his "private life" than on being a musician.
I believe he is an executive or manager for D'Dario/Dunlop.
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I'm not close to the band or "in the know," but Aresti now lives a few thousand miles away from the rest of the band. And my understanding is that he is focusing more on his "private life" than on being a musician.
Frank lives in the San Francisco area, Ray lives in Phoenix, and Jim at least started in Connecticut. Don't know if he lives there still, and I have no idea where Joey and Bobby live. That said, I don't think where any of them live is of any particular importance. Jim is the primary (and often only) songwriter, and he has said more than once that he basically puts together completed songs and sends files (previously tapes) to everyone else to give input and learn.
I personally would LOVE to have Frank back full time. I generally preferred his songs and solos to Jim's. Although he was only minimally involved in songwriting for DiaDL, I suspect his involvement -- coupled with Ray's greater involvement in writing -- was one of the main reasons why DiaDL was so good. As "goo-goo" mentioned, however, he has a full time job (artist relations with Dunlop, and previously with D'Addario), so any significant future involvement with FW is, sadly, unlikely at best.
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I'm not close to the band or "in the know," but Aresti now lives a few thousand miles away from the rest of the band. And my understanding is that he is focusing more on his "private life" than on being a musician.
Frank lives in the San Francisco area, Ray lives in Phoenix, and Jim at least started in Connecticut. Don't know if he lives there still, and I have no idea where Joey and Bobby live. That said, I don't think where any of them live is of any particular importance. Jim is the primary (and often only) songwriter, and he has said more than once that he basically puts together completed songs and sends files (previously tapes) to everyone else to give input and learn.
I personally would LOVE to have Frank back full time. I generally preferred his songs and solos to Jim's. Although he was only minimally involved in songwriting for DiaDL, I suspect his involvement -- coupled with Ray's greater involvement in writing -- was one of the main reasons why DiaDL was so good. As "goo-goo" mentioned, however, he has a full time job (artist relations with Dunlop, and previously with D'Addario), so any significant future involvement with FW is, sadly, unlikely at best.
I thought Ray lived in San Antonio? Maybe that was a while ago.
*Edit: Wiki says that's his "origin" however they define that.
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I'm not close to the band or "in the know," but Aresti now lives a few thousand miles away from the rest of the band. And my understanding is that he is focusing more on his "private life" than on being a musician.
Frank lives in the San Francisco area, Ray lives in Phoenix, and Jim at least started in Connecticut. Don't know if he lives there still, and I have no idea where Joey and Bobby live. That said, I don't think where any of them live is of any particular importance. Jim is the primary (and often only) songwriter, and he has said more than once that he basically puts together completed songs and sends files (previously tapes) to everyone else to give input and learn.
I personally would LOVE to have Frank back full time. I generally preferred his songs and solos to Jim's. Although he was only minimally involved in songwriting for DiaDL, I suspect his involvement -- coupled with Ray's greater involvement in writing -- was one of the main reasons why DiaDL was so good. As "goo-goo" mentioned, however, he has a full time job (artist relations with Dunlop, and previously with D'Addario), so any significant future involvement with FW is, sadly, unlikely at best.
I thought Ray lived in San Antonio? Maybe that was a while ago.
Could be. He was in Phoenix for a long time, but it may be that he moved from PHX to SAT.
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Ray - Lives in Spain (moved there last year)
Joey - Lives in California
Jim - Live in Connecticut
Bobby - Lives in San Antonio
Michael - Somewhere in Massachusetts I believe
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Speaking of Mike, I recently learned he was previously in the progressive metal band Last Chance to Reason, which I didn't realize. I believe he was with them from 2011-2013.
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Ray - Lives in Spain (moved there last year)
Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing that. Good catch.
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Frank lives in the San Francisco area, Ray lives in Phoenix, and Jim at least started in Connecticut. Don't know if he lives there still, and I have no idea where Joey and Bobby live.
Well, yes, but I was intentionally trying to be nonspecific because I do not follow them enough to know much of that is public knowledge. For the record, I know exactly what town he is in. I just didn't want to put it out there.
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By the way if you haven't picked up the 4 disc APSOG Edition, it's under $10 on Amazon right now:
https://a.co/6WHUXxW
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Frank lives in the San Francisco area, Ray lives in Phoenix, and Jim at least started in Connecticut. Don't know if he lives there still, and I have no idea where Joey and Bobby live.
Well, yes, but I was intentionally trying to be nonspecific because I do not follow them enough to know much of that is public knowledge. For the record, I know exactly what town he is in. I just didn't want to put it out there.
I figure if he's got a LinkedIn profile it's fair game.
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By the way if you haven't picked up the 4 disc APSOG Edition, it's under $10 on Amazon right now:
https://a.co/6WHUXxW
I didn't know this existed. What exactly does it include? The Amazon product detail is more than a little lacking.
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By the way if you haven't picked up the 4 disc APSOG Edition, it's under $10 on Amazon right now:
https://a.co/6WHUXxW
I didn't know this existed. What exactly does it include? The Amazon product detail is more than a little lacking.
It has a DVD with a couple of full live performances of APSOG (Live in Europe and Live at the Whiskey (which has never been released)).
CD1 - Original APSOG
CD2 - Live in Europe (I think it's the same Still Life performance. Not sure though)
CD3 - APSOG Demos
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By the way if you haven't picked up the 4 disc APSOG Edition, it's under $10 on Amazon right now:
https://a.co/6WHUXxW
I didn't know this existed. What exactly does it include? The Amazon product detail is more than a little lacking.
It has a DVD with a couple of full live performances of APSOG (Live in Europe and Live at the Whiskey (which has never been released)).
CD1 - Original APSOG
CD2 - Live in Europe (I think it's the same Still Life performance. Not sure though)
CD3 - APSOG Demos
For $10, that's a steal. Thanks.
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Ray - Lives in Spain (moved there last year)
Actually, I'm pretty sure Ray moved to Spain either at the end of 2015 or during 2016, as it was the result of him getting married. Seven Stars is actually about his relationship with his wife (the title is a reference to an airport, I think). I know she actually shot the Black-and-White footage used in the official music video too.
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Ray - Lives in Spain (moved there last year)
Actually, I'm pretty sure Ray moved to Spain either at the end of 2015 or during 2016, as it was the result of him getting married. Seven Stars is actually about his relationship with his wife (the title is a reference to an airport, I think). I know she actually shot the Black-and-White footage used in the official music video too.
7 stars is a reference to the city's flag.
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Ray has lived in Spain for a couple of years. Frank lives in the Bay Area, Jim is in Connecticut, Mike Abdow is in Massachusetts, Joey is in Los Angeles, and Bobby lives in Texas. So they are all spread out.
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Ray - Lives in Spain (moved there last year)
Actually, I'm pretty sure Ray moved to Spain either at the end of 2015 or during 2016, as it was the result of him getting married. Seven Stars is actually about his relationship with his wife (the title is a reference to an airport, I think). I know she actually shot the Black-and-White footage used in the official music video too.
7 stars is a reference to the city's flag.
Yeah, that's it! Thanks for the correction! :tup
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It has a DVD with a couple of full live performances of APSOG (Live in Europe and Live at the Whiskey (which has never been released)).
CD1 - Original APSOG
CD2 - Live in Europe (I think it's the same Still Life performance. Not sure though)
CD3 - APSOG Demos
Comparing Still Life and the 2nd disc of the APSOG Deluxe set the times are different... so I don't think they're precisely the same. Some are off by mere seconds and some by more than a minute!
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By the way if you haven't picked up the 4 disc APSOG Edition, it's under $10 on Amazon right now:
https://a.co/6WHUXxW
Well this one is next on my listen through their discography so might as well grab this
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
A minor gripe but I don't like when they cut off the soft endings of some songs like this one and some songs on Live in Athens. I don't know. It just feels incomplete. Good performance overall, though. :)
Speaking of the ending of "Light and Shade", when the vocals enter for that part, am I the only one tempted to go "I know...it's getting late..."? :P Probably...
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The Light And Shade of Things, from the new live album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvT6GyrrhG4
A minor gripe but I don't like when they cut off the soft endings of some songs like this one and some songs on Live in Athens. I don't know. It just feels incomplete. Good performance overall, though. :)
Speaking of the ending of "Light and Shade", when the vocals enter for that part, am I the only one tempted to go "I know...it's getting late..."? :P Probably...
I asked Jim about this at a meet and greet. His reasoning was that he felt there were too many songs in the set that ended in the same fashion, and didn’t want the show to end up with the songs all ending the same in a set.
I disagree, but I kinda get it.
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I actually like the ending of the live version more
Also I gave APSOG a spin and I don't regret blind buying it at all. I don't think I'll dislike any album by this band.
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I did an interview with Ray Alder with a friend who also collaborates for the same website: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-ray-adler/
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I did an interview with Ray Alder with a friend who also collaborates for the same website: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-ray-adler/
Listening now! Very fun interview, lol. "Corn does not belong on a pizza!" :)
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Hahah...glad you like it. We actually thought we had 50 minutes with Ray, but had to cut short to 30 when his next interviewer was calling him. Such a shame, because we had other great questions!
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Anyone willing to review the upcoming LIVE release?
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I did an interview with Ray Alder with a friend who also collaborates for the same website: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-ray-adler/
Listening now! Very fun interview, lol. "Corn does not belong on a pizza!" :)
I like corn. Not the best but it's decent on a pizza.
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Anyone willing to review the upcoming LIVE release?
Nobody?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqNl5YlDoY
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqNl5YlDoY
Kinda weird that they used someone with a band-aid on his or her finger to film that. All I can see is the band-aid once I noticed it! :P
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Life in Still Water - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRHc7QEw2qQ
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Life in Still Water - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRHc7QEw2qQ
God, I love this song. Ray sounds pretty good here and he definitely did a great job tweaking the vocal melodies to fit his range better now, although I admittedly kinda miss the higher notes that LaBrie provided in the studio version's backing vocals in the chorus.
Also, props to Bobby nailing Mark's drum parts! I think Life in Still Water has one of the most immediately distinguishable "drum riffs," if that makes any sense. Very quirky stuff there.
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Here's our review of the FW live release due out tomorrow.
https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/album-review-fates-warning-live-over-europe
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This coming out tomorrow nice. Haven't even checked the songs that are posted online so will get this one nice and fresh!
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Listening to the new live album right now, Ray sounds awesome wow :metal
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Great live album, excelent performances. It seems that they didn't have modified anything in the post production, it really sounds like that! Two things: I love how Bobby can totally play Mark parts and how he adapts the eletronic parts for his acoustic kit. Outstanding job! And the other is that I really wish that Ray could re-record all the No Exit and Perfect Symmetry with his nowadays voice. IMO, he sings a lot better now with the limitations of his actual voice's range.
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Echoing the posts above, gave the record a spin and it sounds fantastic! I'll look for a physical copy in the store next week.
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Here's our review of the FW live release due out tomorrow.
https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/album-review-fates-warning-live-over-europe
Excellent review! However I wanted to note that the review got something wrong: And Yet It Moves is not the only song off of Darkness in a Different Light that's represented on Live Over Europe. There's three total- AYITM, Firefly and Falling. Granted, Falling is extremely short, but it's there just the same. :metal
Also, I freaking adore this live album. One of the best to come out in a long, long time imo. The mix is fantastic, the performances are all fiery and on-point, but it also feels accurate to the live environment. I especially love how Ray's reconfigured all of his earliest vocal melodies from the No Exit/Perfect Symmetry/Parallels albums to fit his modern range. Honestly I think I prefer most of these modern changes over the original versions.
Also, since devieira73 already brought up how great Bobby is on the album and how he approaches Mark's old drumming parts (and I think he totally reimagined the No Exit-era drumming parts from how Zimmerman did it?), I want to talk about how Mike Abdow needs to be added into the band as a full-fledged lead guitarist at this point. Keep letting Frank throw in cameo guest solos on each album, but I think Mike's more than earned a proper seat at the table at this point. He does a terrific job with playing Frank's parts and his solos on Live Over Europe.
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I think that losing his high range was the best thing to happen to rays voice. I just love how he sounds now, and he seems to be able to modify most of the older songs to fit it.
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I think that losing his high range was the best thing to happen to rays voice. I just love how he sounds now, and he seems to be able to modify most of the older songs to fit it.
By and large, I agree.
While I dig his wild Halford-esque style on No Exit, Ray's "classic" style of singing on Perfect Symmetry and Parallels was marred by how overly sharp his high notes were. It just wasn't as smooth a transition between his lower/mid register to his higher range as it was with say Geoff Tate or James LaBrie in that time frame. Ray got a lot better with that from Inside Out onward, peaking around A Pleasant Shade of Gray or Disconnected.
That said, while there are a few high notes here and there from the classic albums I'd love to hear Ray hit still but know he can't anymore, I think his voice is at its best these days. I think it was Mebert who once described Ray here as being "the Frank Sinatra of Prog Metal?" And he's absolutely right- Ray's the Sinatra and Steve Perry of Prog Metal rolled into one. He's just got this unique natural ability to croon his soul out in a way that Tate, LaBrie and most other prog metal singers can't quite match imo. And Ray's range lowering over time and his voice gaining some weathering really adds to that.
A lot of the lyrics and themes of classic Fates songs suddenly feel more realized and convincing now because they're coming from a voice that's been around the block a bit longer. Maybe they're not always as pretty sounding as they were back in Ray's prime during the Parallel days- but god do you buy what Ray's singing in songs like The Eleventh Hour or Nothing Left To Say way more now.
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It's popular assumption that Ray can't hit the notes any longer. He can. He CHOOSES not to, for a couple of reasons:
1. His range can be spotty on tour, and those early tours for No Exit, PS, and Parallels showed that, so he just stopped doing it.
2. He's just not into showing off, as he's said repeatedly he prefers a more melodic approach.
If you compare Darkness in a Different Light, and Theories of Flight, you'll notice there are spots on Darkness that he could have done some sort of higher note, but did nothing. That shifted on Theories, as he carved out a couple spots for a note for emphasis, but nothing in the stratosphere. In addition, he did interviews in the last five years where he was asked about the range thing and went and showed the interviewer he could indeed still get up there if he wanted to. But for the two reasons stated above, he just doesn't. I am sure as he gets older, he WILL start to lose that ability. So, he was actually pretty smart in the artistic and style decisions he's made over the years.
p.s. just got Live Over Europe. SO. GOOD. I saw the last two album tours three times. Once on the Darkness tour (Dec. 2013) -- should have been twice, but the other was on Halloween and couldn't make it, and then twice on Theories (Jan. 2018). So fortunate to be able to have now seen them a total of five times. (The other two were opening sets for DT/QR in 2003.)
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p.s. just got Live Over Europe. SO. GOOD.
Just saw this. For some reason I thought this release was still weeks away. Just ordered the CD from Amazon. Auto Rip FTW!!
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Tremendous collection of songs. Wish they would have played and recorded The Ghosts of Home. Other than that, its a very raw energetic recording(s). Between Still Life, Live in Athens (extracted the audio), and this one, I could spin those live albums in an island. I seem to like the “new version” of Still Remains more on this one than the Athens DVD version.
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It's popular assumption that Ray can't hit the notes any longer. He can. He CHOOSES not to, for a couple of reasons:
1. His range can be spotty on tour, and those early tours for No Exit, PS, and Parallels showed that, so he just stopped doing it.
2. He's just not into showing off, as he's said repeatedly he prefers a more melodic approach.
If you compare Darkness in a Different Light, and Theories of Flight, you'll notice there are spots on Darkness that he could have done some sort of higher note, but did nothing. That shifted on Theories, as he carved out a couple spots for a note for emphasis, but nothing in the stratosphere. In addition, he did interviews in the last five years where he was asked about the range thing and went and showed the interviewer he could indeed still get up there if he wanted to. But for the two reasons stated above, he just doesn't. I am sure as he gets older, he WILL start to lose that ability. So, he was actually pretty smart in the artistic and style decisions he's made over the years.
p.s. just got Live Over Europe. SO. GOOD. I saw the last two album tours three times. Once on the Darkness tour (Dec. 2013) -- should have been twice, but the other was on Halloween and couldn't make it, and then twice on Theories (Jan. 2018). So fortunate to be able to have now seen them a total of five times. (The other two were opening sets for DT/QR in 2003.)
Not sure I entirely agree on the first point. I've seen them live a couple of times in the last years and some times he did attempt some of the higher notes and it sounded bad. It was painful to watch. I'm sure he's aware of that and chose to go for a lower approach. The ones he does nail sound awesome though. And it's not like it's strange or anything I mean the guy is aging, as are others, like Tate, Labrie. The only one I can think of that still hit the high notes in the stratosphere is John Arch, who never ceases to amaze me.
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Ray himself says that he can't which should be obvious to anyone, tbh. Given his age and living style, it's normal, but he still has this amazing voice and he does enjoy singing lower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izj3A8d_hvQ&feature=youtu.be&t=1580 From here on he talks about having problem with his voice in the ealry 2000s, etc.
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Abydos,
Ok, that actually is way newer (2018) than the interview where I heard him say he can (2013), but chooses not to. Thanks for linking to that.
I love the way Ray sings now, and him singing Silent Cries and older stuff is modified nicely. I mean, I love those notes, but I love his tone more than the notes! I agree with Ray some of the older stuff sounds cooler in the modern style. But it depends on the tune.
:)
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I am really loving the live album. I don't have the prior live record (which was really just APSOG live and some bonus stuff), so it's cool to have a proper live album from them. Ray sounds great, the band is really tight, and I love the thicker/heavier guitar tone compared to some of the studio albums (many of which I just recently acquired).
I'll be listening to this one a ton in the next few weeks.
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You might wanna get Still Life at some point. I don't know if there are dubs there, but I still maintain that this live album is one of the best live performances and setlist of any band.
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Damn, get Still Life for Ivory Gates of Dreams alone.
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I don't have the prior live record (which was really just APSOG live and some bonus stuff), so it's cool to have a proper live album from them.
I assume you're talking about Still Life, but that's hardly APSoG "and some bonus stuff." Disc 2 is longer than disc 1, and it includes the entirety of The Ivory Gate of Dreams. It's very much "a proper live album."
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That, plus it has some killer live versions of Prelude to Ruin and Monument on it.
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Still Life is absolutely worth having.
But I have to say, Live Over Europe is probably the finest live CD concert I own. I really appreciate that it is truly live. Yes, it was culled from a two-week tour leg through Europe, but the songs are clearly marked in the liner notes as to what shows they came from, and there were no overdubs done. It's as live as live can get. The only thing they did, and it is my understanding it was just a spot or two, was take a vocal part from one song that wasn't quite right in the track selected, and spliced that over it. But that was just once or twice on the entire record. That's nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Fully live, a great set list, and just pure killer stuff. Unlike say...the recent Dokken release that was entirely re-recorded in the studio (including stuff by George, who admitted it to a friend of mine who went to his clinic not too long ago).
Sorta reminds me how Queensryche recorded LIVEcrime (same thing, recorded a handful of dates, selected the best, and then spliced if needed, and as the rumor goes, it was very minor edits...no overdubs).
Fates should be really proud of this one. Now I'm all up for another Fates record, but that'll be a bit according to recent interviews. Nothing on the immediate horizon...
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Now I'm all up for another Fates record, but that'll be a bit according to recent interviews. Nothing on the immediate horizon...
I would expect another Arch/Matheos album next. I'm fairly certain that they were going to get together to work on some material. I can't remember where I read that, though.
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Now I'm all up for another Fates record, but that'll be a bit according to recent interviews. Nothing on the immediate horizon...
I would expect another Arch/Matheos album next. I'm fairly certain that they were going to get together to work on some material. I can't remember where I read that, though.
The last time I talked to Jim during a VIP session in San Antonio TX, I asked him what was next after the Theories of Flight touring cycle and he said he was working on a "secret" project. It could be Arch Matheos.
One of Alder's last tweets said something about possibly touring South America (that its almost confirmed) and he was going to give some big news soon (could be tour, could be other music).
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Still Life is absolutely worth having.
But I have to say, Live Over Europe is probably the finest live CD concert I own. I really appreciate that it is truly live. Yes, it was culled from a two-week tour leg through Europe, but the songs are clearly marked in the liner notes as to what shows they came from, and there were no overdubs done. It's as live as live can get. The only thing they did, and it is my understanding it was just a spot or two, was take a vocal part from one song that wasn't quite right in the track selected, and spliced that over it. But that was just once or twice on the entire record. That's nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Fully live, a great set list, and just pure killer stuff. Unlike say...the recent Dokken release that was entirely re-recorded in the studio (including stuff by George, who admitted it to a friend of mine who went to his clinic not too long ago).
Sorta reminds me how Queensryche recorded LIVEcrime (same thing, recorded a handful of dates, selected the best, and then spliced if needed, and as the rumor goes, it was very minor edits...no overdubs).
Fates should be really proud of this one. Now I'm all up for another Fates record, but that'll be a bit according to recent interviews. Nothing on the immediate horizon...
Yeah, Live Over Europe has quickly skyrocketed through the ranks as one of the best live albums I've ever heard. Incredible release from Fates.
Now I'm all up for another Fates record, but that'll be a bit according to recent interviews. Nothing on the immediate horizon...
I would expect another Arch/Matheos album next. I'm fairly certain that they were going to get together to work on some material. I can't remember where I read that, though.
I really, really hope we get another Arch/Matheos album soon. I've been head over heels for Sympathetic Resonance for six years now and consider it one of the finest releases put out by Fates Warning/a spinoff of Fates.
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Yes, it was culled from a two-week tour leg through Europe, but the songs are clearly marked in the liner notes as to what shows they came from,
While I prefer a one show live album, I feel if you are going to use different nights, I like the fact that each song is labelled as what show it is from.
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Had a listen to the first two songs in the car tonight, and holy shit this cd sounds fucking amazing!!
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Count me in saying this is one of the best live albums I've ever heard! Band sounds spectacular and the set list is pretty much perfect. A song from the first three albums would have been cool but not a big deal.
Highly recommended!
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It’s really good. There’s a lot of beef behind the bass on certain tracks. It makes me appreciate Joey more.
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Ray himself says that he can't which should be obvious to anyone, tbh. Given his age and living style, it's normal, but he still has this amazing voice and he does enjoy singing lower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izj3A8d_hvQ&feature=youtu.be&t=1580 From here on he talks about having problem with his voice in the ealry 2000s, etc.
Hey, it's me and a friend interviewing Ray there...thanks for posting it here!!!
By the way, I wrote a review of FW's new live album: https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/album-review-fates-warning-live-over-europe
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This is an excellent live release. The performances are great and Ray sounds fantastic. I really like his interpretations of some of the older stuff. Michael does a wonderful job replacing Frank, Monument is the only one where he shits himself a little bit.
The mixing is great and the beefiness of the guitars and bass is most welcome. And Yet it Moves is an unexpected highlight for me and Still Remains really captures the atmosphere of the studio release. The Parallels tracks always goes down well and the likes of Pale Fire, Silent Cries, Another Perfect Day and Through Different Eyes makes me happy. Would have really liked The Ghosts of Home but no fan can complain about this release, tremendous.
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Only checked out Wish (really great version for no keys) and Still Remains (Same as Wish really cool intro without keys). It sounds really good too. I'm enjoying it. Man, I have a lot of recently released stuff to get.
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I've had a few listens to Live Over Europe now and I still can't get over just how good it is. Possibly the best live album I've heard in ten years. Lots of highlights, but Still Remains, Nothing Left to Say and Monument are my favorite performances so far.
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I've had a few listens to Live Over Europe now and I still can't get over just how good it is. Possibly the best live album I've heard in ten years. Lots of highlights, but Still Remains, Nothing Left to Say and Monument are my favorite performances so far.
I had to do a twelve hour long international flight from Tokyo to DC yesterday and spent a significant portion of the flight listening to Live Over Europe over and over. I'd already been jamming out to it for the past week or so, but that time gave me a chance to really sink my teeth into the album.
Live Over Europe is going to be remembered as one of those classic live albums in the metal scene, I think. It's right on par with the best live albums from Iron Maiden and Iced Earth's Alive in Athens, for instance.
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Live in Europe is still kicking my ass. I can't stop listening to this album.
I had a neat little Fates Warning-related experience at work yesterday. We met with a few underwriters from an insurance company that we write policies with. The gentleman leading the meeting said that this one younger underwriter flew into Chicago from Connecticut for agency visits. I glanced at his business card and recognized his last name...then put two and two together with him being from Connecticut. I asked if he was related to anyone named Victor, and he said "yeah, that's my dad."
Turns out this underwriter's dad is Victor Arduini, who played on Night on Brocken and The Spectre Within. He said that he's now a nurse and still plays occasional shows in Europe with his current bands (and possibly Fates? I think they only reunite sporadically with the Awaken the Guardian and Parallels lineups, though).
Either way, I thought it was neat, and this kid had no idea that he'd meet a fan of his dad's while working. :lol
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That's a cool story Grappler. :) I thought you were going to say that one of the underwriters was a Fates fan; coming across anyone at work who would know who Fates Warning, DT, or most bands I listen to is a rare enough occurrence itself. But that was cool.
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Such a cool story.
And yeah, Live Over Europe is kicking my ass too. I actually stopped listening to it a couple days ago because I kept replaying it over and over again, and didn't want to get sick of it. :lol I am looking forward to playing it again early next week.
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That's a really great story.
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Live over Europe kicks major ass! Also fun that we have had releases by both line-ups this year with the live Awaken the Guardian release. :tup
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Very interesting and revealing interview with Ray, done by RodrigoAltaf:
https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/ray-alders-interview-by-rodrigo-altaf
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A little late, but my thoughts on Live Over Europe can be read here (https://www.musicalypse.net/2018-fates-warning-live-over-europe/).
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Very interesting and revealing interview with Ray, done by RodrigoAltaf:
https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/ray-alders-interview-by-rodrigo-altaf
Interesting. I was at the Los Angeles show on the Parallels reunion tour, and I don't remember any mistakes during Monument. Of course, that's the not really the sort of thing I'd likely have retained. That whole show was just incredible!
I do NOT like like the reference to "another album if we have one."
Also, add me to the list of big fans of Live over Europe. One of the better live albums I've heard in quite a while.
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I think Live Over Europe is brilliant too! But I was very suprised that they played with metronome on that tour and that they mixed individual performances from differents shows to make some of the performances that we hear in the album. I was wondering if they always play with a metronome or they did that just because they were recording for a live album. Anyway, all the songs on Live Over Europe turned out great!
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Very interesting and revealing interview with Ray, done by RodrigoAltaf:
https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/ray-alders-interview-by-rodrigo-altaf
Interesting. I was at the Los Angeles show on the Parallels reunion tour, and I don't remember any mistakes during Monument. Of course, that's the not really the sort of thing I'd likely have retained. That whole show was just incredible!
I do NOT like like the reference to "another album if we have one."
Also, add me to the list of big fans of Live over Europe. One of the better live albums I've heard in quite a while.
I think Ray meant the original Parallels tour, but I could be wrong. And I agree about being bummed with "the new album if we have one". He did tell me a few things in confidence which he asked me to omit from the final version of the interview, but what I can say is that there will be some interesting news from the FW camp soon.
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Very interesting and revealing interview with Ray, done by RodrigoAltaf:
https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/ray-alders-interview-by-rodrigo-altaf
Interesting. I was at the Los Angeles show on the Parallels reunion tour, and I don't remember any mistakes during Monument. Of course, that's the not really the sort of thing I'd likely have retained. That whole show was just incredible!
I do NOT like like the reference to "another album if we have one."
Also, add me to the list of big fans of Live over Europe. One of the better live albums I've heard in quite a while.
I think Ray meant the original Parallels tour, but I could be wrong.
Monument is from Inside Out, which came out after Parallels, so it must've been the anniversary tour.
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Very interesting and revealing interview with Ray, done by RodrigoAltaf:
https://lotsofmuzic.weebly.com/home/ray-alders-interview-by-rodrigo-altaf
Interesting. I was at the Los Angeles show on the Parallels reunion tour, and I don't remember any mistakes during Monument. Of course, that's the not really the sort of thing I'd likely have retained. That whole show was just incredible!
I do NOT like like the reference to "another album if we have one."
Also, add me to the list of big fans of Live over Europe. One of the better live albums I've heard in quite a while.
I think Ray meant the original Parallels tour, but I could be wrong. And I agree about being bummed with "the new album if we have one". He did tell me a few things in confidence which he asked me to omit from the final version of the interview, but what I can say is that there will be some interesting news from the FW camp soon.
The only L.A. date on the original Parallels tour was in January 1992, which was two and a half years before Inside Out was released, and I can assure you they weren't playing "Monument" at that time. They did, however, play "Monument" on the Parallels reunion tour.
Interesting news, eh? Hmmm....
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From the Arch/Matheos Metalblade Facebook page:
Metal Blade Records
Arch / Matheos re-signs with Metal Blade Records; begins work on new album
Metal Blade Records has proudly re-signed Arch/Matheos for a worldwide deal!
Arch/Matheos began as a reunion between founding Fates Warning members John Arch (vocals) and Jim Matheos (guitar), who hadn't collaborated since John Arch's solo EP, A Twist Of Fate (2003) - and hadn't fully collaborated for a whole album since Fates Warning's Awaken the Guardian (1986). In 2010, the duo began working on a record together and brought along three Fates Warning members to the fold. The five members would in turn release their debut album Sympathetic Resonance in 2011, under the name Arch/Matheos.
Since then, John Arch and Jim Matheos have kept busy with their other projects - but now the time has come for them to join forces once again, for a new Arch/Matheos release, due out 2019 via Metal Blade Records.
John Arch comments: "The desire and commitment from both of us is first and foremost, but the impetus to move forward with another A/M project fell in good part on how well 'Sympathetic Resonance' was received, and how the fans have continued to show their support through a variety of mediums, stating they would like a follow-up effort. The timing for Jim and I seems to be right and things are coming along nicely. We look forward to sharing the results with you soon!"
Jim Matheos adds: "It's great to be working with my old friend John Arch again. We push each other creatively in ways that brings out the best in both of us, I think. We've come up with what I hope is a worthy successor to 'Sympathetic Resonance', and a great lineup of musicians to help us bring it to fruition."
Already featuring special guests Thomas Lang, Bobby Jarzombek, Baard Kolstad, Mark Zonder, Matt Lynch, Steve Di Giorgio, Joey Vera, Sean Malone, Joe DiBiase, and Frank Aresti - with more to come! - this upcoming Arch/Matheos album is currently being tracked, with Jens Bogren (Fates Warning, Opeth, Devin Townsend, etc.) handling mixing duties in November. Stay tuned for more news coming soon!
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We've been talking about it in the Arch/Matheos thread! :metal
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=19796.msg2464740#msg2464740
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From the Arch/Matheos Metalblade Facebook page:
Metal Blade Records
Arch / Matheos re-signs with Metal Blade Records; begins work on new album
Metal Blade Records has proudly re-signed Arch/Matheos for a worldwide deal!
Arch/Matheos began as a reunion between founding Fates Warning members John Arch (vocals) and Jim Matheos (guitar), who hadn't collaborated since John Arch's solo EP, A Twist Of Fate (2003) - and hadn't fully collaborated for a whole album since Fates Warning's Awaken the Guardian (1986). In 2010, the duo began working on a record together and brought along three Fates Warning members to the fold. The five members would in turn release their debut album Sympathetic Resonance in 2011, under the name Arch/Matheos.
Since then, John Arch and Jim Matheos have kept busy with their other projects - but now the time has come for them to join forces once again, for a new Arch/Matheos release, due out 2019 via Metal Blade Records.
John Arch comments: "The desire and commitment from both of us is first and foremost, but the impetus to move forward with another A/M project fell in good part on how well 'Sympathetic Resonance' was received, and how the fans have continued to show their support through a variety of mediums, stating they would like a follow-up effort. The timing for Jim and I seems to be right and things are coming along nicely. We look forward to sharing the results with you soon!"
Jim Matheos adds: "It's great to be working with my old friend John Arch again. We push each other creatively in ways that brings out the best in both of us, I think. We've come up with what I hope is a worthy successor to 'Sympathetic Resonance', and a great lineup of musicians to help us bring it to fruition."
Already featuring special guests Thomas Lang, Bobby Jarzombek, Baard Kolstad, Mark Zonder, Matt Lynch, Steve Di Giorgio, Joey Vera, Sean Malone, Joe DiBiase, and Frank Aresti - with more to come! - this upcoming Arch/Matheos album is currently being tracked, with Jens Bogren (Fates Warning, Opeth, Devin Townsend, etc.) handling mixing duties in November. Stay tuned for more news coming soon!
Ray Alder had told me that in one of the interviews I did with him a couple of weeks ago, but asked that it would be removed from the interview, because it was too soon to mention that to the press. And regarding other members of the band, let's just say they won't be quiet waiting for Arch/Matheos to record and tour. Some of them are recording things already, and that's why when I asked about a new FW album, Ray said in the last intervew, "IF we have one".
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I've met Jim a few times now, and there is one thing I can say for certain.....he is an *extremely* private man.
Jim strikes me as the kind of guy who is an artist, but also a business man. In other words, I don't think he lets the other people he's working with know what he is up to. If Kevin's available, he works on OSI. If John's available, he does Arch/Matheos. If he gets a whim, he might do a solo album. Then the next time there is an opening in the schedule, he does an FW album. He just likes to stay busy and call the shots, and let everyone else know that the next time he has a spot in his schedule, he will call them. He runs his business, and he calls in the hired guns he needs to do the product he's feeling at that point in his life. From the POV of the hired guns, I can understand how that might be frustrating. But honestly, I don't think it's personal with Jim. He's just in complete control of what artistic project he's going to do next.
Of course, this is all speculation....I could be wrong.
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This has been in the works for a while. I asked Jim what’s next for him after the ToF last US leg and told me he was working on secret project.
I think FW will release something maybe late next year or 2020. The band gained massive momentum on the ToF release. I dont think Jim will let the momentum die as like in the FWX release cycle were it took them many years to tour and released Darkness.
I do think he is looking for an artistic break from FW and this could mean this Arch Matheos album and possibly another OSI or post-rock album..and then after that he would get in Fates writing mode.
Also, keep in mind that Jim has been in prog metal mode for some time and maybe he wants to switch gears a bit with the next Fates release since the 1st Arch Matheos was intended to be a FW album. Maybe this A/M will be a but different musically.
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Just got Live Over Europe over the weekend. I haven't had a chance to listen to the whole thing yet, but just from disk 1: Wow! Great performance. Even the older songs that I don't really care for sound great. And I have no problem with editing together different shows to make it sound like one continuous live show. One of my earliest live album purchases, Scorpions' World Wide Live, was that format (although with the addition of lots of studio touch-ups, if I'm not mistaken). This just sounds great, and is a very good selection of songs. The lack of any liner notes whatsoever is a bit strange, but whatever. I'm really glad to have a solid live release from these guys, finally (I still need to go back and find that live in Athens release from a little while back).
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That's weird, bosk. My edition has a stapled in booklet with photos and liner notes.
(https://s8.hostingkartinok.com/uploads/images/2018/09/b4b040453f4d29450693c304d23abda8.jpg)
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Oh, actually mine does have that page. Sorry. The pages sort of stuck together and I didn't realize that was there. I thought it was only pics.
Just went through the tracks and kind of spot-checked the album representation. If I am not missing something, looks like a pretty good representation of most of their albums, with only the first three not being represented. And I LOVE that X, Darkness, and Theories have a total of 9 songs. As I've mentioned, I am pretty far from the "typical" Fates Warning fan in that, while I could say I liked the odd song or two per album through the years, nothing every really grabbed me up until X. My fandom is really centered mostly around their three most recent albums. So this is a great live collection for me.
On another note, I love how heavy these songs all sound on this release. Even songs that I don't necessarily think of us heavy just seem to have a lot more oomph and edge to them.
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That's due in large part to Mike Abdow translating keyboard parts to guitar, along with Bobby's more metal style. It was a great tour. Really fortunate to see two gigs on the last leg, and three total over the last two album tour cycles.
And personally, I am also very glad the covered the last three albums well on this. I love the old stuff, but I also very much love the new stuff. Some of my all-time favorite FW songs are from the last three records, with a few captured here (although I still wish they would have included One Thousand Fires).
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I wish they had done more from DiaDL and less from Parallels. "I Am" and "Into the Black" are killer. I also wish they had done "Falling Further" instead of "Falling" (and, frankly, I wish "Falling Further" had been the album track and "Falling" the bonus cut).
All that said, getting a live version of "And Yet It Moves" is, by itself, almost worth the price of admission, and including "Monument" and "Pale Fire" makes this a real treat.
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I wish they had done more from DiaDL and less from Parallels. "I Am" and "Into the Black" are killer. I also wish they had done "Falling Further" instead of "Falling" (and, frankly, I wish "Falling Further" had been the album track and "Falling" the bonus cut).
All that said, getting a live version of "And Yet It Moves" is, by itself, almost worth the price of admission, and including "Monument" and "Pale Fire" makes this a real treat.
P - I was really lucky. I saw them soundcheck AYIM in San Diego, in prep for the tour. It was funny as hell, because out walks Ray, and he had to look up the lyrics on his phone. LOL. Check it out:
https://youtu.be/203YJniZDXY
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Great video, Sam.
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Live Over Europe continues to get a lot of play here. As I said above, I love the heaviness of these songs--even the ones that do not sound quite as heavy on their respective albums.
There is ONE place I note where mix does them a bit of a disservice, and that is where that odd groove/breakdown starts at 4:21. On the album, the main guitar that plays the groovy riff (I am assuming it is Jim, but I don't know for sure) takes the forefront, and the second guitar that is just strumming the same chord on the offbeat is much lower in the mix, which turns the focus to the groove. Here, they are equally mixed, which makes them clash and makes that part sound a-rhythmic. But that's a nitpick and just one of those things that can't easily be helped in a live performance.
Overall, this is SUCH a great release. More and more these days, bands seem to be putting out some really great live albums. This one certainly joins those ranks.
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On Disconnected, Jim played all the guitars, so yeah, regarding "One" on the album, that's Jim on both guitars.
I love the different sound the songs have on Live Over Europe when featuring two guitars instead of a guitar and keyboards. Not that it is better, per se, but I really like it. Particularly live it really helps the energy. It has been a couple of months since I listened to Fates. I played so much Fates in 2017 and 2018, I wanted to expand a bit more. But will be coming back to Live Over Europe again soon.
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On Disconnected, Jim played all the guitars, so yeah, regarding "One" on the album, that's Jim on both guitars.
Sorry--I edited that first sentence a couple of times and realize now that I left off the name of the song I was talking about. It's From the Rooftops. You know that weird groove in the middle of the song with the changing drum pattern every couple of bars? That is one of my favorite Fates moments of all time. But it only works because the mix properly highlights the proper instrument during all those disparate and changing parts, and also properly downplays the others so that they are clearly supporting. With both guitars and the drums up equally in the live mix, it makes that section just sound like a mess, which is a shame since it's such an amazing composition. But, again, in the context of such an overall amazing live performance, it's a minor gripe. But hopefully, my gripe is a bit clearer now. :)
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Pretty sure all the guitar tracks on the record, except a few of the solos as indicated, are all Jim.
That's generally how FW works post-Inside Out. Jim does all the guitars, except for when Frank, or Mike does a solo. Then obviously that solo portion of the track is them (and I believe on One Thousand Fires, on Darkness, Frank actually does the rhythm underneath his solo, as he wrote that entire solo section, not just the solo).
But all the rhythms are Jim.
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Pretty sure all the guitar tracks on the record, except a few of the solos as indicated, are all Jim.
That's generally how FW works post-Inside Out. Jim does all the guitars, except for when Frank, or Mike does a solo. Then obviously that solo portion of the track is them (and I believe on One Thousand Fires, on Darkness, Frank actually does the rhythm underneath his solo, as he wrote that entire solo section, not just the solo).
But all the rhythms are Jim.
Spot on. I wouldn't be surprised even if Jim did a majority of the rhythm guitars on Inside Out and Parallels. Nothing to base that on though.
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So pumped to have Fates touring the U.S. again in March 2019, even if it is an opening slot. I'm guessing they'll get 40-45 minutes on most nights.
Given the killer headline runs in recent years, I wonder how these shorter shows will change the setlist. The longer songs will be cut, for sure. But I am hoping that means they'll vary things up a bit and dive back a bit into the catalog. It was certainly cool hearing how they did "Silent Cries" on Live Over Europe. I thought it sounded pretty good in a lower key. I hope they bring that back regularly for this new tour.
I'd also like to see a few things from FWX get spotlighted, and fingers crossed that "White Flag" makes its way into the set.
I'm going to see two shows on the tour, so hoping for some variety. :metal
FATES!
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Yeah I'm stoked!
1st Minnesota concert for Fates Warning since May 5th, 2001 when I ran into Jim Matheos at the Lee Ann Chin's next door and he helped my friend get in even though he was under 21.
18 years ago.
March 02 - Orlando, Fla. @ The Plaza Live
March 03 - Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. @ Culture Room
March 05 - Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade
March 07 - Baltimore, Md. @ Sound Stage*
March 08 - Uncasville, Conn. @ Mohegan Sun^
March 09 - New York, N.Y. @ Irving Plaza*
March 10 - Worcester, Mass. @ Palladium*
March 12 - Cincinnati, Ohio @ Bogarts
March 13 - Detroit, Mich. @ Diesel
March 14 - Chicago, Ill. @ Concord
March 15 - Milwaukee, Wis. @ The Rave
March 16 - Medina, Minn. @ Medina Entertainment Center
March 17 - Davenport, Iowa @ Rhythm City Casino Resort^
March 20 - Dallas, Texas @ House of Blues
March 21 - Houston, Texas @ House of Blues
March 22 - San Antonio, Texas @ Aztec
March 23 - Albuquerque, N.M. @ El Rey
March 26 - Tempe, Ariz. @ The Marquee
March 27 - San Diego, Calif. @ Observatory
March 28 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Fonda
March 29 - San Francisco, Calif. @ Slim's
March 30 - Sacramento, Calif. @ Ace of Spades
April 2 - Portland, Ore. @ Crystal Ballroom
April 3 - Seattle, Wash. @ Neptune
*w/ support from The Cringe
^Queensrÿche only
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Yeah I'm stoked!
1st Minnesota concert for Fates Warning since May 5th, 2001 when I ran into Jim Matheos at the Lee Ann Chin's next door and he helped my friend get in even though he was under 21.
18 years ago.
Dude, they are playing so great the last few years. I think Bobby has given them a heavier groove, which while I would say isn't "better" than Mark Zonder (I love Mark's style), it certainly holds its own and makes the band thump a bit more. Ray has been sounding really good. And Mike Abdow -- dude is a great guitarist and even a nicer guy. Going to be a fun run of Fates!
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I really like Bobby's drumming in general and am thrilled with what he brings to the table in Fates. I couldn't say he is "better" either, but he is definitely one of my favorite drummers, and anything he plays on ends up sounding really heavy and complex, due in large part to his playing.
And I will say again that disk 1 of Live Over Europe is just about flawless, other than the part I mentioned in the middle of From the Rooftops.
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For those near Sellersville, Pa., Fates Warning is playing a headline gig on March 8!
https://theater.st94.com/events/
I know one happy DTFer because of this. :lol
Fates Warning
Friday, March 08
Show | 8pm // Doors | 7:30pm
$25 to $39.50
Sellersville Theater
The legendary metal band Fates Warning began in the early 1980s playing the traditional style of heavy metal that was largely popular, earning them legions of dedicated fans. They quickly adopted a more technically proficient style influenced by Rush and are considered by many to be the first true prog-metal band. While the band has moved in a more melodic and ambient direction, they remain a vibrant and well respected cornerstone for the prog camp within the heavy metal strata. This is only your second chance to see Fates Warning in Sellersville, don’t miss it!
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I'm hoping they'll get an hour set. If not 50 min.
What would be some songs that you think would make the set?
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My guess is that it'll be the shorter stuff, given the opening slot.
Life in Still Water
Point of View
One
Seven Stars
Firefly
SOS
Silent Cries
Through Different Eyes
Monument
APSOG Pt. 3
>>>>Something along those lines.
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A couple more headline gigs added to Fates' spring tour. One in Redding, CA, and the other...I forget off the top of my head.
Should be a fun run for me. Two opening sets, a day off, and the capper of a headline show in a tiny pub. :metal
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Redding?
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Yup. I am off the beginning of that week to use up some vaca days, so it works out.
p.s. ticket is like 16 bucks with charges. Crazy.
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I'll be in Indianapolis the week of March 11th and Fates Warning is playing Chicago on the 14th, that's the only date I'd get to see them. I'm really thinking about going although I'd be dead tired for work the next morning. Is Queensryche headlining? What are FW's sets like - are they static, do they throw some curveballs in there? Getting the itch to listen to their discography again after having had a year and a half to digest their music which is mostly excellent. Their later years seem to be my favorite - Darkness In A Different Light is exquisite, Theories of Flight rules, and I like FWX a lot too. Would be nice to get some tracks off those at a show.
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Progressive Metal pioneers FATES WARNING have recently announced a next and much overdue tour of North America alongside Queensryche in March-April and have now also added a string of complimentary headline dates to the run. Here is a full list of the upcoming dates:
FATES WARNING – Live 2019:
Sa March 2nd - Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live - w/ Queensryche
Su March 3rd - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room - w/ Queensryche
Mo March 4th - Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbit's *
Tu March 5th - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade - w/ Queensryche
Th March 7th - Baltimore, MD - Sound Stage - w/ Queensryche
Fr March 8th - Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater *
Sa March 9th - New York, NY - Irving Plaza - w/ Queensryche
Su March 10th - Worcester, MA - Palladium - w/ Queensryche
Tu March 12th - Cincinnati, OH - Bogarts - w/ Queensryche
We March 13th - Detroit, MI - Diesel - w/ Queensryche
Th March 14th - Chicago, IL - Concord - w/ Queensryche
Fr March 15th - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave - w/ Queensryche
Sa March 16th - Medina, MN - Medina Entertainment Center - w/ Queensryche
Su March 17th - Lincoln, NE - Royal Grove *
Tu March 19th - Tulsa, OK - The Shrine *
We March 20th - Dallas, TX - House of Blues - w/ Queensryche
Th March 21st - Houston, TX - House of Blues - w/ Queensryche
Fr March 22nd - San Antonio, TX - Aztec - w/ Queensryche
Sa March 23rd - Albuquerque, NM - El Rey - w/ Queensryche
Su March 24th - Tucson, AZ - House Of Bards *
Tu March 26th - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee - w/ Queensryche
We March 27th - San Diego, CA - Observatory - w/ Queensryche
Th March 28th - Los Angeles, CA - Fonda - w/ Queensryche
Fr March 29th - San Francisco, CA - Slim's - w/ Queensryche
Sa March 30th - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades - w/ Queensryche
Mo April 1st - Redding, CA - The Dip *
Tu April 2nd - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom - w/ Queensryche
We April 3rd - Seattle, WA - Neptune - w/ Queensryche
* FATES WARNING headline show
FATES WARNING vocalist Ray Alder checked to comment about the upcoming touring as follows:
”FATES WARNING are hitting the road again in support of our latest album "Theories Of Flight". But this time we're touring the U.S. with our good friends in Queensryche. The last time we all toured together was a blast, and we expect this time may be even better. We also look forward to playing some cities that we have not been able to visit in quite a while. We hope to see you all at the shows!“
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Damn, gotta work the night they are coming near me. I definitely regret never getting a chance to see QR, but I have seen Fates before and it was very decent.
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Looking forward to it. Going to three shows, with one of them being a headline appearance. A fourth show (which would be a headline as well) is up in the air, but not likely. But I'm pumped to see Fates a few more times this year. I hope they mix the setlist up a bit. Be nice to see some of those songs they didn't do in the U.S. (Silent Cries being one of them).
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The band it's back to Metal Blade records
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as a lifer fan of 24 years, seeing them next month in Minnesota, even just as an opener, is a really big deal. Only my 3rd time getting to experience Fates live. I can't fucking wait.
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Great news about a new album in 2020! A little disappointing it's taking them four years for a new album. But just happy for some new FW. :)
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Great news about a new album in 2020! A little disappointing it's taking them four years for a new album. But just happy for some new FW. :)
I'm actually a little bit surprised that we're getting one so soon. I figured that with a new Arch/Matheos album coming out in the next few months that they'd be taking a little bit more time putting out a new FW album. Great news!!!
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yeah I kind of agree per I found the Arch/Matheos album a lot better than Darkness in a Different Light.
Whereas Theories of Flight is awesome.
I just hope Jim includes enough of his best songwriting for both albums coming soon. otherwise, I would have been fine with them taking a little more time on the next Fates album.
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yeah I kind of agree per I found the Arch/Matheos album a lot better than Darkness in a Different Light.
Whereas Theories of Flight is awesome.
I just hope Jim includes enough of his best songwriting for both albums coming soon. otherwise, I would have been fine with them taking a little more time on the next Fates album.
My guess is, Jim has been inspired, and Ray must be inspired by the new music (as Ray has stepped up in writing a lot of lyrics). All good news. I can't wait! So pumped to see them live again. And it sounds like, with a new record in 2020, there may be a support tour (again, I guess) for 2020/2021. Bring on new Fates tunes!
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The 1st Arch Matheos was supposed to be a Fates album but Ray didn't like the direction or was unavailable at that time. So Jim contact John to see if he was interested and it snowballed from there.
The Arch Matheos was a full progressive metal assault instrumentally. Very heavy, while Darkness was a bit more dynamic and song oriented (Ray has always liked a more song oriented approach). Theories of Flight was a perfect balance (for me anyways) between the full prog metal approach and still keep the song oriented feeling.
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I would really love to see more Frank Aresti involvement -- both from a playing standpoint and a songwriting standpoint. He had no writing credits on TOF and only one co-writing credit on DIADL. I know he's only really active as a musician now and then, but I have to believe he's got a few ideas stored up, and I like his soloing better than Jim's.
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I would really love to see more Frank Aresti involvement -- both from a playing standpoint and a songwriting standpoint. He had no writing credits on TOF and only one co-writing credit on DIADL. I know he's only really active as a musician now and then, but I have to believe he's got a few ideas stored up, and I like his soloing better than Jim's.
Interesting...I like Jim's soloing more than Frank. Frank seems to be more a shredder soloist where Jim is the opposite.
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I would really love to see more Frank Aresti involvement -- both from a playing standpoint and a songwriting standpoint. He had no writing credits on TOF and only one co-writing credit on DIADL. I know he's only really active as a musician now and then, but I have to believe he's got a few ideas stored up, and I like his soloing better than Jim's.
Interesting...I like Jim's soloing more than Frank. Frank seems to be more a shredder soloist where Jim is the opposite.
I love Jim's work too. It's just that Frank comes up with some really unique stuff that I really dig (e.g., Static Acts and Monument).
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I saw Frank at the DIADL tour stop in San Fran six years ago. He was there before the show and we took pics and talked. Turns out, he lives out here now, and his job keeps him really busy. He guested that night during the encore (Still Remains). From what I understand, he's always welcome to take part in things. But his time is limited. I think he's still in the music industry, but on the business side. But I could be wrong.
We had a laugh because before he moved out to Cali, he lived in the town on Long Island where I was born. So I joked with him how he really needs to stop stalking me. Going coast-to-coast is a little too much. He was laughing pretty hard. Hell of a nice guy. And one incredible guitarist.
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I saw Frank at the DIADL tour stop in San Fran six years ago. He was there before the show and we took pics and talked. Turns out, he lives out here now, and his job keeps him really busy. He guested that night during the encore (Still Remains). From what I understand, he's always welcome to take part in things. But his time is limited. I think he's still in the music industry, but on the business side. But I could be wrong.
We had a laugh because before he moved out to Cali, he lived in the town on Long Island where I was born. So I joked with him how he really needs to stop stalking me. Going coast-to-coast is a little too much. He was laughing pretty hard. Hell of a nice guy. And one incredible guitarist.
Yup. Frank works for Dunlop (and previous for D'Addario, although I don't know if that was in the SFO area). I met him (and the rest of FW) after a show in 1989. They were all very cool guys.
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Funny story about Frank is that I saw him at a FW show on Long Island in like 2011. Talked for a bit and got a pic with him, etc. Then, the very next morning, I'm driving to work and I'm at a red light a few blocks from my job in a totally different town from where the show was. I glance over at the car next to me at the red light and it was Frank! I didn't beep or wave, because I didn't want to freak him out, but that was two sightings in two days after never having seen him before then or since then, lol. I later realized that a D'Addario building was near my job, so he was probably heading there. :laugh:
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I would really love to see more Frank Aresti involvement -- both from a playing standpoint and a songwriting standpoint. He had no writing credits on TOF and only one co-writing credit on DIADL. I know he's only really active as a musician now and then, but I have to believe he's got a few ideas stored up, and I like his soloing better than Jim's.
All of this, totally agree.
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The band it's back to Metal Blade records
I'm actually a little surprised by this, but I'm still pumped to hear new FW in 2020! :metal
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FW tends to alternate. They do one album deals with both Metal Blade and Inside Out, and have great relationships with both labels.
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SET LIST SPOILERS BELOW
Looks like Fates is getting 8 songs, probably 45 minutes, based on the setlist:
From the Rooftops
Life in Still Water
One
APSOG PT. IV III
Seven Stars
Pieces of Me
Falling Further
The Light and Shade of Things
>>>>>>>>>>>I like this as the opening set. I wonder if Fates will rotate tunes. I hope so, since I'll be going to a couple of the opening appearances, and capping it off with a headline gig.
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Great setlist :tup
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Correction above to setlist. Someone had it incorrect.
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NOT a big fan of that set list. Everything is good, but the only song that really jumps out is Falling Further. Between that and the less that glowing reviews of Queensryche (along with a set list that doesn't really appeal to me), I'll be passing on this tour and waiting for whatever they do after the next album is released.
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No Monument? Interesting, that's probably the song they've played the most over the years.
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Excited for FW's opening set this weekend in NYC, but I could do without "One" and "Life in Still Water." They played those songs the last 4-5 times I've seen them. I'd love to hear songs like "And Yet It Moves" or "White Flag."
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Really glad they are doing Falling Further. But yeah, it would be nice if they mixed up the set list a little bit. A lot of those songs play well live, but anyone who has seen Fates over the last two record cycles has seen 'em.
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Hey, It's my first time seeing them live, and really glad Queensryche brought them along. It's the only way they would come here in town. I'll take what I can get. Maybe, I can catch them after the show or at the merch and chat with Ray again. See if he remembers me from the ProgPower after show party.
Edit: I really hope last nights set is what they play here.
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No Monument? Interesting, that's probably the song they've played the most over the years.
Setlist.fm has the top 10 most frequently played songs as follows:
1. The Eleventh Hour
2/3. Monument/Point of View
4. Life in Still Water
5. APSOG III
6. Through Different Eyes
7. One
8. APSOG XI
9. Quietus
10. Still Remains
That means the current set list includes 4 of the top 10 most frequently performed songs, 3 songs that were staples on the tour for the most recent album, and Falling Further.
And yes, I realize that Setlist.fm is missing some data from the early years.
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Another headline show tonight. Friend of mine will be there, and he was at the QR/FW show last night. He was told Fates is playing a two-hour set tonight at their headline gig. Should be cool. I know Nick and a bunch of others are going. Enjoy! :metal
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Another headline show tonight. Friend of mine will be there, and he was at the QR/FW show last night. He was told Fates is playing a two-hour set tonight at their headline gig. Should be cool. I know Nick and a bunch of others are going. Enjoy! :metal
Looking forward to seeing that gentleman tonight as well as tomorrow. Happy to hear we're getting such a big set tonight, and with a great opener to boot!
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Another headline show tonight. Friend of mine will be there, and he was at the QR/FW show last night. He was told Fates is playing a two-hour set tonight at their headline gig. Should be cool. I know Nick and a bunch of others are going. Enjoy! :metal
Looking forward to seeing that gentleman tonight as well as tomorrow. Happy to hear we're getting such a big set tonight, and with a great opener to boot!
Give him a good punch in the arm for me. :lol Or at the very least, he hates pictures, so take a picture of the two of you and text me. LOL. Yep, the opener kicks ass. Going to be a great show. Have fun bud!
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Another headline show tonight. Friend of mine will be there, and he was at the QR/FW show last night. He was told Fates is playing a two-hour set tonight at their headline gig. Should be cool. I know Nick and a bunch of others are going. Enjoy! :metal
Looking forward to seeing that gentleman tonight as well as tomorrow. Happy to hear we're getting such a big set tonight, and with a great opener to boot!
Give him a good punch in the arm for me. :lol Or at the very least, he hates pictures, so take a picture of the two of you and text me. LOL. Yep, the opener kicks ass. Going to be a great show. Have fun bud!
Unfortunately didn't see this till getting home now. Will try for punch and picture tomorrow.
Fates was everything I've come to expect. Going to be so sad to see them go off tomorrow after just 45 minutes.
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Why they had an opening band last night and Fates had only a 45 minute set is mindboggling. At least I got to see The Light and Shade of Things.
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Why they had an opening band last night and Fates had only a 45 minute set is mindboggling. At least I got to see The Light and Shade of Things.
I think either Nick, or someone else said it -- The Cringe likely paid to play on select dates. That money goes to Queensryche. So yeah, it sucks, because I want more Fates, but I guess the Cringe paying to play (I assume) helps finance the tour costs.
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At Saturday night's show in NYC, FW didn't even play "The Light and Shade of Things." :-\
Setlist was...
From the Rooftops
One
A Pleasant Shade of Gray, Part III
Seven Stars
Pieces of Me
Firefly
The Eleventh Hour
Point of View
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At Saturday night's show in NYC, FW didn't even play "The Light and Shade of Things." :-\
Setlist was...
From the Rooftops
One
A Pleasant Shade of Gray, Part III
Seven Stars
Pieces of Me
Firefly
The Eleventh Hour
Point of View
They inserted The Eleventh Hour instead. And flipped out Falling Further for Firefly, I think.
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Why they had an opening band last night and Fates had only a 45 minute set is mindboggling. At least I got to see The Light and Shade of Things.
I think either Nick, or someone else said it -- The Cringe likely paid to play on select dates. That money goes to Queensryche. So yeah, it sucks, because I want more Fates, but I guess the Cringe paying to play (I assume) helps finance the tour costs.
I get it. As a fan though seeing an opening act play 2 covers irked me.
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bump.
The Minnesota show was last night, my review is here (https://allmediareviews.blogspot.com/2019/03/fates-warning-queensryche-medina.html).
Probably the biggest thing about the show, besides the fact it had been 18 years since they played in MN, was the unexpected appearance of Joe DiBiase on The Eleventh Hour.
Also, I grabbed a set list afterwards, and it said "Falling" was on there, and not Firefly. But unless my ears deceived me, they played Firefly as the lone track from Darkness.
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I forgot to mention I spoke with Jason, Fates Warning's merch guy and he mentioned Arch / Matheos shot a video like 2 weeks ago, which suggests that along with stuff about their new record may not be too far away.
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Yeah, they shot it at the Sellersville Theater prior to that gig. John Arch was there, and also the following night in NYC.
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Stoked for tonight..hometown gig for Bobby and Ray in San Antonio :metal
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Stoked for tonight..hometown gig for Bobby and Ray in San Antonio :metal
:metal :metal
One more week for me. Can't wait. Then I get three gigs in a row.
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This was probably the best Fates show I’ve seem. The band was on full cylinders. Ray’s voice was great and really held up. The band was having a blast and I really felt they upstaged QR by a lot. Did the M&G and asked about thei label change and Jim basically said it is a two album deal and they wanted to be back with the guy that gave them their break (Brian Slagel). I did tell him that Fates got a nod in the Ming’s X book and his eyes lit up. Is Jim a King’s X fan?
Everybody was cool and great to talk to. Joey said they should be starting the writing for the next Fates record. He and Bobby played in two or three songs for the upcoming Arch Matheos.
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So excited to finally be able to see Fates Warning. I hope we h3t Falling Further, but I have a feeling we'll get Firefly. And hopefully not a shorter set.
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Fates Warning kicked ass...honestly better than Queensryche.
Got to meet Ray Alder again. Talked to him more than I did at P rogPower. He remembers doing Threads. Other than, he doesn't. He was a great guy to meet.
Joey came out the bus and chatted for a bit.
Jim was ready to leave....not in a bad way, but just to chill in the bus and getting ready for the next show.
All in all an amazing show. I'll try and post my pic with Ray..
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Fates Warning kicked ass...honestly better than Queensryche.
Got to meet Ray Alder again. Talked to him more than I did at P rogPower. He remembers doing Threads. Other than, he doesn't. He was a great guy to meet.
Joey came out the bus and chatted for a bit.
Jim was ready to leave....not in a bad way, but just to chill in the bus and getting ready for the next show.
All in all an amazing show. I'll try and post my pic with Ray..
Awesome. They are a killer band. Can't wait for this weekend. Three-in-a-row for me. Two opening sets and a headline set to cap it off. :metal
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I made the drive down to Albuquerque on Saturday to see the show. I'll admit I went in for the show more for FW than QR, but I definitely enjoyed the Fates Warning set a lot more. They did a great job. I just wish they had a full headlining show. I hadn't been keeping up with their setlists recently, so I was really surprised to see Falling Further which I did enjoy. The Light and Shade of Things was probably the highlight for me though. I still would love to see them play Still Remains or Ghosts of Home, but I don't believe they have even played the latter at this point.
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I made the drive down to Albuquerque on Saturday to see the show. I'll admit I went in for the show more for FW than QR, but I definitely enjoyed the Fates Warning set a lot more. They did a great job. I just wish they had a full headlining show. I hadn't been keeping up with their setlists recently, so I was really surprised to see Falling Further which I did enjoy. The Light and Shade of Things was probably the highlight for me though. I still would love to see them play Still Remains or Ghosts of Home, but I don't believe they have even played the latter at this point.
Where were you at there? I was 3 rows from the front in the middle left. Only spot without someone really tall blocking my view (im short).
I was so happy when Falling Further started. I sang my heart out for the chorus. When I got dropped off, i heard them soundchecking The Light And Shade Of Things. It was neat hearing that. Also saw LaTorre walking towards the back area (where i was coming from), didnt bother waving or anything just a nod. Haha.
I would've loved Still Remains as thats the one song that got me into Fates Warning.
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Man, what a three-show run for me with Fates. I attended the San Francisco, Sacramento, and Redding (all California) gigs over the last few days. The first two were 10-song opening sets, and the last one was a 16-song headline show.
Friday, March 29, I got out of the office early and headed to the venue. Got there super early. WAY too early, honestly. I've been at this place a million times (Slim's in SF), so as I walk up, I hear Queensryche soundchecking "Condition Human." La Torre sounded pretty good. But I was there for Fates. Met a couple of friends who drove 11 hours from Utah to see this. We hung out a bit, and then attended the Fates soundcheck. Funny story -- so the way it works is this. QR soundchecks first, then Fates goes and does theirs, and then their M&G. When the Fates M&G ends, then Queensryche does its M&G, before the venue closes before opening again at the door time.
Well, Ray got confused a bit about what time he was supposed to show, so during soundcheck for Fates, there was no Ray. They do their thing, run through a song or two, and so Joey Vera says - "we gotta check the vocals. What can I actually sing?" LOL. They started checking From the Rooftops with Joey on lead vocals, and he looks out and says "Ok, I forget the rest of the words." I was about to hand him my phone (I was recording but I was going to pull up the lyrics). Then Ray strolls in behind me and does the next song after they are done. Ha ha ha.
The show itself was 10 songs, about an hour, and they played Falling Further, which was nice. Tiny stage. The drums were pushed all the way to the front, so the band were all stuck in place, with Ray literally just having a pole to hang from if he wanted to move. I was dead center in front of the drums, but surprisingly, I could still hear well. Not much of Jim, but heard everyone else fine. Really energetic crowd, sold out. Ray sounded good, the whole band does. They are just incredibly tight live. Probably, other than Dream Theater, the absolute tightest live band out there.
I left after Fates, fighting to get out the door. The place was JAMMED. Picked up a few Fates shirts before they ran out (those of you attending in Portland tonight and Seattle the next night, get to the merch booth early).
Saturday they played Sacramento. Took the fam to the soundcheck and meet and greet. All the guys were in good spirits, and spent a lot of time with the pre-show crowd. There were probably 10 of us. The highlight? Frank Aresti was there! Earlier that day, not even knowing Frank was going to be there, I had brought a gig poster and a setlist from the last time Frank played with this lineup, which was in Dec. 2013, at DNA Lounge in SF. Frank showed up then for the meet and greet, and we got a picture, and Frank guested on "Still Remains." So, I had all that stuff (minus the photo) with me, and had the entire band, plus Frank sign it. Crazy good fortune. Most of those in the meet and greet, had no idea who he was. But myself and a couple of other diehards did. We gave him his space, and then caught him before we left. He took in the show as well. Fates also played Monument in soundcheck, which they did not play at the show itself.
As for the show, Fates played the same gig as SF, except they swapped out Falling Further for Firefly. 10 songs, about an hour. The crowd was pretty receptive to Fates. Again, it was a Queensryche crowd, and you'd think if you knew Queensryche, you'd know Fates. But I'd say the crowd was firmly 85-15 in favor of QR (as it should be, since it was their headline tour). Fates played killer. As I walked out at the end of Fates' set, I heard a ton of people saying how Fates Warning sounded AMAZING. I agree. They really played a stellar show.
Off day on Sunday, then it was up to Redding, Calif., last night for a headline show. Fates played this tiny bar called The Dip. The stage was no taller than maybe two steps up, and it was minuscule. They halved the amount of cabinets they had been using. It was pretty intimate. I had the day off, so I got up there about 4, walked in, had a beer and met up with the same Utah friends that had been doing this three-show run with me. They had these nice 10x13 gig posters (on heavier stock) printed up, and the bar tender gave them to us to have signed. Good soundcheck, and meet and greet was great, as it always is. Those guys are super nice, and generous with their time. The opening band bailed, so doors were 8, show at 9:15. Fates finished at 10:45 or 10:50. 16-song headline set had a couple of nice additions. APSOG Pt. VI, Falling Further, Acquiescence, and Monument.
I am sure most of us have had experiences at a local bar where a cover band plays, and you are right there within arm's reach. It was pretty incredible to have this caliber of a band in the same basic configuration. I have pictures (TAC, I'll get a few to you once I see you've read this), but I was right between Jim and Ray, and had Jim's guitar in my face the whole night. I had been taking a few videos each night, but it was almost impossible. LOL. I did get some great vertical photos though. Good enough in terms of poses and clarity that I will probably print out a few 8x10s, and have them signed the next time they roll through I have this great picture of just me with the band playing From the Rooftops in soundcheck. Its me and they are behind me. Just an incredible shot. ha ha.
The crowd was really small (max capacity of this place was 150, and they were, I'd say less than half full), but they were into it. You could hear them really well during the Eleventh Hour. It was just an incredible time to see such a great band in a tiny place. It was like Fates Warning in my house. They played it like it was an arena, and we really appreciated them going the full distance.
Overall, EXTREMELY impressed with Fates yet again. Three shows in four nights for me. I'm exhausted but it was worth it. Have fun to those of you going to Portland and Seattle. Make sure you get there early for some Fates. They are really on fire. New album next year too!!
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Sam, that sounds awesome and hell yes..PICS!!
I only saw Fates once (in '94) and they played in such a small place. I stood at the stage and it didn't even come up to my knees. Being literally 6 feet away from Mark Zondor was an experience like no other. I can't imagine being so close to Bobby J.
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Man, what a three-show run for me with Fates.
Good stuff! Glad you enjoyed the shows.
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Ray did co-lead vocals on "Take Hold of the Flame" by Queensryche last night.
https://youtu.be/7daxU2ccpN0?t=132
Nice way to wrap the tour. On to a new FATES record!!! Can't wait!
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That's cool! I love how the whole band (except Jim?) came out at the end for the last chorus.
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That's cool! I love how the whole band (except Jim?) came out at the end for the last chorus.
He's watching from the stage from Wilton's side. You can see him walk after the song ends. I don't think he likes singing at all LOL or the spotlight. Kind of weird with Jim. He is a very introverted person but when he's on stage playing, he IS having fun. But he's never been into singing even though he has a soothing voice when he speaks.
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Oh, right. I see him now.
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I asked him a couple of times at M&Gs over the years, and he's just not into singing live. You won't see him on the microphone. :lol
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That's cool! I love how the whole band (except Jim?) came out at the end for the last chorus.
He's watching from the stage from Wilton's side. You can see him walk after the song ends. I don't think he likes singing at all LOL or the spotlight. Kind of weird with Jim. He is a very introverted person but when he's on stage playing, he IS having fun. But he's never been into singing even though he has a soothing voice when he speaks.
Just imagine if Jim ever worked with John Myung (The 2JM Project)!
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Ray did co-lead vocals on "Take Hold of the Flame" by Queensryche last night.
https://youtu.be/7daxU2ccpN0?t=132
Nice way to wrap the tour. On to a new FATES record!!! Can't wait!
I was a the Seattle show -- dead center within about 10 feet from the stage. Both Fates and QR sounded fabulous. Ray has taken a lot of slack over the years about his voice -- I saw him with Redemption and he sounded very shaky. I've seen FW the last 3 times in Seattle and he has really gotten better.
That rendition of Take Hold was an excellent way to wrap up the tour. Can't wait for 2020!
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for those not aware, Mark Zonder has a band with Shadow Gallery's Gary Wehrkamp.
They go by ZW Band on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ZWBAND/
new album coming on May 10th "If It's Real"
https://www.facebook.com/events/273548146926548/
Article about it:
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/news/new-band-zonder-wehrkamp-debut-album-if-its-real-out-soon/?fbclid=IwAR0vaVLQXOAZ5ByCdYN-hP2jnVwwOuUiTbv8Dw8L3vV329pedDtc3yxHNQE
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So what was the deal with zonder anyway, did he leave the band? or fired? Did they inquire about him coming back as the Darkness in a different light sessions were starting?
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Wikipedia has this:
Their tenth studio recording FWX was released in 2004. Drummer Mark Zonder stated it would be his last album with the band, as he wished to pursue other interests, and left in 2005. Although an official member again.
although I remember in 2004 or 2005 he was quoted as being done as a touring member, but not recording.
But he did rejoin them in 2010
In 2010, Fates Warning played select dates with the Parallels lineup (Alder, Matheos, Zonder, Aresti and DiBiase) to celebrate the reissued, remastered and expanded edition of the classic album.
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IIRC, Mark wanted a little bit more of stability with Fates Warning as far as touring goes. Remember since maybe Disconnected all through FWX, touring was not constant. And then after FWX was recorded, the band went dormant and played sporadic shows. Touring stability means constant income. So I get what Mark wanted. Not sure what was the reason(s) behind Fates not touring more often. Also, Mark had his rehearsal studio business up and running so that's the other interest he was pursuing.
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for those not aware, Mark Zonder has a band with Shadow Gallery's Gary Wehrkamp.
They go by ZW Band on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ZWBAND/
new album coming on May 10th "If It's Real"
https://www.facebook.com/events/273548146926548/
Article about it:
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/news/new-band-zonder-wehrkamp-debut-album-if-its-real-out-soon/?fbclid=IwAR0vaVLQXOAZ5ByCdYN-hP2jnVwwOuUiTbv8Dw8L3vV329pedDtc3yxHNQE
Following for sure.
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I actually asked Mark about his exit from FW when I interviewed him in 2009. Here's what he said...
Link: http://themooreatorium.tripod.com/interview-with-mark-zonder-%28oct.-2-2009%29.html
Q: It's been a long five years since the last Fates Warning album, FWX. For those who don't know, what was your reason for leaving the band? Was it strictly to pursue other interests or were you unhappy with the direction the band was taking?
MZ: Actually, I told Jim that I didn’t want to tour with the band. Touring was very erratic. We would put out on album, not tour, and then two years later tour. I had a life and did not want to just stop everything at a moments notice. I love to tour and play, as Slavior did go to Japan and I have gone to Europe to play with Joacim Cans of Hammerfall, but it seemed like Fates was sort of stalling and after 14 years or my life it was time for a change.
Q: Do you still talk to Jim Matheos and Ray Alder?
MZ: Not too often.
Q: If they asked you to return for a new album, would you consider rejoining Fates Warning?
MZ: Actually, about six months ago I called Jim and let him know to throw my hat in the ring if they were considering drummers for a new recording. I love recording with Jim, it is very easy and very satisfying. He is a true professional.
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A fun Bus Invaders episode with Ray: https://youtu.be/GvBEAflGAqA
I wonder if the crew member's response on the intercom was spontaneous. :lol
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A fun Bus Invaders episode with Ray: https://youtu.be/GvBEAflGAqA
I wonder if the crew member's response on the intercom was spontaneous. :lol
Great episode. Now I'm gonna start calling Ray "Hazel" from here on out. :lol
In fact, I'll make sure to bring him a gift box of cleaning supplies next time I see him.
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That was a lot of fun to watch! Thanks for sharing. :)
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for those not aware, Mark Zonder has a band with Shadow Gallery's Gary Wehrkamp.
They go by ZW Band on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ZWBAND/
new album coming on May 10th "If It's Real"
https://www.facebook.com/events/273548146926548/
Article about it:
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/news/new-band-zonder-wehrkamp-debut-album-if-its-real-out-soon/?fbclid=IwAR0vaVLQXOAZ5ByCdYN-hP2jnVwwOuUiTbv8Dw8L3vV329pedDtc3yxHNQE
Woah! So cool! Love the video for If It’s Real! Just ordered the limited signed version that ships soon.
I’ve been really hoping for new Shadow Gallery, but I’ll take this in it’s place for sure. Can’t believe I almost missed this. And I really dig Zonder’s drumming as a bonus.
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for those not aware, Mark Zonder has a band with Shadow Gallery's Gary Wehrkamp.
They go by ZW Band on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ZWBAND/
new album coming on May 10th "If It's Real"
https://www.facebook.com/events/273548146926548/
Article about it:
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/news/new-band-zonder-wehrkamp-debut-album-if-its-real-out-soon/?fbclid=IwAR0vaVLQXOAZ5ByCdYN-hP2jnVwwOuUiTbv8Dw8L3vV329pedDtc3yxHNQE
Woah! So cool! Love the video for If It’s Real! Just ordered the limited signed version that ships soon.
I’ve been really hoping for new Shadow Gallery, but I’ll take this in it’s place for sure. Can’t believe I almost missed this. And I really dig Zonder’s drumming as a bonus.
yeah it's been pushed back to May 24th
https://www.zwband.com/music
video for Title track
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGhzFVSy89A&feature=youtu.be
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"From The Rooftops" Bobby Jarzombek drum cam (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zotL6StW9c4&feature=share)
Some interesting coordination going on. Bobbys such a beast!
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"From The Rooftops" Bobby Jarzombek drum cam (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zotL6StW9c4&feature=share)
Some interesting coordination going on. Bobbys such a beast!
I would guess so. Btw, that piece actually was the first one by FW I've ever heard. (that being said, I'm not too familiar with FW, but I have their recent live album and I like that one)
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bump.
Ray was just on with The Prog Report and did a Top 5 Fates Warning songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1KKi3kPjas
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bump.
Ray was just on with The Prog Report and did a Top 5 Fates Warning songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1KKi3kPjas
For those of us who don't have an hour and a half to listen, what did he pick?
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For those of us who don't have an hour and a half to listen, what did he pick?
5. Wish
4. The Ivory Gate of Dreams
3. The Light and Shade of Things
2. Gaurdian
1. APSoG
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Wish - such a beautiful song. :)
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My list would be:
Road goes on forever
Island in the stream
Anarchy devine
Chasing time
At fates hands
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So awesome that likes Wish. The mood and atmosphere is amazing. Almost OSI'ish.
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FWX itself reminds me of OSI, which is great.
Much more of a slow burn and atmospheric. Its a very unique entry in their catalogue and I love it.
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Coming up with a top 5 would be awfully difficult -- especially since, for me, there's absolutely no question that APSOG and TIGOD would be on it. I said in the DT "league" thread recently that comparing SDOIT (the song) to just about any other DT song is a bit like comparing Rush's Moving Pictures to The Trees. It's not really a fair comparison, so I'll try and come up with a top 5, excluding APSOG and TIGOD:
1. And Yet It Moves
2. Static Acts
3. Traveler in Time
4. At Fate's Hands
5. Monument
I'm not sure about the order, and honestly, tomorrow I might come up with a completely different top 5 (The Apparition, Fata Morgana, Part of the Machine, Leave the Past Behind, Life in Still Water, Outside Looking In, Pale Fire, Shelter Me, Down to the Wire, Face the Fear, One, Pieces of Me, Another Perfect Day, I Am, Into the Black and Falling Further would all be worthy candidates for a top 5/10).
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FWX and Disconnected are my 2 faves.
Love Wish.
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Pretty neat that Ray calls it 'APSOG'. :) Parts VI ("I know that I don't know you, etc.") & XII of that would make my top 5.
I consider Still Remains their crowning jewel.
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Hey Fates Warning fans, I've been really getting into Theories of Flight recently (yes, because of roulette staple The Light and Shade of Things), and I was wondering what the general advice was on where to go next in exploring their stuff. They have a pretty big discography with what seems like a number of different albums that are held in pretty high esteem, and it leaves me a little uncertain about where to dig in next.
The only thing is that, unless there's some really compelling reason not to, I think I'd like to stay in the Ray Alder era for now, and check out the John Arch stuff later on.
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If you want something that sounds very close to Theories in style, then Darkness in a different light is your best bet
But if you want to open it up a little, I would recommend my two favorite FW albums
1. Pleasant shade of grey
2. Perfect symmetry
Both are Ray Alder.
Parallels is also a very well liked album. Honestly, there's no Alder era album I don't like, so you can almost pick anything and get something out of it.
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If you want something that sounds very close to Theories in style, then Darkness in a different light is your best bet
But if you want to open it up a little, I would recommend my two favorite FW albums
1. Pleasant shade of grey
2. Perfect symmetry
Both are Ray Alder.
Parallels is also a very well liked album. Honestly, there's no Alder era album I don't like, so you can almost pick anything and get something out of it.
I agree with all of this.
I would say that Darkness is most similar to Theories, but maybe a bit heavier/darker (I prefer Darkness by a pretty wide margin).
Disconnected and FWX are pretty similar. Both are brooding and atmospheric. For me, these are at the bottom of the list of Ray Alder albums.
Parallels and Inside Out are fairly similar. FW's most commercial sounding albums, but both have a good sprinkling of prog, and both are excellent.
No Exit is very Raw - not dissimilar to Warning/Mindcrime era Queensryche. This album contains the band's only side-long epic, The Ivory Gate of Dreams, which is structurally similar to Rush's 2112, but heavier and a bit more proggy.
Perfect Symmetry is next level above No Exit. They got a new, more technically skilled drummer, and the album is much more proggy. Probably my second favorite after APSOG.
A Pleasant Shade of Gray is probably most dissimilar to the rest of the catalog. It's technically one 54 minute song broken into 12 tracks, The majority of opinions I've heard absolutely love it, with a small, but not insignificant, minority who don't really care for it. Not a lot of middle of the road opinions. It took me a little while to get into it, but I could listen to it on a loop for weeks at a time.
I almost forgot the three John Arch albums (Arch was the singer on the first three, mid-80s albums, Night on Brocken, The Spectre Within and Awaken the Guardian). Arch is a very different type of singer (and was the primary lyricist when he was in the band and was a very different lyricist from Jim Matheos), and there's a decent chunk of the fan base that doesn't really care for Arch's singing. Personally, I think Alder is vastly superior in every way, but I don't dislike the Arch albums.
I think Guardian is the favorite Arch era album of a majority of fans. It's the last Arch album and, not surprisingly, probably the most mature. Brocken is the debut. It's VERY raw and kind of a poor man's Iron Maiden clone. Damnation is the only song that really gets any mention. Spectre is, for me, hit or miss. Traveler in Time and The Apparition are two of my three favorite Arch era songs.
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pgilovegraceunderpressure1067 did a great job breaking down the albums. :)
I absolutely love Disconnected and FWX so I disagree that they're at the bottom of the Ray albums. But like Phoenix said, you really just can't go wrong.
My favorite is A Pleasant of Gray; after that probably Disconnected. But they're all great.
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My favorite is A Pleasant of Gray; after that probably Disconnected. But they're all great.
These are two of my favorites too! The last two are really good too, I really like how tight this lineup sounds with Bobby on drums.
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I absolutely love Disconnected and FWX so I disagree that they're at the bottom of the Ray albums. But like Phoenix said, you really just can't go wrong.
My favorite is A Pleasant of Gray; after that probably Disconnected. But they're all great.
Same here, and as we're on the DT board, it's interesting to note that Kevin Moore played keyboards on APSOG and Disconnected. So if you wanna hear more soulful prog keys from the guy who gave you Surrounded... :yarr
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I absolutely love Disconnected and FWX so I disagree that they're at the bottom of the Ray albums. But like Phoenix said, you really just can't go wrong.
My favorite is A Pleasant of Gray; after that probably Disconnected. But they're all great.
Same here, and as we're on the DT board, it's interesting to note that Kevin Moore played keyboards on APSOG and Disconnected. So if you wanna hear more soulful prog keys from the guy who gave you Surrounded... :yarr
as far as I can remember, James worked with them too (and James will always get the :yarr from me)
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as far as I can remember, James worked with them too (and James will always get the :yarr from me)
You remember correctly, he sang backing vocs on one of the songs on Parallels! :yarr
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pgilovegraceunderpressure1067
Watch it there, bud! :D
I absolutely love Disconnected and FWX so I disagree that they're at the bottom of the Ray albums. But like Phoenix said, you really just can't go wrong.
My favorite is A Pleasant of Gray; after that probably Disconnected. But they're all great.
Same here, and as we're on the DT board, it's interesting to note that Kevin Moore played keyboards on APSOG and Disconnected. So if you wanna hear more soulful prog keys from the guy who gave you Surrounded... :yarr
as far as I can remember, James worked with them too (and James will always get the :yarr from me)
This is actually a bit of an interesting tidbit. JLB sang background vocals on the song "Life in Still Water" on FW's Oct. 1991 album, Parallels. At that point, he had yet to perform (publicly) with DT or appear on any DT recording, but he was still credited as being a member of "Dream Theatre." DT reciprocated this typo by thanking "Fatez Warning" in the liner notes for I&W.
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I honestly have never been able to notice James on Life in Still Water.
Almost like not really noticing Janelle Monae on the fun. track "We Are Young ft. Janelle Monae."
anyway, I did a React To to The Prog Report FW Top 5 List
http://allmediareviews.blogspot.com/2019/10/react-to-prog-reports-top-5-fates.html
1 A Pleasant Shade of Gray
2. Still Remains
3. The Light and Shade of Things
4. The Ivory Gate of Dreams
5. Epitaph
Honorable Mentions:
Damnation
The Apparition
Traveler in Time
Fata Morgana
Prelude to Ruin
Guardian
Nothing Left to Say
Through Different Eyes
Chasing Time
The Eleventh Hour
Face the Fear
Outside Looking In
Something for Nothing
So
Pieces of Me
Another Perfect Day
Heal Me
Left Here
Wish
Handful of Doubt
Ghosts of Home
From the Rooftops
Seven Stars
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I honestly have never been able to notice James on Life in Still Water.
Nor have I.
And nothing from DIADL in your honorable mentions list?!
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Thanks for the thoughts, y'all, especially pg for the nice detailed writeup. Based on what people said (and the fact that it's one of the cheapest ones on Amazon), I think I'm going to order Perfect Symmetry and then see where I want to go from there.
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pgilovegraceunderpressure1067
Watch it there, bud! :D
What do you mean? :angel:
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I honestly have never been able to notice James on Life in Still Water.
Nor have I.
Listen to him during BLIIIINDEEED BYYY and WHEEEEN YOOOOU'RE NOOT parts of the chorus.
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I honestly have never been able to notice James on Life in Still Water.
Nor have I.
Listen to him during BLIIIINDEEED BYYY and WHEEEEN YOOOOU'RE NOOT parts of the chorus.
I know where he's supposedly singing. I just can't pick out a second voice beyond Ray's multitracked voice.
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I never had a clue he was on it until I read he was. Even now, I have to listen super closely to pick it out.
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I honestly have never been able to notice James on Life in Still Water.
Nor have I.
And nothing from DIADL in your honorable mentions list?!
I could put Firefly in there, but it's weird how that album, Night on Brocken, and Inside Out I see so far below the rest of their catalog. I probably should revisit Darkness to see if I may enjoy it now, 6 years later. I always felt like it was rushed-album and most of Jim's best ideas ended on Sympathetic Resonance, rather than it.
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Yeah I always found James' inclusion on that song hilarious. Absolutely pointless.
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Yeah I always found James' inclusion on that song hilarious. Absolutely pointless.
Yeah...a guy who, at the time, was a complete nobody did background vocals that are nearly impossible to discern from those of the band's lead singer. Kind of interesting how things turned out, though.
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Yeah I always found James' inclusion on that song hilarious. Absolutely pointless.
Yeah...a guy who, at the time, was a complete nobody did background vocals that are nearly impossible to discern from those of the band's lead singer.
Ray didn't have time to finish the recording/come in for another recording, so they talked to DT and James wrapped it up for them! It really wasn't a "feature".
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Yeah I always found James' inclusion on that song hilarious. Absolutely pointless.
Yeah...a guy who, at the time, was a complete nobody did background vocals that are nearly impossible to discern from those of the band's lead singer.
Ray didn't have time to finish the recording/come in for another recording, so they talked to DT and James wrapped it up for them! It really wasn't a "feature".
That kinda seems more bizarre.
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Ray had more pressing matters than finishing a record that aimed at propelling the band to higher echelons of metal? That's crazy.
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Yeah I always found James' inclusion on that song hilarious. Absolutely pointless.
Yeah...a guy who, at the time, was a complete nobody did background vocals that are nearly impossible to discern from those of the band's lead singer.
Ray didn't have time to finish the recording/come in for another recording, so they talked to DT and James wrapped it up for them! It really wasn't a "feature".
It's for sure accurate that it wasn't a "feature." As I mentioned, at the time, JLB was a complete nobody, and DT was virtually unknown outside of the greater NYC area.* I'm awfully skeptical, though, about the statement that Ray didn't have time to finish the recording. Do you have a source for that?
* - I've told this story a bunch of times in the past, but I first got into FW as a result of a little blurb on MTV at the height of popularity of Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime (mid-1989) about "bands you might like if you like Queensryche." They mentioned three bands: FW, DT and Crimson Glory. I went out and found No Exit and was immediately hooked, but I never could find anything by DT. By the time Parallels came out in October 1991, I had all but forgotten about DT, but then I saw the credit in the liner notes, so I started looking again for something by DT. I never found anything until PMU broke in the summer of 1992.
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I'm awfully skeptical, though, about the statement that Ray didn't have time to finish the recording. Do you have a source for that?
This is quoted on their Wikipedia without a source: "James LaBrie performs harmony vocals on the song "Life in Still Water" due to Ray Alder having to leave Toronto and not having time to finish with the backing vocals. Producer Terry Brown came up with the idea of bringing in LaBrie, as he had just joined Dream Theater and had a similar style." I remember watching someone say this on video - maybe it's one of their documentary-ish videos/interviews with Brian Slagel? I'll try to source this for you over the weekend.
I went through a phase of looking up their interviews/song explanations/other stuff, and I remember getting so offended about how Jim Matheos described that "Eye To Eye" is essentially about how fans look up to musicians and musicians can't reciprocate that feeling :lol now that I'm older I'm just like... yeah, I see how having fans at all is annoying.
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I'm awfully skeptical, though, about the statement that Ray didn't have time to finish the recording. Do you have a source for that?
This is quoted on their Wikipedia without a source: "James LaBrie performs harmony vocals on the song "Life in Still Water" due to Ray Alder having to leave Toronto and not having time to finish with the backing vocals. Producer Terry Brown came up with the idea of bringing in LaBrie, as he had just joined Dream Theater and had a similar style." I remember watching someone say this on video - maybe it's one of their documentary-ish videos/interviews with Brian Slagel? I'll try to source this for you over the weekend.
Are we looking at the same Wikipedia page? It says, "1991 saw the release of Parallels, which was distributed by Warner. The album, which started the collaboration with Rush producer Terry Brown, contains more accessible and streamlined songs than in the past, except for tracks such as 'The Eleventh Hour' and 'Life in Still Water'. Parallels is considered an essential album that 'has influenced a great amount of subsequent musicians' and is possibly the band's most commercially successful record. James LaBrie (who had just joined Dream Theater) provided guest vocals on the song 'Life in Still Water'."
The page was last updated on Sept. 19. I'd be very curious to see a video with Brian Slagel discussing this. He would, obviously, be a good source for this.
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I'm awfully skeptical, though, about the statement that Ray didn't have time to finish the recording. Do you have a source for that?
I remember watching someone say this on video - maybe it's one of their documentary-ish videos/interviews with Brian Slagel? I'll try to source this for you over the weekend.
It must've been in the bonus DVD doc that came with the anniversary edition I have. Now I have a good reason to watch it again tomorrow :lol
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Are we looking at the same Wikipedia page?
Are we? I'm looking at this one (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallels_(album)).
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I'm awfully skeptical, though, about the statement that Ray didn't have time to finish the recording. Do you have a source for that?
I remember watching someone say this on video - maybe it's one of their documentary-ish videos/interviews with Brian Slagel? I'll try to source this for you over the weekend.
It must've been in the bonus DVD doc that came with the anniversary edition I have. Now I have a good reason to watch it again tomorrow :lol
I was thinking the same thing (although it won't be tomorrow).
Are we looking at the same Wikipedia page?
Are we? I'm looking at this one (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallels_(album)).
Ah...I thought you were talking about the page for the band (which is where the bit I quoted came from). I didn't even notice that on the page for the album. I like how the "citation needed" comment has been there for 4 1/2 years!
BTW...where does the GIF in your signature come from?
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Found it. The discussion of James's involvement starts at 8:03.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ClYTWG-osk&list=PL7voS2JjFDI5g9mqTVC8Q4qBQ6D4-OZLi&index=2
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Went to watch the one clip and ended up watching the entire documentary :lol Really good stuff
I wish there was a documentary like that for pleasant shade of grey
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BTW...where does the GIF in your signature come from?
I made it myself! Think it's Ytse Jam on Live in Tokyo. I have a Tumblr full of Dream Theater gifs that I will not link because Tumblr fucked up the quality of the smaller gifs really bad in the last year or so :lol
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I think Terry Brown's work with Ray and the band cannot be understated.
Parallels
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Disconnected
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BTW...where does the GIF in your signature come from?
I made it myself! Think it's Ytse Jam on Live in Tokyo.
I thought so! Very cool.
I think Terry Brown's work with Ray and the band cannot be understated.
Parallels
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Disconnected
To this day, I cannot understand why Inside Out isn't held in the same regard as Parallels.
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Inside Out is good. Just not quite as epic as Parallels or Perfect Symmetry.
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Inside Out is good. Just not quite as epic as Parallels or Perfect Symmetry.
In fact...that’s the entire issue. It’s a really good album, but it’s kinda sandwiched between several masterpieces. Parallels and PS on one side, and APSOG and DC on the other.
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I find Perfect Symmetry a bit choppy, compared to Inside Out. It's more progressive, but Inside Out was a great space for FW.
I still consider APSOG way overrated, and Disconnected is a glorified EP.
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I find Perfect Symmetry a bit choppy, compared to Inside Out. It's more progressive, but Inside Out was a great space for FW.
I still consider APSOG way overrated, and Disconnected is a glorified EP.
As usual there’s a grain of truth to your assessments (but just a grain ;D). Perfect Symmetry takes some work to digest. APSOG hits a sweet spot for the proggier side of FW, but yeah, Matheos might’ve sacrificed pure songwriting for the sake of the album’s concept. And Disconnected feels incomplete... short but sweet, as they say.
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And I feel like DC did the impossible and managed to surpass APSOG. When Something From Nothing finally clicked, that's what pushed the album over the top for me. The slow build for that song is unmatched. I get goosebumps throughout the entire piece. And then to follow that up with Still Remains? Flawless.
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But that's just it. TWO SONGS! One is a good song too.
I think I really like 3 parts of APSOG.
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So wait....we call an album with one song an “album” but we call an album with 6 songs an EP? :rollin
But seriously. I love every minute of Disconnected. In fact, if I had to pick a weak link, it would be one of the hard rocking fan favorites “Pieces of Me”. It’s still really amazing, but it’s a bit more singular in its approach, and the other songs are so much more multi layered.
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So wait....we call an album with one song an “album” but we call an album with 6 songs an EP? :rollin
:lol
True!
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So wait....we call an album with one song an “album” but we call an album with 6 songs an EP? :rollin
But seriously. I love every minute of Disconnected. In fact, if I had to pick a weak link, it would be one of the hard rocking fan favorites “Pieces of Me”. It’s still really amazing, but it’s a bit more singular in its approach, and the other songs are so much more multi layered.
I feel the same way about Pieces of Me. Disconnected pt.2 has an atmosphere thats soothing for me, I actually rank that high, likely behind Still Remains, which is my all time favorite Fates Warning Song.
A Pleasant Shade of Grey is slightly just behind Disconnected.
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Disconnected pt.2 has an atmosphere thats soothing for me, I actually rank that high
Huh..other than my first listen to the album when it came out, I don't think I've ever listened to the bookend tracks.
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Disconnected pt.2 has an atmosphere thats soothing for me, I actually rank that high
Huh..other than my first listen to the album when it came out, I don't think I've ever listened to the bookend tracks.
It's the ambience created by the dissonance of the keys and guitar.
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Disconnected pt.2 has an atmosphere thats soothing for me, I actually rank that high
Huh..other than my first listen to the album when it came out, I don't think I've ever listened to the bookend tracks.
It's the ambience created by the dissonance of the keys and guitar.
Agreed. Part 1 is a fantastic setup, but too short to be considered a song of its own. But part 2 is a elaboration on the same idea...but just fleshes it out. It's seriously amazing. That's why I consider it to be a 6 song album. Because Part one is just a teaser for the amazing part two.
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They are two NOMAC tracks if you ask me.
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They are two NOMAC tracks if you ask me.
:facepalm:
Come on. The NOMAC tracks don't even have any actual music. Kevin's piano line by itself elevates part 2 above the NOMAC tracks.
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OK OK, I'll give it a listen tomorrow.
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They are two NOMAC tracks if you ask me.
:facepalm:
Come on. The NOMAC tracks don't even have any actual music. Kevin's piano line by itself elevates part 2 above the NOMAC tracks.
Yup, even when the samples hit.
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OK OK, I'll give it a listen tomorrow.
Lol so THIS is why you think it's an EP :lol
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Well, yeah. It's only 43 minutes after deleting the NOMAC tracks. Pieces Of Me and So are really just OK. I skip them. I like One, and obviously Still Remains and Something For Nothing are fantastic, but even with those, I've edited out some of the long quiet parts.
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Well, yeah. It's only 43 minutes after deleting the NOMAC tracks. Pieces Of Me and So are really just OK. I skip them. I like One, and obviously Still Remains and Something For Nothing are fantastic, but even with those, I've edited out some of the long quiet parts.
You mean the soothing ambient sections. ;D
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Inside Out is good. Just not quite as epic as Parallels or Perfect Symmetry.
In fact...that’s the entire issue. It’s a really good album, but it’s kinda sandwiched between several masterpieces. Parallels and PS on one side, and APSOG and DC on the other.
Disconnected is a "masterpiece"? :lol :rollin :lol :rollin I'd probably rank it above only FWX and Brocken.
The only arguable low point on IO s Island in the Stream, so in that sense, Parallels might have been a bit stronger, but IO didn't fare at the time (and before APSOG came out), and that's too bad.
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I think FWX still finds the most underrated category for me.
It's filled with good songs, and it seems so rarely mentioned, yet when it came out in 2004, many people loved it, especially those not all that into the previous 2 records.
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I’ve been an FW fan since I bought The Spectre Within as a new release on vinyl....and Disconnected is my favorite album.
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At first I didn't understand Disconnected at all. It took a long time but now I think it's absolutely amazing.
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OK, I just listened to Disconnected Pt. 2, and damn, that was pointless.
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OK, I just listened to Disconnected Pt. 2, and damn, that was pointless.
You're one of those people that have the Blinkist app instead of reading, aren't you... :P :angel: :rollin :hat
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What is a Blinkist app? I don't um..app!
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What is a Blinkist app? I don't um..app!
I was just kidding. It's an app that summarizes books for you so you don't have to bother reading the whole...long...boring book.
I was just imagining you at home with a version of the Lord of the Rings movies that was less than an hour long. ;D
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Cliffs Notes FTW!! :metal
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OK, I just listened to Disconnected Pt. 2, and damn, that was pointless.
I really like the album but yeah I guess I never really got that track either.
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OK, I just listened to Disconnected Pt. 2, and damn, that was pointless.
Seriously. I can't conceive of anyone (who isn't drunk or stoned) actually sitting through that.
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Disconnected was my 1st Fates album. Absolutely loved it and overplayed the fuck out of it. Jim Matheos is all about setting up the mood for a song or an album. He did that with Disconnected Pt 1 and Pt2, does it a lot with OSI, and he did it in opening and closing tracks in Theories of Flight. His solo album Tuesday the Sky is great if you like post-rock and it's very soundscape oriented.
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I don't "get" A Pleasant Shade of Grey and I feel like I'm missing out. :sad: It doesn't strike anything with me, it's just... dull.
Really fond of Disconnected and Theories of Flight though! I remember the first time I listened through "Still Remains" and I was like holy shiiiiiit this is gooooood why have I not heard these guys before!! :D
Can't get into their older stuff though. I have Awaken the Guardian and No Exit (some kind of double album release) - I think Guardian has better music but horrible vocals, and while No Exit has better vocals the music is more bland.
I also have Parallels but I can't remember a thing from that album! Should probably give it another spin! :lol
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I don't "get" A Pleasant Shade of Grey and I feel like I'm missing out. :sad: It doesn't strike anything with me, it's just... dull.
Really fond of Disconnected and Theories of Flight though! I remember the first time I listened through "Still Remains" and I was like holy shiiiiiit this is gooooood why have I not heard these guys before!! :D
Can't get into their older stuff though. I have Awaken the Guardian and No Exit (some kind of double album release) - I think Guardian has better music but horrible vocals, and while No Exit has better vocals the music is more bland.
I also have Parallels but I can't remember a thing from that album! Should probably give it another spin! :lol
I never understood the love for that album either to be honest JLa. Should get the cd out and spin it again. It's been a long long time.
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I just remembered I own a Jim Matheos solo album on cd that I have never listened to. Not even ounce. Wouldn't even know the name of it, I just know I have it.
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His solo album Tuesday the Sky is great if you like post-rock and it's very soundscape oriented.
What's "post-rock"?
I don't "get" A Pleasant Shade of Grey and I feel like I'm missing out. :sad: It doesn't strike anything with me, it's just... dull.
I absolutely love APSOG, but I get this perspective, and even I'm admit that the first half of the album has a fair amount of "sameness." For me, the album really kicks it into the stratosphere with Part VIII to the end.
I just remembered I own a Jim Matheos solo album on cd that I have never listened to. Not even ounce. Wouldn't even know the name of it, I just know I have it.
I have what I think is his first solo album, First Impressions. It's all acoustic/classical guitar with violin and/or cello. Really good stuff when you're in the right mood.
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His solo album Tuesday the Sky is great if you like post-rock and it's very soundscape oriented.
I fangirl over this project because it is very good and features Kevin, obviously, but for one bonus reason.
Kevin Moore spent the second half of the 90's writing for his solo project Chroma Key, and he selected a number of these songs and reworked/rerecorded them for Chroma Key's first album in 1998.
I always wondered if there was anyone at all (except all of two dozen Kevin Moore fans who congregate mostly on this forum :P) who cared about the songs that were left off the album, because some of them were really good. But even the finished albums are very obscure.
One of my favorite songs in this pile of demos is called Wednesday The Sky.
So it's cool Jim cares about these songs and remembers them and maybe even listens to this one every now and then. Warms my heart.
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Mora:
I'm a HUUUUGE KM fan. I've been a Patreon contributor since he started that (only artist I support in Patreon) and have most of his CD rarities (signed copies of Shine), a radio show he did (can't remember the details..), etc. My personal favorite is Dead Air for Radios and OSI (my favorite is their last record). There is a lot of cool stuff in the music he is releasing at Patreon.
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The more time goes on the more I realize just how much I absolutely adore Jim Matheos as a songwriter and guitarist. I have my preferences, but Fates Warning have been consistently fantastic forever now.
Arch material has some great stuff, but wasn't quite all there yet, and PS wasn't quite fully adapting to Alder yet.
But then you have a string of great albums, including two top tier works in Parallels and A Pleasant Shade of Gray, made all the better by just how different they were. After that I personally love both Disconnected and FWX. Darkness is perhaps a minor step down, but then they return with an album of the year with Theories.
Add to that the fact that the Arch/Matheos discs are amazing and that the first two OSI albums are also two favorites of mine and Jim really is one of my favorite songwriters.
And they are still killer live as well.
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Jim has been my favorite guitar player and songwriting ever since I discovered him.
Stuff like The road goes on forever, island in the stream and at fates hand just knock me on my ass emotionally. And that just naming a few.
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Mora:
I'm a HUUUUGE KM fan. I've been a Patreon contributor since he started that (only artist I support in Patreon) and have most of his CD rarities (signed copies of Shine), a radio show he did (can't remember the details..), etc. My personal favorite is Dead Air for Radios and OSI (my favorite is their last record). There is a lot of cool stuff in the music he is releasing at Patreon.
Love all of these, too :heart it makes it so much better that Jim really loves and respects his music. They have one of the coolest musical partnerships ever - when the Patreon demos are rerecorded/mixed/mastered and the album comes out, bet you that Jim will record guitar for some album tracks too,
The more time goes on the more I realize just how much I absolutely adore Jim Matheos as a songwriter and guitarist. I have my preferences, but Fates Warning have been consistently fantastic forever now.
Arch material has some great stuff, but wasn't quite all there yet, and PS wasn't quite fully adapting to Alder yet.
But then you have a string of great albums, including two top tier works in Parallels and A Pleasant Shade of Gray, made all the better by just how different they were. After that I personally love both Disconnected and FWX. Darkness is perhaps a minor step down, but then they return with an album of the year with Theories.
Add to that the fact that the Arch/Matheos discs are amazing and that the first two OSI albums are also two favorites of mine and Jim really is one of my favorite songwriters.
And they are still killer live as well.
Same, man. Jim is so underrated. I think he should be rated as high as Steven Wilson, though he would probably find that amount of attention tiresome. But the elements are all there. An immense string of albums in his main band, longevity, genre versatility in his projects, the attention he gives to minute details like setting up the tracklist and the sound of the albums... he's real.
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The more time goes on the more I realize just how much I absolutely adore Jim Matheos as a songwriter and guitarist. I have my preferences, but Fates Warning have been consistently fantastic forever now.
Arch material has some great stuff, but wasn't quite all there yet, and PS wasn't quite fully adapting to Alder yet.
But then you have a string of great albums, including two top tier works in Parallels and A Pleasant Shade of Gray, made all the better by just how different they were. After that I personally love both Disconnected and FWX. Darkness is perhaps a minor step down, but then they return with an album of the year with Theories.
Add to that the fact that the Arch/Matheos discs are amazing and that the first two OSI albums are also two favorites of mine and Jim really is one of my favorite songwriters.
And they are still killer live as well.
Pretty much my sentiment about Jim. Disconnected, FWX and Theories are my favorite FW albums. Jim has become pretty much my favorite songwriter in the last ten years.
Mora: Personally, I think Jim tops Steven. That's a personal preference but Steven's best output has been HCE but his other solo offerings have been a bit underwhelming. With Porcupine Tree, imo, he had more "music palette" to choose from and again, my thoughts, made him a better writer.
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Mora:
I'm a HUUUUGE KM fan. I've been a Patreon contributor since he started that (only artist I support in Patreon) and have most of his CD rarities (signed copies of Shine), a radio show he did (can't remember the details..), etc. My personal favorite is Dead Air for Radios and OSI (my favorite is their last record). There is a lot of cool stuff in the music he is releasing at Patreon.
The Radio Show is Memory Hole 1. I love that, hearing peoples comments and along with his soundscapes makes some of them more impactful, Why Is It? Is a good one.
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Mora:
I'm a HUUUUGE KM fan. I've been a Patreon contributor since he started that (only artist I support in Patreon) and have most of his CD rarities (signed copies of Shine), a radio show he did (can't remember the details..), etc. My personal favorite is Dead Air for Radios and OSI (my favorite is their last record). There is a lot of cool stuff in the music he is releasing at Patreon.
The Radio Show is Memory Hole 1. I love that, hearing peoples comments and along with his soundscapes makes some of them more impactful, Why Is It? Is a good one.
That's the one. Thanks for the reminder. Jim and Kevin are masters at setting up the mood for a song. That's one of the things I love about them.
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The more time goes on the more I realize just how much I absolutely adore Jim Matheos as a songwriter and guitarist. I have my preferences, but Fates Warning have been consistently fantastic forever now.
Arch material has some great stuff, but wasn't quite all there yet, and PS wasn't quite fully adapting to Alder yet.
But then you have a string of great albums, including two top tier works in Parallels and A Pleasant Shade of Gray, made all the better by just how different they were. After that I personally love both Disconnected and FWX. Darkness is perhaps a minor step down, but then they return with an album of the year with Theories.
. . .
And they are still killer live as well.
This is the great thing about a band like FW (same with DT). Everyone has favorites. I think Disconnected and FWX were the clunkers and that DIADL is significantly better than TOF, But all of the highlighted stuff is so true.
And I'd argue that they're better now than they were in the late 80s. I first saw them tour for Perfect Symmetry, and Ray's voice was REALLY rough. When I met them in the parking lot and Ray was sucking on a cigarette, I knew why. When he quit that and started singing in the sweet spot of his range (rather than shooting so frequently for the top part that he couldn't hit consistently), he became a much better singer (and he was a favorite of mine from the first time I spun No Exit). Jim is a great songwriter and player who has such a unique perspective on things. I wish Frank had stuck around and become more active in writing. I dug Joe, but Joey is really an upgrade, and Bobby is a worthy successor to Mark.
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The more time goes on the more I realize just how much I absolutely adore Jim Matheos as a songwriter and guitarist. I have my preferences, but Fates Warning have been consistently fantastic forever now.
Arch material has some great stuff, but wasn't quite all there yet, and PS wasn't quite fully adapting to Alder yet.
But then you have a string of great albums, including two top tier works in Parallels and A Pleasant Shade of Gray, made all the better by just how different they were. After that I personally love both Disconnected and FWX. Darkness is perhaps a minor step down, but then they return with an album of the year with Theories.
Add to that the fact that the Arch/Matheos discs are amazing and that the first two OSI albums are also two favorites of mine and Jim really is one of my favorite songwriters.
And they are still killer live as well.
All of this. Jim Matheos continues to amaze me. While so many of our favorite bands peak and then hit that steady decline, Fates Warning and all its incarnations continues to blow me away. After all these decades and great past work, Theories of Flight might be their best album. And Arch / Matheos is basically a reincarnation or early FW, only much much better.
Yes Arch is an acquired taste, but I think he’s learned to rein in the oversinging and phrase his vocal lines so that they’re not quite as all over the place as you hear on Awaken the Guardian.
Bobby Jarzombek on drums doesn’t hurt matters either. He works to bring the band into the 21st century. As much as I love Mark Zonder, he was a little .... out there.
For me, this is like the golden age of Fates Warning.
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The more time goes on the more I realize just how much I absolutely adore Jim Matheos as a songwriter and guitarist. I have my preferences, but Fates Warning have been consistently fantastic forever now.
Arch material has some great stuff, but wasn't quite all there yet, and PS wasn't quite fully adapting to Alder yet.
But then you have a string of great albums, including two top tier works in Parallels and A Pleasant Shade of Gray, made all the better by just how different they were. After that I personally love both Disconnected and FWX. Darkness is perhaps a minor step down, but then they return with an album of the year with Theories.
Add to that the fact that the Arch/Matheos discs are amazing and that the first two OSI albums are also two favorites of mine and Jim really is one of my favorite songwriters.
And they are still killer live as well.
All of this. Jim Matheos continues to amaze me. While so many of our favorite bands peak and then hit that steady decline, Fates Warning and all its incarnations continues to blow me away. After all these decades and great past work, Theories of Flight might be their best album. And Arch / Matheos is basically a reincarnation or early FW, only much much better.
Yes Arch is an acquired taste, but I think he’s learned to rein in the oversinging and phrase his vocal lines so that they’re not quite as all over the place as you hear on Awaken the Guardian.
Bobby Jarzombek on drums doesn’t hurt matters either. He works to bring the band into the 21st century. As much as I love Mark Zonder, he was a little .... out there.
For me, this is like the golden age of Fates Warning.
G - I couldn't have said it better. Totally their golden age. And Nick is dead on about Jim.
Bobby brings a more metal vibe to Fates. Which I think in this era, better suits things. Zonder is awesome. But Bobby's playing is both heavy and nuanced. I think Zonder was perfect for the headspace Jim was in, in the late 90s, and early 2000s. But modern Fates has its perfect drummer, who does everything in the catalog justice and then some.
I am really excited for the new Fates record, and I'm glad they went forward with doing one. As an aside, I'm still waiting for Ray's solo album to arrive (did the CD/LP combo pre-order on Laser's Edge), but when I hear Promised Land be mentioned as a sort of vibe of sorts, that got my ears perked up. Can't wait to listen. The first tracks he shared were great.
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*bump*
Fates touring guitarist Mike Abdow has a new album coming out. It is called Heart Signal - https://www.michaelabdow.com/
Crossing my fingers Fates has a new album and tour ready to roll in the fall. :metal
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Just doing some cross thread promotion for The Riot Discography & Listening Party Thread:
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=54957.0
For fans of Bobby Jarzombek, we will begin his tenure with the band on Monday with Thundersteel (https://open.spotify.com/album/0zmiGhL8QcuAY5cbet7XbM?si=5lo2vr5mSPyzYvoPvX69LA)
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I've always considered Disconnected a classic.
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Joey posted in his FB that he finished the Armored Saint record and he is going to start recordingbass tracks for the new FW record. Stoked!
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I've always considered Disconnected a classic.
Agreed. I think it even outdoes APSOG.
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I've always considered Disconnected a classic.
Agreed. I think it even outdoes APSOG.
For me, it easily does. I love APSOG, but I think Disconnected just has overall better songs in "Still Remains" and "One" in particular. It's a bit more accessible, but still totally progressive at the same time.
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I've always considered Disconnected a classic.
I've always considered Disconnected an EP.
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I've always considered Disconnected a classic.
Agreed. I think it even outdoes APSOG.
For me, it easily does. I love APSOG, but I think Disconnected just has overall better songs in "Still Remains" and "One" in particular. It's a bit more accessible, but still totally progressive at the same time.
A late grower for me was Something from Nothing. The slow build up of atmosphere in that song is one of the most amazing things JM has ever done. There's so many little things happening in that buildup. It has to be played at full volume to be fully appreciated. It's something you can deeply immerse yourself in.
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I've always considered Disconnected a classic.
I've always considered Disconnected an EP.
Please not again Tim.
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I've always considered Disconnected a classic.
Agreed. I think it even outdoes APSOG.
For me, it easily does. I love APSOG, but I think Disconnected just has overall better songs in "Still Remains" and "One" in particular. It's a bit more accessible, but still totally progressive at the same time.
A late grower for me was Something from Nothing. The slow build up of atmosphere in that song is one of the most amazing things JM has ever done. There's so many little things happening in that buildup. It has to be played at full volume to be fully appreciated. It's something you can deeply immerse yourself in.
The whole album was a massive grower for me. But the whole thing is just bloody brilliant.
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I've always considered Disconnected a classic.
I've always considered Disconnected an EP.
Please not again Tim.
Yeah dude, we're "so tired" of this. ;)
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Oh have we had this discussion before?
I like Disconnected. Just feels a bit short.
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The only nice thing I can say about Disconnected is that it's better than FWX.
Even when you exclude the completely pointless two parts of "Disconnected," it's 44 minutes long. Short for a CD-era album but not really an EP.
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Disconnected is amazing. When I rank the FW catalog, I often have a hard time not ranking it #2 behind APSOG.
Still Remains alone makes it a staple; it's probably the greatest piece Jim ever composed.
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The only nice thing I can say about Disconnected is that it's better than FWX.
Even when you exclude the completely pointless two parts of "Disconnected," it's 44 minutes long. Short for a CD-era album but not really an EP.
Oh man, I LOVE Disconnected Part 2!!! Again...totally about building atmosphere. Must be cranked up to be fully appreciated. Playing that song is like the same feeling I get when my subwoofers are cranked up for the T-Rex scene in Jurassic Park...but like, sustain that feeling for 6 minutes.
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The only nice thing I can say about Disconnected is that it's better than FWX.
Even when you exclude the completely pointless two parts of "Disconnected," it's 44 minutes long. Short for a CD-era album but not really an EP.
Oh man, I LOVE Disconnected Part 2!!! Again...totally about building atmosphere. Must be cranked up to be fully appreciated. Playing that song is like the same feeling I get when my subwoofers are cranked up for the T-Rex scene in Jurassic Park...but like, sustain that feeling for 6 minutes.
That's the only way to really feel that atmosphere. A good Subwoofer makes Disconnected PT.2 hit you hard.
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A late grower for me was Something from Nothing. The slow build up of atmosphere in that song is one of the most amazing things JM has ever done. There's so many little things happening in that buildup. It has to be played at full volume to be fully appreciated. It's something you can deeply immerse yourself in.
YES! Glad someone else shares that same thought about that particular song. Incredible piece of work.
Also agree with you and Ben on D pt. 2! TURN IT UP.
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Oh have we had this discussion before?
I like Disconnected. Just feels a bit short.
Yeah, you've mentioned it before haha.
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If I ranked albums post-Parallels (sorry I can't even rank all of the Ray era together, let alone all of them, these albums are so different), for me it goes like this:
Disconnected
APSOG
Parallels
Theories of Flight (sometimes above Parallels)
Inside Out
FWX
Darkness in a different light
I'm sorry, I like Kevin Moore too much not to put the album most clearly influenced by him on the top. He played on APSOG, yes, and it was incredible. But Disconnected has his playing and just that bit of something extra.
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Mine would be
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
APSOG
Parallels
DIADL
FWX
Pretty funny because 2 of my top 5 songs are from FWX (Wish) and DIADL (Falling Further).
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Mine would be
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
APSOG
Parallels
DIADL
FWX
Pretty funny because 2 of my top 5 songs are from FWX (Wish) and DIADL (Falling Further).
That would be my list as well. Though my favorites from FWX would be Crawl and Left Here.
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Ben -- your post-Parallels list includes Parallels? :lol
Mine (POST-Parallels - heh) would go:
Theories of Flight
Disconnected
APSOG
Darkness in a Different Light
FWX
Inside Out
Don't get me wrong, I love them all, but if forced to list em, it probably goes like that.
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Ben -- your post-Parallels list includes Parallels? :lol
Mine (POST-Parallels - heh) would go:
Theories of Flight
Disconnected
APSOG
Darkness in a Different Light
FWX
Inside Out
Don't get me wrong, I love them all, but if forced to list em, it probably goes like that.
Haha. That's funny, was going off of Mora's post. Just take it out and that's mine.
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Theories of Flight/Parallels
Inside Out
the rest
I am a fan of the more immediate/melodic side of FW. The 3 at the top - all rated in the mid-high 90's - are among my favourite metal releases ever (and I also love No Exit and Perfect Symmetry) but I never really "connected" with most of the rest. My highest rated of the rest would be Disconnected (80%) and then the rest somewhere in the low-mid 70's..............I would prefer to listen to Ray's recent solo album than those FW releases.
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If I ranked albums post-Parallels. . . .
This is pretty easy.
1. APSOG
2. Inside Out
3. DIADL (IO and DIADL are VERY close)
4. TOF
It's then a LONG way down...
5. Disconnected
6. FWX
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Parallels
Inside Out
I am a fan of the more immediate/melodic side of FW.
I agree, Brent. They have played many styles, but they truly excelled with these two albums, which is weird, because that's usually a backwards argument from me.
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APSOG
A Twist of Fate
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
Winter Ethereal
Sympathetic Resonance
FWX
Inside Out
Darkness in a Different Light
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Parallels
Inside Out
Theories of Flight
Disconnected
FWX
APSOG
DIADL
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Disconnected
Parallels
APSOG
Theories of Flight
FWX
DIADL
Inside Out
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Ray on twitter
https://twitter.com/realrayalder/status/1260523950725115904
It’s official, the vocals for Fates Warning’s 13th album are done. 13 songs in 12 days. It was quite the adventure. I’ll tell you about it sometime... @fateswarning @joey_vera @bjarzombek
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Ray on twitter
https://twitter.com/realrayalder/status/1260523950725115904
It’s official, the vocals for Fates Warning’s 13th album are done. 13 songs in 12 days. It was quite the adventure. I’ll tell you about it sometime... @fateswarning @joey_vera @bjarzombek
(https://46.media.tumblr.com/3d287ba5bc8d5739112ca79cc6802899/tumblr_n2duhhXaGF1qdpt7fo1_r2_400.gif)
Seriously...can't wait!
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Ray on twitter
https://twitter.com/realrayalder/status/1260523950725115904
It’s official, the vocals for Fates Warning’s 13th album are done. 13 songs in 12 days. It was quite the adventure. I’ll tell you about it sometime... @fateswarning @joey_vera @bjarzombek
Oh wow, that's a nice surprise. Can't wait
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Suh-weeeeeet!!!!
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Yay!
13 songs, all with vocals, seems like quite a lot. Especially for a band with ones averaging 5+ minutes. But I'll take it!
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Yay!
13 songs, all with vocals, seems like quite a lot. Especially for a band with ones averaging 5+ minutes. But I'll take it!
May include a bonus track or two perhaps?
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Yeah, it'll probably be a 2-disc fare that's been typical of Inside Out Music lately.
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Yeah, it'll probably be a 2-disc fare that's been typical of Inside Out Music lately.
Fates went back to Metal Blade. Super stoked for this album. Curious if they will switch it up a bit. Bobby J contributed to a couple of songs according to his FB post.
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Metal Blade.....interesting.
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Very excited.
My guess on the 13 songs is, perhaps they have a few more rippers that are 3:30-4 minutes, and maybe a couple of real long tracks.
Regardless, I'm really looking forward to this. Three of my favorite bands, Fates Warning, Armored Saint, Unleash the Archers all coming out with new music this year (hopefully, if the dates don't get pushed into 2021 because of all this COVID stuff).
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Very excited.
My guess on the 13 songs is, perhaps they have a few more rippers that are 3:30-4 minutes, and maybe a couple of real long tracks.
Yes. But it seems like Fates likes to switch their sound a bit every 2 albums. So we'll see what they will come out with. I'm expecting it to be a bit more diverse and less balls to the walls like Theories was (so far it's my favorite FW album).
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I'm curious what everyone would rank as their favorite Fates song (or top 5 songs if you can't pick just one) of the 21st Century (i.e., Diconnected, FWX, DIADL and TOF).
For me it's And Yet It Moves, and it isn't close.
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Still Remains
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Still Remains
This
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Still Remains, but The Light and Shade of Things is very very very close to overtaking it. It's insane how they keep putting out these songs so late in their career. Don't know any band that does that.
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I don't know that I really have one favorite Fates Warning song. Still Remains and Light and Shade are up there though.
Very happy about the new album news. :)
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Light and Shade would easily get my pick for best Fates song of the 21st century
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Light and Shade would easily get my pick for best Fates song of the 21st century
Yep, I agree 100%. Amazing song.
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Light and Shade is a close 2nd for me as well.
Although I would put both Relentless and Cheyenne above it still.
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Light and Shade is a close 2nd for me as well.
Although I would put both Relentless and Cheyenne above it still.
What are Relentless and Cheyenne?
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Light and Shade is a close 2nd for me as well.
Although I would put both Relentless and Cheyenne above it still.
What are Relentless and Cheyenne?
From the John Arch EP with Jim Matheos and Mike Portnoy. This was released a few years before the Arch Matheos "Sympathetic Resonance" album. You should definitely check it out. Portnoy's drumming is jaw-dropping on Relentless.
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Hard for me to pick one. "Still Remains" is probably it. But I have to admit that "A Handful of Doubt" and "One Thousand Fires" are up there. It's funny, I love "The Light and Shade of Things." But the one thing that knocks it down a little for me is the chorus. I don't care for the cadence of it.
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Light and Shade is a close 2nd for me as well.
Although I would put both Relentless and Cheyenne above it still.
What are Relentless and Cheyenne?
From the John Arch EP with Jim Matheos and Mike Portnoy. This was released a few years before the Arch Matheos "Sympathetic Resonance" album. You should definitely check it out. Portnoy's drumming is jaw-dropping on Relentless.
Thanks. I've heard the songs, although I don't remember them. Couldn't hang with Arch's singing.
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Light and Shade would easily get my pick for best Fates song of the 21st century
Yep, I agree 100%. Amazing song.
If I’d made it one round further in Indi’s roulette, this was gonna be my submission. It’s my fave FW song
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Hard for me to pick one. "Still Remains" is probably it. But I have to admit that "A Handful of Doubt" and "One Thousand Fires" are up there. It's funny, I love "The Light and Shade of Things." But the one thing that knocks it down a little for me is the chorus. I don't care for the cadence of it.
Ironically the chorus, or at least the second half of it, is a huge part of what makes me adore TLASOT so much. It's one of Ray's most inspired vocal melodies ever IMO. The whole song is masterful though. :metal
Very excited.
My guess on the 13 songs is, perhaps they have a few more rippers that are 3:30-4 minutes, and maybe a couple of real long tracks.
Yes. But it seems like Fates likes to switch their sound a bit every 2 albums. So we'll see what they will come out with. I'm expecting it to be a bit more diverse and less balls to the walls like Theories was (so far it's my favorite FW album).
Yeah, I'm very curious to find out what sort of direction the band goes in with this album. I'm trying to temper my expectations a bit after being head over heels for Theories. :lol
That said, I really hope they let Michael Abdow write a song or two on the album, or at least contribute more solos this time around. I love Frank Aresti, but at this point, I think Michael's more than earned his place in the band's lineup and his solo in White Flag was monstrously great.
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I'm trying to temper my expectations a bit after being head over heels for Theories. :lol
Same. Like, no way they could beat Theories of Flight, right? Except, what if they could? :lol
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I'm trying to temper my expectations a bit after being head over heels for Theories. :lol
Same. Like, no way they could beat Theories of Flight, right? Except, what if they could? :lol
My thoughts exactly. I'm mostly curious how Ray will sound on this one, because while he was alright on DiaDL and Redemption's The Art of Loss, he was beyond terrific on Theories.
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He sounded like fifteen years were taken off his voice, it was insane. Interviewers asked about it even! If he's back to "normal" I don't mind, but I hope he connects to the material in the same way as he did on Theories.
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Hard for me to pick one. "Still Remains" is probably it. But I have to admit that "A Handful of Doubt" and "One Thousand Fires" are up there. It's funny, I love "The Light and Shade of Things." But the one thing that knocks it down a little for me is the chorus. I don't care for the cadence of it.
Ironically the chorus, or at least the second half of it, is a huge part of what makes me adore TLASOT so much. It's one of Ray's most inspired vocal melodies ever IMO. The whole song is masterful though. :metal
Very excited.
My guess on the 13 songs is, perhaps they have a few more rippers that are 3:30-4 minutes, and maybe a couple of real long tracks.
Yes. But it seems like Fates likes to switch their sound a bit every 2 albums. So we'll see what they will come out with. I'm expecting it to be a bit more diverse and less balls to the walls like Theories was (so far it's my favorite FW album).
Yeah, I'm very curious to find out what sort of direction the band goes in with this album. I'm trying to temper my expectations a bit after being head over heels for Theories. :lol
That said, I really hope they let Michael Abdow write a song or two on the album, or at least contribute more solos this time around. I love Frank Aresti, but at this point, I think Michael's more than earned his place in the band's lineup and his solo in White Flag was monstrously great.
I hope Michael does get a couple more solo spots, but I hope Frank still does a couple of guest solos too. Frank's guitar playing is still an important part to Fates Warning IMO and I hope he still has at least a couple of solos.
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I'm trying to temper my expectations a bit after being head over heels for Theories. :lol
Same. Like, no way they could beat Theories of Flight, right? Except, what if they could? :lol
My thoughts exactly. I'm mostly curious how Ray will sound on this one, because while he was alright on DiaDL and Redemption's The Art of Loss, he was beyond terrific on Theories.
Both DiaDL and AoL did nothing for me - musically and vocally. Maybe I need to revisit them each, but upon release, nothing clicked for me from either.
:dunno:
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As I said before, I really like AoL. It aged really well and it's one of my favourite Redemption albums now.
DiaDL I don't really care about. My favourite song from it is Falling. :lol
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DiaDL I don't really care about. My favourite song from it is Falling. :lol
:lol I really don't care for that album either. It was the first album they published after I'd become a fan, and the disappointment was there.
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DiaDL I don't really care about. My favourite song from it is Falling. :lol
:lol I really don't care for that album either. It was the first album they published after I'd become a fan, and the disappointment was there.
These two comments made me revisit this album in my morning commute to work. Blasphemy! It's a solid album, not their greatest but a solid comeback record after a few years without releasing anything. Falling Further (bonus song) is a great nod to the Parallels era. And Yet It Moves and O chloroform (Kevin Moore wrote lyrics) are stunning pieces of music and the highlights of this album for me. One Thousand Fires and Firefly are a great 1-2 opening combo.
If you guys have access to the 2nd disc, please do the playlist like the one below. Falling (the short version) is an album killer for me (not sure what the purpose was) but it works as a great intro to Falling Further. The middle section of Firefly (extended) is kick ass too. This playlist makes, at least for me, a much more enjoyable album.
-One Thousand
-Firefly (Extended)
-Desire
-Falling
-Falling Further
-I Am
-Lighthouse
-Into the Black
-Kneel and Obey
-O chloroform
-And yet it moves
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I really like Darkness in a Different Light. Not as much as Theories of Flight, but I think it's a great album. One Thousand Fires is indeed a great opener. I remember they opened some shows with it too and it really set the tone for a great show.
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I still like Darkness in a Different Light a lot, it was a solid comeback album. But I think it does feel like the band was sort of... half-awake? Compare it to Arch-Matheos' Sympathetic Resonance before it and Theories of Flight after, and you hear two albums that have the band ON FIRE. It's a more than capable entry to the catalogue on its own right, it's just unfortunately bookended by two of the best Fate-related albums to come out ever. :lol
I hope Michael does get a couple more solo spots, but I hope Frank still does a couple of guest solos too. Frank's guitar playing is still an important part to Fates Warning IMO and I hope he still has at least a couple of solos.
I'm not at all worried about Frank not getting a couple of guest solos. I think he'll always have some solos to contribute to a new Fates album. :lol
My point is more to do with Michael getting to contribute to the band more musically along with solos. Michael did a terrific job writing music for Ray's solo album last year and his own original instrumental work has been really intriguing too. I think there's a ton of potential for Michael to be able to help contribute to the band as a songwriter alongside Jim and everyone else.
My thoughts exactly. I'm mostly curious how Ray will sound on this one, because while he was alright on DiaDL and Redemption's The Art of Loss, he was beyond terrific on Theories.
He sounded like fifteen years were taken off his voice, it was insane. Interviewers asked about it even! If he's back to "normal" I don't mind, but I hope he connects to the material in the same way as he did on Theories.
Honestly, I'm not too worried about Ray for the album. He's been on a hot streak since Theories, with his epic performances on Live Over Europe in 2018 and his solo album late last year. I think he's finally figured out how best to use his older, weathered vocal range after having to get a feel for it out a bit on DiADL/AOL.
I'm more just curious to see where the hell the band goes next musically, because it does seem likely they'll veer into a different direction with this album. Because as much as we've talked about Theories of Flight and DiADL being heavier albums, I remember Ray talking a lot about how they wrote those albums to be more melodic akin to Parallels. :lol
So what, do they try to do something similar to A Pleasant Shade of Gray or Disconnected again?
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I still like Darkness in a Different Light a lot, it was a solid comeback album. But I think it does feel like the band was sort of... half-awake? Compare it to Arch-Matheos' Sympathetic Resonance before it and Theories of Flight after, and you hear two albums that have the band ON FIRE. It's a more than capable entry to the catalogue on its own right, it's just unfortunately bookended by two of the best Fate-related albums to come out ever. :lol
If IIRC, Sympathetic Resonance was originally going to be a Fates Warning album but Ray didn't like the music (or wasn't feeling it, I believe that's what Ray said). So Jim used the music for the Arch/Matheos project. That's why Darkness feels a bit "off" from the style of Sympathetic Resonance , but Theories, stylistically is very similar to SA (except for the shorter songs).
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I'm trying to temper my expectations a bit after being head over heels for Theories. :lol
Same. Like, no way they could beat Theories of Flight, right? Except, what if they could? :lol
I know I'm in the minority, but I thought TOF was a couple steps down from DIADL. I Am, Falling Further, Into the Black and An Yet It Moves are some of the best songs FW has ever done.
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I still like Darkness in a Different Light a lot, it was a solid comeback album. But I think it does feel like the band was sort of... half-awake? Compare it to Arch-Matheos' Sympathetic Resonance before it and Theories of Flight after, and you hear two albums that have the band ON FIRE. It's a more than capable entry to the catalogue on its own right, it's just unfortunately bookended by two of the best Fate-related albums to come out ever. :lol
If IIRC, Sympathetic Resonance was originally going to be a Fates Warning album but Ray didn't like the music (or wasn't feeling it, I believe that's what Ray said). So Jim used the music for the Arch/Matheos project. That's why Darkness feels a bit "off" from the style of Sympathetic Resonance , but Theories, stylistically is very similar to SA (except for the shorter songs).
It's not really style for me. I'd say all three are pretty similar overall, even if SR is very much populated by longer epics. I just think the band doesn't sound quite as alive on Darkness as they do on SR or Theories. Might have something to do with Darkness' production. It's not a bad sounding album, but it's a bit of a step down from either of the other two albums.
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It's not really style for me. I'd say all three are pretty similar overall, even if SR is very much populated by longer epics. I just think the band doesn't sound quite as alive on Darkness as they do on SR or Theories. Might have something to do with Darkness' production. It's not a bad sounding album, but it's a bit of a step down from either of the other two albums.
Darkness sounds a bit dirtier, grungier, and raw to my ears. Not the music, but the sound itself. That's why I like Darkness. Now Theories, I like the heavyness, the memorable choruses, etc. It's almost a perfect album.
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It's not really style for me. I'd say all three are pretty similar overall, even if SR is very much populated by longer epics. I just think the band doesn't sound quite as alive on Darkness as they do on SR or Theories. Might have something to do with Darkness' production. It's not a bad sounding album, but it's a bit of a step down from either of the other two albums.
Darkness sounds a bit dirtier, grungier, and raw to my ears. Not the music, but the sound itself. That's why I like Darkness. Now Theories, I like the heavyness, the memorable choruses, etc. It's almost a perfect album.
Yeah, I struggle to think of much of any particularly notable criticisms towards Theories. That album was astonishingly great from start to finish IMO.
Darkness, I dunno if I'd describe the production as "grungier." Muddier, for sure. I typically prefer listening to the Live over Europe variants of Firefly and And Yet It Moves personally.
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Interesting thoughts on Darkness in a Different Light.
I don't recall Ray or Jim saying Sympathetic Resonance was going to be a Fates record. I think I remember a couple of SONGS were supposed to be Fates songs, but Ray wasn't connecting with them. I think that's a big difference. But again, I could be wrong. I just remember that, that way.
For me, aside from a few songs, Darkness hasn't aged particularly well. I think "One Thousand Fires" and "Firefly" are incredible songs -- but the extended version of the latter. In addition, I really dug "Falling Further" and think the band made a mistake just doing a short acoustic version of it as "Falling" on the album proper. In fact, in iTunes, I have deleted the album cuts of Firefly and Falling, and replaced them with the original versions of each (extended, and full electric, respectively) and it sits much better for me.
Don't get me wrong, I LIKE "And Yet it Moves," but I have to say, if you made me pick two songs from the DIADL sessions to represent the album, I'm going with "One Thousand Fires" and "Firefly" (extended) easily.
A couple of tours ago, Fates' first run in support of Theories (right before they went to Europe to record the live record), I was at soundcheck, and it was an incredible treat to see "And Yet it Moves" being done. Ray was funny -- he had to pull up the lyrics on his phone. :lol It was such a treat to see that tune performed before they actually did it for "real" in Europe. I recorded it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=203YJniZDXY
Regarding the "grungy" comment -- I don't hear that. But I will say I really like Jens Bogren's mix on Theories. I hope they use him again (he did the live record too).
Really excited for new Fates. I found Theories of Flight to be an absolute gem on first listen, and it hasn't changed. I always say this album is sort of the record that took every element of what Fates has done in the past, put it in a blender, and presented it in a new, fresh way. And that is meant as a complete compliment. I don't hear any huge risks or departures for Fates on it, but instead they honed in on what they do best, and delivered what I consider one of their finest albums.
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Interesting thoughts on Darkness in a Different Light.
I don't recall Ray or Jim saying Sympathetic Resonance was going to be a Fates record. I think I remember a couple of SONGS were supposed to be Fates songs, but Ray wasn't connecting with them. I think that's a big difference. But again, I could be wrong. I just remember that, that way.
If memory serves me right, Jim wrote two of the big epics on SR and showed them to Ray with the intent for them to be the starting point of the new Fates album, but Ray wasn't clicking with the songs. So Jim took the songs to John and that wound up snowballing into the rest of SR happening. So basically I'd wager that had Ray clicked with the songs, the overall musical direction of that Fates album would've still been very akin to what we got with Sympathetic Resonance.
For me, aside from a few songs, Darkness hasn't aged particularly well. I think "One Thousand Fires" and "Firefly" are incredible songs -- but the extended version of the latter. In addition, I really dug "Falling Further" and think the band made a mistake just doing a short acoustic version of it as "Falling" on the album proper. In fact, in iTunes, I have deleted the album cuts of Firefly and Falling, and replaced them with the original versions of each (extended, and full electric, respectively) and it sits much better for me.
Don't get me wrong, I LIKE "And Yet it Moves," but I have to say, if you made me pick two songs from the DIADL sessions to represent the album, I'm going with "One Thousand Fires" and "Firefly" (extended) easily.
Actually I can't listen to the original cuts of Firefly on DIADL. I always go to either the acoustic version on Theories or the version on Live Over Europe. Ray's voice just wasn't as strong on the original versions of Firefly as it's been from 2016 onward, so Firefly is actually one of the weaker songs off of DIADL for me.
I'd say the highlights on DIADL are One Thousand Fires, Into the Black and Falling Further.
Regarding the "grungy" comment -- I don't hear that. But I will say I really like Jens Bogren's mix on Theories. I hope they use him again (he did the live record too).
Really excited for new Fates. I found Theories of Flight to be an absolute gem on first listen, and it hasn't changed. I always say this album is sort of the record that took every element of what Fates has done in the past, put it in a blender, and presented it in a new, fresh way. And that is meant as a complete compliment. I don't hear any huge risks or departures for Fates on it, but instead they honed in on what they do best, and delivered what I consider one of their finest albums.
Yeah, I'd either want Jens Bogren or whoever mixed Ray's solo album to mix the new album. Theories, Live Over Europe and What The Water Wants all sound terrific mix wise IMO.
And I agree. At this point, Theories of Flight is easily one of the best starting points to get into the band IMO. Especially for a younger listener that's maybe not as used to the sound of those older 80's/90's albums. Theories is a perfect 'modern' Fates album, both musically and sonically.
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I'm trying to temper my expectations a bit after being head over heels for Theories. :lol
Same. Like, no way they could beat Theories of Flight, right? Except, what if they could? :lol
I know I'm in the minority, but I thought TOF was a couple steps down from DIADL. I Am, Falling Further, Into the Black and An Yet It Moves are some of the best songs FW has ever done.
I'm with you. I LOVE Darkness. I was disappointed by Theories. Darkness just grabbed me and held on for some time. Theories didn't grab me at all.
As for manipulating the tracklist, I did that as well. With Falling and Falling Further, I ripped them as WAV files and used software to merge them into one seamless track. I also replaced Firefly with the extended version.
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Ironically the chorus, or at least the second half of it, is a huge part of what makes me adore TLASOT so much. It's one of Ray's most inspired vocal melodies ever IMO. The whole song is masterful though.
I agree completely. The chorus for The Light and Shade of Things is the single most satisfying Ray performance on the entire record. His vocals are excellent and the melody is strong and confident throughout.
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Darkness is an amazing record. Truthfully, all of theirs are amazing. I even love FWX. It was fun seeing them with DT and QR supporting FWX and Nick D'Virglio was behind the kit. I yelled "Hey Nick!" when he took the stage and he acted surprised anybody even knew him. That was a dream bill.
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I agree completely. The chorus for The Light and Shade of Things is the single most satisfying Ray performance on the entire record. His vocals are excellent and the melody is strong and confident throughout.
Yeah. It does seem like Ray struggles a bit in doing that part of the song live, but on the original studio version? Genuinely one of my favorite vocal melodies ever.
Darkness is an amazing record. Truthfully, all of theirs are amazing. I even love FWX. It was fun seeing them with DT and QR supporting FWX and Nick D'Virglio was behind the kit. I yelled "Hey Nick!" when he took the stage and he acted surprised anybody even knew him. That was a dream bill.
Honestly I think Fates Warning have easily been one of the most consistent bands in metal history. Aside from Night on Brocken, there's not a Fates album out there that I don't like or outright love at this point. Some are a wee bit weaker than others (i.e. Darkness, FWX), but even most of their 'weaker' albums are better than a lot of other bands' best albums.
It's the biggest difference to me that Fates have over Dream Theater and Queensryche. Fates Warning never hit the same commercial successes or were as consistent in putting albums out on a regular basis, but they've never had the same obvious creative lulls or missteps as their contemporaries.
I'm with you. I LOVE Darkness. I was disappointed by Theories. Darkness just grabbed me and held on for some time. Theories didn't grab me at all.
As for manipulating the tracklist, I did that as well. With Falling and Falling Further, I ripped them as WAV files and used software to merge them into one seamless track. I also replaced Firefly with the extended version.
See, while I respect your opinion and absolutely understand that music is subjective, I have no clue how someone would go from adoring Darkness and then walking away from Theories disappointed. I can maybe get closer to understanding someone preferring Darkness over Theories... but they're very similar albums musically? Theories just happens to sound more polished and absolutely has the superior vocal performance from Ray over Darkness though.
I hope I'm not being rude here! I genuinely would love to have a better understanding why Theories didn't gel with you the same way Darkness did.
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I still and probably always will contend of the more song-oriented releases they've put out from the last couple decades
FWX works
Darkness does not work nearly as well.
some people enjoy Darkness, but I don't understand where and what happened to the love for FWX? when it came out, a lot of fans LOVED it like myself. Many even found it better than Disconnected and/or APSOG. I remember some comments saying it was their best album since Inside Out and/or Parallels.
But now? it seems to be the forgotten record. I think it's filled with good songs, much like Parallels or Perfect Symmetry in some ways.
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FWX is one of my favorite Fates records. I love that album.
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I love FWX! The Wish guitar solo is a classic for me and an all-time favorite of mine.
Maybe my "grungier" description was not accurate. It just sounds more raw, aggressive, but I guess they did play songs a bit down tuned. Maybe that's why for me it sounds like that.
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I still and probably always will contend of the more song-oriented releases they've put out from the last couple decades
FWX works
Darkness does not work nearly as well.
some people enjoy Darkness, but I don't understand where and what happened to the love for FWX? when it came out, a lot of fans LOVED it like myself. Many even found it better than Disconnected and/or APSOG. I remember some comments saying it was their best album since Inside Out and/or Parallels.
But now? it seems to be the forgotten record. I think it's filled with good songs, much like Parallels or Perfect Symmetry in some ways.
I never saw that at all. FWX has a few people that swear by it, but most of the feedback that I saw was similar to mine.....meh.
Left Here is amazing, and there are 3-4 other really good songs, but it's a pretty lifeless record. I actually would compare it with I/O in that it's firmly in the "good but not great" category. Not bad. Decent. OK. Those are the descriptors I use for albums like FWX, I/O, and even DiaDL for that matter. A few spectacular moments, and then a handful of OK stuff and then one or two duds.
Maybe it's time for a new ranking.
1. Disconnected
2. A Pleasant Shade of Gray
3. Theories of Flight
4. Perfect Symmetry
5. Awaken the Guardian
6. Parallels
7. No Exit
8. The Spectre Within
9. Darkness in a Different Light
10. FWX
11. Inside Out
12. Night on Brocken
And I actually still kinda like Night on Brocken, but I don't pull it out very often. I just played it a lot back when the Arch albums were the only three they had. I still remember reading the news that Arch was gone and thinking there was no way they were ever going to be able to replace him. Then No Exit came out. It was one of the first CDs I ever bought. I was really blown away at first. The only reason it slid down the list a bit is because it hasn't aged as well as some of the others. But the top 8 albums are all fantastic, and other than a couple of hiccups, they are almost perfect albums. 9-11 were almost random. I honestly had an extremely difficult time trying to figure out what order to put them in. They are good, and I do spin them once in awhile, but they are "also ran" albums. NoB is a bunch of kids trying to imitate Iron Maiden and doing a passing job of it, but it's admittedly a very flawed record. But Damnation, Kiss of Death, Misfit, and Soldier Boy are decent songs. And if you put the record on, you'll probably find me headbanging to the rest of it too.
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some people enjoy Darkness, but I don't understand where and what happened to the love for FWX? when it came out, a lot of fans LOVED it like myself. Many even found it better than Disconnected and/or APSOG. I remember some comments saying it was their best album since Inside Out and/or Parallels.
But now? it seems to be the forgotten record. I think it's filled with good songs, much like Parallels or Perfect Symmetry in some ways.
I've never heard anyone express strong, positive feelings for FWX. When I first got it, nothing at all grabbed me, and it was mostly forgotten until they performed Another Perfect Day on the DIADL tour. The rest of the album is bland AF and ranks second only to Brocken at the bottom of my FW album ranking.
DIADL, on the other hand, has one epic song (AYIM), three great songs (Further, I Am and Black) and a bunch of good to very good songs. There's nothing on TOF that even comes close to AYIM, and I probably prefer it to any individual piece on APSOG.
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I still and probably always will contend of the more song-oriented releases they've put out from the last couple decades
FWX works
Darkness does not work nearly as well.
some people enjoy Darkness, but I don't understand where and what happened to the love for FWX? when it came out, a lot of fans LOVED it like myself. Many even found it better than Disconnected and/or APSOG. I remember some comments saying it was their best album since Inside Out and/or Parallels.
But now? it seems to be the forgotten record. I think it's filled with good songs, much like Parallels or Perfect Symmetry in some ways.
I never saw that at all. FWX has a few people that swear by it, but most of the feedback that I saw was similar to mine.....meh.
Left Here is amazing, and there are 3-4 other really good songs, but it's a pretty lifeless record. I actually would compare it with I/O in that it's firmly in the "good but not great" category. Not bad. Decent. OK. Those are the descriptors I use for albums like FWX, I/O, and even DiaDL for that matter. A few spectacular moments, and then a handful of OK stuff and then one or two duds.
Maybe it's time for a new ranking.
1. Disconnected
2. A Pleasant Shade of Gray
3. Theories of Flight
4. Perfect Symmetry
5. Awaken the Guardian
6. Parallels
7. No Exit
8. The Spectre Within
9. Darkness in a Different Light
10. FWX
11. Inside Out
12. Night on Brocken
And I actually still kinda like Night on Brocken, but I don't pull it out very often. I just played it a lot back when the Arch albums were the only three they had. I still remember reading the news that Arch was gone and thinking there was no way they were ever going to be able to replace him. Then No Exit came out. It was one of the first CDs I ever bought. I was really blown away at first. The only reason it slid down the list a bit is because it hasn't aged as well as some of the others. But the top 8 albums are all fantastic, and other than a couple of hiccups, they are almost perfect albums. 9-11 were almost random. I honestly had an extremely difficult time trying to figure out what order to put them in. They are good, and I do spin them once in awhile, but they are "also ran" albums. NoB is a bunch of kids trying to imitate Iron Maiden and doing a passing job of it, but it's admittedly a very flawed record. But Damnation, Kiss of Death, Misfit, and Soldier Boy are decent songs. And if you put the record on, you'll probably find me headbanging to the rest of it too.
Honestly I don't even hate NoB. It's just wayyyyyy out of the league of the rest of the band's discography. Like you said, it's an album of a bunch of youngin's trying to sound like Iron Maiden. Not bad, but not nearly indicative of what was to come.
I'll have to sit down sometime soon and really think over what my exact rankings for Fate's discography is now. I will say that the best place for most people to start now is hands down Live Over Europe. That right there is an live album on par with the likes of Alive in Athens or Live After Death/Rock In Rio. It's a massive lexicon of highlights over the entire Ray Alder era in a more unified sound to match where the band is now.
DIADL, on the other hand, has one epic song (AYIM), three great songs (Further, I Am and Black) and a bunch of good to very good songs. There's nothing on TOF that even comes close to AYIM, and I probably prefer it to any individual piece on APSOG.
I love And Yet It Moves, but there's at least two or three tracks on TOF I'd rank over it (From the Rooftops, The Light & Shade of Things, White Flag). I'd probably say And Yet It Moves is comparable to The Ghosts of Home for me. Both are stellar epics, but I don't go back to them as often as some of the other more recent material.
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I love And Yet It Moves, but there's at least two or three tracks on TOF I'd rank over it (From the Rooftops, The Light & Shade of Things, White Flag). I'd probably say And Yet It Moves is comparable to The Ghosts of Home for me. Both are stellar epics, but I don't go back to them as often as some of the other more recent material.
This is me. The Ghosts of Home is really good but it's absolutely overshadowed by Light and Shade.
I don't understand where and what happened to the love for FWX? when it came out, a lot of fans LOVED it like myself. Many even found it better than Disconnected and/or APSOG. I remember some comments saying it was their best album since Inside Out and/or Parallels.
But now? it seems to be the forgotten record. I think it's filled with good songs, much like Parallels or Perfect Symmetry in some ways.
I love FWX too! It is definitely not mentioned enough, possibly because it comes at the tail end of a very strong era for Fates and other albums get the mentions, and DIADL on the other end always sparked a lot of discussion in the recent years because it was a comeback album, so FWX just gets the shaft discussion-wise. But it has some extremely cool songs.
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I tried Fates several times in the '90s and early '00s, and they never clicked with me. I liked an odd song here or there, but as as whole, nothing really jumped out at me. Got their hits album right before seeing them on tour with QR and DT, and had pretty much the same reaction I always had.
A friend subsequently made me a copy of FWX to check out, and I really liked it--much more than the previous material. And I was also gaining more exposure to Ray's voice in Redemption, and really liked his work with them on Snowfall and This Mortal Coil. The same friend who gave me the copy of FWX pursuaded me to pick up the special edition re-release of Parallels, and my reaction was similar to when I had previously heard it: A few tracks that I kind of liked, but the album still just didn't grab me.
I bought Darkness and loved it. Bought Theories, and it was my album of the year. LOVE that album.
So, for me, I'm just not a fan of the pre-FWX albums I have heard. Nothing against them. But the newer albums are just what has clicked with me. And I guess I am the anomaly that has FWX as the album that made the band click with me.
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I tried Fates several times in the '90s and early '00s, and they never clicked with me. I liked an odd song here or there, but as as whole, nothing really jumped out at me. Got their hits album right before seeing them on tour with QR and DT, and had pretty much the same reaction I always had.
A friend subsequently made me a copy of FWX to check out, and I really liked it--much more than the previous material. And I was also gaining more exposure to Ray's voice in Redemption, and really liked his work with them on Snowfall and This Mortal Coil. The same friend who gave me the copy of FWX pursuaded me to pick up the special edition re-release of Parallels, and my reaction was similar to when I had previously heard it: A few tracks that I kind of liked, but the album still just didn't grab me.
I bought Darkness and loved it. Bought Theories, and it was my album of the year. LOVE that album.
So, for me, I'm just not a fan of the pre-FWX albums I have heard. Nothing against them. But the newer albums are just what has clicked with me. And I guess I am the anomaly that has FWX as the album that made the band click with me.
Actually, I feel like I should ask; have you listened to Live Over Europe, Bosk? The band does a stellar job cataloguing the whole of the Ray Alder era from start to finish and making them all feel and sound more in line with the modern sound they have now. Hell, I wish the band would re-record all of No Exit with this lineup, because the two tracks they played on that live album sound monstrous there.
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Yeah, I have it, and I really like it. And in that vein, I really like their treatment of the older material. I think the songs I haven't really cared for in the past are elevated quite a bit.
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re: older era (Alder) Fates songs being done now
I totally like what they've done with the No Exit material. I think Ray does what he can do, and makes it sound great by not trying to be the singer that he was. He sings it lower, goes as far up as he can, and really does an excellent job. Silent Cries was good, Acquiescence (I probably botched the spelling) was good too.
Some songs may not work as well, but I think Fates has done a real good job picking things that Ray can sing well that the crowd wants to hear.
I mean, I love the original version of Ivory Gate of Dreams. Just how Ray sang it. But if it still works and sounds good lowered, by all means, I'm glad they did. Some bands and songs it doesn't work (Tesla and "Edison's Medicine" comes to mind). But those bands whose songs do - I'm happy they still play them.
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Acquiescence (I probably botched the spelling)
Nope. You nailed it.
And I completely agree. They've done a great job picking the right songs and adjusting the vocal lines to account for Ray being 30+ years older. I'd WAY rather hear a song that has been thoughtfully re-arranged so that it can be sung on key than a singer try to sing the original arrangement and fail 6+ times out of 10. The key is to work it out ahead of time, which is what Fates seems to have done.
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Me too--and while this may not be "fair," that is especially true in a case like this where I didn't really care for Ray's higher register anyway. I think he sounds fantastic when he is NOT going for that in-the-stratosphere falsetto, but don't like his really high stuff. He may have lost some range, but I feel like his voice has so much more depth, power, and emotion now. Kinda how I feel about Michael Sweet in Stryper.
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Jim Matheos just posted a chart and it's done. Record is off to being mastered (already mixed). Can't wait for this one. Hoping for a fall release.
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re: older era (Alder) Fates songs being done now
I totally like what they've done with the No Exit material. I think Ray does what he can do, and makes it sound great by not trying to be the singer that he was. He sings it lower, goes as far up as he can, and really does an excellent job. Silent Cries was good, Acquiescence (I probably botched the spelling) was good too.
Some songs may not work as well, but I think Fates has done a real good job picking things that Ray can sing well that the crowd wants to hear.
I mean, I love the original version of Ivory Gate of Dreams. Just how Ray sang it. But if it still works and sounds good lowered, by all means, I'm glad they did. Some bands and songs it doesn't work (Tesla and "Edison's Medicine" comes to mind). But those bands whose songs do - I'm happy they still play them.
Yeah, Ray and the band have done a terrific job in figuring out which songs can be adjusted to suit his voice and still sound great live. It's a very impressive situation to see these guys take what would be seen as a concrete negative for most any other band and instead make it into a positive. That's a genuinely impressive skill to have.
Jim Matheos just posted a chart and it's done. Record is off to being mastered (already mixed). Can't wait for this one. Hoping for a fall release.
Late Summer or early Fall would be perfect! Can't wait to hear this! I saw Michael Abdow mention on Instagram awhile back that he'd recorded multiple solos for the Fates album, but I have no clue if he's contributed anything to the songwriting or not. Still I'm excited to hear more of him on the album. :metal
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Finally got round to picking up Live in Europe, got the triple vinyl/2CD set for a steal at $40 Australian, around $27US inc shipping
TBH I wasn't going to bother with it, but the positive feedback in this feed encouraged me.
Going to listen later today and will report back with comments in due course.
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Somebody help me, I'm too psyched for this album.
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Finally got round to picking up Live in Europe, got the triple vinyl/2CD set for a steal at $40 Australian, around $27US inc shipping
TBH I wasn't going to bother with it, but the positive feedback in this feed encouraged me.
Going to listen later today and will report back with comments in due course.
Not sure whether or not this is helpful to you: As someone who is NOT a "general fan of FW" through their entire history, I think this is a fantastic live album. It is hard to image a live package that could be much better for my tastes. The set list itself is really good, and any minor quibbles I have with it are irrelevant, because songs I would not have thought to include are performed so well that I am now a fan of those songs. Pretty much every track is a "must listen" for me, even songs I previously didn't care for or was not even aware of.
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I tried Fates several times in the '90s and early '00s, and they never clicked with me. I liked an odd song here or there, but as as whole, nothing really jumped out at me. Got their hits album right before seeing them on tour with QR and DT, and had pretty much the same reaction I always had.
A friend subsequently made me a copy of FWX to check out, and I really liked it--much more than the previous material. And I was also gaining more exposure to Ray's voice in Redemption, and really liked his work with them on Snowfall and This Mortal Coil. The same friend who gave me the copy of FWX pursuaded me to pick up the special edition re-release of Parallels, and my reaction was similar to when I had previously heard it: A few tracks that I kind of liked, but the album still just didn't grab me.
I bought Darkness and loved it. Bought Theories, and it was my album of the year. LOVE that album.
So, for me, I'm just not a fan of the pre-FWX albums I have heard. Nothing against them. But the newer albums are just what has clicked with me. And I guess I am the anomaly that has FWX as the album that made the band click with me.
I'm gonna start by saying that I hate being 'that guy'...you know, the one who says "what? you don't like X band? you need to listen to X album...trust me!"
But, with all of that being said :P
If you haven't already heard it, I highly recommend the "Still Life" live release that came out in the late 90's. The first disc is APSOG all the way through, and the live performance really elevates what is an already fantastic album to a whole other level.
I had very similar thoughts to you in regards to early (pre-Disconnected) Fates, and it wasn't until I listened to that particular album the I finally 'got it'
As far as FWX...I LOVE that album, and actually rank it right behind Disconnected as my 2nd favorite album. I suspect that my point of entry (late 90's) and overall tastes probably make me an atypical fan, but for me, that album is golden. It has a ton of elements that show up in OSI as well.
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That's actually a great suggestion. Since I am finding myself really liking their live sound, that could be right up my alley.
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That's actually a great suggestion. Since I am finding myself really liking their live sound, that could be right up my alley.
Disc 2 will pump you up. Still Life really captured the live energy of the show. I use Disc 2 for exercising quite a bit.
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Yeah, Disc 2 is awesome. Disc 1 improves the studio version of APSOG, but it's still a damn chore to get through.
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Haven't listened to Still Life for a long long time. I remember obviously favouring the second cd though. APSOG has never clicked for me that much.
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Haven't listened to Still Life for a long long time. I remember obviously favouring the second cd though. APSOG has never clicked for me that much.
same
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Complete live versions of both APSOG and The Ivory Gate of Dreams make Still Life an all-time great live album by any band. The only misstep is We Only Say Goodbye as a closer. It's a good song, but it's no way to close a set or a live album.
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Somebody help me, I'm too psyched for this album.
:heart
Me too!
As far as FWX...I LOVE that album, and actually rank it right behind Disconnected as my 2nd favorite album. I suspect that my point of entry (late 90's) and overall tastes probably make me an atypical fan, but for me, that album is golden. It has a ton of elements that show up in OSI as well.
My Fates story is a little funny, and I got into them almost around the same time (early 2000s). I had never seen a Fates video (which is strange), but in the late 90s I bought APSOG on those Columbia House things, and I hated it. Didn't get what all the fuss was about (which is hysterical in retrospect). When my wife and I got married in the early 2000s, we went to see the QR-DT-FW tour a couple of times, and she told me "how can you not like or know Fates Warning" and immediately got me a copy of Parallels. I liked it. We saw them play twice on that tour, and I fell in love with the song "One" and bought Disconnected.
But it was FWX in 2004 that sealed the deal, and then I went down the rabbit hole and became an uber fan. LOL. That was the first Fates album I bought on release day, and I love it. It has aged well for me. A Handful of Doubt, Wish, just so many great tunes on there. Now, 16 years later, it isn't as high when I rank the Alder catalog of Fates, but each time I say that, and go revisit it, I'm reminded why I like it so much. LOL.
And yes, I came around to APSOG. I still don't rate it as highly as some do, but I do like it a lot. Always a treat to hear some of those songs live.
Anyway, can't wait for the new Fates!!!
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she told me "how can you not like or know Fates Warning"
I tried to do this to my husband, but it didn't work so well on him :tdwn
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New single and artwork.
https://fateswarning.bandcamp.com/
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Fuck yeah. November is too far away. Reminds me a little bit of a mix between Engine/Theories and the artwork a little bit of FWX.
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New single and artwork.
https://fateswarning.bandcamp.com/
That was awesome.
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It's OK. If that's the best song, then this won't be a very good album. Some really cool drumming, of course.
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It's OK. If that's the best song, then this won't be a very good album. Some really cool drumming, of course.
Surely they wouldn't release the best song?
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It's OK. If that's the best song, then this won't be a very good album. Some really cool drumming, of course.
Surely they wouldn't release the best song?
(https://assets.classy.org/10803324/f8d14cbe-c9ac-11e9-9089-0e4b4b71fd08.jpg)
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I thought it was good without being great- my memory may be wrong here but my first thought was of Ray's recent solo album rather than Theories etc......
It certainly continues with the heavy , melodic style I like from them so I am looking forward to the album,
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Song is just ok.
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Solid song. Just seeing these guys releasing something new brings me joy, so no complaints from me!!!
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Just seeing these guys releasing something new brings me joy, so no complaints from me!!!
Yes, there's that!
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Preorders
https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords/bundles?fbclid=IwAR2B-kh4YgSR0t5iY4xEwp9o_1MOm2j6oDnI9oqez4rJXGbHMErKCT-qaNI
Vinyl
https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords/b/fates-warning/vinyl
CD
https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords/b/fates-warning/cds
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Preorders
https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords/bundles?fbclid=IwAR2B-kh4YgSR0t5iY4xEwp9o_1MOm2j6oDnI9oqez4rJXGbHMErKCT-qaNI
Vinyl
https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords/b/fates-warning/vinyl
CD
https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords/b/fates-warning/cds
Hmmmm splatter or marble?
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Gavin Harrison plays on two songs. :metal
Press release:
On November 6, FATES WARNING will release its new album, "Long Day Good Night", via Metal Blade Records. The disc's first single, "Scars", can be streamed below.
FATES WARNING has been a formidable presence in progressive metal for more than 35 years, helping to shape and drive the genre without ever compromising its integrity or losing relevance. They return in 2020 with "Long Day Good Night", the most epic and longest album of its storied career, mixed by Joe Barresi.
"The styles of music we've written distinguish this record from the rest of our catalogue," states vocalist Ray Alder. "There are some songs with electronics and some with a nice ethereal feel, as well as some pretty straightforward grooves, at least for us. And there are also some pretty heavy songs. We tried to give the listener a host of different things to listen to, as opposed to an album where every song sounds the same." As such, the album is something of a rollercoaster ride, moving through various moods and making for perhaps their most vital release to date.
Guitarist Jim Matheos began writing the album in mid-2019, working closely with Alder for about a year, honing the songs, completing 13 for their 13th full-length — which, uncoincidentally, has a total running time of 72:22. Despite their long history of making records, Alder makes it clear that the songs take a lot of work to realize.
"Like all albums, nothing comes easy," he says. "It's quite a process to go from the idea to the actual finished song. Sometimes you think you're done with it, then you hear something else and you have to try that. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but you at least have to try it just so you know that in the end you've done everything possible to make it as good as it can be. Jim and I spent practically every day for the last year writing this album. I am very happy with the outcome, and with the blend of styles. I guess I could say that this album represents all of the years that we have been together."
The record also features guest appearances from touring guitarist Mike Abdow, who contributed some solos, plus PORCUPINE TREE/THE PINEAPPLE THIEF drummer Gavin Harrison, who plays on "When Snow Falls". "Under The Sun" sees the band incorporating a full string section for the first time.
"Long Day Good Night" track listing:
01. The Destination Onward
02. Shuttered World
03. Alone We Walk
04. Now Comes The Rain
05. The Way Home
06. Under The Sun
07. Scars
08. Begin Again
09. When Snow Falls
10. Liar
11. Glass Houses
12. The Longest Shadow Of The Day
13. The Last Song
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Damn....
This is the most excited I’ve been for an FW release since FWX (and TBH, that was a letdown in my book).
But after ToF (one of the best things they’ve ever done) I really have high expectations for this one.
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I liked this. I think pretty much everything on ToF was better though, but Ray sounds fine and this gives me hope.
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I liked this. I think pretty much everything on ToF was better though, but Ray sounds fine and this gives me hope.
You’ve heard it???
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"The styles of music we've written distinguish this record from the rest of our catalogue," states vocalist Ray Alder. "There are some songs with electronics and some with a nice ethereal feel
Hmmm...that sounds like Disconnected and FWX, and that is NOT a good thing and doesn't bode well for a rebound after TOF.
But, of course, I'll reserve judgment -- I haven't yet listened to the teaser track. Interesting that Ray seems to have been more involved with the writing.
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Funny, because I never associate Disconnected with FWX. Disconnected is probably my all time favorite (it fights with APSOG sometimes) but FWX was a letdown. I love Left Here, and Heal Me and Crawl are standouts. But the “singles” (what sounds like singles anyway) Simple Human and Another Perfect Day are extremely bland to my ears. Stranger is another one I never liked. Everything else on the album is excellent. Love River Wide Ocean Deep, Handful of Doubt, and Wish as well.
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I liked this. I think pretty much everything on ToF was better though, but Ray sounds fine and this gives me hope.
You’ve heard it???
No, I was talking about the single.
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Really enjoyed "Scars." It's really good, and got better on the second listen. I had no idea Gavin Harrison played on When Snow Falls. I wonder why they brought him on for just a track. It's not like Bobby couldn't have done it. He's incredible. But I love Gavin's work too, so it's a nice addition.
I REALLY like that they diversified their sound. And I also think it is cool that Joe Barresi mixed it. I've always admired his work. It'll be interesting to see what his mix of Fates sounds like on a good system.
I remember during the press for Theories of Flight, it was said that they purposefully cut out a lot of the electronics and just went guitar. And I thought that was smart. But as they continue, expanding into all elements of their sound seems like a good move. It was also said back then that they were unsure if Theories might be their last record. I noticed the track name of the final song on Long Day Goodnight is "The Last Song."
I wonder if the album title, the song title, and the fact Ray seems to be saying that they incorporated everything they've sort of ever done musically into this new one, has them thinking this record will be their swansong. Even if it isn't, they had to have known people would ask, given all the above.
Absolutely stoked for it though. Pre-ordered a vinyl/Cd/shirt bundle.
re: the discussion on FWX. I really like the record. "A Handful of Doubt," "Wish," "Heal Me," even straight ahead stuff like "Simple Human" are really good.
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I have to be in the right mood, but i really enjoy FWX. A lot of the material has a slow burn, brooding kind of vibe that i dig from time to time.
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As singles go, this one is pretty strong. In general I tend not to like the singles from Jim. I can think of several examples where the “singles“ were the weakest tracks on their respective albums.
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Really enjoyed "Scars." It's really good, and got better on the second listen. I had no idea Gavin Harrison played on When Snow Falls. I wonder why they brought him on for just a track. It's not like Bobby couldn't have done it. He's incredible. But I love Gavin's work too, so it's a nice addition.
I REALLY like that they diversified their sound. And I also think it is cool that Joe Barresi mixed it. I've always admired his work. It'll be interesting to see what his mix of Fates sounds like on a good system.
I remember during the press for Theories of Flight, it was said that they purposefully cut out a lot of the electronics and just went guitar. And I thought that was smart. But as they continue, expanding into all elements of their sound seems like a good move. It was also said back then that they were unsure if Theories might be their last record. I noticed the track name of the final song on Long Day Goodnight is "The Last Song."
I wonder if the album title, the song title, and the fact Ray seems to be saying that they incorporated everything they've sort of ever done musically into this new one, has them thinking this record will be their swansong. Even if it isn't, they had to have known people would ask, given all the above.
Absolutely stoked for it though. Pre-ordered a vinyl/Cd/shirt bundle.
re: the discussion on FWX. I really like the record. "A Handful of Doubt," "Wish," "Heal Me," even straight ahead stuff like "Simple Human" are really good.
First thing I thought after seeing the title and reading through the song list was this seems like it could be their last album. I realize they can’t go on forever, so if this is the end I hope it’s grandiose.
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Funny, because I never associate Disconnected with FWX. Disconnected is probably my all time favorite (it fights with APSOG sometimes) but FWX was a letdown. I love Left Here, and Heal Me and Crawl are standouts. But the “singles” (what sounds like singles anyway) Simple Human and Another Perfect Day are extremely bland to my ears. Stranger is another one I never liked. Everything else on the album is excellent. Love River Wide Ocean Deep, Handful of Doubt, and Wish as well.
To me, both albums have a brooding, vaguely industrial feel about them. The two Disconnected tracks are a complete waste of space. One and Pieces of Me are good but not great. The three longer songs have bits and pieces that are good, but they're hard to get through. And FWX is even worse, with Another Perfect Day being about the only song I intentionally go to. I do give both albums a pass every so often just to see if things have changed, but they're both a chore to get through.
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Funny, because I never associate Disconnected with FWX. Disconnected is probably my all time favorite (it fights with APSOG sometimes) but FWX was a letdown. I love Left Here, and Heal Me and Crawl are standouts. But the “singles” (what sounds like singles anyway) Simple Human and Another Perfect Day are extremely bland to my ears. Stranger is another one I never liked. Everything else on the album is excellent. Love River Wide Ocean Deep, Handful of Doubt, and Wish as well.
To me, both albums have a brooding, vaguely industrial feel about them. The two Disconnected tracks are a complete waste of space. One and Pieces of Me are good but not great. The three longer songs have bits and pieces that are good, but they're hard to get through. And FWX is even worse, with Another Perfect Day being about the only song I intentionally go to. I do give both albums a pass every so often just to see if things have changed, but they're both a chore to get through.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the Disconnected pieces. I mean, Pt 1 is just more of an intro track, but part 2 (when played at high volume especially) is just so beautifully eerie. And it's the setting up of that "mood" that makes the entire album so perfect for me. Something From Nothing especially. I love every glorious second of it. I almost wish there was an extended version that just built on the sparse mood that it sets up in the first half.
EDIT - I'm going to add that I think it's the layers of detail that really make it. It's the bass, then it's the synth, then those little sound effects come into play... the layers keep building and building. I love finding out how many different things I can hear in the mix. He's actually added a bunch of little things.
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And I also think it is cool that Joe Barresi mixed it. I've always admired his work. It'll be interesting to see what his mix of Fates sounds like on a good system.
Here's his discography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Barresi
while I have only heard a few of those albums, 2 of them stand out with to my ears is awful *hot* (loudness wars-like) production and mixing.
Coheed and Cambria - Year of the Black Rainbow
Fair to Midland - Arrows and Anchors
recently he did work on Avenged Sevenfold's The Stage which I like, although truth be, I have not felt the desire to listen to since the year it came out. But I don't recall the mixing being awful like those other 2.
He also just worked on Tool's Fear Innoculum which I never listened to per I'm not really a fan, but I do recall people talked about the production being a strong point on it.
That being said, I hope the issues I and many others have had with him are not noticed or are an issue, but if the production is not up to Fates standards, and this is their last record, I may see it like Arrows and Anchors sadly, an album I really can't listen to after being a longtime, dedicated fan, like I am with FW.
I do now think of him as the last one to use Kevin Gilbert's recording studio Lawnmower & Garden Supplies (https://www.prosoundnetwork.com/business/barresi-kicks-it-old-school), which given some of his work, is pretty ironic given Kevin's music is known for its incredibly clean and clear mixing and production quality.
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"The styles of music we've written distinguish this record from the rest of our catalogue," states vocalist Ray Alder. "There are some songs with electronics and some with a nice ethereal feel
Hmmm...that sounds like Disconnected and FWX, and that is NOT a good thing and doesn't bode well for a rebound after TOF.
But, of course, I'll reserve judgment -- I haven't yet listened to the teaser track. Interesting that Ray seems to have been more involved with the writing.
Just listened to the song. Liked it, so I'll look forward to the album coming out in a few months.
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No Frank solos? :'(
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Why do all the post-2010 album titles rhyme? :lol
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Really enjoyed "Scars." It's really good, and got better on the second listen. I had no idea Gavin Harrison played on When Snow Falls. I wonder why they brought him on for just a track. It's not like Bobby couldn't have done it. He's incredible. But I love Gavin's work too, so it's a nice addition.
I REALLY like that they diversified their sound. And I also think it is cool that Joe Barresi mixed it. I've always admired his work. It'll be interesting to see what his mix of Fates sounds like on a good system.
I remember during the press for Theories of Flight, it was said that they purposefully cut out a lot of the electronics and just went guitar. And I thought that was smart. But as they continue, expanding into all elements of their sound seems like a good move. It was also said back then that they were unsure if Theories might be their last record. I noticed the track name of the final song on Long Day Goodnight is "The Last Song."
I wonder if the album title, the song title, and the fact Ray seems to be saying that they incorporated everything they've sort of ever done musically into this new one, has them thinking this record will be their swansong. Even if it isn't, they had to have known people would ask, given all the above.
Absolutely stoked for it though. Pre-ordered a vinyl/Cd/shirt bundle.
re: the discussion on FWX. I really like the record. "A Handful of Doubt," "Wish," "Heal Me," even straight ahead stuff like "Simple Human" are really good.
First thing I thought after seeing the title and reading through the song list was this seems like it could be their last album. I realize they can’t go on forever, so if this is the end I hope it’s grandiose.
Didn't they just sign back with Metal Blade, though? It'd be a weird move to do that if the plan was to make one last album.
What do I know, tho.
Why do all the post-2010 album titles rhyme? :lol
Now I can't unsee this :lol
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Why do all the post-2010 album titles rhyme? :lol
It’s Perfect Symmetry
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Why do all the post-2010 album titles rhyme? :lol
It’s Perfect Symmetry
And also the sequence doesn't feel Disconnected
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Why do all the post-2010 album titles rhyme? :lol
It’s Perfect Symmetry
And parallel lines.
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Please, you guys. I never asked for all this LORE.
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No more rhymes now, I mean it.
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I think we can all see Eye to Eye on the matter
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No more rhymes now, I mean it.
Anybody want a peanut?
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I think there's no exit now.
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Really enjoyed "Scars." It's really good, and got better on the second listen. I had no idea Gavin Harrison played on When Snow Falls. I wonder why they brought him on for just a track. It's not like Bobby couldn't have done it. He's incredible. But I love Gavin's work too, so it's a nice addition.
I REALLY like that they diversified their sound. And I also think it is cool that Joe Barresi mixed it. I've always admired his work. It'll be interesting to see what his mix of Fates sounds like on a good system.
I remember during the press for Theories of Flight, it was said that they purposefully cut out a lot of the electronics and just went guitar. And I thought that was smart. But as they continue, expanding into all elements of their sound seems like a good move. It was also said back then that they were unsure if Theories might be their last record. I noticed the track name of the final song on Long Day Goodnight is "The Last Song."
I wonder if the album title, the song title, and the fact Ray seems to be saying that they incorporated everything they've sort of ever done musically into this new one, has them thinking this record will be their swansong. Even if it isn't, they had to have known people would ask, given all the above.
Absolutely stoked for it though. Pre-ordered a vinyl/Cd/shirt bundle.
re: the discussion on FWX. I really like the record. "A Handful of Doubt," "Wish," "Heal Me," even straight ahead stuff like "Simple Human" are really good.
Yeah, "Scars" is really growing on me. I liked it fine enough on the first listen, but it didn't have the same immediate "WOW" factor that "From the Rooftops" had back in 2016, but it's quickly weeding its way into my head. :lol Ray gives a really strong performance and has some pretty interesting vocal melodies throughout. And the guitar solo is pretty great too! It doesn't quite rival the three highlights of Theories of Flight for me ("From the Rooftops", "The Light and the Shade of Things" and "White Flag"), but I'd personally say it's at least on par with the great quality of the rest of ToF and I'm excited to hear more.
Very interested in hearing whether or not this is their planned final album, for the same reasons as you.
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The post 2010 album titles may rhyme but if we look through different eyes we find the albums are a world apart from one another.
From my point of view there are lots of light and shade of things within those albums but they still remain top FW albums. From outside looking in, they are a great monument to the FW legacy. And maybe the rhyming titles is intentional and the band are remembering and not leaving the past behind.
So, there's nothing left to say but I'm looking forward to this new album. I wish Frank did a solo or two as he is a very important part of the machine that is FW but maybe on another perfect day they'll work together again.
What the band has left here for us is a great new song.
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Very nice, Kade. Very nice.
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Very nice, Kade. Very nice.
Thanks. I should be trying to sleep by now but that was more fun.
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Didn't they just sign back with Metal Blade, though? It'd be a weird move to do that if the plan was to make one last album.
They alternate deals with Inside Out and Metal Blade. They appear to be one or two album deals. Inside Out was Theories of Flight and Live Over Europe. My guess is, the deal with Metal Blade is for Long Day Goodnight and the option for another release.
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Didn't they just sign back with Metal Blade, though? It'd be a weird move to do that if the plan was to make one last album.
They alternate deals with Inside Out and Metal Blade. They appear to be one or two album deals. Inside Out was Theories of Flight and Live Over Europe. My guess is, the deal with Metal Blade is for Long Day Goodnight and the option for another release.
Darkness In A Different Light was on Inside Out as well though.
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The post 2010 album titles may rhyme but if we look through different eyes we find the albums are a world apart from one another.
From my point of view there are lots of light and shade of things within those albums but they still remain top FW albums. From outside looking in, they are a great monument to the FW legacy. And maybe the rhyming titles is intentional and the band are remembering and not leaving the past behind.
So, there's nothing left to say but I'm looking forward to this new album. I wish Frank did a solo or two as he is a very important part of the machine that is FW but maybe on another perfect day they'll work together again.
What the band has left here for us is a great new song.
:lol
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Didn't they just sign back with Metal Blade, though? It'd be a weird move to do that if the plan was to make one last album.
They alternate deals with Inside Out and Metal Blade. They appear to be one or two album deals. Inside Out was Theories of Flight and Live Over Europe. My guess is, the deal with Metal Blade is for Long Day Goodnight and the option for another release.
Darkness In A Different Light was on Inside Out as well though.
True. The point is, however, they alternate. They've said it in interviews in the past, that they have great relationships with both Metal Blade and Inside Out, so they alternate deals with them.
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Didn't they just sign back with Metal Blade, though? It'd be a weird move to do that if the plan was to make one last album.
They alternate deals with Inside Out and Metal Blade. They appear to be one or two album deals. Inside Out was Theories of Flight and Live Over Europe. My guess is, the deal with Metal Blade is for Long Day Goodnight and the option for another release.
Darkness In A Different Light was on Inside Out as well though.
True. The point is, however, they alternate. They've said it in interviews in the past, that they have great relationships with both Metal Blade and Inside Out, so they alternate deals with them.
"Alternating" doesn't make much sense. It's not as though they have a history of going back and forth and back and forth. Every studio album through FWX was on Metal Blade. They then did DIADL and TOF on Inside Out, and now they're back to Metal Blade. Maybe if, after releasing a couple albums on Metal Blade, they go back to Inside Out, you can call it "alternating," but the foray with IO seems otherwise to have been merely a brief diversion.
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"Alternating" doesn't make much sense. It's not as though they have a history of going back and forth and back and forth. Every studio album through FWX was on Metal Blade. They then did DIADL and TOF on Inside Out, and now they're back to Metal Blade. Maybe if, after releasing a couple albums on Metal Blade, they go back to Inside Out, you can call it "alternating," but the foray with IO seems otherwise to have been merely a brief diversion.
Not sure why it is hard to accept. I didn't make it up. :lol They have said, more than once, that they have great relationships with both Metal Blade and Inside Out, and are alternating deals. I don't have links, but they've said it repeatedly. Both Jim and Ray's last solo records were on Inside Out, whereas Arch/Matheos was on Metal Blade. Maybe they meant that between both labels, all their music will be released? I have no idea, you'd have to ask them.
I don't know the reasoning behind it, all I'm saying is what I heard in interviews over the last several years. Maybe I misheard? I don't think I did, but my old fogey status makes it a possibility.
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"Alternating" doesn't make much sense. It's not as though they have a history of going back and forth and back and forth. Every studio album through FWX was on Metal Blade. They then did DIADL and TOF on Inside Out, and now they're back to Metal Blade. Maybe if, after releasing a couple albums on Metal Blade, they go back to Inside Out, you can call it "alternating," but the foray with IO seems otherwise to have been merely a brief diversion.
Not sure why it is hard to accept. I didn't make it up. :lol They have said, more than once, that they have great relationships with both Metal Blade and Inside Out, and are alternating deals. I don't have links, but they've said it repeatedly. Both Jim and Ray's last solo records were on Inside Out, whereas Arch/Matheos was on Metal Blade. Maybe they meant that between both labels, all their music will be released? I have no idea, you'd have to ask them.
I don't know the reasoning behind it, all I'm saying is what I heard in interviews over the last several years. Maybe I misheard? I don't think I did, but my old fogey status makes it a possibility.
I'm not doubting that they said it. I just find the use of "alternating" a bit odd. That's all.
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I don't think it's about the alternating between labels because they like working with both of them. It's about who gives them a better deal and terms. One possibility is that Fates may have grown a bit during the Inside Out records (Darkness, Theories, and Live Over Europe). Keep in mind that Metal Blade releases their digital albums through Bandcamp which gives MB artists a bigger cut on the digital side. The Arch Matheos and Awakening the Guardian releases were very successful with MB on Bandcamp.
Inside Out hasn't been the same since the Sony merger which I believe it happened some time after the release of Darkness. And I/O kind of lost it's "independent label" feel when Sony acquired them. MB remains truly independent.
You don't change labels because you like working with both. You change labels because of better terms contractually, artistically, and financially, among other things. Brian Slagel from MB has always supported Fates and Jim Matheos.
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Good song. Ray always agrees with my ears.
My intro to FW was FWX and I love that album. Will always associate it with seeing DT, QR and FW at DTE Energy Theater on that tour. Fates had just released FWX and they put on a great show.
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I don't think it's about the alternating between labels because they like working with both of them. It's about who gives them a better deal and terms. One possibility is that Fates may have grown a bit during the Inside Out records (Darkness, Theories, and Live Over Europe). Keep in mind that Metal Blade releases their digital albums through Bandcamp which gives MB artists a bigger cut on the digital side. The Arch Matheos and Awakening the Guardian releases were very successful with MB on Bandcamp.
Inside Out hasn't been the same since the Sony merger which I believe it happened some time after the release of Darkness. And I/O kind of lost it's "independent label" feel when Sony acquired them. MB remains truly independent.
You don't change labels because you like working with both. You change labels because of better terms contractually, artistically, and financially, among other things. Brian Slagel from MB has always supported Fates and Jim Matheos.
The lawyer in me completely agrees with you. I was just saying what I heard the band say in interviews. That's all. :)
Good song. Ray always agrees with my ears.
Amen.
My intro to FW was FWX and I love that album. Will always associate it with seeing DT, QR and FW at DTE Energy Theater on that tour. Fates had just released FWX and they put on a great show.
I saw that tour twice. It was the first time I saw FW live, and I was blown away by the opening number, "One." At least I think they opened with it. I remember turning to my wife (who in the past couldn't believe I had never really listened to Fates Warning) and saying how incredible they are, and going out the next day and buying the catalog. That 2003 tour was the start of my Fates fandom sadly, way too late (I've made up for it since). FWX was the first record I bought from Fates on release date (picked it up, I think, at Best Buy) and loved it from the moment I heard it. I think Theories is stronger of course, but I love FWX.
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I don't think it's about the alternating between labels because they like working with both of them. It's about who gives them a better deal and terms. One possibility is that Fates may have grown a bit during the Inside Out records (Darkness, Theories, and Live Over Europe). Keep in mind that Metal Blade releases their digital albums through Bandcamp which gives MB artists a bigger cut on the digital side. The Arch Matheos and Awakening the Guardian releases were very successful with MB on Bandcamp.
Inside Out hasn't been the same since the Sony merger which I believe it happened some time after the release of Darkness. And I/O kind of lost it's "independent label" feel when Sony acquired them. MB remains truly independent.
You don't change labels because you like working with both. You change labels because of better terms contractually, artistically, and financially, among other things. Brian Slagel from MB has always supported Fates and Jim Matheos.
I hear you. But unless you are a band or label insider with specific knowledge of their specific deals, you can't really make that call. They know why it works. We don't. The explanation from the band's perspective might be very simple. Or it might be very complicated. We just don't know. But it works for them, and they are apparently happy with it, so I'm not sure what the benefit is to try to second guess it as a fan.
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I don't think it's about the alternating between labels because they like working with both of them. It's about who gives them a better deal and terms. One possibility is that Fates may have grown a bit during the Inside Out records (Darkness, Theories, and Live Over Europe). Keep in mind that Metal Blade releases their digital albums through Bandcamp which gives MB artists a bigger cut on the digital side. The Arch Matheos and Awakening the Guardian releases were very successful with MB on Bandcamp.
Inside Out hasn't been the same since the Sony merger which I believe it happened some time after the release of Darkness. And I/O kind of lost it's "independent label" feel when Sony acquired them. MB remains truly independent.
You don't change labels because you like working with both. You change labels because of better terms contractually, artistically, and financially, among other things. Brian Slagel from MB has always supported Fates and Jim Matheos.
I hear you. But unless you are a band or label insider with specific knowledge of their specific deals, you can't really make that call. They know why it works. We don't. The explanation from the band's perspective might be very simple. Or it might be very complicated. We just don't know. But it works for them, and they are apparently happy with it, so I'm not sure what the benefit is to try to second guess it as a fan.
And Tracy Vera (Joey's wife) is VP of something at MB :biggrin:
Absolutely bosk1. Just trying to explain what COULD have happened. Only the band knows why they did it.
I'm interested in seeing who mixed and mastered the album. Theories and Live Over Europe where mixed and mastered by Jens Boegren and sound amazing. Ray's album sounds very good but the engineering was handled by Simone Mularoni (from Prog metal band DGM, who also handled production duties on Romeo's last solo album). Both of them sound great. Hope they keep working with them on the production side.
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And Tracy Vera (Joey's wife) is VP of something at MB :biggrin:
Oh, interesting. Didn't know that.
I can't help but wonder whether switching in and of itself has benefits. Kind of like how my wife switches our Internet and TV providers each time our contract with the current one is up. It is annoying and inconvenient. But it also saves money, because they give good introductory deals that you cannot get if you are an existing customer. I wonder whether record labels have something like that sometimes. For instance, I could see a situation existing something along these lines: One of the benefits of being on a label is that they have distribution agreements with retailers. So the label is instrumental in making sure the album gets put "one the shelves" at places that sell albums (and, yeah, I know things have gone almost exclusively to online sales nowadays, but still). Perhaps the labels are able to negotiate certain distribution breaks for in prices for newer acts designed to incentivize wider distribution for new bands that don't have as much financial capital, and the labels can pass those savings along to the bands, provided it is a new contract and not an extension for an existing artist. So, in that case, an established band could perhaps take advantage of that by hopping back and forth and constantly getting those "new customer" discounts that are not available for bands on renewed contracts. I may be way off, but I would not be surprised if something that had a similar effect was the reality.
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And Tracy Vera (Joey's wife) is VP of something at MB :biggrin:
President since Feb. 2020: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-vera-9309265/
MB is notable (and probably unique) for having several high-ranking female executives.
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I'm interested in seeing who mixed ... the album.
Joe Barresi
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I'm interested in seeing who mixed ... the album.
Joe Barresi
Huh. Interesting choice. I missed reading that on the press release lol.
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Well, he mixed the two recent (or well, somewhat recent :D) Tool albums, and I liked his mixes on these. I would guess he did a good job with Fates as well.
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I would have preferred that they work with whoever mixed Theories of Flight again. That's an amazing sounding record. But I'll reserve judgement until I hear the new stuff. I won't listen to any pre-release singles.
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I was also hoping they use the same personnel as Theories of Flight. I love the sound of that album as well. But that aside, I'm am digging the new song and very excited for this album. \m/
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New song...
https://youtu.be/Ebwji5FW_Qo
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New song...
https://youtu.be/Ebwji5FW_Qo
Meh.... Sounds like the song before runs into it, so I'll wait for the album before passing any sort of judgment.
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Pretty much run of the mill, not impressed but still interested in the album.
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Ray Alder channeling "Empire" era Geoff Tate :hat
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I won't listen to any pre-release singles.
New song...
https://youtu.be/Ebwji5FW_Qo
Ray Alder channeling "Empire" era Geoff Tate :hat
:lol
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Nothing mindblowing, but I like it
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Makes me think of 90s FW. Pretty good if basic track. Ray has quickly become one of my favorite vocalists so I'm slightly biased with anything he sings on at this point lol
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I'll wait for the album. I can't think of too many instances nowadays where pre-release singles are the best songs... in many cases, they end up being the worst (or least best) ones.
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New song...
https://youtu.be/Ebwji5FW_Qo
Meh.
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Quite forgettable, unfortunately.
I'm not a fan of the drum sound this time. Actually, for most of my first listen I was seriously puzzled, thinking that they're programmed.
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I listened twice, and I won't listen again until I have the record. I liked it. Not as much as "Scars," but I dug it. It has an atmospheric side that calls back a bit to the APSOG and FWX eras. Looking forward to hearing where it sits on the album.
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I heard the album once a few weeks back, and need to listen to it more. My first impression was that it's closer to FWX and Darkness in a Different Light than it is to Theories of Flight. I missed a killer hook or a melody that would grab me. Maybe it will improve in further listens...
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New song...
https://youtu.be/Ebwji5FW_Qo
Queensryche wishes they could still make a song like that. :biggrin:
I really like Ray's vocals and Jim's guitar.
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I've been digesting the two new songs for a few weeks now. I really like them both a lot. During my first listens I didn't feel overly blown away, but I'm digging them both quite a bit now. To me, "Now Comes the Rain" feels like a track that could've fit on Ray's solo album due to the water theme. I must say, I'm enjoying Ray's solo album more and more as time goes on, and I feel like Jim has his work cut out for him since Abdow wrote some great songs for Ray. But anyway, I'm psyched for his album. The release date can't come fast enough!
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I'm happy to report that my second full listen was a million times better than the first one. So much so that I started replaying the album a third time as soon as I was done. This one is a grower!!!
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I like it. Good chord progressions and vocals. Overall good mix and it does have a feel for some of the 90's stuff. Pretty cool. Can't wait to hear the album.
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I'm happy to report that my second full listen was a million times better than the first one. So much so that I started replaying the album a third time as soon as I was done. This one is a grower!!!
Giggity. Looking forward to the official release.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CGQ4mpQjAR4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
mikeportnoy
Did an interview today for an upcoming biography on @fateswarningofficial talking all about my 35+ years relationship as a fan, friend and even honorary member! 😎
So many great memories...I also went through my archives to dig out some personal photos through the years...and figured I’d share a few here:
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This has reminded me I never picked up Ray's solo album? Is it worth it?
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This has reminded me I never picked up Ray's solo album? Is it worth it?
In my opinion, it was a mixed bag. As a fan of Ray's voice, I'm happy to have it, but truthfully, there are only 3-4 songs that I will probably ever revisit. That being said, there's something for everyone on it, so I suspect that 'every' fan will find 3-4 songs to enjoy, regardless of where they are coming from.
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This has reminded me I never picked up Ray's solo album? Is it worth it?
In my opinion, it was a mixed bag. As a fan of Ray's voice, I'm happy to have it, but truthfully, there are only 3-4 songs that I will probably ever revisit. That being said, there's something for everyone on it, so I suspect that 'every' fan will find 3-4 songs to enjoy, regardless of where they are coming from.
I thought it was good, not great. But I applaud his effort to continue to record. This album only happened "by accident", as Ray told me off the record when I interviewed him in 2018. The band was promoting "Live Over Europe", and he seemed frustrated with a few things, and decided to do his first solo album.
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I'll have to go back and revisit that one again. It had some pretty good stuff.
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There were some good songs, and I liked the album, but ultimately didn't feel any desire to go back to it. But there are two or three very good songs for sure.
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This has reminded me I never picked up Ray's solo album? Is it worth it?
I would strongly recommend caution if you are expecting anything even remotely close to Redemption or Fates Warning
I found it unlistenable to be honest.
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I like his solo album quite a bit. I certainly agree that you shouldn't expect Fates Warning, but I find it very enjoyable and Ray sounds great. Think I'll listen to it now in fact. :)
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This has reminded me I never picked up Ray's solo album? Is it worth it?
What The Water Wants was my AOTY. While it may not be Fates or Redemption level progression and whatnot, off the back of Theories Of Flight, Ray is in top form and brings his A game.
Deep shades of Promised Land run through the album (note dark and may require right mood/setting) but there's a decent number of rockers here too and on occasion Ray stretches such as he does on Crown Of Thorns which is sublime! Album highlight fer this fan however is Wait, killer song strong chorus, has a kinda Seven Stars about it perhaps?
Anyway, perhaps not as 'instantly' memorable as Theories but repeat listens reward and on occasion Ray serves up a song or two that equal anything by recent Fates \m/
Highly recommended Ray's solo album and hope he gets around to a follow-up sooner than later.
Loving these first two Fates songs too, Rain def has a slight Firefly vibe about it too which is very welcome ;D
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Count me among those who thought Ray's solo album was terrific -- musically and lyrically. I played it to death late last year and earlier this year. Also, kudos to Mike Adbow for taking the opportunity to contribute songs and knocking it out of the park.
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This has reminded me I never picked up Ray's solo album? Is it worth it?
Oh Lord yes. It's fantastic. As Mebert said, Mike Abdow shines. It's a thoroughly enjoyable listen and I still spin it regularly.
Glad those who have advances of the Fates record dig it. I am not listening. I want to be surprised. The couple of songs released have whet my appetite enough. Can't wait! :metal
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I'be been on a big FW mood lately, which means I've been listening to them regularly the past couple weeks or so. I'm still not familiar with their whole catalog, and there's only about 30 songs, for now, that I've been playing regularly but I'm really enjoying them :metal I know I'll be exploring more very soon (only Ray era FW, though, I still can't stand Arch's vocals).
Ray's solo album is also on my list to check soon.
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What The Water Wants, is a great album. The Road, Wait and The Killing Floor are fantastic. Crown of Thorns, Some Days, and Under Dark Skies are great as well. The rest, while still good, I consider them usual rocker style songs. Ray is in top form on all the songs, and it does what a solo album should do for a vocalist, it showcases his range really well, along with his styles, from his somber tones to his harder edgy raspy voice.
Being a fan of Ray's vocals, in fact being among my top 10, this album did not disappoint at all.
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I have managed not to listen to the singles. Wanna do the whole album at once.
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The more I listen to Now Comes The Rain, the more I like it.
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New interview with Bobby: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NCh4YIfw4uI&t=813s
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New album reviews
https://progressivemusicplanet.com/2020/10/27/fates-warning-long-day-good-night/
https://theprogmind.com/2020/10/26/fates-warning-long-day-good-night/
https://yourlastrites.com/2020/10/23/fates-warning-long-day-good-night-review/
https://newnoisemagazine.com/album-review-fates-warning-long-day-good-night/
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Nice to see the album getting good reviews! That increases my excitement even more. :metal
Also, in preparation for the new album, I've been listening to one FW album every day to countdown the days. I started yesterday, which was 10 days until the album release, and I'm listening to my 10 favorite FW albums from 10 to 1. :)
10) Awaken the Guardian
9) No Exit
8) Perfect Symmetry
7) FWX
6) Darkness in a Different Light
5) Inside Out
4) Theories of Flight
3) Parallels
2) Disconnected
1) A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Also, perhaps we can modify the thread title? ;)
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Maybe a mod can update the thread title? Elsydeon hasn’t been around in almost a couple of years.
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Maybe a mod can update the thread title? Elsydeon hasn’t been around in almost a couple of years.
Your wish is my command. Had to shorten due to technical limitations.
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Maybe a mod can update the thread title? Elsydeon hasn’t been around in almost a couple of years.
Your wish is my command. Had to shorten due to technical limitations.
:rollin
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I'm feeling myself become emotional at the thought of this being the last FW album. In a week, I'll be potentially listening to the last FW album for the first time. I hope that's not the case, but it's possible give the album title and the final song's title. I'm feeling so grateful for all that FW has given us for close to four decades now. What a special band.
Also, does anyone have FW's DVD The View from Here? If so, what's it like?
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I'm feeling myself become emotional at the thought of this being the last FW album. In a week, I'll be potentially listening to the last FW album for the first time. I hope that's not the case, but it's possible give the album title and the final song's title.
???
That seems like some pretty serious mental gymnastics....
Are you really inferring this from the album's title and the fact that the last song on the album is called "The Last Song," or is there more to it?
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I'll never forget the Summer of 1996 when learning of Aresti and DiBiase leaving the band and thinking the band was over then.
If this is the final FW record, I can't be too down about it given how many records from them I love.
But at the same time, it does make one wonder if Jim and the others will still make music (Ray likely will given the interest in his solo record from last year). I wonder really how much of their income relies on touring and how much COVID is impacting it. Given how spotty their tour history is, I suspect they don't.
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How about v. I wish Nick was still on vacation
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I'm feeling myself become emotional at the thought of this being the last FW album. In a week, I'll be potentially listening to the last FW album for the first time. I hope that's not the case, but it's possible give the album title and the final song's title. I'm feeling so grateful for all that FW has given us for close to four decades now. What a special band.
Also, does anyone have FW's DVD The View from Here? If so, what's it like?
Mike,
I have it. Think Building Empires. Fates's version of it. Totally worth it to pick it up.
As for "The Last Song" being the absolute last FW material, no one knows. The press is asking, and the Fates guys aren't telling. There was some review of that song indicating that the lyrics are very pointed in that direction. It could have been something in this thread, I forget. But to be honest, it wouldn't surprise me. I remember on the Theories tour cycle, Ray doing an interview to the effective of they were hesitant to do another album because they weren't sure if they could top Theories of Flight, and wanting to be done on a high note (or something to that effect), but I don't have a link to it.
Whatever it ends up being -- it has been such an incredible run. I wish I would have gotten into them sooner. I remember seeing ads for Fates shirts in metal magazines, and thinking they were death metal, and not wanting to check them out (seriously, lol). When I was growing up, we only sporadically had cable and MTV, and while I saw videos from a lot of hair bands, and Queensryche (I was on the lookout for that), I rarely was permitted to stay up for Headbanger's Ball. And like I said, much of the time, we didn't have cable. So I never saw Fates' vids.
But once I picked up APSOG on that Columbia House 1 cent CD thing, and put it on, I was turned off. It wasn't death metal, and had some nice moments, but that's a tough introduction (at least for me it was). Now, obviously, I have a huge appreciation for it, even if it isn't my favorite Fates record. I still like it a lot. I didn't really get into them until 2003. My wife said "how can you love Queensryche and Dream Theater and not love Fates Warning?!" I listened to Parallels, liked it. But it was seeing Fates live on the QR/DT/FW tour and the song "One" that blew me away. I went out and bought the catalog, and became a hardcore instantly. SO WISH I would have gotten into them sooner. They are, for me, one of my top three bands of all time (original lineup of Queensryche, Fates Warning, Alter Bridge).
And to top it off, you won't find a nicer guy than Jim Matheos.
So if it IS the end, I hope that the new album is everything I think it's going to be and that we can get some live gigs once COVID is over and properly send the boys on their way.
And if it ISN'T the end, and the song is a red herring, we'll all get a laugh at this in a few years.
The other thing that popped up in my head is -- what if this is the last song for THIS LINEUP/ERA of Fates? Meaning, perhaps Jim is going a different direction. I thought it was interesting Gavin Harrison was playing drums on one of the tracks. I wonder, perhaps Jim and Ray are going to look at a new lineup? I think it's not very likely (I mean, what's the point, ya know). But I'd love to hear why Gavin Harrison is on a track. I mean, it's weird when there are multiple drummers on a record. It changes the groove.
We also don't know who is doing the solos. I think one of the reviews said that Frank Aresti is on the record -- well, he has been doing solos on the last couple, so that's not a surprise. But I know Mike Abdow is doing solos too. I asked him if he could give who is doing the solos on each of the songs, and he said let it be a surprise. So not sure what's up.
SOMETHING is up, or there isn't anything, Jim, Ray, Joey, Bobby, Mike, and Frank are having a field day laughing at the speculation. :lol
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So there is some Frank solos on this? Stoked if there is. Only a couple through the album helps to the FW sound.
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Good post, Brian! I like hearing how people got into different bands. I was lucky enough to get into them a few years earlier, since I was a big Kevin Moore fan and picked up APSOG when I heard he made a guest appearance on it in 1997.
Speaking of APSOG, one of the reasons I'm thinking this could be the last FW album (in addition to the final song and album title) is that three years ago at a meet-and-greet I asked Jim about the possibility of the band's APSOG lineup touring the album for its 25th anniversary in 2022. He replied sarcastically, saying something like "I might be retired by then." But obviously, if he wasn't totally kidding, that would mean this would be the band's final album. I truly hope not though. I'm not ready for that!
Also, I've ordered the A View From Here and Live at the Dynamo DVDs, the latter of which I've previously watched on YouTube but never owned.
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Well, if the rationale behind considering calling it quits on Fates Warning is they worried that they wouldn't be able to top Theories of Flight, I think that's a reasonable fear since it's easily their best record to date. For me it's not even close. Theories of Flight is a fucking masterpiece. One of the very, very few albums I've ever given a 5 star rating. I would be absolutely astonished if they even come close to this level of quality 2 records in a row.
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Well, if the rationale behind considering calling it quits on Fates Warning is they worried that they wouldn't be able to top Theories of Flight, I think that's a reasonable fear since it's easily their best record to date. For me it's not even close. Theories of Flight is a fucking masterpiece. One of the very, very few albums I've ever given a 5 star rating. I would be absolutely astonished if they even come close to this level of quality 2 records in a row.
And for me, TOF is no better than an average album that wasn't as good as the album that came immediately before it. If they're seriously considering calling it a career because of a fear/concern/worry that they can't top TOF (and I personally think all this speculation is a bit nutso), then they absolutely should pack it in because that would be an incredibly pathetic state of mind.
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I'm feeling myself become emotional at the thought of this being the last FW album.
Did I miss something??
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Well, if the rationale behind considering calling it quits on Fates Warning is they worried that they wouldn't be able to top Theories of Flight, I think that's a reasonable fear since it's easily their best record to date. For me it's not even close. Theories of Flight is a fucking masterpiece. One of the very, very few albums I've ever given a 5 star rating. I would be absolutely astonished if they even come close to this level of quality 2 records in a row.
And for me, TOF is no better than an average album that wasn't as good as the album that came immediately before it. If they're seriously considering calling it a career because of a fear/concern/worry that they can't top TOF (and I personally think all this speculation is a bit nutso), then they absolutely should pack it in because that would be an incredibly pathetic state of mind.
Wow... that's a hot take. I thought Darkness was pretty weak.
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I hold Darkness and Theories both in the same regard. Decent FW albums, among a long catalogue of decent FW albums.
The only true standout high water mark for me personally is A pleasant shade of grey. That will always be my favorite.
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I'm feeling myself become emotional at the thought of this being the last FW album.
Did I miss something??
Well, putting Good Night in the album name and naming the last track The Last Song and then kind of avoiding questions about it points in that direction.
I don't want it to be true :(
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I'm feeling myself become emotional at the thought of this being the last FW album.
Did I miss something??
A whole lot of speculation.
Well, if the rationale behind considering calling it quits on Fates Warning is they worried that they wouldn't be able to top Theories of Flight, I think that's a reasonable fear since it's easily their best record to date. For me it's not even close. Theories of Flight is a fucking masterpiece. One of the very, very few albums I've ever given a 5 star rating. I would be absolutely astonished if they even come close to this level of quality 2 records in a row.
And for me, TOF is no better than an average album that wasn't as good as the album that came immediately before it. If they're seriously considering calling it a career because of a fear/concern/worry that they can't top TOF (and I personally think all this speculation is a bit nutso), then they absolutely should pack it in because that would be an incredibly pathetic state of mind.
Wow... that's a hot take. I thought Darkness was pretty weak.
I've said it many times. I Am, Into the Black and And Yet It Moves are all excellent, with AYIM being a top-10 FW song. Nothing on TOF approaches any of those three songs (or Falling Further, which I don't view any differently just because of the "bonus track" designation).
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I've said it many times. I Am, Into the Black and And Yet It Moves are all excellent, with AYIM being a top-10 FW song. Nothing on TOF approaches any of those three songs (or Falling Further, which I don't view any differently just because of the "bonus track" designation).
In your opinion, that is. And of course, it's a valid take. Those are all good songs, though I'd argue that TOF is absolutely the superior album to Darkness- and I think that seems to be the common consensus among most Fate fans. So is it really that much of a surprise that the band themselves would see TOF as a big success and a particularly high bar to try and meet for their followup album?
We have to be able to separate our own personal views on the matter and acknowledge the band's point of view here. Personally, while I've since grown to appreciate Parallels a great deal in recent years, I used to consider it one of the band's weakest albums in general. For the life of me, I couldn't see why it was so beloved by both the fans and the band. But that was my opinion.
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Theories of Flight >>>>> Darkness in A Different Light. By quite a margin too.
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Theories of Flight >>>>> Darkness in A Different Light. By quite a margin too.
Agreed. Theories of Flight may well be my favorite Fates album. I'm not 100% certain though, but it's among the band's best ever works IMO.
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Well, if the rationale behind considering calling it quits on Fates Warning is they worried that they wouldn't be able to top Theories of Flight, I think that's a reasonable fear since it's easily their best record to date. For me it's not even close. Theories of Flight is a fucking masterpiece. One of the very, very few albums I've ever given a 5 star rating. I would be absolutely astonished if they even come close to this level of quality 2 records in a row.
Agreed, and to your point, the two songs I've heard off this new album have left me, for lack of a better word, unimpressed.
I realize that they are being heard out of context, but while I suspect that I will enjoy this new album, I would be surprised if it even comes close to TOF.
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Well, if the rationale behind considering calling it quits on Fates Warning is they worried that they wouldn't be able to top Theories of Flight, I think that's a reasonable fear since it's easily their best record to date. For me it's not even close. Theories of Flight is a fucking masterpiece. One of the very, very few albums I've ever given a 5 star rating. I would be absolutely astonished if they even come close to this level of quality 2 records in a row.
Agreed, and to your point, the two songs I've heard off this new album have left me, for lack of a better word, unimpressed.
I realize that they are being heard out of context, but while I suspect that I will enjoy this new album, I would be surprised if it even comes close to TOF.
It's MOST DEFINITELY a grower.
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If they want to quit because they think they can't top TOF, why then put out another record, so that they, by this logic are not going out on a high note anymore.
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So is it really that much of a surprise that the band themselves would see TOF as a big success and a particularly high bar to try and meet for their followup album?
I would say this about any band: IF they are worried about topping the perceived success of their prior album, to the point that they go into the next album with the mindset that, "this is it; we can't possibly top Album X," then they SHOULD hang it up (with some amount of shame). As I wrote previously, that would be an incredibly pathetic state of mind. I would think they'd have been more likely to hang it up after releasing a masterpiece like APSOG and then following it up with a couple of duds.
If they want to quit because they think they can't top TOF, why then put out another record, so that they, by this logic are not going out on a high note anymore.
Exactly.
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Once again I find myself in the minority. I like DiaDL more than ToF..
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Didn't realize me recalling something Ray talking about in an interview would get people so fired up. It was more of a general comment on that they weren't sure they could top Theories, so why try. That was the gist of it. And apparently they came around and decided to do it.
As for the record itself, I know some friends that either got it as an advance, or just had it shipped to them early (one bought a spare copy from eBay that arrived already, which I have no idea how that happened). So far, people really seem to dig it, and the general consensus is that musically, while still very heavy and guitar driven, it is a big more diverse. I am looking forward to it a lot. :metal
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Didn't realize me recalling something Ray talking about in an interview would get people so fired up. It was more of a general comment on that they weren't sure they could top Theories, so why try. That was the gist of it. And apparently they came around and decided to do it.
I feel like as long as Jim is actively writing music, there will always be Fates Warning.
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Theories of Flight >>>>> Darkness in A Different Light. By quite a margin too.
Agreed, but I also think FWX is better than both of them.
Also APSoG is overrated. It's a good album, but not nearly as good as literally every album that came before it (with the exception of Night on Brocken).
There's a couple of hot takes for y'all! :corn
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That FWX call is indeed a hot take. :eek
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Fates Warning has never released a bad album. Not even NOB. Although I will admit it is their least best. That being said, FWX is definitely near the bottom for me. Three or four standout tracks, three or four OK tracks, and a couple of duds. It’s “Inside Out 2” to me.
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Since we're doing what's better than what, you know what time it is...
As of this moment:
Arch Era
Awaken the Guardian
Spectre Within
NOB
Alder Era
Parallels
No Exit
Theories of Flight
Disconnected
FWX
Inside Out
DiaDL
Perfect Symmetry
APSOG
>>>>The top-3 for me are pretty well established. The bottom three rotate for me based on mood. And don't be shocked by APSOG at the bottom. I enjoy it, but I have to be absolutely in the mood for it. The live cuts Fates plays here and there on tour from it are cool, and I'm glad to get them, but album-wise, I probably go to it the least in FW's catalog.
I always compare APSOG to Queensryche's Promised Land, but I've always thought Promised Land was a bit more accessible, which is why it sits further up the QR catalog in comparison to where APSOG sits in Fates Warning's for me.
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Didn't realize me recalling something Ray talking about in an interview would get people so fired up. It was more of a general comment on that they weren't sure they could top Theories, so why try. That was the gist of it. And apparently they came around and decided to do it.
I don't think an artist should ever actively "try to top" a prior work. Did Rush write Signals with the intent of "topping" Moving Pictures? No. Did DT write SDOIT with the intent of "topping" SFAM? No. You just write the best album you can and see how it goes.
. . . FWX . . . is indeed a hot mess.
Agree. :biggrin:
I always compare APSOG to Queensryche's Promised Land, but I've always thought Promised Land was a bit more accessible, which is why it sits further up the QR catalog in comparison to where APSOG sits in Fates Warning's for me.
Now THAT is a hot take. APSOG is awesome. Promised Land is largely forgettable (Damaged and I Am I being the exceptions).
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Sonic Perspectives has posted a new interview with Ray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPzU56nbT7o&feature=emb_title
EDIT: Just listened to the interview. It ends with a new song, "Begin Again," which apparently has a video coming out on Friday.
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It ends with a new song, "Begin Again," which apparently has a video coming out on Friday.
Awesome! Can't wait to see/hear it!
I don't think an artist should ever actively "try to top" a prior work. Did Rush write Signals with the intent of "topping" Moving Pictures? No. Did DT write SDOIT with the intent of "topping" SFAM? No. You just write the best album you can and see how it goes.
You'll get no argument out of me on that one, PG. I agree completely. Wish I could find that Ray interview. But that's the gist of what I remember from it. It was some time ago. Had to have been a year ago. Perhaps it was during the promo cycle for his solo record?
AND NO, FWX is NOT a "hot mess." :lol
A Handful of Doubt is brilliant. Crawl is awesome, so is Heal Me. I dig the straightforwardness of Simple Human, dig Left Here. It's a really good record.
Now THAT is a hot take. APSOG is awesome. Promised Land is largely forgettable (Damaged and I Am I being the exceptions).
I've grown to really enjoy APSOG. Not debating is quality -- just saying that PL is more accessible. You named Damaged and I Am I. Well, My Global Mind, Bridge, One More Time -- all more accessible than the songs on APSOG. They are both good albums, and I love PL. APSOG has to be a mood thing though. I can't just put it on and rock. I have to be in that vibe. Whereas with PL, I can put it on and groove to it, regardless of the the melancholy, reflective vibe. APSOG's vibe is much more contemplative, which I think requires just a deeper frame of mind and thought to appreciate. Thus, a "have to be in the mood" ranking from me.
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Theories of Flight >>>>> Darkness in A Different Light. By quite a margin too.
Yeah, for me it's not even close. To me Darkness is a transitional album. They kind of went to a heavier and less electronic sound beginning with that album. FWX was the last album to feature any of those really trippy things like "Sequence 7"
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Listened to TOF yesterday, very closely and it's okay, nothing great and today I can't remember a single note, melody or anything.
APSOG, now for me this is a classic, almost a masterpiece a word I rarely use when talking about music.
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just saying that PL is more accessible. You named Damaged and I Am I. Well, My Global Mind, Bridge, One More Time -- all more accessible than the songs on APSOG.
I won't disagree with that at all. APSOG is anything but "accessible." About the only songs on APSOG that might be reasonably described as "accessible" are IX and maybe XII.
Listened to TOF yesterday, very closely and it's okay, nothing great and today I can't remember a single note, melody or anything.
APSOG, now for me this is a classic, almost a masterpiece a word I rarely use when talking about music.
Exactly. It's been a while since I listened to TOF, but there really is nothing that sticks for me. Continuing the DIADL v. TOF discussion, most of the songs are memorable. Firefly, I Am, Into the Black and Falling Further all have very memorable choruses (along with tons of other elements that are memorable). Even the extremely proggy And Yet It Moves has tons of memorable passages. Whenever I listen to it, I tend to have the acoustic guitar/bass intro in my head for days.
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Listened to TOF yesterday, very closely and it's okay, nothing great and today I can't remember a single note, melody or anything.
APSOG, now for me this is a classic, almost a masterpiece a word I rarely use when talking about music.
APSOG is a masterpiece. FW's best album by far.
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Just received FW's A View From Here DVD in the mail. I loved seeing all of the music videos in chronological order. You can really get a feel for the band's evolution. Also, there were some pretty fun studio clips from the Disconnected era and a great retrospective interview with Frank and Joey about their time in the band. And I didn't realize that Bernie Versailles of Engine and Redemption was a touring guitarist for FW in 1998. It was fun watching him perform with Jim and Ray. I feel like I'm eating, sleeping and breathing FW at this point, lol. The album can't come soon enough.
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Yeah, for me it's not even close. To me Darkness is a transitional album. They kind of went to a heavier and less electronic sound beginning with that album.
Agreed. That's how I'd phrase it too. A "transitional" album. It was also the first time they had recorded with Bobby, so the record had a heavier handed feel to it too, because of that. I remember interviewing Jim during that album cycle and if I recall correctly, he agreed as well, that Bobby certainly brought a more metal feel to the album.
Continuing the DIADL v. TOF discussion, most of the songs are memorable. Firefly, I Am, Into the Black and Falling Further all have very memorable choruses (along with tons of other elements that are memorable). Even the extremely proggy And Yet It Moves has tons of memorable passages. Whenever I listen to it, I tend to have the acoustic guitar/bass intro in my head for days.
See, I think DIADL gets in its own way. The extended version of Firefly and the full version of Falling (Falling Further) are by far and away superior to what exists on the actual album proper. Trust me, I really enjoy this record. One Thousand Fires is incredible, and I love all the songs you named as well. I love the record. I just feel that they hadn't quite NAILED IT until Theories, which to me, is the perfect snapshot of who Fates is as a band.
Obviously, this is all about personal taste and opinion. And Fates hasn't done an album with Alder that I've disliked at all. I like them all and it was hard to even DO that ranking I did on the last page. I sort of just felt DIADL was them trying to really BE a recording artist again, after so many years, and trying to capture who they were at the time, and still nod to their past. And like I said, the edited versions of songs on the regular album was....IMO...a misstep. And on Theories, they just absolutely nailed it.
But there is no BAD Fates Warning record. Not by a long shot.
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The Light and Shade of Things is HIGHLY memorable.
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The Light and Shade of Things is HIGHLY memorable.
Point of View and Through Different Eyes are my clear top two songs from Fates Warning......but when I heard this song I stopped and listened......best song from Fates Warning since the early 90s IMO
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The Light and Shade of Things is HIGHLY memorable.
Yeah, I still stand by my opinion that it is the best Fates Warning song to date. I remember hearing a small sample of the first half of the chorus when Inside Out released a trailer for the album and not being impressed, only to find a ton of early reviewers RAVING about the song.
Then I got to hear the song for the first time and the second half of the chorus won me over in an instant. Quite possibly my favorite vocal melody to ever come from Ray.
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The Light and Shade of Things is HIGHLY memorable.
Yeah, I still stand by my opinion that it is the best Fates Warning song to date. I remember hearing a small sample of the first half of the chorus when Inside Out released a trailer for the album and not being impressed, only to find a ton of early reviewers RAVING about the song.
Then I got to hear the song for the first time and the second half of the chorus won me over in an instant. Quite possibly my favorite vocal melody to ever come from Ray.
EXACTLY this. The first half of the chorus (starting with The light and shade of things / The light you held is gone) isn't really memorable on its own, but when it starts to transition out of it (with And I can't understand / How one is more important than / The other) and then lands into the You're nowhere now section...well, that's enough to make me stand up and cheer. It makes me think that what I consider to be the first half of the chorus is actually the pre-chorus. Because maybe it is?
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The Light and Shade of Things is HIGHLY memorable.
Yeah, I still stand by my opinion that it is the best Fates Warning song to date. I remember hearing a small sample of the first half of the chorus when Inside Out released a trailer for the album and not being impressed, only to find a ton of early reviewers RAVING about the song.
Then I got to hear the song for the first time and the second half of the chorus won me over in an instant. Quite possibly my favorite vocal melody to ever come from Ray.
EXACTLY this. The first half of the chorus (starting with The light and shade of things / The light you held is gone) isn't really memorable on its own, but when it starts to transition out of it (with And I can't understand / How one is more important than / The other) and then lands into the You're nowhere now section...well, that's enough to make me stand up and cheer. It makes me think that what I consider to be the first half of the chorus is actually the pre-chorus. Because maybe it is?
That would definitely make a lot of sense. And yeah, the transition and flow of the three different sections of the chorus is perfect as a collective whole. I just remember beaming when I heard that bit for the first time! :lol
I'm sorry, but there's not a single moment on DiaDL that matches the hype of TLaSoT's chorus for me. Not that there aren't good songs on that album though!
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That would definitely make a lot of sense. And yeah, the transition and flow of the three different sections of the chorus is perfect as a collective whole.
Wait. THREE different sections? Which part am I missing?
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My pre-ordered bundle of CD/Vinyl/shirt has shipped from the USA.
Let's see how long it takes, I have just received a record from Greece to Australia in 8 days, via regular airmail.
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Yep, I received my Metal Blade USA ship notification before 6 a.m. this morning, followed by my Kingsroad European shipment (bought a special vinyl edition) later this morning.
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Listening to Long Day Good Night now. Am in the 3rd song, Alone We Walk. Liking it so far. :metal
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I am really enjoying this album. Some of the softer songs haven't caught my attention yet, but the heavier, rocking songs are really, really good. I like the direction that they've taken over the last 2-3 records.
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I am really enjoying this album. Some of the softer songs haven't caught my attention yet, but the heavier, rocking songs are really, really good. I like the direction that they've taken over the last 2-3 records.
I'm with ya. I'm just past the 1/2 way mark, and this is really good. Glad I didn't bother listening to the single that was released (and the shade thrown at it). As an album, this is exactly what I'd want in a first listen from FW.
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I have loved every FW Alder album up until this new one.
This is the very first one that doesn't really do it for me. I dig Begin Again, When Snow falls and The longest shadow of day kicks ass, but besides that I find the album underwhelming. But more power to everyone that loves it.
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Enjoying my first listen to the record this morning. Only about a quarter through the record, but really like it so far. Folks have remarked that it gets better with subsequent listens, but I'm not sure what's not to like on first listen. So much great stuff, and I'm only just now getting through Now Comes the Rain. :metal
edit -- now up to The Longest Shadow of the Day. I was vibin' on the first couple of minutes and then it kicks in near the 3 minute mark and its like :o
What an incredible intro. Hit the middle, and it slows back down again. So emotional. Crazy to think it takes almost six minutes before you hear Ray, but it works. So proggy, so moody. So Fates Warning. :hefdaddy
okay, so I just finished my first listen. I don't have the lyrics in front of me, but I was trying to pay attention, particularly the latter half of the record. Is this a concept record? Because now after The Last Song concludes, thinking back over the songs, it has that feeling to me. My bundle is supposed to arrive today, and I'll relisten to the record with the lyrics in front of me.
But given the lyrics I was able to process while listening, I think it is. For sure.
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Yeah, Longest Shadow of the Day Rips. Definitely my favorite track on the album and one I'm gonna be enjoying for a long time.
I love the bluesy chill parts as well.
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Yeah, Longest Shadow of the Day Rips. Definitely my favorite track on the album and one I'm gonna be enjoying for a long time.
I love the bluesy chill parts as well.
Listening to this track for the first time. Really digging the bass lines here :tup
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Listening now.
Nice of them to take their sweet time for 3 minutes before the actual music starts on the FIRST TRACK. Could've very easily made that a 5 minute track. Prog metal needs to stop, this record is 72 minutes :facepalm: I know I'm probably alone in this but oh well.
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Listening now.
Nice of them to take their sweet time for 3 minutes before the actual music starts on the FIRST TRACK. Could've very easily made that a 5 minute track. Prog metal needs to stop, this record is 72 minutes :facepalm: I know I'm probably alone in this but oh well.
You’re probably one of those guys that think something from nothing drags. :rollin
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Not at all, but that is funny :lol
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Listening now.
Nice of them to take their sweet time for 3 minutes before the actual music starts on the FIRST TRACK. Could've very easily made that a 5 minute track. Prog metal needs to stop, this record is 72 minutes :facepalm: I know I'm probably alone in this but oh well.
You’re probably one of those guys that think something from nothing drags. :rollin
The first 4 1/2 minutes of SfN is completely skip-worthy (much like a good chunk of that album, including all of the "title tracks"). Much like the first 3:45 of Octavarium.
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but the start of Octavarium is tight af tho
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I used to be lukewarm on SfN...but once the mood of f the piece really clicked with me, it was non-stop goosebumps. Now I wish there was an extended version.
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Listening now.
Nice of them to take their sweet time for 3 minutes before the actual music starts on the FIRST TRACK. Could've very easily made that a 5 minute track. Prog metal needs to stop, this record is 72 minutes :facepalm: I know I'm probably alone in this but oh well.
I'm guessing that intro may end up being some kind of nugget after multiple spins, but generally I am in agreement with you about the tendency to fill the space because it's there.
I've only listened once so I'm going to reserve judgement until I hear it a few more times. Ray Alder is someone I could probably listen to him recite the phone book and enjoy it, but he's in good form on this, that stood out first time through.
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Making my way through my second listen, this time on my car audio system (which is a Fender system with a sub, tweeters, etc.). What came to mind was Ray was up higher in the mix compared to previous records. At least I think so.
Joe Baressi did the mix I believe (my LP will be delivered later today so I can go back and look). I dig it so far.
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One listen through. There's a lot to take in. But damn, this album is excellent.
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In an interview with Progcast on YouTube, Ray said that Jim might not want to write new material for FW after this. Just tour the existing FW material. Skip ahead to the 29:30 mark. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akyefuxFoX0
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In an interview with Progcast on YouTube, Ray said that Jim might not want to write new material for FW after this. Just tour the existing FW material. Skip ahead to tbe 29:39 mark. Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7UFUl17SgZQxAHsnuyxnIA
That's not a huge shock for me, unfortunately. The Last Song definitely came across to me as a "coda" for the band when I heard it for the first time yesterday. We'll see if things ever change on that front, I suppose.
As for the album itself, there's a lot to take in. In my two sittings on it so far, I like it a lot, but it's definitely lacking the immediacy that I loved about Theories of Flight. Right now I think my personal highlights are The Destination Onward, Shuttered World and The Longest Shadow of the Day.
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Hopefully Jim might want to do another Arch/Matheos after this ;D
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Hopefully Jim might want to do another Arch/Matheos after this ;D
If Jim does another A/M album after this, I want Ray to call JP and ask him to make a record together ;D ;)
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...
As for the album itself, there's a lot to take in. In my two sittings on it so far, I like it a lot, but it's definitely lacking the immediacy that I loved about Theories of Flight. Right now I think my personal highlights are The Destination Onward, Shuttered World and The Longest Shadow of the Day[/i].
Agree completely.
With postal services being what they are my Pre-order will probably take a few weeks to arrive yet so streaming getting a rare thumbs up atm and have given the album a few solid run throughs with plenty repeats along the way ;)
And yes, my thoughts exactly, not as immediate as Theories but liking a ton of this and would add to those three tracks Alone We Walk and the out of the box Begin Again. Both those have a Darkness In A Different Light / FWX vibe about them and I'm hearing The Way Home is leaning that way too, all those are very welcome.
The song is otherwise great but not yet sure what to make of that chorus in Liar (is it just me or is this record a touch less prog?) and both the pre-release singles are fantastic. Particularly digging Glass Houses too. But of all that, Under The Sun was the one that moved me most on first listen, so go figure ;D
Certainly hope this isn't the final FW but if so it would definitely make for a strong album to finish with :metal
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Damn, Scars sound so much better coming in after Under The Sun. :metal
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In an interview with Progcast on YouTube, Ray said that Jim might not want to write new material for FW after this. Just tour the existing FW material. Skip ahead to tbe 29:39 mark. Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7UFUl17SgZQxAHsnuyxnIA
Not a shock, and makes sense with the lyrics in The Last Song...
And for those of you who dig NUGGETS...13 songs on the 13th (and final?) studio album. :eek :lol
Regarding the immediacy of the record, I also agree -- it's not as immediate as Theories. But after a few listens, you realize how deep and how incredible the album is. Too early and too few spins yet for me to "rank" the album, but if this IS the cap to FW's recording career, they finished off with an incredible album that gets better each time you listen to it.
I would be very much in favor of Jim continuing with Arch/Matheos. I feel like those two have more to say, musically. I'd also like to see OSI do another record. As for Fates Warning touring, once this pandemic is over, I do expect dates. But I will say this -- it's not easy for Fates Warning to tour the U.S. I am not sure how the touring market will look post-pandemic, but I do know that its really tough for bands at FW's level to make ends meet.
On the FW/QR tour that ended FW's last run, I saw FW headline a shopping center bar in Redding, Calif. I mean, the stage was so small they had 1/4 of their gear. And while many national acts come through and play that place, I am 1000 percent sure whatever Fates got paid that night was peanuts, even though they stuffed 150 or so people in there. (it was a great show, they played it like there were thousands.)
That said, I think FW has a unique opportunity to be a festival touring band. If my buddies in Fifth Angel can still be a band and play a handful of festivals each year, I think Fates easily could do the same, playing 6-12 dates each year for bigger festival crowds and shorter sets, with a few headline shows post or pre-festival appearance tucked in.
But as for a U.S. run as a full-on headliner...I don't see it happening. I can see a Fates Warning/Armored Saint/someone tour to do the LDGN cycle, which depending on the "someone" could put them in decent sized clubs. I mean, people loved Fates on the FW/QR tour. But that said, the bands would be playing for less and less money, unless the post-pandemic concert run ends up injecting a lot more money. It's just a big unknown.
Anyway, love the new record. Sad if this is the end of FW's recording run, and I hope I get to see them live a few more times if they end up hanging up their U.S. touring. But so incredibly thankful for their awesome catalog.
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I'm listening a lot this album and what to say? To me, Fates Warning is a kind of band that never disapoints. This album sure is in the same ballpark than the previous two and the Arch Matheos albums - maybe Jim is feeling a bit "trapped" into this and because of that he doesn't want to write more FW songs? But, to me, this writing's style is an excellent thing!
Just to add, it's incredible how Bobby Jarzombeck is always beyond amazing and Joey Vera is wonderful on this one.
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My maiden voyage with this album was a memorable one. I put it on as the sun was about to set and went for a walk, destined for the nearby woods. My heart was feeling rather heavy and there was a definite kinship with the melancholy and themes of the album. I think I'll be connecting particular lines and parts of the songs with those thoughts and surroundings for a long time to come. Sitting down in the forest listening to The Longest Shadow of the Day as the night set in was a special moment indeed.
Later that night I gave it a more focused listen. The beauty of some of the songs came through a bit more clearly that time. This is a wonderfully epic and diverse album. If it turns out to be the band's final statement it'd sure be a fitting one.
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Finally finished my first listen. Loved it up to Liar. That song just did not seem to fit the theme of the rest of the album and comes across as a bit of a political jab. Glass Houses also did not seem to fit well either. Reminds me of Stranger on FWX. At 72 min length, I feel they could have cut at least Liar and it would have flowed better.
Other than that, it sounds fantastic. I know it's not a concept record, but the music seems to have a conceptual theme and I love that as opposed to 10 random songs strung together.
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Nice of them to take their sweet time for 3 minutes before the actual music starts on the FIRST TRACK. Could've very easily made that a 5 minute track.
That atmospheric build up at the beginning is great!
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Quite from roa71
Glass Houses also did not seem to fit well either. Reminds me of Stranger on FWX. At 72 min length, I feel they could have cut at least Liar and it would have flowed better...
Hmmm...
Not sure I'd agree re Glass Houses as think it's magnificent but like I said previously, Liar doesn't work and agree it could've maybe should've been ditched.
But enough negativity, the remainder of the album is tremendous and appreciate where Bentower was coming from re with his first listen.
The Way Home just playing as I type and as far outta the box as it is, Ray's wonderful vocal melodies particularly during the songs opening stages and finale? Beautiful stuff🤘
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Some thoughts about the album since there are some hints outthere this might Fates last album of new music.
Jim has always had a problem being the main writer in FW. The Parallels documentary gives you a great insight into his mind and writing. This ones does feel different because as someone here said the album feels like a blend of all previous albums. Jim reminds me of Robert Fripp to an extent where they need to reinvent themselves in order to keep writing music. As they get older, it becomes harder to write just because your mind is somewhere else. You can see in FW albums the reinvention in every two albums. The last few albums Ray has taken more of a lyric writer but still Jim write most (or all) of the music.
Having said that, Jim’s lyrics have always been about home, desolation, returning home, abandonment, etc but always “returning” from those sentiments. So this might be a concept album without having the concept label. But just the general feel of the album, it does feel like the last one. The iTunes review where Ray explains the lyrics of each track also guves some hints on this.
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So tonight I listened to Theories of Flight and Long Day Good Night back to back. ToF has the better highs (From The Rooftops and The Light and Shade of Things are perfect) but LDGN is a better listen overall because of the variety in styles while maintaining consistency in quality. Slight dip in Liar and Glass Houses but such a strong effort overall.
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The Way Home
>>>>This track may be my favorite on the record. It's just so incredibly moving. Great, great stuff.
Good post by Goo. If I recall that Parallels documentary correctly though, Jim became the main writer because he was at odds a bit with Aresti at the time, wasn't he? And it was decided that Jim would write the songs because of that? Then again, that was what, almost 30 years ago? So over time, as Jim has shifted, so has FW's music.
Personally, I think if you listen to Jim's solo stuff, OSI, etc., you can tell he's just not into writing a lot of lyrics. And the last few albums has shown that.
I haven't listened to Theories of Flight and Long Day Goodnight back-to-back yet. But it wouldn't surprise me if Theories of Flight got a slight edge from me. But it's really too early for me to figure out where I put the new record. All I know is -- I really enjoy it.
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So tonight I listened to Theories of Flight and Long Day Good Night back to back. ToF has the better highs (From The Rooftops and The Light and Shade of Things are perfect) but LDGN is a better listen overall because of the variety in styles while maintaining consistency in quality. Slight dip in Liar and Glass Houses but such a strong effort overall.
well put. my thoughts exactly. LDGN feels more cohesive overall. If it's their swan song, I'll take it. what an amazing amount of quality music they have produced. The Live over Europe release really illustrates that as well.
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Anyone ordered the vinyl? Does it come with a download code or CD (like Inside Out usually does)?
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On my first listen right now. I dig it so far. The Way Home is really, really strong.
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The Way Home
>>>>This track may be my favorite on the record. It's just so incredibly moving. Great, great stuff.
Might be my fave as well. The beginning is surprisingly pretty, in a way that's unheard of in the band's catalogue. I was enjoying it so much on my second spin that I wouldn't have minded if they'd kept that vibe going for the entire song. Of course, on subsequent listens I grew to appreciate where they went from there.
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First listen now. I really like Under The Sun and The Way Home.
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One listen so far. While it didn't grab me as much as TOF which I consider to be one of their best right up there with APSOG but I still enjoyed it. I can tell which songs are really going to be growers. Longest Shadow of the Day may be my favorite on here.
I hope this isn't their swan song as they very quickly became one of my favorite bands recently but if it is it's certainly not the worst note to go out on.
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Anyone ordered the vinyl? Does it come with a download code or CD (like Inside Out usually does)?
Yes, it does.
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This was certainly decent and I can't wait to spin it again! Early favourites are Alone We Walk and Under the Sun. The opener is really good too. Not feeling The Longest Shadow of the Day yet, hopefully it grows on me.
Probably not going to beat ToF in my book but still miles ahead of Darkness.
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Decent is definitely the word. Ray is my favorite part of this album. But it's too long. 70+ minutes is exhausting especially when your riffs aren't that memorable or interesting. This one isn't hitting nearly as hard on the first listen as Theories or Darkness did for me...
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Decent is definitely the word. Ray is my favorite part of this album. But it's too long. 70+ minutes is exhausting especially when your riffs aren't that memorable or interesting. This one isn't hitting nearly as hard on the first listen as Theories or Darkness did for me...
I agree with people who said they could've cut a song or two, but if it's going to be their last album, it makes a certain sense to keep all the songs on the record.
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Decent is definitely the word. Ray is my favorite part of this album. But it's too long. 70+ minutes is exhausting especially when your riffs aren't that memorable or interesting. This one isn't hitting nearly as hard on the first listen as Theories or Darkness did for me...
I agree with people who said they could've cut a song or two, but if it's going to be their last album, it makes a certain sense to keep all the songs on the record.
Yep, I see it as Jim saying "this is the last one, so let's make it longer".
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I would agree with that if the material justified it but so far it doesn't imo. Theories of Flight was much tighter to me.
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I’ve just spun it twice at work and I have to agree that while it’s not as strong as Theories, it’s still very strong and consistent to me.
Under the Sun is the only dud so far.
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Under the Sun is the only dud so far.
This track came on while I was walking my dog this morning, and I was loving it! I was singing along and put it on repeat. :laugh:
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Meh...I never cared for any of their “singles” much.
Also, the wiki page doesn’t mention it, and I’m at work, so I can’t check my booklet, but don’t the album credits say that Gavin Harrison plays on one track?
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Meh...I never cared for any of their “singles” much.
Also, the wiki page doesn’t mention it, and I’m at work, so I can’t check my booklet, but don’t the album credits say that Gavin Harrison plays on one track?
Drums on track 9, When Snow Falls.
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I also found it interesting that Frank Aresti didn't do any solos at all on the record.
I would have thought, if this is indeed the last Fates record, that having Frank do at least one would have made sense. I personally always thought that it would have been a cool move, if Jim knew this was likely the end, to have one track that featured both Ray and John on vocals. Separate parts, and them singing together, to "unify" the eras.
So if this IS the end, that's sort of a bummer. I was really hoping for that kind of track.
I listened to the record four or five times over the weekend. My "least favorite" tracks are probably "Under the Sun," and "Liar." I like them, but I like the others much better.
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maybe Ray could guest on a Arch/Matheos album, or maybe both could be on a track from a solo album of Jim's.
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Anyone ordered the vinyl? Does it come with a download code or CD (like Inside Out usually does)?
Yes, it does.
Thanks! First spin instantly grabbed me so it´s a buy.
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OK, I've had 7 full listens to this now. After about the 5th full spin, I began waiting for the inevitable "click" that usually happens with a dense album like this but maybe I'm the only one right now but to me this album is a bit of a disappointment to be honest. I'm going to give it a few more spins to be sure, but I think it's about on par with Darkness In a Different Light. It's not a bad album, in fact I'd even say it's pretty decent but it comes nowhere even remotely close to Theories of Flight. 3 stars out of 5.
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I would have thought, if this is indeed the last Fates record, that having Frank do at least one would have made sense. I personally always thought that it would have been a cool move, if Jim knew this was likely the end, to have one track that featured both Ray and John on vocals. Separate parts, and them singing together, to "unify" the eras.
So if this IS the end, that's sort of a bummer. I was really hoping for that kind of track.
maybe Ray could guest on a Arch/Matheos album, or maybe both could be on a track from a solo album of Jim's.
I'm not a fan of Arch's voice at all (hope that changes someday as those Arch/Matheos albums have some pretty good writing), but there's still chance for Fates to make a career-spanning compilation and include one or two couple tracks, and it could happen there. Not that I think it will, but there's still chance :biggrin:
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OK, I've had 7 full listens to this now. After about the 5th full spin, I began waiting for the inevitable "click" that usually happens with a dense album like this but maybe I'm the only one right now but to me this album is a bit of a disappointment to be honest. I'm going to give it a few more spins to be sure, but I think it's about on par with Darkness In a Different Light. It's not a bad album, in fact I'd even say it's pretty decent but it comes nowhere even remotely close to Theories of Flight. 3 stars out of 5.
All of this, except I'd put it (and DIADL) slightly higher at 3.5 stars.
It's a good album, but nothing in it is standing out to me as very exciting or memorable.
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I'm absolutely in love with this album. While it may not top Theories of Flight, it's a beast of an album. I think of it as a modern version of APSOG.
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Ray Alder on Apple Music: "because the band is going to end sometime. I think Jim no longer wants to write new music for Fates Warning. I think this may be our last album. And this was a kind of way to say that. We all still want to tour, but as far as new music, I think it’s done.”"
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I'd instabuy an Alder/Arch album.
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I love Ray's voice, I'd probably insta-buy an Arch/Alder album too.
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I love Ray's voice, I'd probably insta-buy an Arch/Alder album too.
I think the totally different voices could work quite well together.
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OK, I've had 7 full listens to this now. After about the 5th full spin, I began waiting for the inevitable "click" that usually happens with a dense album like this but maybe I'm the only one right now but to me this album is a bit of a disappointment to be honest. I'm going to give it a few more spins to be sure, but I think it's about on par with Darkness In a Different Light. It's not a bad album, in fact I'd even say it's pretty decent but it comes nowhere even remotely close to Theories of Flight. 3 stars out of 5.
All of this, except I'd put it (and DIADL) slightly higher at 3.5 stars.
It's a good album, but nothing in it is standing out to me as very exciting or memorable.
This hits the nail on the proverbial head for me. It's decent, about on par with DIADL, and nothing more.
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Just jumping in here to state that the band's newest album features art that reminds me of this album.
https://ecmreviews.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/ecm-1283.jpg?w=764
for comparison
https://www.metalblade.com/us/covers/FatesWarning-LongDayGoodNight.jpg
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Holy Shit, that's like just a couple of shades off in terms of color, but nearly identical :eek
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Been listening to the new album a lot this week.
Boy do I love The longest shadow of the day
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Zonder rips Portnoy: https://blabbermouth.net/news/mark-zonder-praises-bobby-jarzombek-says-mike-portnoy-butchered-fates-warning-songs/
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Zonder rips Portnoy: https://blabbermouth.net/news/mark-zonder-praises-bobby-jarzombek-says-mike-portnoy-butchered-fates-warning-songs/
Zonder's not wrong, but to be fair, I don't think MP had months to rehears either...the guy was 'stepping in' for a sidelined comrade.
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Everyone at their level has a certain style. It can be difficult to totally mimic someone else. MP stepped in on very short notice. I'd like to see Zonder step in on short notice and play a DT set. Butchering would visible.
Also, so much for the brotherhood of drummers. I love Mark's playing but with these comments, he lowered himself in my opinion. Kind of classless.
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(https://i.ibb.co/Y0wfZ8w/Screenshot-2020-12-21-183131.png) (https://ibb.co/9ZSyt2S)
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Reading the article, there seems to be some beef there. Zonder does slam Portnoy but Portnoy was a late call up so you can't blame him if he didn't play the songs the same.
Portnoy always loses his credibility though by having the last words. He would have looked like the bigger man if he shutup here, yet again.
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There must be some background.
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Looks like MP called Zonder a bitter jealous old man in a follow-up response on Twitter.
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There must be some background.
Got to be. Wonder was quite brutal in that article actually.
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Looks like MP called Zonder a bitter jealous old man in a follow-up response on Twitter.
:corn
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So what's the deal with Zonder anyway. Was he not asked to come back for Darkness in a different light?
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Looks like MP called Zonder a bitter jealous old man in a follow-up response on Twitter.
(https://i.ibb.co/RgcdMWv/Screenshot-2020-12-21-210039.png) (https://ibb.co/JcHgbPB)
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So what's the deal with Zonder anyway. Was he not asked to come back for Darkness in a different light?
I interviewed Ray Alder when their live album came out in 2018, and he said Mark doesn't like touring, and that's why he left.
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Seems like MP got the MM treatment :lol (people complaining about him not playing other drummer's parts differently)
I'm with MP on this one, Zonder does sound bitter. Mike had a one off fill-in gig between all his regular stuff. Sure he could've played things a bit more exactly, but he didn't butcher anything. He did worse with Derek's Atlantis Pt. 1 for the PSMS thing, and that was for a full tour :biggrin:
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There must be some background.
Maybe that?(from the same article)
“Mark responded: "I definitely appreciate that, even though [former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike] Portnoy used to call it robotic, but okay, whatever...”
That surprised me. I thought Portnoy was a fan of Mark’s playing. Maybe a misunderstanding?
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So what's the deal with Zonder anyway. Was he not asked to come back for Darkness in a different light?
I interviewed Ray Alder when their live album came out in 2018, and he said Mark doesn't like touring, and that's why he left.
Well, that's not the whole part of the story. Mark didn't like the touring being so inconsistent. It doesn't mean he didn't like the touring. I mean, they did stop gigging for a a few years when FWX got released. And Mark was also ramping up his rehearsal studio and recording business.
Regarding MP's part, I enjoyed them for what it was. He is right on that twitter respond where he says that he did know the parts, he just interprets them a bit differently. I ripped the audio from the Live in Athens DVD and he doesn't sound bad at all on the bonus tracks (Main gig was with NDV on drums). In fact, the songs sound a bit more energetic (Another Perfect Day and Eleventh Hour) with MP on them.
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Hey guys, for Christmas I decided to write one of Mike Portnoy's press releases for him. Too bad it's a bit late but here it is:
Not sure why Mark Zonder felt the need to call me out for "butchering" his drum parts when I filled in for one Fates Warning show in Brazil. I had very little time to learn them, so they weren't exactly what Mark played, but I was proud of my performance as were Jim, Ray, Frank, and Joey. The fans loved it too and that's what matters the most.
I had a busy week that week of April 14th 2012. Started the week recording Bigelf’s entire ITM album, then flew to TX for a gig with AMOB, back to LA for Metal Masters 3 w Kerry King, Phil Anselmo, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, David Ellefson, Dave Lombardo and Charlie Benante and then straight onto an airplane to Brazil to end the week w Fates Warning.
I put 100% of myself into each and every band I played with that exhausting week but as with anything, there are bound to be some detractors. Regardless of Mark's opinion of me, my opinion of him remains unchanged: He's an amazing drummer that played an important role in the legacy of Fates Warning. I had some big shoes to fill but it turned out great. I wish Mark nothing but the best.
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Bickering aside, I think Zonder's a great drummer, but I'm glad that Jarzombek stepped in. He breathes new life into FW.
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Blabbermouth once again creates drama... :corn
Zonder, was only comparing Jarzombek playing style and why he thinks he's the best drummer for Fates, to Portnoy (a hired gun, that didn't take the time to learn drum parts). It seems if MP stepped up he would've learned the drum parts. As Zonder likely feels his drum parts are compositions, well thought out Drum Parts that are akin to a composed guitar solo. So, Zonder felt like Portnoy just didn't have the time to learn his drum parts.
It's cool that Mike stepped up. But, it's the problem of him always constantly doing things, that he doesn't have the time to learn composed parts, even his own. And that shows.
I just find it funny how two separate opinions got misconstrued. And Blabbermouth is the culprit. Not Portnoy or Zonder.
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Blabbermouth once again creates drama... :corn
Zonder, was only comparing Jarzombek playing style and why he thinks he's the best drummer for Fates, to Portnoy (a hired gun, that didn't take the time to learn drum parts). It seems if MP stepped up he would've learned the drum parts. As Zonder likely feels his drum parts are compositions, well thought out Drum Parts that are akin to a composed guitar solo. So, Zonder felt like Portnoy just didn't have the time to learn his drum parts.
It's cool that Mike stepped up. But, it's the problem of him always constantly doing things, that he doesn't have the time to learn composed parts, even his own. And that shows.
I just find it funny how two separate opinions got misconstrued. And Blabbermouth is the culprit. Not Portnoy or Zonder.
I didn't get that from the article. Zonder slams Mike pretty hard. Maybe I'm wrong.
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Everyone at their level has a certain style. It can be difficult to totally mimic someone else. MP stepped in on very short notice. I'd like to see Zonder step in on short notice and play a DT set. Butchering would visible.
Also, so much for the brotherhood of drummers. I love Mark's playing but with these comments, he lowered himself in my opinion. Kind of classless.
Yeah, I agree. Zonder comes across as a dick in this situation. Sounds like there may be some envy/jealousy there too
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Blabbermouth once again creates drama... :corn
Zonder, was only comparing Jarzombek playing style and why he thinks he's the best drummer for Fates, to Portnoy (a hired gun, that didn't take the time to learn drum parts). It seems if MP stepped up he would've learned the drum parts. As Zonder likely feels his drum parts are compositions, well thought out Drum Parts that are akin to a composed guitar solo. So, Zonder felt like Portnoy just didn't have the time to learn his drum parts.
It's cool that Mike stepped up. But, it's the problem of him always constantly doing things, that he doesn't have the time to learn composed parts, even his own. And that shows.
I just find it funny how two separate opinions got misconstrued. And Blabbermouth is the culprit. Not Portnoy or Zonder.
Mike stretches himself too thin sometimes, for sure, but this was a last-minute kind of thing. It's not that he didn't "take the time" it's that he didn't have the time to take. Because it was a last-minute thing.
When Mark Zonder can step in with less than a week of notice and play Metropolis Part 1 and The Dance of Eternity exactly as they sound on the record, then he can talk shit about how Portnoy butchered Fates Warning songs. In the absence of that perfect performance, he should probably shut his fucking pie hole.
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Blabbermouth once again creates drama... :corn
Zonder, was only comparing Jarzombek playing style and why he thinks he's the best drummer for Fates, to Portnoy (a hired gun, that didn't take the time to learn drum parts). It seems if MP stepped up he would've learned the drum parts. As Zonder likely feels his drum parts are compositions, well thought out Drum Parts that are akin to a composed guitar solo. So, Zonder felt like Portnoy just didn't have the time to learn his drum parts.
It's cool that Mike stepped up. But, it's the problem of him always constantly doing things, that he doesn't have the time to learn composed parts, even his own. And that shows.
I just find it funny how two separate opinions got misconstrued. And Blabbermouth is the culprit. Not Portnoy or Zonder.
It's not that simple, Zonder was comparing Bobby (full time FW drummer) with Mike (one off show), and that's just unreal. If Portnoy did a full tour with Fates and didn't put the time or effort to properly learn the parts, then his criticisms would be valid, but that's not the case.
Also, he was also talking about NDV indirectly, but decided to focus on MP because apparently he thinks Zonder's drumming is "robotic".
Btw, I do think Bobby is a better drummer than Mike, but that's another story :P
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Seems like MP got the MM treatment :lol (people complaining about him not playing other drummer's parts differently)
:rollin
And it is curious that the people who give this treatment to MM, say that it is unfair when it comes to MP. :lol
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Blabbermouth once again creates drama... :corn
Zonder, was only comparing Jarzombek playing style and why he thinks he's the best drummer for Fates, to Portnoy (a hired gun, that didn't take the time to learn drum parts). It seems if MP stepped up he would've learned the drum parts. As Zonder likely feels his drum parts are compositions, well thought out Drum Parts that are akin to a composed guitar solo. So, Zonder felt like Portnoy just didn't have the time to learn his drum parts.
It's cool that Mike stepped up. But, it's the problem of him always constantly doing things, that he doesn't have the time to learn composed parts, even his own. And that shows.
I just find it funny how two separate opinions got misconstrued. And Blabbermouth is the culprit. Not Portnoy or Zonder.
It's not that simple, Zonder was comparing Bobby (full time FW drummer) with Mike (one off show), and that's just unreal. If Portnoy did a full tour with Fates and didn't put the time or effort to properly learn the parts, then his criticisms would be valid, but that's not the case.
Also, he was also talking about NDV indirectly, but decided to focus on MP because apparently he thinks Zonder's drumming is "robotic".
Btw, I do think Bobby is a better drummer than Mike, but that's another story :P
Yeah, you put it more clearly.
In the end, it's just Blabbermouth doing it's usual, start up drama bullshit. The interview is 30 min. long and they chose to just focus on that part out of what he talked about.
I'm more interested in him saying he started using the electronics like the Clicks, Sequencers, and those before Neal Peart did. :corn
He does talk about some good interesting stuff about himself and his style of drumming that I find pretty fascinating. I didn't know he sold his drumkit and started using pads, and learned clicks, and sequencers. Also, after the Portnoy rebuttle (Portnoy said Zonder's style is robotic, and he took it as a jab, so is jabbing back at Portnoy), he talks about some cool things about what he would play when a guitar is playing 32nd notes, he'd play something simple while most would do double bass which would sound messy sonically. While playing simple will allow the sonics to open it up more.
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Looks like Portnoy and Zonder has a little exchange yesterday on a thread posted on MZ's Facebook page:
Portnoy: Hey Mark Zonder
Real classy comment!
I had a busy week that week of April 14th 2012:
Started the week recording Bigelf’s entire ITM album, then flew to TX for a gig with Adrenaline Mob, flew back to LA for my gig with Metal Masters w Kerry King, Phil Anselmo, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, David Ellefson, Dave Lombardo and Charlie Benante and then straight onto an airplane to Brazil to end the week playing w Fates Warning...
Sorry if I didn’t have time to learn all of your drum parts perfectly for a one-off fill in gig! 🙄
Really Lame...you come off like a jealous grumpy old man...
Zonder: I do love the fact the grumpy old man comes up. So much for can’t we all get along. Making fun of old people, guess that is cool. Btw nice excuse.
Portnoy: You publicly say in an interview I “butchered” the songs, yet you’re offended I call you a jealous grumpy old man in response???
Jim, Ray, Frank and Joey were all VERY happy (and appreciative) with the job I did on very short notice and in the middle of my hectic schedule at the time...(playing w 4 other bands THAT WEEK!)
And btw, Bobby Jarzombek is a full time member IN THE BAND...of course he’s gonna learn the parts more precisely! I was helping my FW friends out and they never expected (or even wanted) me to learn your parts...I was there to “serve the song” as best as I could and that’s what I did...
Whatever man...
I thought we were friends...
Obviously not...
Later dude...you’re making yourselves look foolish
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Also, in separate comments, Zonder added:
The interviewer asked me a question. I am not a "I love everybody, everybody sounds great" kind of guy. I call it the way I see it. Been on the other end many times. I did not get personal and was talking about the actual playing. No one yet has said, "oh he nailed it". I have heard excuses but let's just call it what it is. It was all about Bobby in comparison to the others. Take a step back and think about how much shit has been talked over the years. Did you take offense to that as well?
He did not have to take the gig. If you are going to take the gig, you need to do it 100%. When I played with Graham Bonnet and we did Rainbow songs I studied Cozy Powell's parts. I could have winged it and been fine. But to honor the band, the drummer and the song, I learned it note for note. I thought that is the way you are supposed to approach these things. If I went to see one of my favorite bands and the guys were not playing the parts correctly I would be disappointed. Remember I was asked a question by the interviewer and I answered honestly. It would have been disrespectful to Bobby if I said everyone did a great job. Honesty is not always fun, but time to put the big boy pants on. I have not heard one person say "he nailed it". So I am being truthful and that upsets people, well sorry. Remember who you are talking about when you mention taking it and dishing it out.
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Also, in separate comments, Zonder added:
The interviewer asked me a question. I am not a "I love everybody, everybody sounds great" kind of guy. I call it the way I see it. Been on the other end many times. I did not get personal and was talking about the actual playing. No one yet has said, "oh he nailed it". I have heard excuses but let's just call it what it is. It was all about Bobby in comparison to the others. Take a step back and think about how much shit has been talked over the years. Did you take offense to that as well?
He did not have to take the gig. If you are going to take the gig, you need to do it 100%. When I played with Graham Bonnet and we did Rainbow songs I studied Cozy Powell's parts. I could have winged it and been fine. But to honor the band, the drummer and the song, I learned it note for note. I thought that is the way you are supposed to approach these things. If I went to see one of my favorite bands and the guys were not playing the parts correctly I would be disappointed. Remember I was asked a question by the interviewer and I answered honestly. It would have been disrespectful to Bobby if I said everyone did a great job. Honesty is not always fun, but time to put the big boy pants on. I have not heard one person say "he nailed it". So I am being truthful and that upsets people, well sorry. Remember who you are talking about when you mention taking it and dishing it out.
Thanks Zonder for helping clarify my point I made:
Zonder, was only comparing Jarzombek playing style and why he thinks he's the best drummer for Fates, to Portnoy (a hired gun, that didn't take the time to learn drum parts). It seems if MP stepped up he would've learned the drum parts. As Zonder likely feels his drum parts are compositions, well thought out Drum Parts that are akin to a composed guitar solo. So, Zonder felt like Portnoy just didn't have the time to learn his drum parts.
It's cool that Mike stepped up. But, it's the problem of him always constantly doing things, that he doesn't have the time to learn composed parts, even his own. And that shows.
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This Zonder guy should play more drums and talk less, could be better for all.
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This Zonder guy should play more drums and talk less, could be better for all.
:lol :rollin
Can't help it when an interviewer asks a guy who is a "Tell it like it is" type of person a question.
I don't blame Zonder nor Portnoy. I blame Blabbermouth. They chose to focus on this aspect of his interview instead of the other more interesting discussions he was having with that interviewer. Just by picking out this section, they have cause drama between Portnoy and Zonder. Zonder fired back because Portnoy called his style and way he does his drumming compositions "Robotic", he took offense to that as it is a lot of work he actually does. SO Zonder, dished that back at Portnoy, by saying he doesn't take the time to learn drum parts written by the drummer. And MP admitted that he doesn't.
I do not mind MP's interpretation of the Fates Warning songs at all. But Zonder, being the one whom composed the drums, just felt MP wasn't as committed to learning his drum parts. And gave his reasoning why he feels that way.
Basically, it's 2 vastly different approaches to learning and playing another persons drum parts. Zonder, when he takes a drumming gig, learns everything to know about the composition of the songs he has to learn. MP, being MP and constantly on the go, just doesn't have the time to do that, so he gets the basic structure of the songs, and then rehearses parts with the band, and makes stuff that would still sound good with the song, but it isn't there drum parts.
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A lot of those "tell it like it is" guys are just plain insulting. That's not honest, that's just them being a dick.
Not saying that this applies here, but Zonder could have worded it better and his response/excuse is just lame.
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I have not heard one person say "he nailed it".
Ugh, here's me, a big Zonder and FW fan and not afraid to criticize MP, saying I loved MP with FW. There, one person.
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Anytime somebody uses the phrase "big boy pants" they automatically lose the argument.
Portnoy's response was dumb and no matter how many times he says otherwise, he looooooooooves Blabbermouth and loves to play the victim, but Zonder seems like a dick.
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Portnoy's response was dumb and no matter how many times he says otherwise, he looooooooooves Blabbermouth and loves to play the victim, but Zonder seems like a dick.
yep
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If Portnoy didn't reply, we wouldn't be talking about it. Not many would really read so much into Zonders comments or give a shit what he says really. Most would know Portnoy was a fill and take it with a grain of salt.
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If Portnoy didn't reply, we wouldn't be talking about it. Not many would really read so much into Zonders comments or give a shit what he says really. Most would know Portnoy was a fill and take it with a grain of salt.
Although that is a great interview though and his MP comment happens more early in the convo.
I really liked his Sequence and Those type of aspects he does in Fates Warning. I'm wondering if it's the stuff that is in Pieces of Me, that the interview says sounds "Disconnected".
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I was at the show in São Paulo when MP played with Fates Warning. Was his drumming perfect? No. Was it worth watching? Absolutely!!!! The energy of that show was off the charts, and the crowd went nuts! I could be wrong, but I think that was FW's first ever show in Brazil. The crowd sang every word, and I finished their set completely soaked in sweat, just from the energy of their set. And they were only the opening act! So I really have no complaints at all about MP playing with them.
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I was at the show in São Paulo when MP played with Fates Warning. Was his drumming perfect? No. Was it worth watching? Absolutely!!!! The energy of that show was off the charts, and the crowd went nuts! I could be wrong, but I think that was FW's first ever show in Brazil. The crowd sang every word, and I finished their set completely soaked in sweat, just from the energy of their set. And they were only the opening act! So I really have no complaints at all about MP playing with them.
I would've went and enjoyed it, not because it's MP playing, but because it's a one time thing that will only happen at that show date. Also, if it was Fates Warnings first time ever there, just being there and hearing the songs being played live by the band, would be enough for me to go crazy with energy. Just as I did at my show when they opened for Queensryche. I was too young when they first came to my local venue.
I have forgone member replacements as for some odd reason, one member would be different when I'd see them live and I didn't look up the band enough to know, but I still enjoyed the show. If I do know the band, and the member changes, I still set aside that it's a different person playing the song than on the record, and enjoy the show, there are moments where I wish they did what was on the album, but I don't mind if it is or isn't how it's played on the album, I am just happy to be hearing the song being played live by the band. A reason for this is because a lot of bands I enjoy and would want to see live, would never come here as the market for it isn't enough to justify playing here (a part of that is due to us not having a venue that is mid-tier, our venues are either too big or too small). It's why I saw Geoff Tate (for the voice) and Queensryche (for the sound and tone and closest to/has the most original/classic members of the band), same with Great White.
But apparently, we now know, it gets to Zonder when his drumming style gets called "robotic" if he took offense and said what he did about MP calling it exactly that. That's just Zonder, and I am not going to fault a guy for being whom his personality is, even if it tends to come off dickish and even a bit mean. It's how some people are.
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Crazy to think this one particular concert in San Paulo from 2012 has been the source of multiple examples of drama over the years. :lol If memory serves me right, this was also the same show where the members of Queensryche had a tense meeting with Geoff Tate about the future of the band that ultimately led to him being fired a few months later and Tate was caught on camera spitting at Scott Rockenfield and Michael Wilton throughout the show.
As for the whole Portnoy vs Zonder debacle, I kinda get both sides here. On the one hand, Portnoy stepped in to help for this one show and obviously didn't have much time to properly learn all the songs. That's a thankless task for anyone, especially considering how crazy Mark Zonder's drumming is on those Fates albums. Simply put, it's not really fair for Zonder to compare how Bobby's handled the job as the band's full-time drummer vs the other guys who've stepped in here and there for a show or two. On the other hand, it sounds like Portnoy's poked fun at and criticized Zonder's playing style in the past and we all know that he seems to thrive a bit on drama.
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I get the both sides on this story. If MP was very sincere to call Mark's drumming robotic, I think it was fair Mark opinating also quite frankly about MP performance. Ok, some finesse would be fine. ;D
Also, despite that, I think there's really different approachs of them about what to do with the original drum parts of the songs. What a new drummer should do? Play exactly what was recorded or take the liberty to make his own arrengement? I don't think there's a right answer to that. I think, as professionals, they should just ask to the rest of the band before play live what to do and then do it accordingly.
In Fates's case, it seems that Jim it's ok with the drummers taking some liberties. In the live DVD with Nick, he prepared previously for a full tour and played the songs a bit his way.
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I came across these photos the other day from the Hollywood show with the Parallels line up. Terribly blurry (I think I took them on a Blackberry). Hard to believe this was nearly 11 years ago!
(https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/25210_1238095073072_5880497_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=2&_nc_sid=2c4854&_nc_ohc=fuNaRHqKTA0AX9j8Zhg&_nc_oc=AQlRWAiDM6dNpndXGfK_HbEW1a7MsUIPiylJMD8B3ERmobagPNQ87CqPidxa5rG3bsU&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=4874b16f303b08a783be22791a331e60&oe=602C36BA)
(https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/25210_1238095033071_5652956_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=2&_nc_sid=2c4854&_nc_ohc=Ol9UTkTABSQAX-ldQjM&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=0209804cfc4c6cadef771e1e82d18140&oe=602CE02B)
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@pg1067
That was an amazing show! I think i must of been to the left of you, i was in front of Ray for this show. The sound at this show was just amazing. Getting to hear this band live was sure a treat.
I wore a black Redemption shirt and i remember Ray pointing to it during a song.
It doesn't seem like that long ago! What i wouldn't give to see that lineup live again...
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Wish the band could have released one of the Parallels anniversary shows.
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@pg1067
That was an amazing show! I think i must of been to the left of you, i was in front of Ray for this show. The sound at this show was just amazing. Getting to hear this band live was sure a treat.
I wore a black Redemption shirt and i remember Ray pointing to it during a song.
It doesn't seem like that long ago! What i wouldn't give to see that lineup live again...
Definitely. At one point, I yelled, "yeah Joe!" (probably after they finished Monument), and he kinda did a "thank you" gesture. The band that opened - Final Gravity - is releasing a new album later this month.
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I finally got around to spinning my copy of the new album. I really like this. It has the riffs and heaviness of TOF but the diversity of old FW. There's a lot of moments on here that bring Disconnected to mind for me.
I have no issue with the length and can find something to like in each song. Love the production too. Sounds very beefy. Early faves are the opener, Alone we Walk and Longest Shadow but only had 2 proper listens.
I hope the band do opt to continue making albums. Jim is being creative as ever and is on a roll. Some of his guitar work on this is some of his best ever too.
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I finally got around to spinning my copy of the new album. I really like this. It has the riffs and heaviness of TOF but the diversity of old FW. There's a lot of moments on here that bring Disconnected to mind for me.
I have no issue with the length and can find something to like in each song. Love the production too. Sounds very beefy. Early faves are the opener, Alone we Walk and Longest Shadow but only had 2 proper listens.
I hope the band do opt to continue making albums. Jim is being creative as ever and is on a roll. Some of his guitar work on this is some of his best ever too.
I'm loving this album more on more. I honestly think this album has nods to all of the previous FW albums. I hear Disconnected, APSOG, Parallels/IO era;No Exit/PS...some of the riffing is reminiscent of early Fates with John Arch (Awaken the Guardian) as well. And I say this just on the music side and not counting the lyrics.
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I finally got around to spinning my copy of the new album. I really like this. It has the riffs and heaviness of TOF but the diversity of old FW. There's a lot of moments on here that bring Disconnected to mind for me.
I have no issue with the length and can find something to like in each song. Love the production too. Sounds very beefy. Early faves are the opener, Alone we Walk and Longest Shadow but only had 2 proper listens.
I hope the band do opt to continue making albums. Jim is being creative as ever and is on a roll. Some of his guitar work on this is some of his best ever too.
I'm loving this album more on more. I honestly think this album has nods to all of the previous FW albums. I hear Disconnected, APSOG, Parallels/IO era;No Exit/PS...some of the riffing is reminiscent of early Fates with John Arch (Awaken the Guardian) as well. And I say this just on the music side and not counting the lyrics.
Yeah, I can hear all that too actually. Speaking of lyrics, I'm not much of a lyric guy but some of these are amazing. That intro to Alone We Walk is brilliant.
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re: Zonder/Portnoy
Zonder's not wrong that Portnoy didn't quite capture the essence of Fates Warning's drum parts. That said, Zonder's comparison of Portnoy's work to Bobby's is wrong. MP came in, learned the song, played them with his own style, doing his friends a solid by filling in. I think the situation would have been totally different if MP joined the band full time. Then I could see MP learning everything note for note, as Bobby did. Again, Bobby is FW's drummer -- the expectation is and should be that he'd learn everything note for note. But when MP filled in, I never expected that, nor do I think anyone should have. I think it was a cool thing hearing MP do the drums. Just as it was cool to see Nick fill in.
MP and MZ bickering on social media and taking shots at one another is stupid though. Pick up the damn phone.
re: Long Day Goodnight
As big a FW fan as I am, I haven't revisited LDG as frequently as I did Theories of Flight. I like it, and I like it better overall than DIADL, but if I am just going by feel, I think Theories is a better record all the way around. But LDG has some stellar stuff. I just need to go back to it more. But the fact I am not compelled to as much, to me is a tell tale sign as to what my preference is.
edit - I just put it on. :metal
re: Parallels reunion shows
>>>>I was supposed to head down there, the Mrs. encouraged me to, but it would have been a whirlwind, and I likely would have ended up sleeping in the airport. LOL. Busy time for me back then. Always wished I would have done it anyway.
re: FW future
>>>>Who knows what they will do? If FW calls it quits on making new music, then why go out on the road and be a nostalgia act? I mean, I get going out in 2021-2022 to do shows supporting LDG. I could also appreciate a 30th anniversary tour of Parallels, given it was their most commercially popular record. But after that? I mean, I could see them doing festivals in Europe, but I wouldn't see them touring the states at all. It sort of runs counter to what FW always sorta did -- supporting its newest music and looking ahead.
I hope I get to see them live a few more times (I think I've seen em 8 times), but once they tour LDG, and maybe do one last Parallels cycle, if they aren't going to make new music, I hope they just shut it down entirely.
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Im w MP on this one... and Im not a fan of FW at all , IMO very overrated band IMO MP is far bigger star than anyone in FW
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As big a FW fan as I am, I haven't revisited LDG as frequently as I did Theories of Flight. I like it, and I like it better overall than DIADL, but if I am just going by feel, I think Theories is a better record all the way around. But LDG has some stellar stuff. I just need to go back to it more. But the fact I am not compelled to as much, to me is a tell tale sign as to what my preference is.
Pretty much where I'm at with it. I like it. There are some really great moments on it, but I just don't think it rises to the same level as Theories of Flight, which, to me, is one of the best albums Fates Warning has ever recorded. That said, I'm still enjoying listening to the new one.
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As big a FW fan as I am, I haven't revisited LDG as frequently as I did Theories of Flight. I like it, and I like it better overall than DIADL, but if I am just going by feel, I think Theories is a better record all the way around. But LDG has some stellar stuff. I just need to go back to it more. But the fact I am not compelled to as much, to me is a tell tale sign as to what my preference is.
Pretty much where I'm at with it. I like it. There are some really great moments on it, but I just don't think it rises to the same level as Theories of Flight, which, to me, is one of the best albums Fates Warning has ever recorded. That said, I'm still enjoying listening to the new one.
Same. Theories is top-three or four for me in FW's catalog. I knew it would be difficult for them to top it. But that doesn't mean I don't really like Long Day Goodnight, because I do. :metal
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I don't think anyone should have expected this to match or be better than TOF. That's a one of a kind album. That thinking made meet approach this new one with no pre conceived judgement. If you're expecting something better than TOF, it's going to be hard not to be disappointed.
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I don't think anyone should have expected this to match or be better than TOF. That's a one of a kind album. That thinking made meet approach this new one with no pre conceived judgement. If you're expecting something better than TOF, it's going to be hard not to be disappointed.
Yeah, I agree with this wholeheartedly.
This thread has reminded me that I should spend a little more time with Darkness In a Different Light
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re: Parallels reunion shows
>>>>I was supposed to head down there, the Mrs. encouraged me to, but it would have been a whirlwind, and I likely would have ended up sleeping in the airport. LOL. Busy time for me back then. Always wished I would have done it anyway.
it down entirely.
I always find it fascinating that the guy you're interacting with on social media might have been standing next to you at a show 10 or 30 years ago.
Maybe this belongs in the mundane stories thread, but I'll put it here. The guy who played guitar in most of the bands I was in back in the day was a good friend of mine even after there was no more band. One day in the late 90s I got a call from his wife, completely out of the blue, telling me that he had told her he was leaving her and their two kids because he had been cheating for a while and never really loved her (they had been together more than 10 years at that point). He even told her that I and another guy from the band knew about the cheating, so she was initially pissed at me. A few days or a week later, our receptionist buzzes me and tells me that "Frank Aresti" is on the phone for me. I knew it was the guitar player, and I was pissed, so I didn't take the call. Never heard from him again. Fast forward to the Parallels reunion show, and I'm standing near the front of the stage when, low and behold, who walks up next to me? I pretended for a moment that I didn't recognize him in the hopes he'd think maybe it wasn't me, but no such luck. Super awkward. I guess it's not too surprising that he was also at a small club show for a not super popular band, but still. Fortunately, we only engaged in some small talk, and he didn't seem all that interested in continuing the conversation after the show. Haven't heard from him since then.
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So wait...you were in a band and friends with Frank Aresti, and you knew about his cheating?
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So wait...you were in a band and friends with Frank Aresti, and you knew about his cheating?
No...the guitar player from my band (NOT Frank Aresti) called and told the receptionist he was Frank Aresti. I assume he was just goofing around by giving a fake name.
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Oh, gotcha!
Were you aware of the cheating?
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Oh, gotcha!
Were you aware of the cheating?
You had me a little horrified for a second that I had defamed Frank! :o
The short answer is that I was not aware of the cheating. However, I did recall one day, about five years earlier, when the guitar player ("GP") and drummer showed up for practice after work. GP told me that some girl showed up at their work (GP and the drummer worked at the same place) and tried to get something going. He told me that he had something going with this girl before I had met him and his wife (then girlfriend). He said she was super hot but was on the wrong side of the Vicki Mendoza Diagonal ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo0F6mX9JIw ). Apparently, GP had kept things going long after he led me to believe.
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Oh, gotcha!
Were you aware of the cheating?
You had me a little horrified for a second that I had defamed Frank! :o
:lol
I did think that was a bit bold of you to post that in the thread. I missed the nuance..
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:lol Frank seems like a clean cut kind of guy too, would have been a surprise.
On Frank, I was initially disappointed with Frank not being involved with the album but it's a non issue really when listening to the album. Mike adds a nice touch but I can see why Frank wouldn't be involved. He's been out of the band for a while now so it makes sense.
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Oh, gotcha!
Were you aware of the cheating?
You had me a little horrified for a second that I had defamed Frank! :o
:lol
I did think that was a bit bold of you to post that in the thread. I missed the nuance..
I was thinking the same thing as TAC.
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Same thing, I was quite surprised lol
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yeah, and then I thought Frank came up to you at his own show and you were super cold to him. I thought Frank would have been thinking, "Why is this guy giving me the cold shoulder, wtf have I done?" :lol
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:rollin
I ain't so dumb, am I? :lol
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As big a FW fan as I am, I haven't revisited LDG as frequently as I did Theories of Flight. I like it, and I like it better overall than DIADL, but if I am just going by feel, I think Theories is a better record all the way around. But LDG has some stellar stuff. I just need to go back to it more. But the fact I am not compelled to as much, to me is a tell tale sign as to what my preference is.
Pretty much where I'm at with it. I like it. There are some really great moments on it, but I just don't think it rises to the same level as Theories of Flight, which, to me, is one of the best albums Fates Warning has ever recorded. That said, I'm still enjoying listening to the new one.
Yeah, likewise. LDGN is still a great album and I'd argue a stronger entry than DIADL, but Theories is just one of those brilliant 'lightning in a bottle' albums IMO. Probably my favorite ever from the band.
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A lot of those "tell it like it is" guys are just plain insulting. That's not honest, that's just them being a dick.
Not saying that this applies here, but Zonder could have worded it better and his response/excuse is just lame.
No, that's exactly what happened here, Zonder comes off as a gigantic fucking asshole here. Full stop
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yeah, and then I thought Frank came up to you at his own show and you were super cold to him. I thought Frank would have been thinking, "Why is this guy giving me the cold shoulder, wtf have I done?" :lol
Hmmm...Frank was a little busy at that particular show, but I'm quite literally laughing out loud here in my office. Fortunately, I'm on the only person here so far today.
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While we're telling entertaining Frank Aresti stories...
I was fortunate to get to see DT do a soundcheck at a show on the Along for the Ride tour. During soundcheck, there was a dude with short hair that I didn't recognize hanging out near the back of the stage on JP's side. Afterward, I was just hanging out in the auditorium, and after the rest of the band left, JP and the guy I didn't recognize were talking up on stage. JP then asked me if I wanted to come up onto the stage to look around. I said sure and came up, and he introduced me to the other guy just by saying, "This is Frank." I shook hands and just gave a generic, polite response like, "Hi, I'm [bosk1], nice to meet you." His response, "Frank Aresti. Nice to meet you."
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While we're telling entertaining Frank Aresti stories...
I was fortunate to get to see DT do a soundcheck at a show on the Along for the Ride tour. During soundcheck, there was a dude with short hair that I didn't recognize hanging out near the back of the stage on JP's side. Afterward, I was just hanging out in the auditorium, and after the rest of the band left, JP and the guy I didn't recognize were talking up on stage. JP then asked me if I wanted to come up onto the stage to look around. I said sure and came up, and he introduced me to the other guy just by saying, "This is Frank." I shook hands and just gave a generic, polite response like, "Hi, I'm [bosk1], nice to meet you." His response, "Frank Aresti. Nice to meet you."
I LOVE Frank's solos!!!! They have that quality that I think Steve Rothery also has: their solos always tell a story, and not necessarily with a million notes.
He's a manager at Dunlop nowadays, as per his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-aresti-8ab6392b/
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I've been listening to FW for a long time and have never even considered who was playing the guitar solos. What would be the good Aresti ones?
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While we're telling entertaining Frank Aresti stories...
I was fortunate to get to see DT do a soundcheck at a show on the Along for the Ride tour. During soundcheck, there was a dude with short hair that I didn't recognize hanging out near the back of the stage on JP's side. Afterward, I was just hanging out in the auditorium, and after the rest of the band left, JP and the guy I didn't recognize were talking up on stage. JP then asked me if I wanted to come up onto the stage to look around. I said sure and came up, and he introduced me to the other guy just by saying, "This is Frank." I shook hands and just gave a generic, polite response like, "Hi, I'm [bosk1], nice to meet you." His response, "Frank Aresti. Nice to meet you."
Awesome!! And...you know...actually is about Frank.
I've been listening to FW for a long time and have never even considered who was playing the guitar solos. What would be the good Aresti ones?
I think they used to mark in the liner notes who did the solos -- at least in the Perfect Symmetry through Inside Out era (there are also a couple on DIADL that I know are noted in the liner notes). Without looking, the only ones I know for sure to be Aresti are Static Acts and the first solo on Monument (i.e., not the acoustic solo), and I only really know that from having seen them live. Some of the things his fingers did during the Static Acts solo I've never seen anyone else do.
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I've been listening to FW for a long time and have never even considered who was playing the guitar solos. What would be the good Aresti ones?
Face the Fear is a good one.
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I've been listening to FW for a long time and have never even considered who was playing the guitar solos. What would be the good Aresti ones?
Life in Still Water
Leave the Past Behind
Don't Follow Me
Through Different Eyes (first solo)
A World Apart (second solo)
Outside Looking in
Pale Fire
Island in the Stream
Monument (first solo)
And Yet it Moves
One Thousand Fires
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Off the top of your head?? WOW!
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Off the top of your head?? WOW!
I followed his playing pretty closely when I was heavily into Fates and Parallels and Inside Out back in the day. I've always really enjoyed his playing too. He crafted perfect little solos for the songs. I couldn't get any from No Exit off the top of my head, that's one album I couldn't tell you without listening who does what.
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So I'm railing on Mr. Big in the other thread, but Parallels and Inside Out is FW's sweet spot.
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I'll add that Life in Still Water is one of the hardest solos for me ever. I could never get it clean. Aresti's reverse hand hold and pull offs followed by tapped/slap harmonics is just insane.
There's a great vid on YouTube, the one with Portnoy with great vision of Frank playing this solo. So tricky to nail.
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I'll add that Life in Still Water is one of the hardest solos for me ever. I could never get it clean. Aresti's reverse hand hold and pull offs followed by tapped/slap harmonics is just insane.
There's a great vid on YouTube, the one with Portnoy with great vision of Frank playing this solo. So tricky to nail.
I always assumed that was more of a visual thing, but I'm not a guitarist, so all I know is that it really looks cool.
I also really love what he does at the start of his solo on Monument. First of all, he's sort of out of time, and I think he's also pressing the string onto the pickup. There's also a modal change partway through. Oh, and it's in alternating 5/4 and 6/4. The combo of that solo and Jim's solo (done on acoustic guitar over the same basic riff but in alternating 4/4 and 6/4) is one of my favorite 2-part solos ever.
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Yeah, Monument is one of their best. Yeah he depressing on the pickup at the start, Frank does some really cool shit.
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I've been on a huge Fates Warning kick in the last few weeks. I wasn't really a big fan during most of the 2000's and 2010's so a lot of this material is relatively fresh to my ears, especially albums like Inside Out, Parallels, Perfect Symmetry etc.
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I only saw FW once and it was on the Inside Out tour.
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I only saw FW once and it was on the Inside Out tour.
Would have been a good show that one.
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It was. The place was so tiny, I literally stood at the stage about 5' from Mark Zonder. Fucking awesome!
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other than not seeing Arch live, the only other regret I have with FW is never seeing them on a Headlining tour (nor APSOG in full).
I did see them at ProgPowerUSA in 2009, which was awesome, and a FULL SET; however the crowd of course was not 100% FW fans like a Headline show normally would be.
The 2 times they have come to my hometown since becoming a fan in 1995, they opened (Savatage and Queensryche).
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I caught them on one of those 3-band tours that Mike Portnoy was organizing back in the day. I forget who the other band was, but at the time Nick D'Virgilio was playing drums for them.
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Pretty sure that was the QR/DT co- headliner tour. NDV was playing with FW. Great tour but DT was loud!
I yelled to Nick when they took the stage and he looked at me like he was surprised anybody recognized him.
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Pretty sure that was the QR/DT co- headliner tour. NDV was playing with FW. Great tour but DT was loud!
I yelled to Nick when they took the stage and he looked at me like he was surprised anybody recognized him.
Did you go to the show at Pine Knob? I was at that one as well. Fates with Nick was pretty good, and I totally didn't expect to see Frank Aresti with them, so that was a nice surprise. DT played a killer set that night, too!
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Sure was! Great show all around.
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I saw FW six times, all at relatively small clubs.
Three times supporting Perfect Symmetry. The first time they closed the set with the entirety of The Ivory Gate of Dreams. The other two were co-headlining shows with a band called Sanctuary.
I missed the Parallels tour because their only Southern California show was the same night that Rush played in support of Roll the Bones.
I saw them opening for Dream Theater, supporting Inside Out and Awake.
I missed APSOG because heck if I know. Doesn't look like they played Southern California in support of Disconnected. I missed the 2003 tour with QR/DT/FW because of kids.
I saw the Parallels reunion show in 2010 and a show in support of DIADL in December 2013. I think I skipped the most recent SoCal show because it was on a weeknight (BOO, me!).
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I have never really seen them live. Never cared about their pre-X catalog, and they never opened for anyone I was seeing to have caught them earlier. I saw 2 shows on the FW/QR/DT tour. But the first show, we got in just a bit late, and then I was talking with some friends I hadn't seen in years, so by the time I got to my seat, I only got to see a couple of songs in their short set. The second night, it was a road trip to that other location, and we got there after FW was already done.
As I have posted before, X was the first album I liked. DIADL was the first album I really liked. And TOF was my album of the year the year it was released. But since becoming a fan late in the game, I haven't had a "convenient" opportunity to see them. When things open back up, I think I will have to change that. There aren't many bands I feel that I need to see anymore. But if I had to make a bucket list, or a must-see list (for whatever reason), it would look like this:
-Maiden: Have never seen them. I really regret not seeing them on the Legacy of the Beast tour, but it just wasn't in the cards for what ultimately amount to very mundane reasons.
-Epica: Have never seen them, and they put on such a fantastic show, from everything I have seen.
-DT: I have seen them enough times that I don't feel any urgency to seeing them. But I always enjoy their shows, and they are that band that I will go and see whenever they are in town as long as the scheduling works.
And that's really about it. I would probably put FW on that list, but at the bottom, in terms of "Yeah, I'd like to see them if I can make it work, and I'd probably travel a decent distance to do it."
Then at the bottom are bands like NMB and Transatlantic that put on a great show, and I would see them if it is "convenient." And bands that, if they put out a really good album, or are doing a "special" show, or are part of a great lineup, I might go see, like Nightwish, Within Temptation, and some others.
But, yeah, coming back to FW again, I think they need to go on my live "to do" list.
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Pretty sure that was the QR/DT co- headliner tour. NDV was playing with FW. Great tour but DT was loud!
I yelled to Nick when they took the stage and he looked at me like he was surprised anybody recognized him.
Yeah, you're right! Luckily for me it was an outdoor venue so the volume wasn't too big of an issue. Yeah, I remember that show, Geoff Tate was still with QR and he was very rough sounding and pitchy as fuck. Plus his banter between songs was annoying, he really had a very high opinion of himself at that point, I think he was overcompensating for his greatly diminished vocal range. I mean, that's really got to suck for a vocalist to slowly lose their vocal range as they get older.
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Just came back to say I'm an idiot :loser:
I did not give this album enough time to really marinate in my head until this morning at the gym, and now as I am helping Mrs NoseHair clean the house I've listened to it again and holy fucking nuggetz is this thing full of proggy greatness and these songs are just extremely compelling at times almost hypnotic but Then Comes The...RIFFS :hefdaddy :metal :hefdaddy
This is at least as good as Theories of Flight and I'll tell you why. It's fresh but also nostalgic in a way as they've almost taken us on a tour of each era of the band throughout this incredible album. Still getting chills from some of the passages, the lyrics are starting to sink in a bit too and it's just really incredible songwriting, NOTHING about this was phoned in. Intricate in detail, melodies for miles, recurring themes, blazing melodic solos, complex rhythm patters that take multiple listens to really begin to appreciate, the drumming on this is just fucking monstrous. Ridiculous chops. This is an amazing album and yeah, anyone on the fence, keep listening, it will pay off big time. :metal
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So...just got this album, and I'm pretty annoyed. After one listen, it's pretty clear that no other album coming out this year is going to have a chance at album of the year. It just isn't fair.
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So...just got this album, and I'm pretty annoyed. After one listen, it's pretty clear that no other album coming out this year is going to have a chance at album of the year. It just isn't fair.
???
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So...just got this album, and I'm pretty annoyed. After one listen, it's pretty clear that no other album coming out this year is going to have a chance at album of the year. It just isn't fair.
You sure you're not referring to Witherfall's Curse of Autumn? ;) :biggrin:
(But yeah, the FW album is pretty dang great too... even if it's actually a 2020 album.)
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Oh, is it really 2020? I knew I was getting it a bit late, but didn't realize it actually came out last year. :lolpalm:
OK, 2020 album of the year then. :biggrin:
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The Longest shadow of the day :metal
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Bought it immediately after the release but I didn't really connect with after one or two listens.
This topic made me go back to it over the last week and it gets better which each listen. While ToF was a direct hit this one has more secrets to unveil and I'm pretty sure it will top ToF in the end. So many great melodies.
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Yeah, I've been spinning it in the car lately also, it's bloody amazing.
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Yeah, I've been spinning it in the car lately also, it's bloody amazing.
I was literally thinking about this album this morning on my way to work. It kind of came and went on me. I need to dig into it.
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Yeah, I've been spinning it in the car lately also, it's bloody amazing.
I was literally thinking about this album this morning on my way to work. It kind of came and went on me. I need to dig into it.
Definitely requires digging into. Not a come and go kinda album.
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Yeah, I've been spinning it in the car lately also, it's bloody amazing.
I was literally thinking about this album this morning on my way to work. It kind of came and went on me. I need to dig into it.
While TOF is the better album, I think this one has the ability to age even better, it's fantastic.
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I think I still prefer ToF, which to me is the ultimate Fates Warning album and the crowning achievement of their careers. But the new one is a very close second.
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Add me to the group that prefers Theories of Flight. It's not that Long Day Goodnight isn't a good record -- it is. But there is something about ToF that resonates with me more. Quite honestly, it's probably one of my favorite offerings from the band.
In no specific order, the top-3 for me are probably Parallels, No Exit, Theories of Flight. Sure, I have favorite songs that are on different records, but as pure album experiences, those are my favorite three, top to bottom (again, not in order).
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I never really got into Parallels for some reason. Multiple listens and still no click.
But if I were to list my favorites the only Fates Warning albums I ever listen to it would be, in order of preference:
1. Theories of Flight
2. No Exit
3. Long Day Good Night
4. FWX
5. A Pleasant Shade of Gray
6. Disconnected
The rest of their albums I find hit and miss. The John Arch stuff I just can't take his pitchy/screechy vocals.
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The John Arch stuff I just can't take his pitchy/screechy vocals.
He's ok. I figure there's about an album's worth of really good material between the three Arch albums:
Damnation
Traveler in Time
The Apparition
Epitaph
Fata Morgana
Guardian
Giant's Lore (Heart of Winter)
Exodus
And maybe Prelude to Ruin or Pirates of the Underground
What throws me more than his vocals is how he frequently tried to cram a lot of words in not enough space. Most of the live recordings I've heard with Arch are unlistenable because of him.
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I was a late comer to Arch. His voice grated on me. And then I got it. I still prefer Alder by leaps and bounds, but I have an appreciation for just how unique John Arch is. His style gave early Fates Warning a clear sound. That said, I'm with PG. I think there is an album of good material in his three-album run with Fates. I actually prefer the Arch-Matheos albums to the Arch-fronted FW catalog.
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I enjoy John Arch FW and I enjoy John Arch a twist of fate, but I have barely ever listened to the 2 Arch/matheos albums
He doesn't sing Melodically, he just talks over the music. Like it doesn't flow right and I agree with others, it gets very grating. Its a shame since I was ready to love those albums.
For whatever reason with the early FW albums, he meshes better with the music and I dig it.
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The latest Arch/Matheos was my favourite album from 2019, my Top 15 album from the 10s decade, and I still spin it regularly. I think it's a masterpiece and I love that record.
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He sings melodically on the second album with Matheos.
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I've found that the best way to enjoy albums with Arch's vocals is to never listen to them ;D
Joking aside, I just can't stand more than a couple minutes of him singing. I remember trying to listen to the first Arch/Matheos record and couldn't get past the first song... I couldn't even finish the first one! Same with his Twist of Fate EP :eek
Thank God for Ray Alder.
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Of course does Arch sing melodically, it's just that his melodies often are unconventional, not what you expect and sometimes a little all over the place. Most times it works for me, sometimes it doesn't.
That said I prefer Alder FW over Arch FW but those two Arch/Matheos records over FW in general.
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Of course does Arch sing melodically, it's just that his melodies often are unconventional, not what you expect and sometimes a little all over the place. Most times it works for me, sometimes it doesn't.
That said I prefer Alder FW over Arch FW but those two Arch/Matheos records over FW in general.
Yeah, I agree with almost all of that. But the last 3 Fates albums are, to me, FAR superior to anything in the FW/Arch-Matheos catalog.
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I think Arch is one of those vocalists you either love or hate. I wouldn't say I hate his vocals, but I just don't like that kind of non-melodic talk/sing thing he does on the Arch Matheos albums. And the way he chooses to break up some of the syllables of the lyrics is just...weird. A lot of times he seems to be trying to fit too many words into not enough space, but then he'll also take a word like AND and make it into a 6 syllable word :lol
His voice is definitely an acquired taste in the same way that a guy like Andy Tillson's vocals are also an acquired taste. Some will acquire it, some will not.
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Of course does Arch sing melodically, it's just that his melodies often are unconventional, not what you expect and sometimes a little all over the place. Most times it works for me, sometimes it doesn't.
Yeah, this. I haven't listened to it in close to a year, but I can still hum the chorus melody to Vermillion Moons pretty easily.
I think Tommy Karevik does something similar, although maybe not as consistently, in Seventh Wonder. The melody is often not what you'd expect to hear, but it's still a melody, and it's often good.
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Of course does Arch sing melodically, it's just that his melodies often are unconventional, not what you expect and sometimes a little all over the place. Most times it works for me, sometimes it doesn't.
Yeah, this. I haven't listened to it in close to a year, but I can still hum the chorus melody to Vermillion Moons pretty easily.
I think Tommy Karevik does something similar, although maybe not as consistently, in Seventh Wonder. The melody is often not what you'd expect to hear, but it's still a melody, and it's often good.
Tommy adds straight up blues scale riffs to his vocals. Arch adds melodic chaos to his :lol
I get what you're saying, though, they both seem to do a lot of adlibs. It's just that with Arch it often seems like he's hitting pitches he shouldn't really be hitting. I appreciate dissonance like any other prog head, but sometimes you're out of key too much and that's the problem for me with Arch, about 50% of what comes out of his mouth seems like it's in a different key than the song.
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As a complete music theoretical ignoramus, I was definitely concerned I'd gone out of my depth on that post! :lol
I experience them somewhat similarly, although Tommy is one of my favorite singers and Arch isn't, though I don't mind him. I think I understand the distinction you're making, though.
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The John Arch stuff I just can't take his pitchy/screechy vocals.
He's ok. I figure there's about an album's worth of really good material between the three Arch albums:
Damnation
Traveler in Time
The Apparition
Epitaph
Fata Morgana
Guardian
Giant's Lore (Heart of Winter)
Exodus
And maybe Prelude to Ruin or Pirates of the Underground
What throws me more than his vocals is how he frequently tried to cram a lot of words in not enough space. Most of the live recordings I've heard with Arch are unlistenable because of him.
My first exposure to FW was seeing the video for Silent Cries on Head Banger's Ball on MTV back in the day. So I began my listening experience with them with Ray as the lead singer. I didn't hear any of the Arch albums until several years later and, it took me awhile for the early albums to click with me. Once they did, I began to believe (and still do to this day) that the entire Awaken The Guardian album(with the exception of Valley of the Dolls) is one of the greatest prog metal albums ever recorded. Of course it's all just opinions but, I think that album certainly had a lot of influence on bands that came after.
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My first exposure to FW was seeing the video for Silent Cries on Head Banger's Ball on MTV back in the day. So I began my listening experience with them with Ray as the lead singer. I didn't hear any of the Arch albums until several years later and, it took me awhile for the early albums to click with me. Once they did, I began to believe (and still do to this day) that the entire Awaken The Guardian album(with the exception of Valley of the Dolls) is one of the greatest prog metal albums ever recorded. Of course it's all just opinions but, I think that album certainly had a lot of influence on bands that came after.
I can't really remember, but I don't think I got the Arch albums until after I saw FW on the Perfect Symmetry tour. IIRC, they opened with Fata Morgana and also played Damnation, so I think that prompted me to seek out the pre-No Exit albums. I always liked what Mike Portnoy wrote for the anniversary release of AtG, which I couldn't readily find so as to quote it here.
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As a complete music theoretical ignoramus, I was definitely concerned I'd gone out of my depth on that post! :lol
I experience them somewhat similarly, although Tommy is one of my favorite singers and Arch isn't, though I don't mind him. I think I understand the distinction you're making, though.
No actually, I knew exactly what you meant and you're definitely on to something.
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The only Fates album (and on vinyl) is Darkness In A Different Light which I really like. Upon recommendations in this thread I picked up Long Day and thoroughly enjoyed it, thanks! I really like Ray's voice (as I did in Redemption.)
I think I will check out some others.
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As a complete music theoretical ignoramus, I was definitely concerned I'd gone out of my depth on that post! :lol
I experience them somewhat similarly, although Tommy is one of my favorite singers and Arch isn't, though I don't mind him. I think I understand the distinction you're making, though.
No actually, I knew exactly what you meant and you're definitely on to something.
Cool! Good to know I wasn't just hearing things.
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The quiet section in Vermillion Moons, all the way up until the solo is awesome and very melodic to me.
Wanderlust is a wonderful mixture of melodic and more of his traditional style (also some absolutely beautiful melodies in the quieter sections).
I'd also describe Wrath of the Universe as quite melodic, not mushc "talking". But the melodies are weird and unpredictable. After so many listens, I can't sing along but I absolutely love them. It is again a nice blend of traditional Arch and melodic Arch.
Tethered is just beautiful all the way through.
Straight and Narrow is mostly what people don't like about Arch, with except for the pre-chorus and the chorus which could as well be Alder-era FW moments.
Pitch Black Prism features some of his best vocals, imo. Another song that mixes his beautiful sense of melody with his other more talk-singing style.
Never in Your Hands has some amazing harmonies.
Kindred Spirits... If you can't to listen to Arch because he's not melodic for you, I suggest you listen to this song and if you don't like it - I don't think you'll ever enjoy anything he does :lol
There's no shortage of melodic singing, but it's rarely an entire song of what most people would instantly like in a melody. And I mostly don't care about Arch in FW, the only song I really like from that era of Fates is Guardian.
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Am exactly where abydos is at regarding Winter Ethereal.
Weirdly I own both Sympathetic Resonance and WE but it's only Winter Ethereal I can regularly enjoy front to back. Resonance is great but not 'as' great...
So far as long and progressive goes, it rarely gets much better than Kindred Spirits. I mean come on, right? :metal
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After revisiting the FW albums, I did my ranking:
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Inside Out
Perfect Symmetry
Disconnected
Long Day Good Night
Parallels
Theories of Flight
No Exit
Darkness in a Different Light
FWX
The Spectre Within
Awaken in the Guardian
Night on Bröcken
In a way I had "forgotten" how good this band is. Years without listening, except for the APSOG masterpiece.
APSOG = masterpiece.
Other albums with Ray Alder = Great records.
John Arch's FW = It's not my thing.
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After revisiting the FW albums, I did my ranking:
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Inside Out
Perfect Symmetry
Disconnected
Long Day Good Night
Parallels
Theories of Flight
Interesting to see Inside Out at #2. That's a great album. The only tour I saw Fates.
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After revisiting the FW albums, I did my ranking:
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Inside Out
Perfect Symmetry
Disconnected
Long Day Good Night
Parallels
Theories of Flight
Interesting to see Inside Out at #2. That's a great album. The only tour I saw Fates.
I'd possibly rate it top 3, it's sensational.
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Yeah, it's a real sweet spot in their discog. They really excelled in that style.
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Yeah, it's a real sweet spot in their discog. They really excelled in that style.
I think it's a shame they didn't keep going with it.
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I always thought that Inside Out was just a darker version of Parallels. Honestly, I think it's the only record in their catalog that at least to my ears, is almost repetitive of the one that came before it.
Ironically, I also think that Long Day Goodnight builds very similarly off of Theories of Flight.
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It's easy to view Parallels and Inside Out as sister albums. They are both great albums.
Long Day Goodnight has still not clicked with me.
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It's easy to view Parallels and Inside Out as sister albums. They are both great albums.
Long Day Goodnight has still not clicked with me.
Many may disagree, but I thought Parallels followed the model Queensryche took with Empire. Or even Rush from Hemispheres to Permanent Waves Take a more complex sound, simplify it a bit but still maintain integrity, and focus on melody. Fates did that outstanding for two straight records in Parallels and Inside Out. I would probably also argue that they did it somewhat better than Queensryche, but Fates didn't have the promotional muscle behind Parallels and Inside Out like Queensryche did with Empire.
I really don't have any complaints about Long Day Goodnight. It hasn't hit me like Theories of Flight did. But I still like it a lot.
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Many may disagree, but I thought Parallels followed the model Queensryche took with Empire.
I would agree with this. Flotsam & Jetsam's Cuatro came out about the same time and followed (for them) a similar path as Empire and Parallels.
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I always thought that Inside Out was just a darker version of Parallels. Honestly, I think it's the only record in their catalog that at least to my ears, is almost repetitive of the one that came before it.
Ironically, I also think that Long Day Goodnight builds very similarly off of Theories of Flight.
Yeah, I can agree with all of this.
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It's easy to view Parallels and Inside Out as sister albums. They are both great albums.
Long Day Goodnight has still not clicked with me.
Long Day clicked with me right away and even grew on me more. I find myself coming back to it often.
I really hope it's not their last album.
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After revisiting the FW albums, I did my ranking:
A Pleasant Shade of Gray
Inside Out
Perfect Symmetry
Disconnected
Long Day Good Night
Parallels
Theories of Flight
Interesting to see Inside Out at #2. That's a great album. The only tour I saw Fates.
:tup
It's a great record!
Monument is one of my favorite songs from the band.
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Monument is just incredible. But I say that about a lot of Fates material. :lol
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Monument is just incredible. But I say that about a lot of Fates material. :lol
It's such an eclectic song, and everything meshes together so cohesively.
For me, 6 of the 10 tracks on Inside Out are exceptional. Island in the Stream is the big dud (something Parallels doesn't have), and Inward Bound is a bit of wasted space between Face the Fear and Monument, and the only reason I wouldn't skip it is if I don't have a free hand. The Strand is IO's version of We Only Say Goodbye. Not bad songs, but they're dwarfed by most of the rest of their respective albums. Afterglow is nice, but it's kind of anticlimactic after Monument. I think if you dropped Island from the album and put Afterglow in the same spot and let the album finish with Monument, I might rank IO higher than Parallels.
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Theories of Flight and Long Day Good Night are now my two favorite Fates Warning albums and I've been a fan since the release of No Exit
These last two albums are almost like a tour of all the things I like best about this band, both albums are rifftastic :hefdaddy
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I don't mind Inside Out, but to me maybe the biggest issue with it is how many of the songs sound very similar; i.e. if i heard sample clips from most of the songs randomly, I would likely not be able to distinguish them from each other.
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Theories of Flight and Long Day Good Night are now my two favorite Fates Warning albums and I've been a fan since the release of No Exit
These last two albums are almost like a tour of all the things I like best about this band, both albums are rifftastic :hefdaddy
Yeah, the band's been on a hot streak since 2016. Or even as far back as 2011, if we factor in Arch/Matheos too. Theories of Flight and Live Over Europe in particular have been absolutely monstrous contributions to Fates Warning's discography IMO.
As for IO, I'm not sure where I'd rank the album as a whole, but I will say that "Pale Fire" is quite possibly the Fates song I listen to most often. It's not quite my favorite, but it's such an excellent example of Fates' short-lengthed tracks in the Alder era.
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Some Bobby Jarzombek news:
"I’m very proud to announce that I am now playing drums for the legendary country music artist George Strait. As the newest member of his ‘Ace In The Hole’ band, last Saturday we played a private event in Austin, TX and everything was awesome!
I am so glad to be here! Really looking forward to the future with George and the guys!"
Glad to see Bobby J have some success. He is a massive country fan and plays weekend gigs in the San Antonio area. Wonder what this does to Fates Warning although it's not like George Strait tours a lot though.
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I heard George was going to sing on their new album. They’re calling it
Straits Warning.
I’m sorry.
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Fuck me sideways :rollin
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I’m sorry.
You fucking should be.
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I’m sorry.
You fucking should be.
:lol :blush :lol
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I heard George was going to sing on their new album. They’re calling it
Straits Warning.
I’m sorry.
What if Mark Knopfler joins them as a live guitarist? Would they be called Dire Straits Warning? :neverusethis:
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I heard George was going to sing on their new album. They’re calling it
Straits Warning.
I’m sorry.
What if Mark Knopfler joins them as a live guitarist? Would they be called Dire Straits Warning? :neverusethis:
Well played!
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They should cover Distant Early Warning.
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They should cover Distant Early Warning.
They should do it in the morning over Zoom.
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Bobby is playing the ACL fest in Austin as George Strait is one of the headliners.
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I had no idea until the other day, The Flower Kings "The Rainmaker" artwork is done by Ioannis, the same artist who did APSOG. And when you look at the artwork of both of those albums, the style is rather similar.
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I had no idea until the other day, The Flower Kings "The Rainmaker" artwork is done by Ioannis, the same artist who did APSOG. And when you look at the artwork of both of those albums, the style is rather similar.
He also did Awaken the Guardian and Night on Brocken I believe. If you see his portfolio, his work is very distinctive. He also did the artwork for DT's WDADU.
https://www.dangerousage.com/#
https://www.dangerousage.com/store/
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Yep. Ioannis also did the artwork for FWX and Live in Athens. I have two custom-oversized framed prints of two different Live in Athens pieces that he made for my wife and I in our hallway and living room. I have an APSOG one that is in my office.
Great guy. Shipping can sometimes be a little wonky (USPS), but he's always attentive and if there are issues, he addresses them immediately.
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I’m all over this
https://bravewords.com/news/fates-warning-author-jeff-wagner-to-release-new-book-destination-onward-the-story-of-fates-warning?fbclid=IwAR1G4DG9h4hatT18MqgQ8NpDAL__YfggNAYBrWICi6RuR4tTy-kKW35_So4
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I’m all over this
https://bravewords.com/news/fates-warning-author-jeff-wagner-to-release-new-book-destination-onward-the-story-of-fates-warning?fbclid=IwAR1G4DG9h4hatT18MqgQ8NpDAL__YfggNAYBrWICi6RuR4tTy-kKW35_So4
Saw that on FB.
DO WANT!
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I’m all over this
https://bravewords.com/news/fates-warning-author-jeff-wagner-to-release-new-book-destination-onward-the-story-of-fates-warning?fbclid=IwAR1G4DG9h4hatT18MqgQ8NpDAL__YfggNAYBrWICi6RuR4tTy-kKW35_So4
Saw that on FB.
DO WANT!
Me too, me too! :biggrin: (plus, I really enjoyed his previous book, Mean Deviation)
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I’m all over this
https://bravewords.com/news/fates-warning-author-jeff-wagner-to-release-new-book-destination-onward-the-story-of-fates-warning?fbclid=IwAR1G4DG9h4hatT18MqgQ8NpDAL__YfggNAYBrWICi6RuR4tTy-kKW35_So4
I'll be picking that up as well. It is almost predictable that Jeff Wagner would write this, but I'm sure there'll be a lot of new information and stories he's never written about.
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Is Jeff Wagner someone known?
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Is Jeff Wagner someone known?
I'm not sure how well known he is - I have read his book "Mean Deviation: Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal" a few years back and enjoyed it.
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Is Jeff Wagner someone known?
I'm not sure how well known he is - I have read his book "Mean Deviation: Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal" a few years back and enjoyed it.
he's done other stuff, namely being an editor for Metal Maniacs and more recently working for Inside Out Music.
he also has a podcast called Radical Research:
http://radicalresearch.org/
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Wagner is a hell of a writer. Can't wait for the Fates book! :metal
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he also has a podcast called Radical Research:
http://radicalresearch.org/
Thank you for this, I'll have to check it out!
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Ray and Zonder have a new band, A-Z (pronounced A through Z).
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-singer-ray-alder-reunites-with-bands-former-drummer-mark-zonder-in-a-z/
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Wow, I didn't see this coming! Looking forward to it, of course. I'm a big fan of Zonder's playing and Ray is the best there is.
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sounds intriguing, however I'm not going to assume anything per the songwriting for me often is key.
Sadly, every project Zonder's done outside of FW has done very little for me. The most recent, the ZW Band, I honestly got terribly bored by it.
Slavior was quite forgettable as well.
It's a plus having Ray sing in this band, but I guess I tend to see Jim Matheos being a huge part of the quality of the Fates songs (and also Terry Brown in some instances).
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Ray and Zonder have a new band, A-Z (pronounced A through Z).
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates-warning-singer-ray-alder-reunites-with-bands-former-drummer-mark-zonder-in-a-z/
Dumb name, but I'm all over whatever they release.
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sounds intriguing, however I'm not going to assume anything per the songwriting for me often is key.
Sadly, every project Zonder's done outside of FW has done very little for me. The most recent, the ZW Band, I honestly got terribly bored by it.
Slavior was quite forgettable as well.
It's a plus having Ray sing in this band, but I guess I tend to see Jim Matheos being a huge part of the quality of the Fates songs (and also Terry Brown in some instances).
Pretty much my thoughts plus TACs thoughts as well lol.
The good thing is that Viv, Joop and Ray have very good melodical sense so I hope they bring that up in the songwriting.
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It's a plus having Ray sing in this band, but I guess I tend to see Jim Matheos being a huge part of the quality of the Fates songs (and also Terry Brown in some instances).
Yes but Ray has a good ear for a song and his 2019 solo album proved that beyond any doubt ;)
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I listened to six FW albums start to finish today and I loved every second.
Parallels
Inside Out
APSOG
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
Long Day Good Night
:metal
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I listened to six FW albums start to finish today and I loved every second.
Parallels
Inside Out
APSOG
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
Long Day Good Night
:metal
But no Darkness In. A Different Light?
Certainly worth your time I love how I Am rolls out from the beautiful Falling, how one of the album highlights O Chloroform sets up the epic And Yet and don't get me started on Firefly or the wonderful bonus track reworking of Falling...
Or FWX which while not of the same calibre contains some essential Fates, I'd argue A Handful Of Doubt and Wish are worth the price alone ;D
But am sure you already aware of all that and kudos for your selections pretty much all personal faves and forever waving the flag for Parallels (always wished they'd finished with We Always Say Goodbye think that's an album closer if ever heard one) and the usually underappreciated Disconnected :metal
Am now inspired to go do the same myself Cheers!
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I listened to six FW albums start to finish today and I loved every second.
Parallels
Inside Out
APSOG
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
Long Day Good Night
:metal
But no Darkness In. A Different Light?
Certainly worth your time I love how I Am rolls out from the beautiful Falling, how one of the album highlights O Chloroform sets up the epic And Yet and don't get me started on Firefly or the wonderful bonus track reworking of Falling...
Or FWX which while not of the same calibre contains some essential Fates, I'd argue A Handful Of Doubt and Wish are worth the price alone ;D
But am sure you already aware of all that and kudos for your selections pretty much all personal faves and forever waving the flag for Parallels (always wished they'd finished with We Always Say Goodbye think that's an album closer if ever heard one) and the usually underappreciated Disconnected :metal
Am now inspired to go do the same myself Cheers!
I was so glad I bought the edition with the bonus cd to fall in love with Falling Further. I was actually quite surprised when they played it on their opening slot for Queensryche. That song alone made my night, and I sang the hell out of that song. What would've topped the night would've been to have gotten Still Remains, but their set was still awesome.
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I listened to six FW albums start to finish today and I loved every second.
Parallels
Inside Out
APSOG
Disconnected
Theories of Flight
Long Day Good Night
:metal
I was so glad I bought the edition with the bonus cd to fall in love with Falling Further. I was actually quite surprised when they played it on their opening slot for Queensryche. That song alone made my night, and I sang the hell out of that song. What would've topped the night would've been to have gotten Still Remains, but their set was still awesome.
NICE!
Still bucket list Fer me living Down Under can't say when or even if will ever get the chance but if happens will be doing everything can not to miss it 🤘
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What state are you in Wardy? Yeah, doubt we'll be seeing them down here anytime soon.
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Would be Melbourne show fer me mate how about you?
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Brisbane mate, so if they came to Australia I probably wouldn't see them anyway lol.
I'm sure you'd catch Brent (bl5150) at the Melbourne show for sure.
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Happy 35th anniversary/birthday to this epic!
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/98/Awaken_the_guardian.jpg)
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I went to see Mike Abdow perform his solo material this weekend in Poughkeepsie. What a talented dude. He deserves so much more recognition than he receives, and I'm glad he's starting to get it a bit after having written a majority of the music for Ray's solo album, What the Water Wants. Mike's most recent solo album, Heart Signal, is so good -- dare I say, even better than John Petrucci's Terminal Velocity. And he's such a nice guy and easy to root for. Fates Warning couldn't have picked a better guy to fill in for Frank Aresti.
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Every time I see this thread on page one I'm so excited to read about a tour announcement :rollin
I don't follow him so I didn't even know he had a solo album, but I loved what he did with Ray's solo effort so I'll definitely check it out!
Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get to hear ANY of Long Day Good Night live at some point. :metal
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I went to see Mike Abdow perform his solo material this weekend in Poughkeepsie. What a talented dude. He deserves so much more recognition than he receives, and I'm glad he's starting to get it a bit after having written a majority of the music for Ray's solo album, What the Water Wants. Mike's most recent solo album, Heart Signal, is so good -- dare I say, even better than John Petrucci's Terminal Velocity. And he's such a nice guy and easy to root for. Fates Warning couldn't have picked a better guy to fill in for Frank Aresti.
Yes indeed!
Ray's solo album made my #1 for its year and I just hope he gives us another sooner than later. Agree Mike Abdow fits Fates like a glove and he certainly value added to Ray's album.
To my ears when played front to back there's some ever so subtle Promised Land vibes with Ray's album, not a Tate Ray comparison nor anything quite the magnitude of that Queensryhce opus, but I those reflective similarities particuarly in the album's gentler moments... Probably just me though ;D
Of note too is whoever chose the singles chose correctly IMO, Wait and Crown Of Thorns both some of Ray's best work IMO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA80VmzsCNk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvzmK-X7SPw
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To my ears when played front to back there's some ever so subtle Promised Land vibes with Ray's album, not a Tate Ray comparison nor anything quite the magnitude of that Queensryhce opus, but I those reflective similarities particuarly in the album's gentler moments... Probably just me though ;D
Not just you. I hear the same vibes and thought that too. Just an overall feeling.
Great record, love What The Water Wants.
As for Mike Abdow, completely agree. The guy is amazingly talented and a wonderful person. Really humble. I have his entire catalog, and wish I'd get to see him do a solo gig at some point. There's so much feel in his playing.
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I posted this in the polls/survivors section, but I know not everyone goes there.
How much interest would there be in a Fates Warning survivor?
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I posted this in the polls/survivors section, but I know not everyone goes there.
How much interest would there be in a Fates Warning survivor?
I would freaking love this. But I doubt you’d get much participation for the first two albums.
I’ve been a fan ever since TSW first came out, so I’ve grown to love all of it. (Imagine a time when NOB and TSW were literally the only two albums there were!) But I’ve always gotten the impression that among the DTF crowd as a whole, the love for their catalog is pretty era driven and very spotty. I’d be surprised if there were 4 people here who owned and loved every album.
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I posted this in the polls/survivors section, but I know not everyone goes there.
How much interest would there be in a Fates Warning survivor?
YES!
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I posted this in the polls/survivors section, but I know not everyone goes there.
How much interest would there be in a Fates Warning survivor?
I would freaking love this. But I doubt you’d get much participation for the first two albums.
I’ve been a fan ever since TSW first came out, so I’ve grown to love all of it. (Imagine a time when NOB and TSW were literally the only two albums there were!) But I’ve always gotten the impression that among the DTF crowd as a whole, the love for their catalog is pretty era driven and very spotty. I’d be surprised if there were 4 people here who owned and loved every album.
I think for a band as diverse as they have been over the course of their career, it's hard to argue with this, and personally would be expected. Personally I'd need a quick spin or two of a couple of albums but I have a decent grip on most of their stuff.
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I have no idea what survivor is - seeing this topic on page one got me SO PSYCHED that they announced a tour. &*(^#@%
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I'd be down for it. I was actually also thinking that a Ray Alder survivor would be cool. He has so much awesome material with FW, Redemption, Engine and his solo material. I'd be curious to see what ranks where among fans.
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I posted this in the polls/survivors section, but I know not everyone goes there.
How much interest would there be in a Fates Warning survivor?
I would freaking love this. But I doubt you’d get much participation for the first two albums.
I’ve been a fan ever since TSW first came out, so I’ve grown to love all of it. (Imagine a time when NOB and TSW were literally the only two albums there were!) But I’ve always gotten the impression that among the DTF crowd as a whole, the love for their catalog is pretty era driven and very spotty. I’d be surprised if there were 4 people here who owned and loved every album.
You are probably right. I do own all of their albums but I can't say I love all of them. To be fair, up through Awaken the Guardian, they quite literally were a different band. Matheos himself, I think, has said it a couple of times.
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I have no idea what survivor is - seeing this topic on page one got me SO PSYCHED that they announced a tour. &*(^#@%
The format is based on the Survivor TV show. So we actually vote off our least favorite of what’s left until only the winner “survives”. Sometimes alliances are formed in order to save a song that is beloved by a small group…so there is a little bit more nuance going on than just a flat “vote for your [least] favorite”, so it can sometimes make it more interesting.
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TSW includes 2 of my top 20 Fates tunes, so i would definitely be going to bat for some of the tracks from the Arduini period.
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TSW includes 2 of my top 20 Fates tunes, so i would definitely be going to bat for some of the tracks from the Arduini period.
I'm gonna guess The Apparition for sure. The other...my own view colors this, but I'm gonna say Traveler in Time? Or Epitaph?
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TSW includes 2 of my top 20 Fates tunes, so i would definitely be going to bat for some of the tracks from the Arduini period.
I'm gonna guess The Apparition for sure. The other...my own view colors this, but I'm gonna say Traveler in Time? Or Epitaph?
yep.
1. Epitaph
2. The Apparition
3. Traveler in Time
I also have always loved "Damnation" from Brocken, and actually do enjoy many tracks from it.
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TSW was the first of the Arch albums I found, and Traveler in Time hooked me immediately. Still my favorite song from the album. The Apparition is #2.
I like Damnation. They played it live the first time I saw them in 1989. Beyond that, none of the other songs on NOB have ever grabbed me, and I've probably only listened to the album maybe half a dozen times.
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I was listening to NoB a few weeks ago per I am planning on doing a series of Albums-Video reviews and Album rankings for my YouTube channel, and I was reminded how much I used to enjoy that record, even though it clearly is the worst of the 3 Arch records.
Title track, Shadowfax, Kiss of Death, Buried Alive, Misfit, The Calling, S.E.K, Soldier Boy..I mean sure it's not as proggy as the other 2, but I still enjoy the energy and charm to it.
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Kiss of Death and Misfit are personal favorites of mine.
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Buried Alive, Kiss of Death, Misfit, Damnation... I mean, there are some good tracks on Night on Bröcken for sure. It just cannot compete with the albums that followed. It's not the strongest debut album ever, and at times sounds more like a demo recording. But it's not a bad album by any means, just a much more raw and straight forward version of what was to come. Essentially you have guys in their early 20's, obviously crazy about Iron Maiden, testing the waters and making a pretty good effort.
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I spun Long Day Good Night in the gym today - what a beast. What are the chances we'll see any of this live?
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I spun Long Day Good Night in the gym today - what a beast. What are the chances we'll see any of this live?
I know, I was hoping for a summer 2022 tour now that concerts seem to be back in full effect. But I wonder if Bobby is available since he is performing now with George Strait. If he's busy, it might be a good time for a 25th anniversary tour for A Pleasant Shade of Gray. I mean, Ray is already working with Mark Zonder on this new A-Z project, so it seems like a good opportunity to play some shows with Zonder on drums perhaps.
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I spun Long Day Good Night in the gym today - what a beast. What are the chances we'll see any of this live?
I know, I was hoping for a summer 2022 tour now that concerts seem to be back in full effect. But I wonder if Bobby is available since he is performing now with George Strait. If he's busy, it might be a good time for a 25th anniversary tour for A Pleasant Shade of Gray. I mean, Ray is already working with Mark Zonder on this new A-Z project, so it seems like a good opportunity to play some shows with Zonder on drums perhaps.
I'd travel for that one. I have no idea why I missed the APSOG tour, but I wouldn't miss it again.
LDGN still hasn't clicked for me. Of course, it took a couple years for TOF to click, so I'm not counting it out just yet.
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Have they ever come out and explained what the deal was the the cover for Night on Bröcken?
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LDGN still hasn't clicked for me. Of course, it took a couple years for TOF to click, so I'm not counting it out just yet.
LDGN is very, very good, but yes, TOF was a true late-career highlight for me. I liked it right away, and my appreciation for it has grown even more in time.
Coming after FWX and Darkness, everything about it felt so much more "inspired" - just great Fates Warning songs with some of their best vocal melodies in a while. And some of the guitar work almost brought me back to the Parallels/Inside Out era...not quite the "sophisticated melodic brilliance" of Matheos-Aresti's interplay on those albums, but more exciting (to my ears) than the Tool-like riffing Matheos had been using for a little while.
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LDGN is very, very good, but yes, TOF was a true late-career highlight for me. I liked it right away, and my appreciation for it has grown even more in time.
Coming after FWX and Darkness, everything about it felt so much more "inspired" - just great Fates Warning songs with some of their best vocal melodies in a while. And some of the guitar work almost brought me back to the Parallels/Inside Out era...not quite the "sophisticated melodic brilliance" of Matheos-Aresti's interplay on those albums, but more exciting (to my ears) than the Tool-like riffing Matheos had been using for a little while.
Perfectly said agree wholeheartedly! :metal
As fantastic as it is LDGN isn't quite of the same calibre but it's close and getting closer with each listen ;)
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Coming after FWX and Darkness, everything about it felt so much more "inspired" - just great Fates Warning songs with some of their best vocal melodies in a while. And some of the guitar work almost brought me back to the Parallels/Inside Out era...not quite the "sophisticated melodic brilliance" of Matheos-Aresti's interplay on those albums, but more exciting (to my ears) than the Tool-like riffing Matheos had been using for a little while.
Not sure if I'm interpreting what you wrote correctly, but I LOVE DIADL and loved it almost from the first time I heard it. I Am, Into the Black and And Yet It Moves are among the best songs FW ever did. I don't like Disconnected or FWX (maybe three songs between the two albums), and I had pretty much walked away from Fates given the long gap between FWX and DIADL.
For reasons that I can't explain, it took a long time for TOF to click. Every time I've listened to LDGN, I've come away thinking that there was nothing I didn't like, but there's nothing memorable so far.
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Coming after FWX and Darkness, everything about it felt so much more "inspired" - just great Fates Warning songs with some of their best vocal melodies in a while. And some of the guitar work almost brought me back to the Parallels/Inside Out era...not quite the "sophisticated melodic brilliance" of Matheos-Aresti's interplay on those albums, but more exciting (to my ears) than the Tool-like riffing Matheos had been using for a little while.
Not sure if I'm interpreting what you wrote correctly, but I LOVE DIADL and loved it almost from the first time I heard it. I Am, Into the Black and And Yet It Moves are among the best songs FW ever did. I don't like Disconnected or FWX (maybe three songs between the two albums), and I had pretty much walked away from Fates given the long gap between FWX and DIADL.
For reasons that I can't explain, it took a long time for TOF to click. Every time I've listened to LDGN, I've come away thinking that there was nothing I didn't like, but there's nothing memorable so far.
I like but don't love DIADL (although I like it better than FWX). What I was saying is that after two FW records that didn't excite me as much as I hoped, I found TOF to be incredibly refreshing. Differently from you, I loved it right away. Certainly not an album that reinvents the wheel, but one with the strongest (imo) FW songs in years...
Out of curiosity - what are your favorite FW albums?
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I spun Long Day Good Night in the gym today - what a beast. What are the chances we'll see any of this live?
I know, I was hoping for a summer 2022 tour now that concerts seem to be back in full effect. But I wonder if Bobby is available since he is performing now with George Strait. If he's busy, it might be a good time for a 25th anniversary tour for A Pleasant Shade of Gray. I mean, Ray is already working with Mark Zonder on this new A-Z project, so it seems like a good opportunity to play some shows with Zonder on drums perhaps.
It's so weird knowing he's playing for George Strait. I'm sure it's a great opportunity for him, but my god listen to his drum work on everything he's done w FW or Arch/Matheos, seems like his talent is being wasted there. I get it though.
I know, I was hoping for a summer 2022 tour now that concerts seem to be back in full effect. But I wonder if Bobby is available since he is performing now with George Strait. If he's busy, it might be a good time for a 25th anniversary tour for A Pleasant Shade of Gray. I mean, Ray is already working with Mark Zonder on this new A-Z project, so it seems like a good opportunity to play some shows with Zonder on drums perhaps.
I'd travel for that one. I have no idea why I missed the APSOG tour, but I wouldn't miss it again.
LDGN still hasn't clicked for me. Of course, it took a couple years for TOF to click, so I'm not counting it out just yet.
Same here - wherever that show is, I'll be traveling to see it. Really hoping they do some dates within the next year or two - there's a lot I'd love to see from TOF live, as well. I know they've toured with DT a few times before, but they'd be an excellent opener on the next leg (if there is one). Fingers crossed.
My only gripe (and it's minor) with LDGN is the mix, it's a bit bass heavy to my ears. I like/love just about everything else about it - same w TOF.
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Coming after FWX and Darkness, everything about it felt so much more "inspired" - just great Fates Warning songs with some of their best vocal melodies in a while. And some of the guitar work almost brought me back to the Parallels/Inside Out era...not quite the "sophisticated melodic brilliance" of Matheos-Aresti's interplay on those albums, but more exciting (to my ears) than the Tool-like riffing Matheos had been using for a little while.
Not sure if I'm interpreting what you wrote correctly, but I LOVE DIADL and loved it almost from the first time I heard it. I Am, Into the Black and And Yet It Moves are among the best songs FW ever did. I don't like Disconnected or FWX (maybe three songs between the two albums), and I had pretty much walked away from Fates given the long gap between FWX and DIADL.
For reasons that I can't explain, it took a long time for TOF to click. Every time I've listened to LDGN, I've come away thinking that there was nothing I didn't like, but there's nothing memorable so far.
I like but don't love DIADL (although I like it better than FWX). What I was saying is that after two FW records that didn't excite me as much as I hoped, I found TOF to be incredibly refreshing. Differently from you, I loved it right away. Certainly not an album that reinvents the wheel, but one with the strongest (imo) FW songs in years...
Out of curiosity - what are your favorite FW albums?
Gotcha. Sounds like TOF clicked for you the way DIADL clicked for me.
My top 3 albums are, in order, APSOG, Perfect Symmetry and Parallels. After that, the lines get blurry really fast. If pressed, I'd probably go with:
1. A Pleasant Shade of Gray
2. Perfect Symmetry
3. Parallels
4. No Exit
5. Inside Out
6. Darkness in a Different Light
7. Theories of Flight
8. Awaken the Guardian
9. The Spectre Within
10. Long Day Good Night
11. Disconnected
12. FWX
13. Night on Brocken
Although it's been out for a year and a half, I still don't feel completely comfortable with LDGN's spot in the rankings. I'm pretty sure Spectre is locked in at #9, although it has two of my absolute favorite FW songs (Traveler and Apparition). I know Guardian > Spectre, and they're much easier to compare directly than, e.g., Guardian and Theories. The order of the 4-8 group is very squishy.
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I agree with you, and I mentioned it before too, it's hard to compare the debut-through-Awaken the Guardian era and the post-ATG era (yes, No Exit is somewhat transitional, and it's the arrival of Mark Zonder that truly, um, marks the start of FW's second era, but still)...but here's the ranking I'd go with if asked now:
1. Parallels
2. Inside Out
3. Perfect Symmetry
4. A Pleasant Shade of Gray
5. Disconnected
6. Theories of Flight
7. No Exit
8. Long Day Good Night
9. Darkness in a Different Light
10. Awaken the Guardian
11. FWX
12. The Spectre Within
13. Night on Brocken
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(yes, No Exit is somewhat transitional, and it's the arrival of Mark Zonder that truly, um, marks the start of FW's second era, but still)
You mean Perfect Symmetry is the arrival of Mark Zonder.
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(yes, No Exit is somewhat transitional, and it's the arrival of Mark Zonder that truly, um, marks the start of FW's second era, but still)
You mean Perfect Symmetry is the arrival of Mark Zonder.
Yes, I was contrasting the era through Awaken the Guardian vs. the era post-Awaken the Guardian. My point was that while No Exit is (clearly :)) the first album post-ATG, it's still kind of "in between" - there are traces of "old" FW, still. It's when Mark Zonder came on board (on Perfect Symmetry) that FW truly changed.
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(yes, No Exit is somewhat transitional, and it's the arrival of Mark Zonder that truly, um, marks the start of FW's second era, but still)
You mean Perfect Symmetry is the arrival of Mark Zonder.
Yes, I was contrasting the era through Awaken the Guardian vs. the era post-Awaken the Guardian. My point was that while No Exit is (clearly :)) the first album post-ATG, it's still kind of "in between" - there are traces of "old" FW, still. It's when Mark Zonder came on board (on Perfect Symmetry) that FW truly changed.
The bottom line is that, from ATG to NE, Arch was replaced by Alder, and from NE to PS, Zimmerman was replaced by Zonder (apparently, only guys with the letter "z" in their last name are allowed to drum on Fates albums). I agree that NE was a transitional album. ATG and PS sound like two different bands.
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The bottom line is that, from ATG to NE, Arch was replaced by Alder, and from NE to PS, Zimmerman was replaced by Zonder (apparently, only guys with the letter "z" in their last name are allowed to drum on Fates albums). I agree that NE was a transitional album. ATG and PS sound like two different bands.
Incidentally, Perfect Symmetry was my first FW album. While there were some great melodies to hold on to, it was overall a pretty difficult album, with all of its angular riffs and complex drumming. I was in full music discovery mode at the time and I didn't 100% appreciate it right away but, man, the payoff was so great when I did.
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The bottom line is that, from ATG to NE, Arch was replaced by Alder, and from NE to PS, Zimmerman was replaced by Zonder (apparently, only guys with the letter "z" in their last name are allowed to drum on Fates albums). I agree that NE was a transitional album. ATG and PS sound like two different bands.
Incidentally, Perfect Symmetry was my first FW album. While there were some great melodies to hold on to, it was overall a pretty difficult album, with all of its angular riffs and complex drumming. I was in full music discovery mode at the time and I didn't 100% appreciate it right away but, man, the payoff was so great when I did.
No Exit was my first. I searched out the album based on an MTV segment about three "bands you might also like if you like Queensryche" (this was while Operation: Mindcrime was becoming super popular). They mentioned both Fates and Dream Theater, but I couldn't find WDADU until after I&W broke. However, I found No Exit without much trouble. Blew me away (especially The Ivory Gate of Dreams). Perfect Symmetry was definitely a big change, but it came at the right time for me since I was also getting heavily into Yes's back catalog at the same time.
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Parallels was my first but I don't recall why it didn't click at the time. It was then some years later the excellent Disconnected dragged me back and once I opened up the bag of Fates again Parallels was like the second coming of Queensryche's Empire. Fair to say I was blown the fark away and never looked back since.
Everything they've done is essential particularly the Alder era although Parallels remains the personal fave and I still think Life In Still Water is beyond compare. Just :metal
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Happy 25th anniversary to the masterpiece that is A Pleasant Shade of Gray. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for some shows this summer or fall celebrating the album's anniversary, with an encore of songs from Long Day Good Night. I need some live FW!
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Happy 25th anniversary to the masterpiece that is A Pleasant Shade of Gray. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for some shows this summer or fall celebrating the album's anniversary, with an encore of songs from Long Day Good Night. I need some live FW!
25 years!!! That doesn't sound possible :biggrin: Man, I'm getting old...
What a great album. I have a special fondness for the immediate-but-subtly-complex Fates Warning of Parallels and Inside Out, and I remember when APSOG came out it took me a little longer to warm up to it. But that's a record that keeps revealing more and more of itself over time. Brilliant.
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Happy 25th anniversary to the masterpiece that is A Pleasant Shade of Gray. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for some shows this summer or fall celebrating the album's anniversary, with an encore of songs from Long Day Good Night. I need some live FW!
25 years!!! That doesn't sound possible :biggrin: Man, I'm getting old...
What a great album. I have a special fondness for the immediate-but-subtly-complex Fates Warning of Parallels and Inside Out, and I remember when APSOG came out it took me a little longer to warm up to it. But that's a record that keeps revealing more and more of itself over time. Brilliant.
This 100%
And yes, both APSOG and Queensryche's Promised Land fall into this category for me, both albums sound so fresh all these years later and continue to reveal more as the years roll by...
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I had a pre-release in-store play copy a couple of months before it was released. I was section head of the Music Market at the local Fred Meyer department store. I played that thing on the overhead so much that some of my coworkers threatened revolution. Still fights with Disconnected for my favorite FW album. And really a very shocking comeback. After Inside Out failed, and Joey and Frank left, I honestly thought Fates was done. Possibly the biggest and most surprising comeback I've ever known.
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I had a pre-release in-store play copy a couple of months before it was released. I was section head of the Music Market at the local Fred Meyer department store. I played that thing on the overhead so much that some of my coworkers threatened revolution. Still fights with Disconnected for my favorite FW album. And really a very shocking comeback. After Inside Out failed, and Joey and Frank left, I honestly thought Fates was done. Possibly the biggest and most surprising comeback I've ever known.
Agreed. I LOVED Inside Out (and they were fantastic opening for DT), but it looked like they sort of imploded as a band after it…then came APSOG, and it was quite the (artistic) statement…
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I had a pre-release in-store play copy a couple of months before it was released. I was section head of the Music Market at the local Fred Meyer department store. I played that thing on the overhead so much that some of my coworkers threatened revolution. Still fights with Disconnected for my favorite FW album. And really a very shocking comeback. After Inside Out failed, and Joey and Frank left, I honestly thought Fates was done. Possibly the biggest and most surprising comeback I've ever known.
Hmmm have never considered it a comeback album of sorts but you make a good point. While I love Inside Out to pieces and think it's unfairly overlooked, its blatant attempt at being another Parallels (personal fave) was its undoing and looking back it's easy to see why they went the route of APSOG...
They weren't quite on my radar when it was first released so missed the line-up changes etc so will take pleasure in listening again with that in mind \m/
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A Pleasant Shade of Gray is my favorite Fates album for sure. I'd love to see that album in full, whether it's for an anniversary or just whenever they get around to it. :)
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I had a pre-release in-store play copy a couple of months before it was released. I was section head of the Music Market at the local Fred Meyer department store. I played that thing on the overhead so much that some of my coworkers threatened revolution. Still fights with Disconnected for my favorite FW album. And really a very shocking comeback. After Inside Out failed, and Joey and Frank left, I honestly thought Fates was done. Possibly the biggest and most surprising comeback I've ever known.
Hmmm have never considered it a comeback album of sorts but you make a good point. While I love Inside Out to pieces and think it's unfairly overlooked, its blatant attempt at being another Parallels (personal fave) was its undoing and looking back it's easy to see why they went the route of APSOG...
They weren't quite on my radar when it was first released so missed the line-up changes etc so will take pleasure in listening again with that in mind \m/
I like inside out OK, but I really think the band sounds tired. And the band photo on the inside didn’t help things. I know they had such high hopes with their first major label release in Parallels, and when they worked and fought so hard to finally get major label exposure and pour their heart into their statement album…and then get no support. I think it just deflated them. And that’s what they look like in the band photo for I/O. Joey especially looks about 10 years older than his photo in Parallels. But all of them just look haggard and worn. And I think the album…while still very good…reflects that spirit. Pale Fire sums up the attitude of the entire album perfectly.
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I remember being on a family vacation at Disney World in 2001/2002 and stopping at a CD store in Downtown Disney. At the time, I only had No Exit and the greatest hits album. I bought A Pleasant Shade of Grey and was completely thrown off by the album when I listened to it. This wasn't my Fates Warning! I only liked one or two songs and rarely listened to the album for a long, long time.
Years later, I started to get into the album more and can enjoy it for what it is. It's usually a rainy day album for me, but not one that I reach for when I want to rock out.
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I like inside out OK, but I really think the band sounds tired. And the band photo on the inside didn’t help things. I know they had such high hopes with their first major label release in Parallels, and when they worked and fought so hard to finally get major label exposure and pour their heart into their statement album…and then get no support. I think it just deflated them. And that’s what they look like in the band photo for I/O. Joey especially looks about 10 years older than his photo in Parallels. But all of them just look haggard and worn. And I think the album…while still very good…reflects that spirit. Pale Fire sums up the attitude of the entire album perfectly.
I totally remember thinking the same thing looking at the band photo in the I/O booklet. I think in part it was also meant to be a different "look" than the slick shoot for Parallels but, yes, Joey didn't look great on that one. I don't have my CDs super-handy, but I found these for comparison:
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.paslanmazkalem.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F08%2Ffates-warning-620x270.jpg&hash=4cb6db188be991810352fa9d28acc4fbbd16f928)
(https://www.nolifetilmetal.com/images/fates038.jpg)
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I really don't get the hate for Inside Out...it's probably my favorite FW album.
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Certainly no hate from me :) It's one of my favorite album of theirs too.
I am not getting the impression the album is hated on, btw. It seems to me it's more about the fact it didn't keep the Parallels momentum going (commercially)...
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it's not bad, it's just a lot of the songs sound the same.
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APSOG is an absolute beast -- especially VIII through XII. It's one of those albums that, when I listen to it, I end up having it on repeat for days. XII, in particular, is so subtly complex. I don't recall being particularly aware of what was happening with the band, so it was a bit of a surprise to see no Frank Aresti (or any second guitarist) and the guy from Armored Saint (a band I never got into) in place of Joe.
As far as Inside Out, I think the biggest complaint (although not from me) is that it was too similar to Parallels. I LOVE the album, especially Monument. The only song I'm not particularly fond of is Island in the Stream.
And yeah...Joe looked a bit like Tom Hanks from Cast Away.
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I prefer the live version of APSOG...Brings more energy and emotion to the table. The studio version leaves me a bit sterile.
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I really don't get the hate for Inside Out...it's probably my favorite FW album.
Probably my second fav after Parallels. A more than worthy follow up.
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I really don't get the hate for Inside Out...it's probably my favorite FW album.
Probably my second fav after Parallels. A more than worthy follow up.
Those are my two favorites as well. They executed that style with perfection.
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Probably my second fav after Parallels. A more than worthy follow up.
Those are my two favorites as well. They executed that style with perfection.
+1
Parallels and Inside Out for the win...followed by Perfect Symmetry and APSOG...
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Oh boy. Here we go with rankings.
Please remember that much like I stated in the Iron Maiden thread, Parallels came out at a time when I was in the middle of a deep dive into the most extreme forms of music that were out there. So Fates Warning (whom I had been a fan of since Spectre) going for a more radio friendly direction didn’t sit well with me at first. I warmed up to it later, but Eye to Eye still comes across a bit cheesy to me.
APSOG
Disconnected
Perfect Symmetry
Theories of Flight
Awaken the Guardian
No Exit
Parallels
The Spectre Within
Inside Out
Darkness in a Different Light
X
Night on Brocken
Not sure where to put the new one yet. Probably somewhere around IO and DIADL.
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I'm ashamed that I really couldn't seriously do a proper FW list. I only like 4 or 5 tracks from APSOG. I feel like it's an overblown thing. I appreciate it and respect it, but the constant call backs to certain themes really puts a drag on it.
Plus, while I do really like Disconnected, I feel like it's a glorified EP, and it's two best tracks require serious editing.
I definitely prefer Awaken The Guardian as far as the Arch albums go, but I still can't listen to 3 or 4 John Arch songs in a row before I have to shut it off.
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The top three are set in stone, as are the bottom three (and the gap between the middle group and the bottom 3 is pretty significant). The middle albums are extremely fluid. I still haven't wrapped my arms around LDGN sufficiently to include it.
1. A Pleasant Shade of Gray
2. Perfect Symmetry
3. Parallels
4. No Exit
5. Inside Out
6. Darkness in a Different Light
7. Theories of Flight
8. Awake the Guardian
9. The Spectre Within
10. Disconnected
11. FWX
12. Night on Brocken
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Honestly hard to rank them and as most the discussion above relates to the Alder era I'm gonna cheat and disregard the Arch releases because honestly never warmed to those enough until later so NO idea where I'd place them anyways.
What annoys me with these lists is seeing albums like Disconnected and FWX so low given how great I think they are. Anyways always subject to change...
1. Parallels
2. Inside Out
3. Theories Of Flight
4. Perfect Symmetry
5. A Pleasant Shade Of Gray
6. Long Day Good Night
7. Darkness In A Different Light
8. Disconnected
9. FWX
10. No Exit
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Laments how under appreciated and low ranked Disconnected is…proceeds to rate it near the bottom of his list.
:rollin :rollin :rollin
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Laments how under appreciated and low ranked Disconnected is…proceeds to rate it near the bottom of his list.
:rollin :rollin :rollin
I know right? :rollin
But to be fair I was referring to seeing Disconnected so low in my own rankings but still, this stuff kills me sometimes ;D
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APSOG is an absolute beast -- especially VIII through XII. It's one of those albums that, when I listen to it, I end up having it on repeat for days. XII, in particular, is so subtly complex. I don't recall being particularly aware of what was happening with the band, so it was a bit of a surprise to see no Frank Aresti (or any second guitarist) and the guy from Armored Saint (a band I never got into) in place of Joe.
As far as Inside Out, I think the biggest complaint (although not from me) is that it was too similar to Parallels. I LOVE the album, especially Monument. The only song I'm not particularly fond of is Island in the Stream.
:o What, no..... Island in the Stream is sooooo good! :)
I think Inside Out is a fine album in general; if there is hate for it, it definitely doesn't come from me.
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:o What, no..... Island in the Stream is sooooo good! :)
I think Inside Out is a fine album in general; if there is hate for it, it definitely doesn't come from me.
Agreed :) Love Island in the Stream...Ray Alder's singing is sublime, and the combo of the clean electric and acoustic guitars in the verses is so good. Then its unusual structure, the subtle strings and the outro with Zonder's super-tasteful drumming...everything comes together real nice.
Listening again to Inside Out, I find one aspect that was so special about FW in that period (IO but also Parallels) is how they take advantage of the two guitars. It's so clever, the way the distorted riffs and chords weave in and out with the cleans - e.g. the verses in Face the Fear. Brilliant. I do miss that kind of interplay, in subsequent records, when Aresti left.
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:o What, no..... Island in the Stream is sooooo good! :)
I think Inside Out is a fine album in general; if there is hate for it, it definitely doesn't come from me.
Agreed :) Love Island in the Stream...Ray Alder's singing is sublime, and the combo of the clean electric and acoustic guitars in the verses is so good. Then its unusual structure, the subtle strings and the outro with Zonder's super-tasteful drumming...everything comes together real nice.
Listening again to Inside Out, I find one aspect that was so special about FW in that period (IO but also Parallels) is how they take advantage of the two guitars. It's so clever, the way the distorted riffs and chords weave in and out with the cleans - e.g. the verses in Face the Fear. Brilliant. I do miss that kind of interplay, in subsequent records, when Aresti left.
The loss of the interplay was definitely a huge shock the first time I listened APSOG, and even more especially, Disconnected, but I eventually came to appreciate the more (for lack of a better word) minimalist approach Jim took on those records.
To this day, 'Still Remains' is my favorite Fates song, and I think there's something about the 'lack' of everything that makes it a standout track. I mean, it certainly has riffs and movements, but everything is dialed back, and the lyric/vocal is placed front and center. I was in the midst of a massive DT kick when that record came out back in 2000, and I still remember being struck by how 'progressive' it was in a way that was so different from what DT was doing. Different, but equally good.
With all that said, I've always felt that Fates took a path in the early 2000's that Queensryche could've/should've taken. Minus a guitarist (mind you, DeGarmo and Aresti are not the 'same' role, but still), both bands forged ahead, but the quality of said results could not have been more different.
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Disconnected is one of the most beautiful atmospheric albums I’ve ever heard. The crown jewel is obviously Still Remains (my father had Parkinson’s for years and finally fell asleep in death in 2007. Blasting that song and bawling my eyes out was very cathartic at the time) but the song that took much longer to grow on me was Something from Nothing. The build up of tension in that song is off the chart! Sometimes I actually wish the intro went on a bit longer before the vocals kick in. That song is the definition of “moody”
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Disconnected is one of the most beautiful atmospheric albums I’ve ever heard. The crown jewel is obviously Still Remains (my father had Parkinson’s for years and finally fell asleep in death in 2007. Blasting that song and bawling my eyes out was very cathartic at the time) but the song that took much longer to grow on me was Something from Nothing. The build up of tension in that song is off the chart! Sometimes I actually wish the intro went on a bit longer before the vocals kick in. That song is the definition of “moody”
Yeah, that flange effect on Zinder’s cymbals when the drums kick in is just the best.
Some records age better than others, and for my money, Disconnected is the epitome of ‘fine wine’
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Disconnected WAS my favorite FW album until Theories of Flight came out. And I stumbled with Disconnected by "accident". I was browsing FYE (back in the day), and I found the album cover a bit "disturbing" (I was 18 at that time). And every time I returned to FYE, I kept staring at that album until one day I said fuck it. And holy shit. It blew my mind. At that time I was just listening to Dream Theater and LTE since I had barely discovered DT (1998) and LTE (1999) and SFAM had came out so I spun that album for like 8 months straight. Then Disconnected took over for another 6 months and started buying their back catalogue.
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:o What, no..... Island in the Stream is sooooo good! :)
I think Inside Out is a fine album in general; if there is hate for it, it definitely doesn't come from me.
Agreed :) Love Island in the Stream...Ray Alder's singing is sublime, and the combo of the clean electric and acoustic guitars in the verses is so good. Then its unusual structure, the subtle strings and the outro with Zonder's super-tasteful drumming...everything comes together real nice.
Yes, yes it is indeed. I agree with everything else here as well, but I really think Ray is fantastic. And I think he's a fantastic singer overall. Even though he may struggle now with older material - I don't care. He's so expressive and has a really unique delivery.
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I really think Ray is fantastic. And I think he's a fantastic singer overall. Even though he may struggle now with older material - I don't care. He's so expressive and has a really unique delivery.
Oh I agree.
I only saw FW once, at a very small club on the Inside Out tour, and I stood like 3 feet away from Ray Alder the whole show, and I loved watching him.
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Apart from Island in the Stream (sorry...it's not bad...just meh), the only thing I don't like about Inside Out is that my band's former singer got a "thanks" credit in the liner notes. The guy had never heard of FW until I introduced him to the band. After we kicked him out of the band, he moved to the Phoenix area and apparently became acquainted/friends with Ray. I don't know what he did to get the mention in the liner notes, but I'll never forget when the guitarist and I noticed it. We were PISSED (slash jealous).
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I really think Ray is fantastic. And I think he's a fantastic singer overall. Even though he may struggle now with older material - I don't care. He's so expressive and has a really unique delivery.
Oh I agree.
I only saw FW once, at a very small club on the Inside Out tour, and I stood like 3 feet away from Ray Alder the whole show, and I loved watching him.
You should see them again next time, whenever they get back on the road. He's still a great front man.
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I really think Ray is fantastic. And I think he's a fantastic singer overall. Even though he may struggle now with older material - I don't care. He's so expressive and has a really unique delivery.
Oh I agree.
I only saw FW once, at a very small club on the Inside Out tour, and I stood like 3 feet away from Ray Alder the whole show, and I loved watching him.
You should see them again next time, whenever they get back on the road. He's still a great front man.
I'd say he's still a great lead singer, and I look at him/FW as the blueprint of how to deal with a singer's range decreased by age. I'm not sure he's ever been a great "front man" (which, for FW, he doesn't need to be).
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I really think Ray is fantastic. And I think he's a fantastic singer overall. Even though he may struggle now with older material - I don't care. He's so expressive and has a really unique delivery.
Oh I agree.
I only saw FW once, at a very small club on the Inside Out tour, and I stood like 3 feet away from Ray Alder the whole show, and I loved watching him.
You should see them again next time, whenever they get back on the road. He's still a great front man.
I'd say he's still a great lead singer, and I look at him/FW as the blueprint of how to deal with a singer's range decreased by age. I'm not sure he's ever been a great "front man" (which, for FW, he doesn't need to be).
I think he's both. But I recognize from reading other comments here and elsewhere over the years that maybe my idea of a great frontman is different than others. I think he brings a lot of energy to the stage, and that's really all I'm looking for.
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Disconnected is great an even though I always have put APSOG over it, I've definitely listened to it more per it just is songs, as opposed to APSOG which is 1 long piece like Thick as a Brick.
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I really think Ray is fantastic. And I think he's a fantastic singer overall. Even though he may struggle now with older material - I don't care. He's so expressive and has a really unique delivery.
Oh I agree.
I only saw FW once, at a very small club on the Inside Out tour, and I stood like 3 feet away from Ray Alder the whole show, and I loved watching him.
You should see them again next time, whenever they get back on the road. He's still a great front man.
I'd say he's still a great lead singer, and I look at him/FW as the blueprint of how to deal with a singer's range decreased by age. I'm not sure he's ever been a great "front man" (which, for FW, he doesn't need to be).
I think he's both. But I recognize from reading other comments here and elsewhere over the years that maybe my idea of a great frontman is different than others. I think he brings a lot of energy to the stage, and that's really all I'm looking for.
Regardless, I have never walked out of an FW show wanting for more.
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I have (unfortunately) only witnessed Fates Warning live once, when they opened for DT on the Awake tour, but it was such a FANTASTIC (short) show.
Not quite the same, obviously, but I have to say their Live Over Europe is one of my favorite live albums of the last few years, period. There's some incredible energy in those performances, and the "setlist" (I know it's a collection from many shows) is a pretty great representation of the Alder era. There isn't a ton from APSOG, but considering the whole thing was on Still Life, I'm not complaining ;)
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I have (unfortunately) only witnessed Fates Warning live once, when they opened for DT on the Awake tour, but it was such a FANTASTIC (short) show.
Not quite the same, obviously, but I have to say their Live Over Europe is one of my favorite live albums of the last few years, period. There's some incredible energy in those performances, and the "setlist" (I know it's a collection from many shows) is a pretty great representation of the Alder era. There isn't a ton from APSOG, but considering the whole thing was on Still Life, I'm not complaining ;)
REALLY glad they preserved a full performance when it came out.
I almost forgot that I bought the expanded version when it came out. I don’t think I’ve actually watched that show since I had it on VHS. :rollin
EDIT - I went downstairs to go look at that collection again and I had completely forgotten that there’s a second full performance on that DVD that I’ve never even seen at all!
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I have (unfortunately) only witnessed Fates Warning live once, when they opened for DT on the Awake tour, but it was such a FANTASTIC (short) show.
Not quite the same, obviously, but I have to say their Live Over Europe is one of my favorite live albums of the last few years, period. There's some incredible energy in those performances, and the "setlist" (I know it's a collection from many shows) is a pretty great representation of the Alder era. There isn't a ton from APSOG, but considering the whole thing was on Still Life, I'm not complaining ;)
REALLY glad they preserved a full performance when it came out.
I almost forgot that I bought the expanded version when it came out. I don’t think I’ve actually watched that show since I had it on VHS. :rollin
EDIT - I went downstairs to go look at that collection again and I had completely forgotten that there’s a second full performance on that DVD that I’ve never even seen at all!
Ha! I didn't even know of an expanded edition! I have the double CD Still Life with the full album on one CD and a variety of songs on the other, and then I have the APSOG - Live VHS (!)...are you saying there is another live DVD?
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This is a forum favorite that I feel I should like, yet never got in to, and probably one I never really gave a fair shake. So I aim to change that, as a tackle their discography.
Will report back in a week or two!
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I really think Ray is fantastic. And I think he's a fantastic singer overall. Even though he may struggle now with older material - I don't care. He's so expressive and has a really unique delivery.
Oh I agree.
I only saw FW once, at a very small club on the Inside Out tour, and I stood like 3 feet away from Ray Alder the whole show, and I loved watching him.
You should see them again next time, whenever they get back on the road. He's still a great front man.
I'd say he's still a great lead singer, and I look at him/FW as the blueprint of how to deal with a singer's range decreased by age. I'm not sure he's ever been a great "front man" (which, for FW, he doesn't need to be).
I think he's both. But I recognize from reading other comments here and elsewhere over the years that maybe my idea of a great frontman is different than others. I think he brings a lot of energy to the stage, and that's really all I'm looking for.
Regardless, I have never walked out of an FW show wanting for more.
Ah, I definitely have. I would love them to be able to do an evening type show because their shows always seem to fly by.
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This is a forum favorite that I feel I should like, yet never got in to, and probably one I never really gave a fair shake. So I aim to change that, as a tackle their discography.
Will report back in a week or two!
Have fun! I guess it could go either way - curious how you'll feel about them. :)
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They have a really diverse discography.
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Stadler is wont to say "we like who we like" and I wholeheartedly agree, so when I say I should like them it is just based on trends and suppositions. It is mostly about giving them a good chance, when I don't think I have done properly.
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I have (unfortunately) only witnessed Fates Warning live once, when they opened for DT on the Awake tour, but it was such a FANTASTIC (short) show.
Not quite the same, obviously, but I have to say their Live Over Europe is one of my favorite live albums of the last few years, period. There's some incredible energy in those performances, and the "setlist" (I know it's a collection from many shows) is a pretty great representation of the Alder era. There isn't a ton from APSOG, but considering the whole thing was on Still Life, I'm not complaining ;)
REALLY glad they preserved a full performance when it came out.
I almost forgot that I bought the expanded version when it came out. I don’t think I’ve actually watched that show since I had it on VHS. :rollin
EDIT - I went downstairs to go look at that collection again and I had completely forgotten that there’s a second full performance on that DVD that I’ve never even seen at all!
Ha! I didn't even know of an expanded edition! I have the double CD Still Life with the full album on one CD and a variety of songs on the other, and then I have the APSOG - Live VHS (!)...are you saying there is another live DVD?
I think the expanded edition came out on the 20th anniversary five years ago? It’s 3CDs/1DVD. Disc 1 is the remastered album, disc 2 is the live performance from the VHS, disc 3 is demos. The DVD has 2 complete performances. The remastered show from the VHS, and a 2nd performance from 1998 at The Whiskey which I’ve never seen.
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Stadler is wont to say "we like who we like" and I wholeheartedly agree, so when I say I should like them it is just based on trends and suppositions. It is mostly about giving them a good chance, when I don't think I have done properly.
How do you plan on tackling them? Chronologically from the start? Working backwards? Jumping around?
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Stadler is wont to say "we like who we like" and I wholeheartedly agree, so when I say I should like them it is just based on trends and suppositions. It is mostly about giving them a good chance, when I don't think I have done properly.
The thing about FW is that depending on the album, you’re going to get a COMPLETELY different band.
The Arch-era started as a Iron Maiden wannabe, but started to get more complex very quickly.
When Arch left and Ray Alder came in, they traded a Bruce Dickenson soundalike for a Geoff Tate soundalike. The first offering retained the IM heaviness, but contained their first sidelong attempt (ala 2112) but then started to get more melodic like Queensryche and Dream Theater. (This is considered their peak by many people…but it depends) But when that failed commercially, two band members left and the guitar player/primary song writer took 100% control and made a huge comeback with an extremely atmospheric sound that embraced more Pink Floyd (think Shine On you Crazy Diamond soundscapes) types of “world building”. After two of those albums…a new lineup solidified that blended old heaviness with the new atmosphere and that’s where we are now.
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Stadler is wont to say "we like who we like" and I wholeheartedly agree, so when I say I should like them it is just based on trends and suppositions. It is mostly about giving them a good chance, when I don't think I have done properly.
How do you plan on tackling them? Chronologically from the start? Working backwards? Jumping around?
Any time I do something like this I default to chronologically.
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Stadler is wont to say "we like who we like" and I wholeheartedly agree, so when I say I should like them it is just based on trends and suppositions. It is mostly about giving them a good chance, when I don't think I have done properly.
The thing about FW is that depending on the album, you’re going to get a COMPLETELY different band.
The Arch-era started as a Iron Maiden wannabe, but started to get more complex very quickly.
When Arch left and Ray Alder came in, they traded a Bruce Dickenson soundalike for a Geoff Tate soundalike.
Huh. I think both singers are pretty far from being soundalikes. Maybe Ray is sorta kinda in the Geoff Tate ball park, but he has his own style and his own voice. And I don't think Arch sounds anything like Bruce Dickinson.
Funny how we all hear things differently.
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Ray Alder has become his own thing. But No Exit was totally a show off by a young kid who thought he’d be able to do it forever.
But not hearing the BD soundalike in early Arch baffles me. He’s a bit more nasel-y and sings from the throat more…but nearly everyone heard the similarities when he was in the band back in the day. The fans spoke of it…the media of the time spoke of it…etc
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Stadler is wont to say "we like who we like" and I wholeheartedly agree, so when I say I should like them it is just based on trends and suppositions. It is mostly about giving them a good chance, when I don't think I have done properly.
How do you plan on tackling them? Chronologically from the start? Working backwards? Jumping around?
Any time I do something like this I default to chronologically.
I would avoid the first three :biggrin:
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Stadler is wont to say "we like who we like" and I wholeheartedly agree, so when I say I should like them it is just based on trends and suppositions. It is mostly about giving them a good chance, when I don't think I have done properly.
How do you plan on tackling them? Chronologically from the start? Working backwards? Jumping around?
Any time I do something like this I default to chronologically.
I would avoid the first three :biggrin:
Unless you’ve heard (and enjoy) the Arch/Matheos albums. In which case, jump in. Just remember that the 1st album is very much like the first Rush album. A bunch of kids imitating their heroes who haven’t found their sound yet, but stumbled upon one or two gems in the process.
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Ray Alder has become his own thing. But No Exit was totally a show off by a young kid who thought he’d be able to do it forever.
But not hearing the BD soundalike in early Arch baffles me. He’s a bit more nasel-y and sings from the throat more…but nearly everyone heard the similarities when he was in the band back in the day. The fans spoke of it…the media of the time spoke of it…etc
Maybe I should revisit those albums, because the voice I'm hearing in my head now is from Arch/Matheos, but I never thought that about him and Bruce Dickinson. I listened to Awaken the Guardian quite a bit a few years ago so I'd know it better for the reunion show, and just never thought that. I think Arch's vocal melodies are soo different (that just about anyone) and the tone of his voice is different than Bruce's. But it's been quite awhile since I listened to the 1st two and I never listened to them all that much.
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The tone is slightly different. As I said, he is more nasally. But if you listen to early Bruce (NOTB, POM) and then listen to the first 2-3 FW albums…you’ll hear the similarities we were all hearing at the time.
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I have (unfortunately) only witnessed Fates Warning live once, when they opened for DT on the Awake tour, but it was such a FANTASTIC (short) show.
Not quite the same, obviously, but I have to say their Live Over Europe is one of my favorite live albums of the last few years, period. There's some incredible energy in those performances, and the "setlist" (I know it's a collection from many shows) is a pretty great representation of the Alder era. There isn't a ton from APSOG, but considering the whole thing was on Still Life, I'm not complaining ;)
REALLY glad they preserved a full performance when it came out.
I almost forgot that I bought the expanded version when it came out. I don’t think I’ve actually watched that show since I had it on VHS. :rollin
EDIT - I went downstairs to go look at that collection again and I had completely forgotten that there’s a second full performance on that DVD that I’ve never even seen at all!
Ha! I didn't even know of an expanded edition! I have the double CD Still Life with the full album on one CD and a variety of songs on the other, and then I have the APSOG - Live VHS (!)...are you saying there is another live DVD?
I think the expanded edition came out on the 20th anniversary five years ago? It’s 3CDs/1DVD. Disc 1 is the remastered album, disc 2 is the live performance from the VHS, disc 3 is demos. The DVD has 2 complete performances. The remastered show from the VHS, and a 2nd performance from 1998 at The Whiskey which I’ve never seen.
Are we talking about the expanded edition of....what? There's an anniversary edition of APSOG that was released in 2007, and which includes a DVD version of the Pleasant Shade of Gray Live VHS. I believe there's also a second CD of rough mixes.
Stadler is wont to say "we like who we like" and I wholeheartedly agree, so when I say I should like them it is just based on trends and suppositions. It is mostly about giving them a good chance, when I don't think I have done properly.
The thing about FW is that depending on the album, you’re going to get a COMPLETELY different band.
The Arch-era started as a Iron Maiden wannabe, but started to get more complex very quickly.
When Arch left and Ray Alder came in, they traded a Bruce Dickenson soundalike for a Geoff Tate soundalike.
Huh. I think both singers are pretty far from being soundalikes. Maybe Ray is sorta kinda in the Geoff Tate ball park, but he has his own style and his own voice. And I don't think Arch sounds anything like Bruce Dickinson.
Agree. I about did a spit take when I read Arch described as a "Bruce Dickenson [sic] soundalike." And that's not even factoring in the fact that Bruce has always been excellent live, while Arch might be the single worst live vocalist I've ever heard (at least as far as the stuff from the '80s goes).
I've always described Night on Brocken as an attempt to sound like Maiden, but with a vastly inferior singer.
As far as Chris's dive into the albums, I see no reason not to default to going chronologically. Brocken might be a bit of a slog, but things change pretty quickly (even though it's the same lineup on Spectre). The addition of Frank Aresti on Guardian shows a huge leap, and No Exit with Ray was spot on for 1988 (the heyday of Operation: Mindcrime).
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Ha! I didn't even know of an expanded edition! I have the double CD Still Life with the full album on one CD and a variety of songs on the other, and then I have the APSOG - Live VHS (!)...are you saying there is another live DVD?
I think the expanded edition came out on the 20th anniversary five years ago? It’s 3CDs/1DVD. Disc 1 is the remastered album, disc 2 is the live performance from the VHS, disc 3 is demos. The DVD has 2 complete performances. The remastered show from the VHS, and a 2nd performance from 1998 at The Whiskey which I’ve never seen.
Are we talking about the expanded edition of....what? There's an anniversary edition of APSOG that was released in 2007, and which includes a DVD version of the Pleasant Shade of Gray Live VHS. I believe there's also a second CD of rough mixes.
Got it! I thought there was some sort of expanded edition of Still life. Here we are talking about the APSOG re-issue. I don't have that one, but I do have (somewhere!) the APSOG Live VHS.
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Incidentally, I just checked out the expanded version of APSOG, as we were just talking about it...one of the bonus tracks is a cover of The Scorps' In Trance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLn7woG3UMo
Pretty cool (and very faithful to the original, actually)
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Incidentally, I just checked out the expanded version of APSOG, as we were just talking about it...one of the bonus tracks is a cover of The Scorps' In Trance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLn7woG3UMo
Pretty cool (and very faithful to the original, actually)
That was on some Scorps tribute album I believe. I have that song. It's a perfect song for Ray.
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That came out in 2007? Huh…my bad. I thought it came out on the last anniversary of the album. Guess I was mistaken.
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Stadler is wont to say "we like who we like" and I wholeheartedly agree, so when I say I should like them it is just based on trends and suppositions. It is mostly about giving them a good chance, when I don't think I have done properly.
The thing about FW is that depending on the album, you’re going to get a COMPLETELY different band.
The Arch-era started as a Iron Maiden wannabe, but started to get more complex very quickly.
When Arch left and Ray Alder came in, they traded a Bruce Dickenson soundalike for a Geoff Tate soundalike.
Huh. I think both singers are pretty far from being soundalikes. Maybe Ray is sorta kinda in the Geoff Tate ball park, but he has his own style and his own voice. And I don't think Arch sounds anything like Bruce Dickinson.
Agree. I about did a spit take when I read Arch described as a "Bruce Dickenson [sic] soundalike." And that's not even factoring in the fact that Bruce has always been excellent live, while Arch might be the single worst live vocalist I've ever heard (at least as far as the stuff from the '80s goes).
I've always described Night on Brocken as an attempt to sound like Maiden, but with a vastly inferior singer.
Oh, oh good. At least if I'm crazy, so are you. :)
As far as Chris's dive into the albums, I see no reason not to default to going chronologically. Brocken might be a bit of a slog, but things change pretty quickly (even though it's the same lineup on Spectre). The addition of Frank Aresti on Guardian shows a huge leap, and No Exit with Ray was spot on for 1988 (the heyday of Operation: Mindcrime).
Chronologically seems like a good way to go. If he hates Arch's voice, certainly he should skip ahead before giving up on the band, but otherwise, I like the chronological approach.
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Expect I'm in the minority here but to this day I think their Live In Athens show/DVD is still their best \m/
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Expect I'm in the minority here but to this day I think their Live In Athens show/DVD is still their best \m/
Love it! I extracted the audio and I play it a few times a year.
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As far as Chris's dive into the albums, I see no reason not to default to going chronologically. Brocken might be a bit of a slog, but things change pretty quickly (even though it's the same lineup on Spectre). The addition of Frank Aresti on Guardian shows a huge leap, and No Exit with Ray was spot on for 1988 (the heyday of Operation: Mindcrime).
Chronologically seems like a good way to go. If he hates Arch's voice, certainly he should skip ahead before giving up on the band, but otherwise, I like the chronological approach.
I would say to listen to The Apparition and Guardian. If Arch's voice prevents someone from liking those songs, then just skip ahead to No Exit. Otherwise, go chronologically. You wouldn't want to bail after Brocken and miss all the great stuff on Spectre and ATG.
That came out in 2007? Huh…my bad. I thought it came out on the last anniversary of the album. Guess I was mistaken.
If I hadn't looked it up, I'd have said it was much more recent than that also.
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You know, this thread has thrown me into another Fate's kick.
Like others have mentioned, FW are one of those bands that have a few defined eras.
My first album was Parallels, and while I worked my way back to the Arch albums, I only consider myself a fan of the Alder albums.
To that point, it wasn't until APSOG that Fate's became one of my 'all-time' bands, and it's that moody, prog-tinged era (APSOG forward) that I consider their peak. Obviously, mileage varies, but for my money, the band has written a handful of Prog classics (Disconnected being a masterpiece in my book).
With all that said, I gave Long Day Good Night an umpteenth listen this morning during my commute. Now that it's been a couple of years, where is everyone sitting with this one?
Personally, I have struggled to connect with the record. While there's a couple of standout tracks ("Shuttered World," "The Way Home," and "The Longest Shadow of the Day" come to mind), I feel incredibly 'meh' about the rest of the record. I enjoy the variety, but there's simply no 'instant classics' like "The Light and Shade of Things" to be found. I'm also a bit down on the mix, which feels like a step back compared to Theories of Flight.
So, yeah, I'd love to hear what everyone else has to say.
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Expect I'm in the minority here but to this day I think their Live In Athens show/DVD is still their best \m/
The filming is horrible. Great show and set though.
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You know, this thread has thrown me into another Fate's kick.
Like others have mentioned, FW are one of those bands that have a few defined eras.
My first album was Parallels, and while I worked my way back to the Arch albums, I only consider myself a fan of the Alder albums.
To that point, it wasn't until APSOG that Fate's became one of my 'all-time' bands, and it's that moody, prog-tinged era (APSOG forward) that I consider their peak. Obviously, mileage varies, but for my money, the band has written a handful of Prog classics (Disconnected being a masterpiece in my book).
With all that said, I gave Long Day Good Night an umpteenth listen this morning during my commute. Now that it's been a couple of years, where is everyone sitting with this one?
Personally, I have struggled to connect with the record. While there's a couple of standout tracks ("Shuttered World," "The Way Home," and "The Longest Shadow of the Day" come to mind), I feel incredibly 'meh' about the rest of the record. I enjoy the variety, but there's simply no 'instant classics' like "The Light and Shade of Things" to be found. I'm also a bit down on the mix, which feels like a step back compared to Theories of Flight.
So, yeah, I'd love to hear what everyone else has to say.
I still have it in my music player and some of the tracks come up on shuffle from Time to Time, but I feel the same way. I am really having a difficult time finding any standout tracks from the album.
There are two or three that I really enjoy, but the rest of it is just really bland to me. It reminds me of FWX in that way. That’s another album where I can think of three or four songs that I really enjoy and the rest of it is just…there.
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I still have it in my music player and some of the tracks come up on shuffle from Time to Time, but I feel the same way. I am really having a difficult time finding any standout tracks from the album.
Same. I listen to it, and there's nothing I feel like skipping, but nothing has truly connected with me.
Of course, I felt the same way about TOF for a couple years, and then it just clicked, so there's always hope.
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I LIKE Long Day Goodnight. That said, it doesn't resonate as well as Theories of Flight. I think when Ray said that they were concerned they couldn't do better than Theories of Flight and then ultimately decided they could, that was the red flag. Because for me, ToF would have been the record to go out on, if they are indeed finished as a recording unit. Again, not saying LDG isn't good, it is. But it's kind of like how there was Parallels, and then there was Inside Out. IO was/is good with some damn good songs. But it's in the same vein (albeit darker to a degree) as Parallels, and Parallels was better. Same goes for ToF/LDG for me.
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I LIKE Long Day Goodnight. That said, it doesn't resonate as well as Theories of Flight. I think when Ray said that they were concerned they couldn't do better than Theories of Flight and then ultimately decided they could, that was the red flag. Because for me, ToF would have been the record to go out on, if they are indeed finished as a recording unit. Again, not saying LDG isn't good, it is. But it's kind of like how there was Parallels, and then there was Inside Out. IO was/is good with some damn good songs. But it's in the same vein (albeit darker to a degree) as Parallels, and Parallels was better. Same goes for ToF/LDG for me.
This perfectly sums up my thoughts...very apt comparison.
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Just remember that the 1st album is very much like the first Rush album. A bunch of kids imitating their heroes who haven’t found their sound yet, but stumbled upon one or two gems in the process.
Having listened to the first album today, this is a pretty apt description. The talent, the energy, the potential, it's all there.
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Just remember that the 1st album is very much like the first Rush album. A bunch of kids imitating their heroes who haven’t found their sound yet, but stumbled upon one or two gems in the process.
Having listened to the first album today, this is a pretty apt description. The talent, the energy, the potential, it's all there.
That album gets some flak, but Damnation is a fantastic song. I have some affection for Misfit and Kiss of Death as well.
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Hard to evaluate it 30 years on with a slew of subsequent albums, but it seems like a solid debut effort. I just listened to a couple songs from the second album. Sounds like the vocalist is learning how to, and how not to, use his voice to best suit the music.
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Hard to evaluate it 30 years on with a slew of subsequent albums, but it seems like a solid debut effort. I just listened to a couple songs from the second album. Sounds like the vocalist is learning how to, and how not to, use his voice to best suit the music.
That one took awhile. Traveler in Time was jarring to me for literally years, but now it’s a highlight for me.
I bought the album when it came out after hearing The Apparition on “The Best of Metal Blade” compilation. I loved Orphan Gypsy, The Apparition, and Kyrie Eleison straight away. The rest was a bit too complex for a mind of 15 that was still trying to process early thrash and metal. Some of the time changes were interesting, but difficult to process. After falling in love with Awaken the Guardian (and spending a year or two getting used to odd time signatures) I revisited this album and it was elevated from “pretty good” to “absolutely fantastic”. These days, TIT and Epitaph (two songs I had difficulty with at first) are my top two.
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Hard to evaluate it 30 years on with a slew of subsequent albums, but it seems like a solid debut effort. I just listened to a couple songs from the second album. Sounds like the vocalist is learning how to, and how not to, use his voice to best suit the music.
That one took awhile. Traveler in Time was jarring to me for literally years, but now it’s a highlight for me.
I bought the album when it came out after hearing The Apparition on “The Best of Metal Blade” compilation. I loved Orphan Gypsy, The Apparition, and Kyrie Eleison straight away. The rest was a bit too complex for a mind of 15 that was still trying to process early thrash and metal. Some of the time changes were interesting, but difficult to process. After falling in love with Awaken the Guardian (and spending a year or two getting used to odd time signatures) I revisited this album and it was elevated from “pretty good” to “absolutely fantastic”. These days, TIT and Epitaph (two songs I had difficulty with at first) are my top two.
Spectre was the first Arch album I bought, after first having heard No Exit. Traveler in Time absolutely blew me away from the first notes. It's still my favorite Arch era song. I was 21 and was looking for stuff with odd times, and Traveler laid that on me right from the start (along with the use of orchestral percussion, which, at that point, I'd really only heard from Rush and Yes). For me, the highlights on TSW are Traveler, Apparition and Epitaph. Kyrie is really the only song that has never clicked for me.
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Made it through the first three albums. I had a recollection of disliking Arch's vocals but honestly they never really detracted from my enjoyment at all. Not really my thing, but not offensive in any way.
No Exit was a nice listen, felt like they were turning a corner, but still finding their way maybe? Perfect Symmetry is the first album where I got the sense everything was coming together.
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After being introduced with TSW, and then becoming a complete fan boy with ATG, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this new lead singer with NE. Of course, I loved it. And by now I was a complete freak for this band. I even remember that they were scheduled to play a bar not too far from where I lived. But I was under 21. So I called the bar to ask if I could wait outside and listen to the show from outside the venue. But then I discovered that the local music rag had printed the wrong day and I had already missed the show.
Anyway, I remember that several months before its release, I received a pre-release cassette of 4 songs from the upcoming PS album. (Off the top of my head, I can’t remember how I got my hands on it, but I did.
The cassette had the same tracks on both sides. Through Different Eyes, Static Acts, At Fates Hands, and Chasing Time (which, on the cassette, contained the intro to Nothing Left to Say, but that wasn’t listed, so I thought that section of music was some kind of continuation of Chasing Time)
I really hated Through Different Eyes at first, because on first listen it was such a drastic change from their previous sound that I thought they must be selling out and going for a radio single. But the other tracks (especially AFH) sucked me in and pretty soon I was addicted to that cassette. By the time the album came out, I was already a maniac for half the album, and to this day it remains my favorite album from the classic lineup.
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Enjoying Parallels. Alder's voice is settling in nicely with the music. It was a long, rough day, and this was a pleasant listen in the middle of it.
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Enjoying Parallels. Alder's voice is settling in nicely with the music. It was a long, rough day, and this was a pleasant listen in the middle of it.
Time has been extremely kind to Parallels. It’s such a beautiful sounding album. It’s so lush! Terry Brown did a fantastic job.
Always loved Life in Still Water and The Eleventh Hour. The rest took a little time. But I quite enjoy the album now. The Road Goes On Forever in particular was one that I really did not like at first and now I think it’s absolutely brilliant. Love that song.
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Fates Warning are my brother's favorite band. He got into them at the same time as I got into DT, and we would always sort of compare them against each other. They were kind of his thing and never really clicked with me, even though I do like a lot of the songs. Monument is a great track. I always liked Eye to Eye a lot. The Eleventh Hour is another good one. Point of View is good. Of course I hated Arch and he loved him, so we just sort of agreed to disagree. Guardian is a pretty cool track though. Parallels and Inside Out are the two albums that suited my taste the best, but I haven't listened to any of those albums in ages. From time to time I think "I should buy those two albums at least," but the only FW release I own is Still Life (and A Pleasant Shade of Gray never clicked for me at all). Jim Matheos does have a distinct style that carries across all of his projects, and I kind of felt that from APSOG on the band sounded really samey, but I haven't given the last couple releases a good listen.
And just found them from the same seller on Discogs for $10 total, so went ahead and finally picked up Parallels and Inside Out.
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Fates Warning are my brother's favorite band. He got into them at the same time as I got into DT, and we would always sort of compare them against each other. They were kind of his thing and never really clicked with me, even though I do like a lot of the songs. Monument is a great track. I always liked Eye to Eye a lot. The Eleventh Hour is another good one. Point of View is good. Of course I hated Arch and he loved him, so we just sort of agreed to disagree. Guardian is a pretty cool track though. Parallels and Inside Out are the two albums that suited my taste the best, but I haven't listened to any of those albums in ages. From time to time I think "I should buy those two albums at least," but the only FW release I own is Still Life (and A Pleasant Shade of Gray never clicked for me at all). Jim Matheos does have a distinct style that carries across all of his projects, and I kind of felt that from APSOG on the band sounded really samey, but I haven't given the last couple releases a good listen.
Theories of Flight. SERIOUSLY!!!
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Fates Warning are my brother's favorite band. He got into them at the same time as I got into DT, and we would always sort of compare them against each other. They were kind of his thing and never really clicked with me, even though I do like a lot of the songs. Monument is a great track. I always liked Eye to Eye a lot. The Eleventh Hour is another good one. Point of View is good. Of course I hated Arch and he loved him, so we just sort of agreed to disagree. Guardian is a pretty cool track though. Parallels and Inside Out are the two albums that suited my taste the best, but I haven't listened to any of those albums in ages. From time to time I think "I should buy those two albums at least," but the only FW release I own is Still Life (and A Pleasant Shade of Gray never clicked for me at all). Jim Matheos does have a distinct style that carries across all of his projects, and I kind of felt that from APSOG on the band sounded really samey, but I haven't given the last couple releases a good listen.
Theories of Flight. SERIOUSLY!!!
I'll have to give it a whirl. I don't listen to this type of music very much anymore unless there is a nostalgia factor. It's hard for me to get into something new in this style. Maybe revising Parallels and Inside Out will motivate me.
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Time has been extremely kind to Parallels. It’s such a beautiful sounding album. It’s so lush! Terry Brown did a fantastic job.
Always loved Life in Still Water and The Eleventh Hour. The rest took a little time. But I quite enjoy the album now. The Road Goes On Forever in particular was one that I really did not like at first and now I think it’s absolutely brilliant. Love that song.
Lush is absolutely the perfect word to describe Parallels' sound. One of my favorite productions (for this genre, of course). And yes, The Road Goes On Forever is a nice way to close the album. Very chill song (I love the "And here we are again, the doors close behind us..." part, with the subtle guitar melody popping up...wish they had that a little longer)
but I haven't given the last couple releases a good listen.
Theories of Flight. SERIOUSLY!!!
I concur :)
Fantastic late-career highlight
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Time has been extremely kind to Parallels. It’s such a beautiful sounding album. It’s so lush! Terry Brown did a fantastic job.
Always loved Life in Still Water and The Eleventh Hour. The rest took a little time. But I quite enjoy the album now. The Road Goes On Forever in particular was one that I really did not like at first and now I think it’s absolutely brilliant. Love that song.
Lush is absolutely the perfect word to describe Parallels' sound. One of my favorite productions (for this genre, of course). And yes, The Road Goes On Forever is a nice way to close the album. Very chill song (I love the "And here we are again, the doors close behind us..." part, with the subtle guitar melody popping up...wish they had that a little longer)
but I haven't given the last couple releases a good listen.
Theories of Flight. SERIOUSLY!!!
I concur :)
Fantastic late-career highlight
Agree with all the above.
I always felt We Only Say Goodbye would've made for a better closer but over time, once the album had sunk in completely yes The Road Goes On Forever is just a perfect ending to the the album 🤘
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The Road Goes on Forever bookends well with Leave the Past Behind, but I think Don't Follow Me would have been the best album closer. We Only Say Goodbye is the song on that album I enjoy least.
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The Road Goes on Forever bookends well with Leave the Past Behind, but I think Don't Follow Me would have been the best album closer. We Only Say Goodbye is the song on that album I enjoy least.
Hmmm....can't agree with that.
WOSG is one of my favs, it's so simple and emotional.
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We Only Say Goodbye is tremendous. Those lyrics are the truth. Ray kills on it too.
Probably my favorite Fates song.
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We Only Say Goodbye is tremendous. Those lyrics are the truth. Ray kills on it too.
Probably my favorite Fates song.
Wow, but I can get that. Those lyrics have touched me lately too in certain circumstances, they are brilliant and true, like you said.
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We Only Say Goodbye is tremendous. Those lyrics are the truth. Ray kills on it too.
Probably my favorite Fates song.
Wow, but I can get that. Those lyrics have touched me lately too in certain circumstances, they are brilliant and true, like you said.
"Thought I heard You call my name
But you only said goodbye
But I heard the distance in your voice
And I knew I was alone
Tried to tell you my deepest thoughts
But I only said goodbye"
I mean, who hasn't lived through that?
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That's exactly the part I was referring too. One of the all time greatest lyrics I think.
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And then look at the lyrics to Life In Still Water..
"Feeling the weight of unseen chains
This routine is growing thin
It's a narrow path that we walk
And the walls are closing in
Caving in
And it's been a while since we've been moved
Without going through the motions
No emotions
Holding on is easier than letting go
You get tired of screaming
When you're not reaching anyone"
Parallels is a fucking great album. Anyone who has seen a relationship shut down can relate. It's a way more direct and honest account than the pathetic protagonist on APSOG.
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I do like We Only Say Goodbye. Would not have pegged that one as a TAC favorite.
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Not sure of the opinion on this, but the only version of We Only Say Goodbye that I listen to is the remix that was on the Chasing Time release. I actually replaced the album version on my iPod with the remix.
Also, I will just throw out my very minority opinion again but, Darkness In A Different Light >>>>>> Theories Of Flight.
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And then look at the lyrics to Life In Still Water..
"Feeling the weight of unseen chains
This routine is growing thin
It's a narrow path that we walk
And the walls are closing in
Caving in
And it's been a while since we've been moved
Without going through the motions
No emotions
Holding on is easier than letting go
You get tired of screaming
When you're not reaching anyone"
Parallels is a fucking great album. Anyone who has seen a relationship shut down can relate. It's a way more direct and honest account than the pathetic protagonist on APSOG.
I OBJECT!!!
Everyone who has ever spent a sleepless night tossing and turning because their brain is firing off every mistake, misstep, and questionable decision you’ve ever made in your life can relate to the story of APSOG.
And I can’t imagine that we are 1) rare or 2) pathetic
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they need to release an isolated vocal mix of Life in Still Water.
To this day, I really have never been able to hear LaBrie on that track.
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they need to release an isolated vocal mix of Life in Still Water.
To this day, I really have never been able to hear LaBrie on that track.
He sings the backing vocals on the chorus. They're very audible imo.
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And then look at the lyrics to Life In Still Water..
"Feeling the weight of unseen chains
This routine is growing thin
It's a narrow path that we walk
And the walls are closing in
Caving in
And it's been a while since we've been moved
Without going through the motions
No emotions
Holding on is easier than letting go
You get tired of screaming
When you're not reaching anyone"
Parallels is a fucking great album. Anyone who has seen a relationship shut down can relate. It's a way more direct and honest account than the pathetic protagonist on APSOG.
I OBJECT!!!
Everyone who has ever spent a sleepless night tossing and turning because their brain is firing off every mistake, misstep, and questionable decision you’ve ever made in your life can relate to the story of APSOG.
And I can’t imagine that we are 1) rare or 2) pathetic
This. A Pleasant Shade of Gray is pretty brilliant IMO. But the lyrics TAC quoted are on as well. Both albums have plenty of extremely relatable stuff. Maybe I'll listen to them both tomorrow. But if I do that, Disconnected is going to show up as well... maybe it'll just be a Fates day.
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they need to release an isolated vocal mix of Life in Still Water.
To this day, I really have never been able to hear LaBrie on that track.
He sings the backing vocals on the chorus. They're very audible imo.
I'm with Soundscape. The harmony vocals in the prechorus are a bit more clear ("Is there room still for us to grow within the bounds we've come to know" and the corresponding lines in the second and third prechoruses), but the backing vocals in the chorus ("Living life," "Blinded by," "You get tired" and "When you're not") are barely audible. Of course, JLB was a complete nobody that that point, so it's not like they'd want to make him particularly prominent. When I saw them at the Parallels reunion show in 2010, Frank handled these vocals like a champ.
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I agree with many here on the sentiment that you have to be in a certain mood to listen to and enjoy Fates Warning. They're a great band, for sure. There are times when I think... WOW... they do this prog metal thing MUCH better than Dream Theater has ever done. But then, something holds me back from rating them higher.
Dream Theater has a much broader range. For better or worse, they wear their influences on their sleeve. When I listen to DT, I hear Tool, U2, Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Queen, Metallica, Red, Rush, Evanescence and... I could go on and on. But what FW do is rather niche and one-dimensional. From their debut album to ATG, they were essentially a Maiden-style NWOBHM band. No Exit was transitional, but from Perfect Symmetry on, they incorporated Pink Floyd-style atmospherics, which worked perfectly with Matheos' morose and highly introspective lyrics. Everything about FW is much more abstract... the obsession with geometry/balance/symmetry in their album titles is rather amusing. But in the end, their music is something that I need to be in a specific mood to enjoy.
All that said, I think I rate Theories of Flight a touch higher than Parallels. Heck, Perfect Symmetry might even beat Parallels for me.
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I agree with many here on the sentiment that you have to be in a certain mood to listen to and enjoy Fates Warning. They're a great band, for sure. There are times when I think... WOW... they do this prog metal thing MUCH better than Dream Theater has ever done. But then, something holds me back from rating them higher.
Dream Theater has a much broader range. For better or worse, they wear their influences on their sleeve. When I listen to DT, I hear Tool, U2, Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Queen, Metallica, Red, Rush, Evanescence and... I could go on and on. But what FW do is rather niche and one-dimensional. From their debut album to ATG, they were essentially a Maiden-style NWOBHM band. No Exit was transitional, but from Perfect Symmetry on, they incorporated Pink Floyd-style atmospherics, which worked perfectly with Matheos' morose and highly introspective lyrics. Everything about FW is much more abstract... the obsession with geometry/balance/symmetry in their album titles is rather amusing. But in the end, their music is something that I need to be in a specific mood to enjoy.
All that said, I think I rate Theories of Flight a touch higher than Parallels. Heck, Perfect Symmetry might even beat Parallels for me.
It would be interesting to see what would have happened to FW if they had a breakthrough/mainstream hit. It would have been interesting to see FW having their own Pull Me Under. Their most-streamed track on spotify is "One" from Disconnected with just 1.4 million streams.
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I agree with many here on the sentiment that you have to be in a certain mood to listen to and enjoy Fates Warning. They're a great band, for sure. There are times when I think... WOW... they do this prog metal thing MUCH better than Dream Theater has ever done. But then, something holds me back from rating them higher.
Dream Theater has a much broader range. For better or worse, they wear their influences on their sleeve. When I listen to DT, I hear Tool, U2, Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Queen, Metallica, Red, Rush, Evanescence and... I could go on and on. But what FW do is rather niche and one-dimensional. From their debut album to ATG, they were essentially a Maiden-style NWOBHM band. No Exit was transitional, but from Perfect Symmetry on, they incorporated Pink Floyd-style atmospherics, which worked perfectly with Matheos' morose and highly introspective lyrics. Everything about FW is much more abstract... the obsession with geometry/balance/symmetry in their album titles is rather amusing. But in the end, their music is something that I need to be in a specific mood to enjoy.
All that said, I think I rate Theories of Flight a touch higher than Parallels. Heck, Perfect Symmetry might even beat Parallels for me.
It would be interesting to see what would have happened to FW if they had a breakthrough/mainstream hit. It would have been interesting to see FW having their own Pull Me Under. Their most-streamed track on spotify is "One" from Disconnected with just 1.4 million streams.
Arguably, the two Eye songs should have been those songs. FW's problem was a complete lack of label support.
On another note, I was reminded what an amazing live album Still Life is. Complete versions of APSOG and TIGOD! AND a live version of At Fate's Hands?! And for those who like We Only Say Goodbye as an album closer, this is the album for you. Ray was at a point where he could still hit a lot of the high notes but also understood that he couldn't hit them all and modified accordingly.
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I agree with many here on the sentiment that you have to be in a certain mood to listen to and enjoy Fates Warning. They're a great band, for sure. There are times when I think... WOW... they do this prog metal thing MUCH better than Dream Theater has ever done. But then, something holds me back from rating them higher.
Dream Theater has a much broader range. For better or worse, they wear their influences on their sleeve. When I listen to DT, I hear Tool, U2, Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Queen, Metallica, Red, Rush, Evanescence and... I could go on and on. But what FW do is rather niche and one-dimensional. From their debut album to ATG, they were essentially a Maiden-style NWOBHM band. No Exit was transitional, but from Perfect Symmetry on, they incorporated Pink Floyd-style atmospherics, which worked perfectly with Matheos' morose and highly introspective lyrics. Everything about FW is much more abstract... the obsession with geometry/balance/symmetry in their album titles is rather amusing. But in the end, their music is something that I need to be in a specific mood to enjoy.
All that said, I think I rate Theories of Flight a touch higher than Parallels. Heck, Perfect Symmetry might even beat Parallels for me.
It would be interesting to see what would have happened to FW if they had a breakthrough/mainstream hit. It would have been interesting to see FW having their own Pull Me Under. Their most-streamed track on spotify is "One" from Disconnected with just 1.4 million streams.
Arguably, the two Eye songs should have been those songs. FW's problem was a complete lack of label support.
On another note, I was reminded what an amazing live album Still Life is. Complete versions of APSOG and TIGOD! AND a live version of At Fate's Hands?! And for those who like We Only Say Goodbye as an album closer, this is the album for you. Ray was at a point where he could still hit a lot of the high notes but also understood that he couldn't hit them all and modified accordingly.
I have a playlist of my 'definitive' APSOG, and 9 of the twelve tracks are versions taken from Still Life. The production is simply breathtaking, and the meatier guitar sound combined with Joey's bass being higher in the mix just puts the whole thing over.
Why only 9 of the 12 tracks you ask? Well, unfortunately, the backing vocals overpower in a couple of places, and absolutely ruin a couple of songs. (this is why I will never complain about JP's mic being low)
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Why only 9 of the 12 tracks you ask? Well, unfortunately, the backing vocals overpower in a couple of places, and absolutely ruin a couple of songs. (this is why I will never complain about JP's mic being low)
Out of curiosity, which are the three tracks?
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Why only 9 of the 12 tracks you ask? Well, unfortunately, the backing vocals overpower in a couple of places, and absolutely ruin a couple of songs. (this is why I will never complain about JP's mic being low)
Out of curiosity, which are the three tracks?
Parts 6, 7 & 9.
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To be fair, I 'like' Still Life as a whole, and have listened to it a thousand times (that second disc has some definitive versions for me as well), but whenever I listen to APSOG, I wind up listening to both versions, so I finally comped together my fav versions.
On a side note, I listened to FWX this past week, and while I know it isn't a fan favorite, I personally rate it very high. For me, the record has a potent mix of 'straight-ahead rockers' and moody, prog pieces in the vein of OSI (which I love). It's not necessarily what I want from the band every time, but as a single statement, I think it's a high point in their catalog.
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...
On a side note, I listened to FWX this past week, and while I know it isn't a fan favorite, I personally rate it very high. For me, the record has a potent mix of 'straight-ahead rockers' and moody, prog pieces in the vein of OSI (which I love). It's not necessarily what I want from the band every time, but as a single statement, I think it's a high point in their catalog.
'A Handfull Of Doubt' and 'Wish' are two of the finest songs of their catalogue IMO!
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'A Handfull Of Doubt' and 'Wish' are two of the finest songs of their catalogue IMO!
Absolutely agree. FWX is pretty "peaks and valleys" for me, but Handful Of Doubt, Wish, Left Here and Another Perfect Day are some of my favorites by the band. Wish in particular is absolutely beautiful.
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That’s the thing. Even at their peak I’m pretty ho-hum about FWs “straight ahead rockers” and I always have been. Through Different Eyes (their first attempt at a single) is still IMO one of the weaker tracks from PS. The singles from Parallels feel the same way. Fast forward to FWX and I hear the same thing. Weak attempts at some sort of catchy single (Another Perfect Day being a prime example) that just don’t work to me. It always feels (to me) like Jim is writing outside his natural wheelhouse, and he just isn’t very good at it.
Fortunately, he tends to stick to the moodier pieces I love for most of any album he does.
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That’s the thing. Even at their peak I’m pretty ho-hum about FWs “straight ahead rockers” and I always have been. Through Different Eyes (their first attempt at a single) is still IMO one of the weaker tracks from PS. The singles from Parallels feel the same way. Fast forward to FWX and I hear the same thing. Weak attempts at some sort of catchy single (Another Perfect Day being a prime example) that just don’t work to me. It always feels (to me) like Jim is writing outside his natural wheelhouse, and he just isn’t very good at it.
Fortunately, he tends to stick to the moodier pieces I love for most of any album he does.
Through Different Eyes, in retrospect, sounds like a bit of a ham handed attempt to blend a commercially accessible sound with prog. Eye to Eye does the job MUCH better (as does Point of View). Another Perfect Day is pretty much the only song on FWX I care to listen to.
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I agree with many here on the sentiment that you have to be in a certain mood to listen to and enjoy Fates Warning. They're a great band, for sure. There are times when I think... WOW... they do this prog metal thing MUCH better than Dream Theater has ever done. But then, something holds me back from rating them higher.
Dream Theater has a much broader range. For better or worse, they wear their influences on their sleeve. When I listen to DT, I hear Tool, U2, Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Queen, Metallica, Red, Rush, Evanescence and... I could go on and on. But what FW do is rather niche and one-dimensional. From their debut album to ATG, they were essentially a Maiden-style NWOBHM band. No Exit was transitional, but from Perfect Symmetry on, they incorporated Pink Floyd-style atmospherics, which worked perfectly with Matheos' morose and highly introspective lyrics. Everything about FW is much more abstract... the obsession with geometry/balance/symmetry in their album titles is rather amusing. But in the end, their music is something that I need to be in a specific mood to enjoy.
All that said, I think I rate Theories of Flight a touch higher than Parallels. Heck, Perfect Symmetry might even beat Parallels for me.
It would be interesting to see what would have happened to FW if they had a breakthrough/mainstream hit. It would have been interesting to see FW having their own Pull Me Under. Their most-streamed track on spotify is "One" from Disconnected with just 1.4 million streams.
One being the most streamed makes sense to me. It's a song that they always play but I never get tired of it. It just has this great energy to it and when I play it I always think of hearing it live and the band on stage and the excitement in the crowd.
On having to be in a certain mood for Fates: I get why people would feel that way. They're one of my favorites and top 10 most listened to bands, so it doesn't seem to be that way for me. I have to be in the mood for No Exit I suppose, but the rest of the Ray catalog is something I listen to pretty regularly.
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.On a side note, I listened to FWX this past week, and while I know it isn't a fan favorite, I personally rate it very high. For me, the record has a potent mix of 'straight-ahead rockers' and moody, prog pieces in the vein of OSI (which I love). It's not necessarily what I want from the band every time, but as a single statement, I think it's a high point in their catalog.
I think it is too. I remember reading some negative opinions when it came out - nothing panning it, but just unenthusiastic. And I kinda felt the same way, that it was a bit bland. But in reality it was just a grower (for me). After a while I came to love those songs and now the album is one of my favorites.
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Book Preorder
https://radicalresearch.org/product/destination-onward-the-story-of-fates-warning-book-by-jeff-wagner/
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Book Preorder
https://radicalresearch.org/product/destination-onward-the-story-of-fates-warning-book-by-jeff-wagner/
Ordered mine yesterday.
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(Very) Random post alert:
So, I was revisiting some old Skid Row albums (the classic Slave to the Grind, in particular), then I thought what the heck, I haven't listened to Subhuman Race in forever...and I had forgotten about the song "Into Another"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apZt7fwMFYM
Am I crazy, or this has Inside Out-era Fates Warning vibes? Perhaps a little grungier, but between the drumming, the clean guitars and even the vocal melodies, I could've mistaken it for a catchy FW single... ;)
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Listening to the song for the first time. Yeah, I can totally see that.
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Skid Row! Now there is a band that doesn't get much mention on this forum (I think anyway) especially in a Fates Warning page. Yeah, I can totally see what you are saying Nick. I don't think I would ever have said it myself but now you mention it I can totally see it.
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(Very) Random post alert:
So, I was revisiting some old Skid Row albums (the classic Slave to the Grind, in particular), then I thought what the heck, I haven't listened to Subhuman Race in forever...and I had forgotten about the song "Into Another"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apZt7fwMFYM
Am I crazy, or this has Inside Out-era Fates Warning vibes? Perhaps a little grungier, but between the drumming, the clean guitars and even the vocal melodies, I could've mistaken it for a catchy FW single... ;)
I love that song and album. I guess I could see some similarities with FW. Always thought Subhuman Race leaned a little bit proggy. Firesign is another really cool track from that album.
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new Radical Research Podcast from Jeff Wagner about Fates Warning
https://radicalresearch.org/episode-82-fates-warning-an-impromptu-discussion/
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new Radical Research Podcast from Jeff Wagner about Fates Warning
https://radicalresearch.org/episode-82-fates-warning-an-impromptu-discussion/
Fun interview. I could listen to Jeff talk about Fates all day long.
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Jeff and I exchanged messages a bit about the Queensryche portion of that -- regarding the "essence" of the band being impacted on where they lived. How Fates really has that sound of fall in New England, and QR has that sound of Seattle in it.
Great podcast about all things Fates. Glad they tackled the stuff about Ray and John, and loved the back and forth on all the records. I was in lockstep with Jeff regarding Theories of Flight.
One thing I have thought about a lot since listening to that podcast yesterday, was how Inside Out was a darker, more melodic version of Parallels and ironically, I also consider Long Day Goodnight to be a darker, or similar version of Theories of Flight.
To me, each of those records (Inside Out and Long Day Goodnight) show the least amount of growth/evolution in the band's sound from one record to another.
Can't wait to read Jeff's book. He and I got introduced when I was writing portions of the Queensryche bio, as I had some Fates info I wanted to put in there, and so we discussed it a bit. Seems like a great guy and look forward to reading his book and getting to know him a bit more.
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yeah I can follow the "essence" idea, and the melancholy part. To me, that is 1 of the things I've felt stood out with Fates and Jim's writing. The beauty and emotion that comes from sadness.
I actually have been meaning to make a series of videos on YouTube about each Fates Warning album and then do a ranking. The podcast and the upcoming book (and even the 2 upcoming Projects A-Z and Kings of Mercia), may escalate that soon.
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yeah I can follow the "essence" idea, and the melancholy part. To me, that is 1 of the things I've felt stood out with Fates and Jim's writing. The beauty and emotion that comes from sadness.
I actually have been meaning to make a series of videos on YouTube about each Fates Warning album and then do a ranking. The podcast and the upcoming book (and even the 2 upcoming Projects A-Z and Kings of Mercia), may escalate that soon.
You totally should. More Fates content is always welcome. Book I think arrives next week and then it'll be shipped out. I'm so glad Jeff is the one doing it. It's going to be a great read.
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Books arrived today. My guess is, they'll start going out tomorrow through the rest of the week for those of us who pre-ordered. Should have 'em next week! Fingers crossed. Can't wait to dive in. I didn't want an advance. I just want to crack the cover and enjoy this.
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Will be ordering next week or so very keen for this 🤘
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I pre-ordered on May 15 the first day that I saw the link to order it. But I have not received any notification that it has shipped.
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What kind of information would one want to get from this book? I assume the change from Arch to Alder maybe, but then I'd assume most Fates fans would know this already.
Personally, I'd be interested in how Joey Vera got involved in the band, but have Fates fans heard this before?
I guess what I am asking is what questions do you guys want answered in this book? What are you most interested in?
I am an extremely casual Fates fan, but I'm interested in a hardcore's expectations for this book.
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I mean...Fates is not exactly an open book (no pun intended). Maybe there's stuff out there, but it's not like DT where there was one or more central repositories. Jim Matheos is about as talkative as John Myung.
I got into Fates after Arch and probably right around the time Zimmerman was leaving. I know virtually nothing about those splits beyond that Arch was more his decision than anything else (I think). I read one interview with DiBiase in which he talked about why he left, but I know virtually nothing else.
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I’m going from memory, but I seem to remember that it was originally promoted as having information that it never been revealed before. So I’m hoping for some new insight. As to the source of the information, I wouldn’t be able to see until I got my hands on the book.
I assume they are also going to talk to Victor Arduni. But the last interview I saw with him (which was AGES ago) he didn’t come across very pleasant.
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I mean...Fates is not exactly an open book (no pun intended). Maybe there's stuff out there, but it's not like DT where there was one or more central repositories. Jim Matheos is about as talkative as John Myung.
This is how I exactly feel about Jim Matheos. He has become my favorite musician in the last decade. Everything he does is gold for my ears. There is a mystique about the guy, his lyrics, his guitar playing (not the most technical but his riffs have always been very original).
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Dies anyone know if the book will be released on Kindle? I pre-ordered the book but I have been traveling a lot for work and it is just more practical if I take it with me as an e-book.
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re: Kindle
I can't speak for Jeff, but right now it seems it is direct order only through fateswarningbook.com. I know places like MetalBlade and Laser's Edge have ordered copies for resale. But its not currently on Amazon or Amazon Kindle. I know when we did the Queensryche book, Amazon was a hassle. Kindle requires a reformat of most books too, which was an additional designer expense.
re: What hardcores want out of the book
I got into Fates WAY too late (it wasn't until I heard "One" being performed live in 2003 on the QR/DT/FW tour, but I immediately went full-on hardcore nut after the first of two shows I saw that summer and bought the catalog. So while I know a good chunk, there are still things I want details about:
1. The alleged tension from a songwriting perspective between Matheos and Aresti (could have sworn I saw documentary footage detailing this, and I think I own it as its on a major release, but I can't remember which).
2. The transition from Arch to Alder (obviously I know it, want to know more).
3. The "hiatus" from 2004-2013 - OSI was active then, Ray was in Redemption, etc.
4. Some detail on all the 80s and 90s tours I missed.
5. Jim's creative process
6. Some detailed look into APSOG, which I think still fans are split on (I at first didn't get it - it was my intro to them - shelved it, and then after I fell in love with "One" from Disconnected, I put APSOG back on and "got it." Still enjoy it, but it's not my go-to.
7. Kevin Moore's involvement with the band.
8. I could swear up and down when I saw the 2003 QR/DT/FW tour, that Frank Aresti was not at the shows in Northern California, as something happened. FW was a four-piece at those shows. At least I think they were. Hoping that Jeff covers that 2003 tour intently so I can have my memory refreshed.
9. The realities of touring in the 2010s and how that impacted FW.
I could go on and on, Tim...
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Got a reply from Jeff and he said that he is working on it but won’t be available until sometime next year.
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maybe Jim will talk a little more in-depth about what APSOG is about?
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Are there any hardcover versions of the book?
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maybe Jim will talk a little more in-depth about what APSOG is about?
Why don’t we know? I always thought it was super obvious? One of the few songs that seemed a bit more straightforward to me.
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My FW take of the day is that Circles is a superior track to Shelter Me.
Can't remember the order they came in, but I was under the impression that Circles was the earlier track and got split up among Shelter Me and Outside Looking In.
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maybe Jim will talk a little more in-depth about what APSOG is about?
Why don’t we know? I always thought it was super obvious? One of the few songs that seemed a bit more straightforward to me.
from memory, he has often shyed away from talking about specifics about it. What inspired it. I mean there's been reviews that have mentioned ideas about what it is about; a man looking back at his life and many things he regretted and wanting to do things differently. But it's kind of like The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Peter Gabriel has often just said "well it's like A Pilgrim's Progress" without going all that much into detail. And from my memory, Jim has never really talked about specific life experiences or inspirations behind APSOG.
He has said he usually likes to leave things as ambigious as possible and have things be interpretted by the listener.
But I just wonder with how much time has passed and what seems like may be the ending of the band, maybe he would add or open up a little bit about it now. The whole "now or never" adage.
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Got a reply from Jeff and he said that he is working on it but won’t be available until sometime next year.
Like I said, it has to be entirely reformatted and takes time. I know we rushed to make sure it was available because the demand was high. Had we had more time, it would have been a bit different on Kindle.
re: APSOG - I think after folks read the book, you'll understand what likely inspired APSOG a bit more. Jim opens up a bit about...some stuff, which for me, really illuminated a lot of things I suspected. Yes, I'm being vague. I figure people should read it, not hear it from me.
re: hardcover - Mike, I don't think so. This is the one version. I forgot to ask Jeff, but my guess is, if there is one, it would be later. He's responsive to messages, so it wouldn't hurt to ask. I love this french flaps version though. It's a very solid PB.
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maybe Jim will talk a little more in-depth about what APSOG is about?
Why don’t we know? I always thought it was super obvious? One of the few songs that seemed a bit more straightforward to me.
Some of it seems apparent (insomnia), but beyond that...??
My FW take of the day is that Circles is a superior track to Shelter Me.
Can't remember the order they came in, but I was under the impression that Circles was the earlier track and got split up among Shelter Me and Outside Looking In.
Shelter Me is Circles with the middle section lifted out and replaced and with some different lyrics. The middle section was then placed after the guitar solo in Outside Looking In. I assume Circles came first, and I disagree about Circles v. Shelter Me. For me, Circles is cool, and I'm glad we have both, but Shelter Me has a far superior chorus.
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My FW take of the day is that Circles is a superior track to Shelter Me.
Can't remember the order they came in, but I was under the impression that Circles was the earlier track and got split up among Shelter Me and Outside Looking In.
Shelter Me is Circles with the middle section lifted out and replaced and with some different lyrics. The middle section was then placed after the guitar solo in Outside Looking In. I assume Circles came first, and I disagree about Circles v. Shelter Me. For me, Circles is cool, and I'm glad we have both, but Shelter Me has a far superior chorus.
The chorus of Shelter Me really bugs me. So many of the choruses on Parallels and Inside Out sound similar and could be sung over each other. Shelter Me feels like another song's chorus was dropped into it. I feel like Circles is more unique and flows better with the verses. But I also heard Circles first, so that's probably a big part of it.
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My FW take of the day is that Circles is a superior track to Shelter Me.
Can't remember the order they came in, but I was under the impression that Circles was the earlier track and got split up among Shelter Me and Outside Looking In.
Shelter Me is Circles with the middle section lifted out and replaced and with some different lyrics. The middle section was then placed after the guitar solo in Outside Looking In. I assume Circles came first, and I disagree about Circles v. Shelter Me. For me, Circles is cool, and I'm glad we have both, but Shelter Me has a far superior chorus.
The chorus of Shelter Me really bugs me. So many of the choruses on Parallels and Inside Out sound similar and could be sung over each other. Shelter Me feels like another song's chorus was dropped into it. I feel like Circles is more unique and flows better with the verses. But I also heard Circles first, so that's probably a big part of it.
I know where you are coming from with this, but I can't really agree.
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The chorus of Shelter Me really bugs me. So many of the choruses on Parallels and Inside Out sound similar and could be sung over each other. Shelter Me feels like another song's chorus was dropped into it. I feel like Circles is more unique and flows better with the verses. But I also heard Circles first, so that's probably a big part of it.
I know where you are coming from with this, but I can't really agree.
Can't agree either :)
While it's undeniable Parallels and Inside Out are cut from the same (or similar) cloth, and they are both showing a more streamlined and straightforward version of FW, there's a level of sophistication in the songwriting that just elevates them. I love them both. Parallels might be slightly superior, but there are days when I think Inside Out is even better. Most of the songs are so...concise... and yet there's so much going on. I've mentioned this before, but the Matheos-Aresti interplay is what I miss the most from more recent FW. They had this signature thing with the clean guitars and cool (distorted) chord voicings...it really made their sound in the early 90s super-special.
More specifically in regards to Shelter Me - I definitely prefer it to (its early version?) Circles. Although, differently from you (HOF), I've listened to Shelter Me before Circles, so there's that...
...And I always loved the chorus. It's so catchy and Zonder's drums are delicious in it :)
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@pg Re: APSOG…
I never saw the need to disconnect (see what I did there?) the subject matter of the rest beyond the obvious that you’ve stated. Anyone who has ever had a night where your brain WILL NOT shut down to save your life will understand how you drift in and out with your mind never rests…lying in shadows replaying a thousand regrets. And the thousand feels literal because your mind is just bouncing all over the place to sometimes very vaguely connected (or disconnected) thoughts. Regrets of childhood, regrets of past relationships, bummed out by the last show you played, wondering if this life you dreamed of having is worth the depression of being away all the time. And you often wonder what else could be and you dream of running away.
Ya…I can relate to the entire stream of consciousness of the whole thing. That’s why I love it so much.
And then, when you finally come to terms with it all, when you finally find some peace to all the highs and lows between light and dark…this pleasant shade of gray allows you to drift off into pleasant sleep…..about 2 minutes before your alarm goes off. :mehlin
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To be clear, I think both Parallels and Inside Out are awesome. The chorus thing is more an issue on Inside Out for me. I just think Matheos seemed to have a template for the choruses on that album, and some of them ended up similar to some from Parallels.
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To be clear, I think both Parallels and Inside Out are awesome. The chorus thing is more an issue on Inside Out for me. I just think Matheos seemed to have a template for the choruses on that album, and some of them ended up similar to some from Parallels.
Got it :tup
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To be clear, I think both Parallels and Inside Out are awesome. The chorus thing is more an issue on Inside Out for me. I just think Matheos seemed to have a template for the choruses on that album, and some of them ended up similar to some from Parallels.
Got it :tup
I have never thought any of the choruses on those two albums sounded similar. I just thought they were extremely well written. I also feel that these two albums are Fates at their best. They're the two strongest albums in their discog, although I do think they hit a home run with Theories Of Flight.
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To be clear, I think both Parallels and Inside Out are awesome. The chorus thing is more an issue on Inside Out for me. I just think Matheos seemed to have a template for the choruses on that album, and some of them ended up similar to some from Parallels.
Got it :tup
I have never thought any of the choruses on those two albums sounded similar. I just thought they were extremely well written. I also feel that these two albums are Fates at their best. They're the two strongest albums in their discog, although I do think they hit a home run with Theories Of Flight.
Let the record show that, on this point, TAC and I agree!
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re: Inside Out and Parallels
I agree that both albums are brilliant in that they take the band's complex sound, simplify it to a degree without losing what makes Fates interesting. Excellent songwriting completely. In many ways, both records remind me of Queensryche's Empire, which IMO, does the exact thing with Queensryche's sound...simplifies it without it becoming simple.
I think for me, the two records are just stylistically similar...so much so that it was weird. It was like Parallels was there, and Inside Out was a darker version of Parallels. There wasn't as much songwriting change/evolution from one record to the next. That's how I've always considered them. Both outstanding. I prefer Parallels, but the gems on Inside Out stand toe to toe with the best of Parallels as well.
In my opinion, I think Fates only did this sort of...stylistically similar releases one other time: Theories of Flight to Long Day Goodnight. And much like Parallels and Inside Out, I prefer Theories of Flight. LDG is still a good record, but to my ear, very much in the same vein as ToF.
p.s. saw that Jeff Wagner shipped about 90 percent of the book pre-orders today. So I am sure that folks in the U.S. will get them in the next several days. Folks overseas a bit longer, obviously. Can't wait!
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https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf4lBU0pW_8/
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@pg Re: APSOG…
Maybe there isn't more to it than that. Hopefully we find out.
The books apparently have mostly shipped, so maybe I'll have it waiting for me (to add to my pile of books I haven't gotten around to reading) when I get home from Chicago!
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Mine was in my mailbox this evening!
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Mine was in my mailbox this evening!
Mine too! Have to finish a library book and then I'll be diving into this. I flipped through it and randomly opened up to a page documenting the 2012 show in Brazil, involving the QR meltdown. :lol
It looks awesome!
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Still no book. Although I am up here in the Seattle area so I don’t know if that makes it take longer. I wish they had at least sent some sort of shipping confirmation.
EDIT - SCRATCH THAT!!!! Immediately after writing this I realized I hadn’t checked my mailbox for yesterday‘s mail. Guess what? It was there. :facepalm:
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I just finished the book. Forgive typos here, as I am waiting oit a 3 hour delay of my flight home from visiting family.
I am so, so impressed. As a fellow writer, one who does this for a living, I'm extremely critical. My biggest thing is always flow. I hate biographies that are choppy. (You should see how many chunks of chapters I had to rewrite for the Queensryche book to get it where it is, and I'm still not happy with it.) I'm delightesld to say that Jeff delivers a flowing, detail-rich account that for me, is the gold standard for band biographies.
There's really no stone left unturned and the entire narrative is such an inspiring, honest tale. I learned a bunch of things I didn't know and loved Jeff's use of footnotes for extra detail.
Even if you're not a Fates Warning fan, but love metal and rock bios, this is a great read. It's thorough, but written so that even casual fans don't need to know the catalog inside out (pun very much intended), to enjoy the tale of this band.
Thrilled for Jeff, and for all of us Fates fans. So glad this story was told. Thank you Jeff!
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I'm 3/4 of the way through the book and love it. As I've been reading the chapters about each album, I've listened to each album in full a number of times as well. I've learned so much about the albums and the band.
My Fates experience started sometime in the late 90's, when I was introduced to the greatest hits record and No Exit. I eventually got APSOG and never really liked it, since it was so vastly different...after that, I checked out on Fates Warning until 2016 when Theories of Flight came out. That's when I went back and got into ALL of the records.
Awaken the Guardian - I've enjoyed this, but have a newfound appreciation for it, knowing how hard that lineup worked on the record. I've had this record on repeat all week long.
Parallels - have always loved the hits and Life in Still Water. Another album that's been on repeat.
APSOG - I think I listened to this in full for the very first time today, even though I bought the CD over 20 years ago. The Inside Out and APSOG chapters in the book really helped me understand the album and I was really enjoying hearing it.
Looking forward to finishing the book and my run-through of each record!
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got my book the other day, but have only paged through it (lack of time mostly).
I also started doing an album series on my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFNc6ga_mjMuvpWwfdxAauzf0FRg0a0BI) on all the albums, and then eventually a ranking. Unsure how long it will take (the Marillion 1 I did last year took me over 2 months). But getting the book might escalate it.
I did find another Jeff Wagner interview on YouTube that is pretty in-depth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6pyk5hODOM
Also I wasn't aware of this tune John Arch sang on from the band Dead By Wednesday from just a few years ago. It's quite good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4xgOaKHma0
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I just finished the book. Forgive typos here, as I am waiting oit a 3 hour delay of my flight home from visiting family.
I am so, so impressed. As a fellow writer, one who does this for a living, I'm extremely critical. My biggest thing is always flow. I hate biographies that are choppy. (You should see how many chunks of chapters I had to rewrite for the Queensryche book to get it where it is, and I'm still not happy with it.) I'm delightesld to say that Jeff delivers a flowing, detail-rich account that for me, is the gold standard for band biographies.
There's really no stone left unturned and the entire narrative is such an inspiring, honest tale. I learned a bunch of things I didn't know and loved Jeff's use of footnotes for extra detail.
Even if you're not a Fates Warning fan, but love metal and rock bios, this is a great read. It's thorough, but written so that even casual fans don't need to know the catalog inside out (pun very much intended), to enjoy the tale of this band.
Thrilled for Jeff, and for all of us Fates fans. So glad this story was told. Thank you Jeff!
Super-excited about this. Just ordered the book, yesterday night.
...and, while I was in a music-biography mood, I also went ahead and ordered "Building an Empire"...thought you might be happy to know ;)
I have a little relaxing vacation/getaway coming up in about a week, so that'll be a good time to do some reading on the greats of prog-metal :)
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Thanks Nick. Appreciate it.
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Just got the promo for A-Z (Alder through Zonder). Really enjoying it so far. It's as described, melodic, hooky, shorter songs that are much more immediate. It absolutely has heavier moments (Joop Wolters has some great riffs and solos on here), but the thing that sticks out is...it's a big sound.
Looking forward to listening to it more.
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Review of the Fates Warning biography here:
https://focusonmetalpod.com/review-nothing-left-to-say-fates-warning-biography-leaves-no-stone-unturned-in-telling-the-bands-story/
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Review of the Fates Warning biography here:
https://focusonmetalpod.com/review-nothing-left-to-say-fates-warning-biography-leaves-no-stone-unturned-in-telling-the-bands-story/
Excellent and well-written review. Thanks for sharing, Brian.
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Book ordered, shipping was a killer but am sure well worth it ;D
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Review of the Fates Warning biography here:
https://focusonmetalpod.com/review-nothing-left-to-say-fates-warning-biography-leaves-no-stone-unturned-in-telling-the-bands-story/
Excellent and well-written review. Thanks for sharing, Brian.
Thanks, Mike.
Book ordered, shipping was a killer but am sure well worth it ;D
It will be. Sooooooo good.
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Kings of Mercia - Kings of Mercia being released September 23rd.
https://www.metalblade.com/kingsofmercia/
Wrecking Ball:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9oJrJ4g27U
Also, in making that FW album series on my YouTube channel, i opened up and showed my Vinyl copy of Perfect Symmetry and found this pleasant surprise yesterday.
(https://scontent.ffcm1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/297281101_10160803793568338_8984723045165896435_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5cd70e&_nc_ohc=916Ilt3A6sEAX_rAadX&_nc_oc=AQl2OL3HnDRbmaYdSfeKe3S4fi6exu5PvwFZ5RpxSCLzTrFuKBJ1xjTdUpg42AmLpaz8h2UQaPKQjF83nCuyVR_W&_nc_ht=scontent.ffcm1-1.fna&oh=00_AT8kMWqDH16WVegNYITkplPEyEBaLIEH7qSC58Jbm5-Buw&oe=62EEEE2A)
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Thanks for the update and link. Typically expected this to be more prog but pleasantly surprised.
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Enjoyed Wrecking Ball quite a bit. I like when Jim goes a bit more straightforward in his writing.
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Ripped the audio from the Live in Athens DVD and I must say, I love the energy of this live show. It has NDV on drums as well and Kevin Moore on Still Remains. A great show from the FWX tour.
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Ripped the audio from the Live in Athens DVD and I must say, I love the energy of this live show. It has NDV on drums as well and Kevin Moore on Still Remains. A great show from the FWX tour.
It is an amazing live show. Everyone so into it. What's a good program to do that, by the way? I've been meaning to for a long time, but just never got around to it.
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Ripped the audio from the Live in Athens DVD and I must say, I love the energy of this live show. It has NDV on drums as well and Kevin Moore on Still Remains. A great show from the FWX tour.
It is an amazing live show. Everyone so into it. What's a good program to do that, by the way? I've been meaning to for a long time, but just never got around to it.
I use this one: DVD Audio Extractor
https://www.dvdae.com/
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Thank you. I'll rip that bad boy tonight.
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Ripped the audio from the Live in Athens DVD and I must say, I love the energy of this live show. It has NDV on drums as well and Kevin Moore on Still Remains. A great show from the FWX tour.
It's a great show with an amazing setlist but holy hell the camera is just ruins this thing.
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I have a chat with Jim Matheos this Friday, to talk about his new band, "Kings of Mercia". The album is pretty cool!
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I have a chat with Jim Matheos this Friday, to talk about his new band, "Kings of Mercia". The album is pretty cool!
Rodrigo, if you have a chance, I'd love to know how he met Joey Vera, and how was it that they started working together.
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Ripped the audio from the Live in Athens DVD and I must say, I love the energy of this live show. It has NDV on drums as well and Kevin Moore on Still Remains. A great show from the FWX tour.
It's a great show with an amazing setlist but holy hell the camera is just ruins this thing.
I've gotten used to it so much so I actually love the footage 😂 and yeah I actually prefer the audio and this show of all theirs, really wish they'd thought (or afforded) to include an official audio/CD along with the DVD.
Have started on the Destination Onward book now so outside of new releases listening is dedicated to Fates right now. Also finally got myself a copy of Ray's What The Water Wants on vinyl too, so winning!🤘
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I have a chat with Jim Matheos this Friday, to talk about his new band, "Kings of Mercia". The album is pretty cool!
I'd love to know the circumstances behind Frank not being on the latest album.
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I have a chat with Jim Matheos this Friday, to talk about his new band, "Kings of Mercia". The album is pretty cool!
I'd love to know the circumstances behind Frank not being on the latest album.
After reading the book, I think I’ve already got a pretty good idea.
Nothing bad…it’s just that you get the impression that when it comes to the band, it’s all business and it’s nothing personal. If it’s going to work out that you’re involved, ok. If not, no biggie. Strictly business. Found some time for Frank and the schedules align? He’s in. Can’t get schedules to match? No biggie. The machine rolls on without you.
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I have a chat with Jim Matheos this Friday, to talk about his new band, "Kings of Mercia". The album is pretty cool!
I'd love to know the circumstances behind Frank not being on the latest album.
After reading the book, I think I’ve already got a pretty good idea.
Nothing bad…it’s just that you get the impression that when it comes to the band, it’s all business and it’s nothing personal. If it’s going to work out that you’re involved, ok. If not, no biggie. Strictly business. Found some time for Frank and the schedules align? He’s in. Can’t get schedules to match? No biggie. The machine rolls on without you.
As kinda thought as much mate, thanks for the info. Makes sense though.
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I have a chat with Jim Matheos this Friday, to talk about his new band, "Kings of Mercia". The album is pretty cool!
Cool really digging the singles and can't wait for album!
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I have a chat with Jim Matheos this Friday, to talk about his new band, "Kings of Mercia". The album is pretty cool!
I'd love to know the circumstances behind Frank not being on the latest album.
A lot of musicians who were once in a band are now happily taking on other roles, still connected to music, but not necessarily on the spinning wheel of "album-tour-album-tour". Frank worked at D'Addario and Dunlop, and I think he's happy with that choice.
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So, is FW pretty much done now?
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they may still do some live appearances/tour, but their work as a Studio band seems like it may be done or on an indefinite hiatus.
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So, is FW pretty much done now?
Pretty much. No official announcement was made to that fact, but the book (which was authorized) pretty much says that as of right now, Fates is complete in terms of creating new music. I think live shows have a chance of happening under the right circumstances, however.
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That's terrible as their last albums have some oft her absolute best work. And there's something special in FW as none of the music the members make outside of it seems to click with me, nowhere near the same amount (Other than OSI and Arch/Matheos, the latter I consider FW2). It's kind of strange, I would understand if they quit the music business, but it seems like there's much more music in them left to write, just not under that umbrella.
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I'm not Jim, obviously. But the sense I get is that there's just not a lot of new ground left to cover that would resonate with Fates fans. I mean, where else do they go? And if Jim doesn't financially need to tour (no idea, I'm assuming here), and the rest of the guys in the band do, then why keep it going? They can easily get festival dates if they wanted them and be a part-time band, not much different than everything else Jim does these days.
I'm very grateful I got into Fates when I did. I wish it was earlier, but in some ways, it was the absolute perfect time that led to some experiences I probably wouldn't have had otherwise. And if this is indeed the end, I have some killer memories of traveling around the last couple tour legs to support them.
If I had my way, as I suggested whenever I could, I'd love to see Ray and John sing together on an album as a united Fates Warning. It's the one thing, fan-wise, that I think, at least for me, needs to be realized. Even if it is a Fates EP of three songs (one Ray, one John, and one combined), to me, that would be the ultimate capper. May never happen, but I still hope for it, regardless of the band's current status. It would seem the "right" thing to do, to me. But obviously there are a lot of things that factor into that.
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that would be a super cool idea, although I think it's a longshot at best at this point.
So, I finally finished the YouTube review series of all the albums (incl. all the Arch-related releases).
Playlist of all the Videos Reviews on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFNc6ga_mjMuvpWwfdxAauzf0FRg0a0BI)
Next week I plan to make the final ranking/countdown of the albums video.
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I'm not Jim, obviously. But the sense I get is that there's just not a lot of new ground left to cover that would resonate with Fates fans. I mean, where else do they go? And if Jim doesn't financially need to tour (no idea, I'm assuming here), and the rest of the guys in the band do, then why keep it going? They can easily get festival dates if they wanted them and be a part-time band, not much different than everything else Jim does these days.
I'm very grateful I got into Fates when I did. I wish it was earlier, but in some ways, it was the absolute perfect time that led to some experiences I probably wouldn't have had otherwise. And if this is indeed the end, I have some killer memories of traveling around the last couple tour legs to support them.
If I had my way, as I suggested whenever I could, I'd love to see Ray and John sing together on an album as a united Fates Warning. It's the one thing, fan-wise, that I think, at least for me, needs to be realized. Even if it is a Fates EP of three songs (one Ray, one John, and one combined), to me, that would be the ultimate capper. May never happen, but I still hope for it, regardless of the band's current status. It would seem the "right" thing to do, to me. But obviously there are a lot of things that factor into that.
The band don't need to go anywhere or break any new ground. The last two albums are brilliant, more of the same would be fine with me.
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The band don't need to go anywhere or break any new ground. The last two albums are brilliant, more of the same would be fine with me.
Yeah, the last two are great. But I'm pretty sure Jim doesn't write to satisfy fans. He writes to satisfy himself, and if fans dig it, so much the better. The last two Fates records, while outstanding, have a lot of creative overlap, much like Parallels and Inside Out. Maybe Jim just feels there's...nothing left to say?
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The band don't need to go anywhere or break any new ground. The last two albums are brilliant, more of the same would be fine with me.
Yeah, the last two are great. But I'm pretty sure Jim doesn't write to satisfy fans. He writes to satisfy himself, and if fans dig it, so much the better. The last two Fates records, while outstanding, have a lot of creative overlap, much like Parallels and Inside Out. Maybe Jim just feels there's...nothing left to say?
Hopefully it's more 'hiatus' than 'done', but either way - this band has produced an amazing body of work over their career. If they are done, they went out on as high a note as anyone can expect with TOF and LDGN. Both are excellent records front to back IMO. Would absolutely love to see them tour more and play some tracks from LDGN!!
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This is what is weird with Fates Warning...creatively Jim and Ray have put solo albums that are just top notch especially late in their musical careers (OSI, Arch/Matheos, Ray solo, A-Z, Kings of Mercia sounds very promising). I just don't know why can't they use those ideas in Fates Warning. Financially, they have the legacy name instead of starting from scratch. I know Ray didn't like the Arch/Matheos music for Fates but TOF was all balls to the wall prog metal (kind of what the 1st A/M album was). Just a mixed bag of feelings for me since they keep writing and recording under different acronyms but seems like their creative fire is still there. Don't know why they wouldn't capitalize that with the FW name on it.
Long Day was a masterpiece in a sense that they captured all of FW different eras in one album but TOF is perfect for me (higher than a masterpiece if that makes sense).
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This is what is weird with Fates Warning...creatively Jim and Ray have put solo albums that are just top notch especially late in their musical careers (OSI, Arch/Matheos, Ray solo, A-Z, Kings of Mercia sounds very promising). I just don't know why can't they use those ideas in Fates Warning. Financially, they have the legacy name instead of starting from scratch. I know Ray didn't like the Arch/Matheos music for Fates but TOF was all balls to the wall prog metal (kind of what the 1st A/M album was). Just a mixed bag of feelings for me since they keep writing and recording under different acronyms but seems like their creative fire is still there. Don't know why they wouldn't capitalize that with the FW name on it.
Long Day was a masterpiece in a sense that they captured all of FW different eras in one album but TOF is perfect for me (higher than a masterpiece if that makes sense).
TOF for me was a better record than Long Day. I felt they really captured what Fates was, in its entirety in the Alder era with TOF. LDGN sort of repeated that but fell a little short.
I have no idea regarding why they are stepping away. What you said makes a ton of sense - obviously the creative fire still burns. Maybe they (Ray and Jim) just burnt out on creating together.
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Jim recently gave an interview to the Prog Report about the new Kings of Mercia album, this is the last question on it:
What’s next for you?
With Fates I’m kind of leaving it up there and try not to make any definitive statements because I don’t really know. I would still at this point love to do some dates for that last record. We haven’t done that yet so who knows when or if we’ll be able to do that, but that’s that’ certainly a possibility. As far as new music, none of us are getting any younger. I’ve been doing this for a long time, part of me kind of feels like anything that you do for 40 years is probably enough. But, you never know, I could wake up tomorrow and have this urge to start writing something more progressive and heavy. If I do, that not going to be a side project. There’s no reason for me to write something in that style and get other guys, because I have the perfect vehicle with these guys. I love these guys, so if I’m going to do anything in that it’s going to be a Fates record. I’m just not sure that I have that in there at this point. If I do, then sure.
https://progreport.com/jim-matheos-on-the-new-kings-of-mercia-album-interview/
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Nice find.
I'm glad Jim is completely open to continuing, both new music and touring. Life is better with an active Fates Warning. :metal
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That's kind of comforting. He's putting no pressure on himself and whatever comes, comes. I like that. Play on.
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At the end of the day, how many times has Jim said FW was done? It’s been at least 3-4 by my count. They were done when the rug got pulled out after Parallels, it was over when IO felt uninspired (paraphrasing band commentary from the book) then it was over after FWX. So by my count this would be “we’re done” #4.
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Jim recently gave an interview to the Prog Report about the new Kings of Mercia album, this is the last question on it:
What’s next for you?
With Fates I’m kind of leaving it up there and try not to make any definitive statements because I don’t really know. I would still at this point love to do some dates for that last record. We haven’t done that yet so who knows when or if we’ll be able to do that, but that’s that’ certainly a possibility. As far as new music, none of us are getting any younger. I’ve been doing this for a long time, part of me kind of feels like anything that you do for 40 years is probably enough. But, you never know, I could wake up tomorrow and have this urge to start writing something more progressive and heavy. If I do, that not going to be a side project. There’s no reason for me to write something in that style and get other guys, because I have the perfect vehicle with these guys. I love these guys, so if I’m going to do anything in that it’s going to be a Fates record. I’m just not sure that I have that in there at this point. If I do, then sure.
https://progreport.com/jim-matheos-on-the-new-kings-of-mercia-album-interview/
Excellent thanks for posting!
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Jim recently gave an interview to the Prog Report about the new Kings of Mercia album, this is the last question on it:
What’s next for you?
With Fates I’m kind of leaving it up there and try not to make any definitive statements because I don’t really know. I would still at this point love to do some dates for that last record. We haven’t done that yet so who knows when or if we’ll be able to do that, but that’s that’ certainly a possibility. As far as new music, none of us are getting any younger. I’ve been doing this for a long time, part of me kind of feels like anything that you do for 40 years is probably enough. But, you never know, I could wake up tomorrow and have this urge to start writing something more progressive and heavy. If I do, that not going to be a side project. There’s no reason for me to write something in that style and get other guys, because I have the perfect vehicle with these guys. I love these guys, so if I’m going to do anything in that it’s going to be a Fates record. I’m just not sure that I have that in there at this point. If I do, then sure.
https://progreport.com/jim-matheos-on-the-new-kings-of-mercia-album-interview/
That's a really truthful answer...Who does know what the future may hold? It's a great response which is similar to the response some band members give with "never say never."
I won't mind at all if they never make albums again, that's fine with me as they have a good legacy of albums.
I would love to see them live again, headlining this time. My first time was when they opened for Queensryche, they mentioned how long it's been since they last played Albuquerque (according to Setlist.fm it was 12 years). It was a great show and an amazing setlist. I got lucky though because they ended up playing one song I thought they would never play at all...Falling Further, and once I heard the opening guitar I got excited and rocked out, sang along. Add in Still Remains and Wish, then I would've been satisfied if that ends up being my last show. I still want to see those two songs live, and I hope I get to see at least Still Remains.
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Jim is so good in making prog metal... it's like Steven Wilson making PT's music. Why run away from what they do best? I know, artist's integrity and all, but still...
I hope that we will have at least another Arch/Matheos album in the future. One more FW (and PT) it would be awesome, of course.
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I hope that we will have at least another Arch/Matheos album in the future.
I'd be up for that!
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I couldn't really get into those albums unfortunately. I didn't mind the first one but it didn't really stick.
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as much as he's in a bazillion bands/projects, I guess I still would love to see Jim work with Mike Portnoy.
There was OSI of course, but I would like to see Portnoy and Jim, and just those 2 guys alone, do the all of the writing.
I suppose the issue would be how would it differ from Fates Warning or OSI?
I still find with OSI and Transatlantic (or what may have been called "Second Nature"), Jim and Portnoy could-have had a much longer, productive, prolific working relationship/partnership that given the circumstances that trannspired with both of those, their working together did not yield nearly as much as it could have potentially.
The only other things I think of are of course A Twist of Fate which I absolutely love, and the 1 or 2 times Portnoy played with Fates live.
And the Rush tribute album which Portnoy co-produced.
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https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-matheos-jim/?fbclid=IwAR3yImYzP-J4PPUOpNh3Km-OFpo3EV5itx2LNjhWkIk46Nr1Gjo2As-Qk-0
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https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-matheos-jim/?fbclid=IwAR3yImYzP-J4PPUOpNh3Km-OFpo3EV5itx2LNjhWkIk46Nr1Gjo2As-Qk-0
Thanks for the interview. Glad he is still open to tour with Fates. The KoM album is growing a bit more with each listen and I think it is almost there with A-Z.
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https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-matheos-jim/?fbclid=IwAR3yImYzP-J4PPUOpNh3Km-OFpo3EV5itx2LNjhWkIk46Nr1Gjo2As-Qk-0
Great job on the interview, as always.
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Thanks!
I should tell you this: I usually upload the audio or video of the interviews I do, but Jim only agreed to talk if we promised to transcribe it. I hope it was worth the extra work!
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Great read, nicely done! FWIW - I enjoy reading interviews so much more than listening to them. Not sure I know why, maybe 'back in my day' that was the only option available
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Great read, nicely done! FWIW - I enjoy reading interviews so much more than listening to them. Not sure I know why, maybe 'back in my day' that was the only option available
I prefer reading them too, but man...transcribing 20 minutes of an interview takes me FOREVER, even with A.I. giving me a headstart and transcribing most of it.
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Thanks!
I should tell you this: I usually upload the audio or video of the interviews I do, but Jim only agreed to talk if we promised to transcribe it. I hope it was worth the extra work!
LOL. I actually prefer to READ interviews. Love that Jim asked you to transcribe it LOL>
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Thanks!
I should tell you this: I usually upload the audio or video of the interviews I do, but Jim only agreed to talk if we promised to transcribe it. I hope it was worth the extra work!
LOL. I actually prefer to READ interviews. Love that Jim asked you to transcribe it LOL>
Same here—I'm so not into this video-only trend.
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Great read, nicely done! FWIW - I enjoy reading interviews so much more than listening to them. Not sure I know why, maybe 'back in my day' that was the only option available
I know why (at least for me). I can read through a 20-minute interview in about 5 minutes. Even if you put video or audio on 1.5x, you're still stuck for however long it takes.
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finally finished the Jeff Wagner book last week and posted a review on YouTube.
Very thorough stories; I think maybe the most informal part of it was learning the reasons all of the members left the band.
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https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/interview-with-matheos-jim/?fbclid=IwAR1iEAQeL606f8wZwWwN5LMGMTM83Cnv3CvqE4lIBGNrsD8PQ4GvpyRV-xE
RodrigoAltaf interviewed Jim
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Good questions. As a former reporter and in my heart always a journalist, I really appreciate someone who takes the time to review the material and ask the appropriate things. Well done.
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Good questions. As a former reporter and in my heart always a journalist, I really appreciate someone who takes the time to review the material and ask the appropriate things. Well done.
Much appreciated! I'm always mindful f not asking questions that were made a million times before...
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finally finished the Jeff Wagner book last week and posted a review on YouTube.
Very thorough stories; I think maybe the most informal part of it was learning the reasons all of the members left the band.
Finally got around to reading it too. Excellent read. Very engaging in the way the story is told - you can tell there is deep connection and appreciation there.
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Jeff and I have talked at length about the book. There is absolutely nothing but love there. He was the absolute PERFECT person to write this and I'm so glad he did.
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Very cool that you got to talk to him about the book. As fellow music writers, it must be especially nice to exchange thoughts on each other's work.
The book really does feel like a cohesive, well-told story of the band. I've been a fan for a relatively long time (early 90s), but other than keeping track of all the line-up changes, I didn't know a whole lot about the actual history. Inside Out was the first album bought as a fan, and I recall they had switched to Massacre for the European release. I wasn't aware at the time of the big disappointment that had come from the sudden lack of support for Parallels. Reading how that happened - and so suddenly! - was pretty sad. And heartbreaking for the band.
Love how candid the quotes from the band members (current and former) are. There's a lot of positivity (together with the obvious spells of disappointment) which is nice. Matheos sure is an interesting and fascinating character. Another takeaway is that Joey Vera seems like an incredibly nice person - at least he comes across that way :)
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Jeff is a class act and yeah, it was cool talking about our books. He told me about his process with the FW bio, and I told him the skinny on just how much material was mine in the QR book, how we split things up, and how to figure out what I wrote (which was a lot more than I was given credit for). I'd love to do a project with Jeff one day. Probably won't happen, but he's a storyteller, and I love working with people who get that aspect of writing.
Here's hoping Fates surfaces again some day! :metal
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I checked both the A-Z and Kings of Mercia. The A-Z sounded decent buy I didn't make it through the whole thing. The Down to the Wire rip off right off the bat made the laugh.
I thought the Kings of Mercia was quite decent actually. Nothing new or flash but quite easy listening. Overland makes this pretty nice.
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I checked both the A-Z and Kings of Mercia. The A-Z sounded decent buy I didn't make it through the whole thing. The Down to the Wire rip off right off the bat made the laugh.
I thought the Kings of Mercia was quite decent actually. Nothing new or flash but quite easy listening. Overland makes this pretty nice.
You are not wrong about the Down to the Wire, um, tribute :biggrin:
I have to say, I really like the A-Z album...I actually bought it. It's catchy and musically very interesting, with lots of cool things thrown in. Love Zonder and Alder on it, of course, but I think everyone's performance is great. Tasty keyboards and bass/guitar playing.
I haven't spent enough time with Kings of Mercia, so I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. First impression was pleasant, but it didn't strike me as "especially special". The vocals and the playing are very good, but I didn't find it as intriguing as the A-Z record. I'll revisit for sure, though.
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Jeff Wagner was on "The Color of Air" with Greg Massi of maudlin of the Well/Kayo Dot talking about the book and his podcast, Radical Research
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0L9dYXhgGRXzDvvrV1YehV
Hunter Ginn actually was also on the next episode just shared this weekend.
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Jeff Wagner was on "The Color of Air" with Greg Massi of maudlin of the Well/Kayo Dot talking about the book and his podcast, Radical Research
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0L9dYXhgGRXzDvvrV1YehV
Hunter Ginn actually was also on the next episode just shared this weekend.
Oh thanks for the heads up will def check in on this discussion.
Am just into the last quarter of the book now super good read...
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https://twitter.com/realrayalder/status/1590766882273263617
Ray Alder
@realrayalder
So, umm. The new solo album is finished. Now we wait…. 🎤⏰
12:02 PM · Nov 10, 2022
·Twitter for iPhone
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Sweet!
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They released a new Kings of Mercia single and video this month which I like quite a bit more than the rest that I heard. It reminds me a lot of Fates' Firefly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFQi-I259Uk
Jim has a really short but very sweet and tasteful solo in it.
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What exactly is the point of this part of the title of this thread: "v. Elsydeon hasn’t been around"?
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What exactly is the point of this part of the title of this thread: "v. Elsydeon hasn’t been around"?
Elsydeon is the OP, and then we had this exchange back in the thread.
Maybe a mod can update the thread title? Elsydeon hasn’t been around in almost a couple of years.
Your wish is my command. Had to shorten due to technical limitations.
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https://twitter.com/realrayalder/status/1590766882273263617
Ray Alder
@realrayalder
So, umm. The new solo album is finished. Now we wait…. 🎤⏰
12:02 PM · Nov 10, 2022
·Twitter for iPhone
This is great news. Guessing we should be seeing something about a release date in the next month or so. Guessing a June release maybe?
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Fantastic can't wait to hear what Ray has in store for us his last one was exceptional and A-Z was the shit \m/
Regards new Kings Of Mercia track above, do find it an odd choice for a single tbh, but dig the song and agree very reminiscent of latter-day Fates. I'd say has a Darkness In A Different Light era vibe while something like Set The World On Fire has that Seven Stars kinda feel?
Fer my ears anyway ;)
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Here's the new single from Ray's solo album II:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAtTyoNWjxo
Pretty cool, moody song...do we know the line-up on this?
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Thanks heaps for that nick...
Sounds fucking brilliant! :metal
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Here's the new single from Ray's solo album II:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAtTyoNWjxo
Pretty cool, moody song...do we know the line-up on this?
this is from the Pre-order page on the Inside out website
"Longtime Fates Warning frontman Ray Alder returns with his sophomore solo album on InsideOutMusic. Encompassing 9 melodic, yet modernly heavy new songs created with assistance from guitarists Mike Abdow (Fates Warning touring member) and Tony Hernando (Lords Of Black) as well as drummer Craig Anderson (Ignite, Crescent Shield), “II” was mixed by Simone Mularoni (Rhapsody, Michael Romeo, DGM)"
Don't know if anybody else is on there especially since no bassist is listed .
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I really like this song, made me look forward to the album. I just love how Ray's tone sounds and how his voice matured.
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Excellent! Just love his voice.
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Absolutely killer track. Wonderful moodiness, and then a couple kicks to the face at points. Ray hit a homerun with this track for sure. I tweeted at him asking if Mike or Tony wrote the music to it. The solo sounds like Mike.
Really great launch of II. Looking forward to the record.
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I mean, the song is ok, I guess.
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Love the new song!
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I've been playing the song pretty much 10-20 times per day since and it's getting better. I absolutely love the guitar solo and how the song escalates towards the end.
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I really like this song, made me look forward to the album. I just love how Ray's tone sounds and how his voice matured.
Such a good point!
Ray is, in my opinion, the benchmark for how to age gracefully as a metal singer. With Fates, he took every impossible high and managed to translate it into a lower register while retaining the impact. And when he did push his voice ("Light and Shade of Things") comes to mind, it felt all the more powerful.
Love the new track too!
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Great talk about Ray. Agreed completely. He found the perfect way to translate that high stuff into something he can now do, and do well, without hurting the song.
I was asked about Darkness in a Different Light, and I remember telling the person who asked me that I felt like Ray was being too restrained...that there were points he could let loose a little. And when they came out with Theories of Flight, BANG, it was still the awesome Ray tone, but in spots where he needed to make an impact, he brought it up, and it really just made the album for me (and that record is probably my third favorite of the Alder-era Fates catalog behind Parallels and No Exit). Just pure brilliance.
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Absolutely yes to Darkness vs. Theories!
It’s almost like he was finding his voice again in the former and then…quite simply one of my favorite performances of his in the latter. So, so good.
And that moment in Light and Shade of Things is indeed magical.
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Yes, ToF was definitely a step or two up from DiaDL. :tup
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Yes, ToF was definitely a step or two up from DiaDL. :tup
Easily.
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Well now, this will be cool if it happens:
I would love to tour again, and Jim would as well; we've already discussed it. It's just a matter of getting everyone together. Joey's [Vera, bass] in five or six different bands. And Bobby Jarzombek, Bobby's now playing with George Strait, one of the biggest country music stars in the world, and Bobby's his drummer now. But George doesn't really do normal tours; he does one-off shows now and then. And so it's really hard for Bobby to leave for more than a week or two to be on tour. So we've been trying to deal with that lately. But next year is the fortieth anniversary of FATES WARNING, so we're discussing doing a few shows next year around the world. Not a full tour, but some shows every few weeks or months apart. So hopefully that'll work. We'll see.
Source: https://blabbermouth.net/news/ray-alder-says-jim-matheos-doesnt-want-to-write-any-more-new-fates-warning-music
>>>>>Some 40th Anniversary shows would be absolutely incredible. I hope that happens. My guess is, Fates would do European festivals. But maybe we'll get some coastal shows here in the U.S. LA, New York, etc. I hope so. I'd get down to at least LA for something.
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Well now, this will be cool if it happens:
I would love to tour again, and Jim would as well; we've already discussed it. It's just a matter of getting everyone together. Joey's [Vera, bass] in five or six different bands. And Bobby Jarzombek, Bobby's now playing with George Strait, one of the biggest country music stars in the world, and Bobby's his drummer now. But George doesn't really do normal tours; he does one-off shows now and then. And so it's really hard for Bobby to leave for more than a week or two to be on tour. So we've been trying to deal with that lately. But next year is the fortieth anniversary of FATES WARNING, so we're discussing doing a few shows next year around the world. Not a full tour, but some shows every few weeks or months apart. So hopefully that'll work. We'll see.
Source: https://blabbermouth.net/news/ray-alder-says-jim-matheos-doesnt-want-to-write-any-more-new-fates-warning-music
>>>>>Some 40th Anniversary shows would be absolutely incredible. I hope that happens. My guess is, Fates would do European festivals. But maybe we'll get some coastal shows here in the U.S. LA, New York, etc. I hope so. I'd get down to at least LA for something.
I'd absolutely be there for that!
I know nothing about George Straight (other than his genre), but it's hard to imagine a beast like Bobby drumming on a bunch of country songs. :lol
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Not sure whether to put this in here or the Alder thread or both and apologies if it's already been mentioned...
Alder confirms has collaborated with Jim Matheos, album complete and to be released next year \m/
After the 3min mark in video linked here...
https://www.sonicperspectives.com/news/ray-alder-confirms-collaboration-with-fates-warning-bandmate-jim-matheos/
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I wonder if it could be similar to Jim's solo music; new Agey..but I guess we'll see.
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You know, that's just odd. I heard about that last week, and it baffled me then, and it does now. Unless it is absolutely 1000 percent nothing like anything Fates has ever done before (and maybe it is), I'm not sure why they wouldn't call it Fates Warning. I mean, when you think about it, most Fates records with Alder, with the exception of Inside Out and Long Day Goodnight (which respectively, in my opinion, mirror the albums that came before them) all go different places.
So unless this is, as was suggested, "new agey" or something, I'm not sure why they wouldn't have called it Fates Warning. it's the band's guitarist and songwriter with its singer and lyric writer. How can that NOT be the band? Anyway, regardless, looking forward to seeing what Jim and Ray have cooked up.
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Yeah, hearing that Jim doesn't want to write FW anymore made me sad. They've been doing these 2 albums in a similar style since the 90s with the exception of APSOG and I was looking forward to hearing what comes next. Maybe he wasn't sure or felt he'd write too similar? But their last two albums being some of their absolute best reignited my love for the band's music.
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You know, that's just odd. I heard about that last week, and it baffled me then, and it does now. Unless it is absolutely 1000 percent nothing like anything Fates has ever done before (and maybe it is), I'm not sure why they wouldn't call it Fates Warning. I mean, when you think about it, most Fates records with Alder, with the exception of Inside Out and Long Day Goodnight (which respectively, in my opinion, mirror the albums that came before them) all go different places.
So unless this is, as was suggested, "new agey" or something, I'm not sure why they wouldn't have called it Fates Warning. it's the band's guitarist and songwriter with its singer and lyric writer. How can that NOT be the band? Anyway, regardless, looking forward to seeing what Jim and Ray have cooked up.
The very same reason why Ray didn't want to perform any Fates Warning for his ProgPower USA set. It's a matter of respect for the other band members.
It was also explained how difficult it is to get the band together, even to record.
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I mean, obviously, if they wanted the band members on it, they could have recorded their parts. Ray's comments about not doing FW material at ProgPower make sense, and I agree with him. But that was all in a live situation. We're talking about recording here. And if Ray and Jim wanted the other guys to record, I am sure they could have. They chose not to. And I'm looking forward to hearing the new material and seeing just why they thought it wouldn't work as FW.
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You know, that's just odd. I heard about that last week, and it baffled me then, and it does now. Unless it is absolutely 1000 percent nothing like anything Fates has ever done before (and maybe it is), I'm not sure why they wouldn't call it Fates Warning. I mean, when you think about it, most Fates records with Alder, with the exception of Inside Out and Long Day Goodnight (which respectively, in my opinion, mirror the albums that came before them) all go different places.
So unless this is, as was suggested, "new agey" or something, I'm not sure why they wouldn't have called it Fates Warning. it's the band's guitarist and songwriter with its singer and lyric writer. How can that NOT be the band? Anyway, regardless, looking forward to seeing what Jim and Ray have cooked up.
The very same reason why Ray didn't want to perform any Fates Warning for his ProgPower USA set. It's a matter of respect for the other band members.
It was also explained how difficult it is to get the band together, even to record.
The thing is that I don't think it is difficult to get the band together to record (I think it is going to be harder if they are going to tour due to Joey and Bobby being in multiple/other bands). Joey has his own studio, Bobby IIRC, was building one at his home, Mike has his own studio as well.
The last 3 albums have been produced mostly by Jim (Darkness, ToF, and Long Day). IIRC, Ray has a producer's credit on Darkness but can't confirm it on Discogs. I truly believe Jim is done with recording new Fates material. Jim wrote absolutely everything with Fates (music, demos, arrangements, drum patterns, etc). The last album to my ears, has a little bit of everything from EVERY Fates album. I don't think he has anymore music fitting for Fates. In other words, he has done it all with Fates, he has done all he wanted with Fates and he probably doesn't want to fall in the category where the new material is very predictable.
With Kings of Mercia, you can hear some of Jim's core writing elements used in Fates. The riffs, the guitar panning on both speakers, etc. This could have been a Fates Warning album to some degree.
I haven't finished reading the Fates Warning book yet but it has very interesting insights on Jim's writing and how somewhat "took over" the writing duties very early on. He talks about how the other guys know their place in FW and that's why is "easy" changing members or having guest (former FW) players, without anyone being offended/insulted by that. Fates is Jim's vision and everyone gets that (and Ray's to a smaller extent, specially in the latter albums from FWX and onward where he got a little bit more involved in the writing). I don't think Jim can reinvent Fates anymore since it seems like Fates changes sounds every 2 albums, with the exception of the last 3 where they similar (more prog metal compared to Inside Out/Parallels/FWX).
It could be that Jim may get his FW bug reignited after some years but who knows. In other words, I wouldn’t expect new FW material until he reinvents the Fates sound again, kind of like Fripp does with KC and Steven Wilson did with Porcupine Tree.
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It will be interesting to hear why this wasn't a Fates collaboration but that aside I welcome anything from either of them. And tbh I hope it's something completely different.
I may be the only one but not only loved A-Z also loved Jim's Kings Of Mercia. Both records landed in my Top5 last year and I would be keen as to get another KOM record or two \m/
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I also liked both A-Z and KoM albums. Took a while to get used to Overland’s voice though.
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Yep always liked the guy but never on my watchlist as such but he sounds phenomenal on Kings. Was probably my most played record in '22 ;)
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I know I'm in the minority here, but A to Z and KOM both did nothing for me (and with the latter, I really tried).
That said, Jim's Tuesday the Sky albums have gotten some heavy rotation over the past few years, so if he does something in that vein with Ray, I can only imagine how stoked I will be.
For my money, Jim has been one of music's most intriguing artists for decades. He's managed to pump out an incredibly prolific body of work under sever different monikers/banners. And, similar to Portnoy, he has also done a good job of spreading his wings—for as much as I love OSI, I would never even try to convince a diehard Fates fan that it's Jim's best work (even if that's my opinion ;))
So, I'm pretty much with Samsara (and everyone else) here—if, after all that's been said, Jim and Ray deliver something that amounts to a Fate's album 'minus the name,' I'll likely be overjoyed and a bit confused.
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A-Z was a solid record, as was KOM, but neither hit me like Fates does. A-Z was closer. I'm not a fan of Overland's voice. I think the music of KOM was really cool, but the vocalist has to connect with me. Just not a good pairing to my ears, but I can hear why folks like it.
Agree with WM about Tuesday the Sky. I think that's a very niche audience for Jim, but I dig it a lot. It's background music for me, mostly, but I feel like that style is really where Jim's passion is.
As for the future of FW, Ray has been pretty adamant in all interviews that Jim has said he is done writing for FW, and any further questions about that have to be directed to Jim himself, because Ray can't answer for him. But it's also very obvious that Ray wasn't in favor of ending FW. It just is what it is. Jim's the music writer. And if writing in the FW "box" (as wide as that is) isn't appealing to him, I get it.
I still don't think LDGN is as powerful as Theories. I think FW really accomplished the career-spanning record with Theories, and LDGN is an extension of that, which has some great moments, but not as good. I think it's just like how Inside Out was more of a continuation of Parallels with some minor differences. IO is a good record with some outstanding work. But it felt like a continuation of Parallels.
So as Goo says, until Jim is inspired to "reinvent" Fates' sound in a way that is still definitively "Fates Warning," I don't think we can expect anything. That said, I am looking forward to all the projects Jim has going on, and getting my hands on Ray's new solo record. Mike Abdow is tremendous (his solo catalog is brilliant), and I'm really glad he and Ray have blossomed as a writing team.
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Just adding my plus one to the Tuesday the Sky material. I only have the first album, but it really is wonderful background music.
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I have one of Jim's solo CD's. Not sure I've ever listened to it but I think it was very soft if I do remember it. I'll have to hunt that one out too.
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I'm finally getting into this band.
Man, how about them first three albums?
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I'm finally getting into this band.
Man, how about them first three albums?
Spectre was my first love. :metal
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It's so good. I never gave the "underground" era of prog metal enough love.
I've also been bumping Savatage's earlier albums.
I wish I'd been there for this stuff. I wish I could join a band like that today :)
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I have one of Jim's solo CD's. Not sure I've ever listened to it but I think it was very soft if I do remember it. I'll have to hunt that one out too.
First Impressions. It's all acoustic guitar, violin and cello. I haven't listened to it in quite a while, but it's a great album. Some really catchy stuff.
I'm finally getting into this band.
Man, how about them first three albums?
Three very similar albums but also very different. Or I suppose it might be more accurate to say that their evolving maturity as songwriters and players was obvious from one album to the next. Night on Brocken was sort of a second rate Maiden clone. By the time Awaken the Guardian came out, they were on a completely different level.
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Heh, yeah, that makes sense. I wouldn't say "Second Rate Maiden" as much as I would say like, darker, edgier Maiden. I described it to a friend as "No Hooks Maiden". But then you get to Awaken the Guardian, and it all starts coming together... the hooks wind up being there, but in a way feels a lot more sophisticated than most other metal bands.
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Rockin FWX :metal :metal
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Rockin FWX :metal :metal
:tup
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The funny thing for me on those first three albums with Arch, and I am sure many have this hang up - it's hard to really absorb Arch's voice. It is, for me, an acquired taste that took me a bit to settle in with. Ray was/is much more pleasing to the ear. Granted, I got into Fates during the Alder era, so familiarity is also something. I love both now, but I have to admit, other than some occasional spins of the massive Awaken the Guardian, I really don't listen to the Arch-era Fates material. I do spin the Arch/Matheos albums a bit though.
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Rockin FWX :metal :metal
That’s an oxymoron. ;D
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Rockin FWX :metal :metal
That’s an oxymoron. ;D
You stop that. Just because you're older than dirt, doesn't mean that records like Promised Land and FWX aren't rockin'. :metal Now, you go back to your wheelchair and roll in for arts and crafts, with the other old fogeys, TAC. :lol
Ha ha. Love ya, Tim.
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I hope it's a rare thing but I really didn't like seeing Ray with a cigarette in one of those interviews. Not that it's any of my business, but still.
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The funny thing for me on those first three albums with Arch, and I am sure many have this hang up - it's hard to really absorb Arch's voice. It is, for me, an acquired taste that took me a bit to settle in with. Ray was/is much more pleasing to the ear. Granted, I got into Fates during the Alder era, so familiarity is also something. I love both now, but I have to admit, other than some occasional spins of the massive Awaken the Guardian, I really don't listen to the Arch-era Fates material. I do spin the Arch/Matheos albums a bit though.
I think this is part of what I like about it, in retrospect. It's inaccessible in a way that you just don't get anymore, with some many bands writing songs that center around hooks or real chunky production. Arch's vocals especially have that kinda mystical quality to that which keeps me coming back, like each listen gets me a little bit closer to hearing what it is that I'm supposed to be picking up on.
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I hope it's a rare thing but I really didn't like seeing Ray with a cigarette in one of those interviews. Not that it's any of my business, but still.
Me either. But it's not a rare thing. He continues to smoke, or at least did in 2019 when Fates was touring.
I think this is part of what I like about it, in retrospect. It's inaccessible in a way that you just don't get anymore, with some many bands writing songs that center around hooks or real chunky production. Arch's vocals especially have that kinda mystical quality to that which keeps me coming back, like each listen gets me a little bit closer to hearing what it is that I'm supposed to be picking up on.
Oh yeah Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Arch now. It just took a bit to really connect with him. I just find myself more going back to Awaken the Guardian and the two Arch/Matheos records way more often than Night on Broken or The Spectre Within.
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NOB is just ok. So can see revisiting that rarely. But Spectre is very close to being ATG’s equal. Not quite, but almost.
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Rockin FWX :metal :metal
That’s an oxymoron. ;D
You stop that. Just because you're older than dirt, doesn't mean that records like Promised Land and FWX aren't rockin'. :metal Now, you go back to your wheelchair and roll in for arts and crafts, with the other old fogeys, TAC. :lol
Ha ha. Love ya, Tim.
;D
:heart
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I hope it's a rare thing but I really didn't like seeing Ray with a cigarette in one of those interviews. Not that it's any of my business, but still.
Me either. But it's not a rare thing. He continues to smoke, or at least did in 2019 when Fates was touring.
I knew he was smoking in the Disconnected/FWX era but I think I remember him saying in an interview that he had quit, etc. I mean, can't argue with the results as he sounds amazing, but things like that can have a more sudden effect with ageing.
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I think he did quit for a time. but at least as of 2022, when we saw videos for A to Z, he was smoking. I think it has affected him a bit. Even in 2019, I could hear a difference. Still awesome, but there was this gravelly quality that wasn't there earlier (and I had seen a few shows on both the 2018 and 2019 tours).
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I think he did quit for a time. but at least as of 2022, when we saw videos for A to Z, he was smoking. I think it has affected him a bit. Even in 2019, I could hear a difference. Still awesome, but there was this gravelly quality that wasn't there earlier (and I had seen a few shows on both the 2018 and 2019 tours).
First time I saw FW (November 1989), Ray didn't have a great show. We talked with the guys in the parking lot afterwards, and Ray was smoking, and we understood why he struggled. You simply cannot abuse your instrument like that and expect to perform at the level required to perform early FW material. When I saw them at the Los Angeles Parallels reunion show and on the DIADL tour in 2013, he was fantastic. He had altered some of the melody lines to accommodate his aging voice, but it was pretty clear he wasn't smoking at that time. It's really too bad.
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Yeah, I saw the DIADL tour in San Fran (Frank Aresti came out and played on "Still Remains" instead of Mike Abdow), and Ray was god-like. No smoking, no nothing as far as I could tell (and I was around them all pre- and post-show). And while Ray still sounded great in 2018 and 2019, I absolutely saw him puffing away in 2019. And the 2018 shows were just as good as 2013, the 2019 tour...his voice had that gravelly quality I mentioned, and I just chalked it up to the cigs. He also laughed in LA because he ate pizza stupidly before the show and remarked during the show that singers should never have dairy before singing. LOL.
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I'm pissed at myself for missing the TOF shows near me.
A singer smoking is akin to a guitarist or bassist leaving his/her instrument outside in the rain.
And duh as to dairy before singing! :lol
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I'm pissed at myself for missing the TOF shows near me.
Me too. Could have met ya. I was at all the shows in your area during the 2018 and 2019 tours.
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I've been on a huge Ray Alder / FW wave ever since the first single from Alder's solo album. I just love these guys, every time I come back to them, the music remains fresh and I like it more than before. And I had forgotten about their last live album on the ToF tour. It's such a strong performance, especially on songs like Still Remains, some parts of the live version I prefer to the original even.
So yeah, if anyone had forgotten about the live album - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgHZnF3eFjU
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Every time I see this thread bumped I get excited at the prospect that they decided to tour . . . . . . :censored
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I've been on a huge Ray Alder / FW wave ever since the first single from Alder's solo album. I just love these guys, every time I come back to them, the music remains fresh and I like it more than before. And I had forgotten about their last live album on the ToF tour. It's such a strong performance, especially on songs like Still Remains, some parts of the live version I prefer to the original even.
So yeah, if anyone had forgotten about the live album - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgHZnF3eFjU
Live Over Europe has become probably my most listened to live album. Sure, Operation: LiVEcrime will always be my #1, but it's just a single disc. Live Scenes from NY by DT is great too. But LoE gives people a taste of ALMOST everything Fates played on the entirety of the tour (they left out One Thousand Fires and A Handful of Doubt). But other than that, every track played on tour is represented. It's just so good. And from what I understand, no overdubbing. They simply went through and chose the best performances, and that was it. That's how a live album SHOULD be done.
Big thumbs up to Jim, Ray, Joey, Bobby and Mike and their crew (I met many of them over the course of the North American tours). Great guys, who care. And Fates plays EVERY show like there are 10,000 people there. I saw them headline at this tiny bar on the Theories tour. Couldn't have been more than 100 people there. They played their full set and it was an incredible performance. They played with less than half their setup, the stage was that tiny, and they were all crammed together like a lounge act. But it didn't matter. When I listen to Live Over Europe, it reminds me of just how professional they all are, and how lucky I (and we all are) that they made such great music and toured so extensively for ToF.
Fates Forever!
:metal
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I've been on a huge Ray Alder / FW wave ever since the first single from Alder's solo album. I just love these guys, every time I come back to them, the music remains fresh and I like it more than before. And I had forgotten about their last live album on the ToF tour. It's such a strong performance, especially on songs like Still Remains, some parts of the live version I prefer to the original even.
So yeah, if anyone had forgotten about the live album - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgHZnF3eFjU
Live Over Europe has become probably my most listened to live album. Sure, Operation: LiVEcrime will always be my #1, but it's just a single disc. Live Scenes from NY by DT is great too. But LoE gives people a taste of ALMOST everything Fates played on the entirety of the tour (they left out One Thousand Fires and A Handful of Doubt). But other than that, every track played on tour is represented. It's just so good. And from what I understand, no overdubbing. They simply went through and chose the best performances, and that was it. That's how a live album SHOULD be done.
Big thumbs up to Jim, Ray, Joey, Bobby and Mike and their crew (I met many of them over the course of the North American tours). Great guys, who care. And Fates plays EVERY show like there are 10,000 people there. I saw them headline at this tiny bar on the Theories tour. Couldn't have been more than 100 people there. They played their full set and it was an incredible performance. They played with less than half their setup, the stage was that tiny, and they were all crammed together like a lounge act. But it didn't matter. When I listen to Live Over Europe, it reminds me of just how professional they all are, and how lucky I (and we all are) that they made such great music and toured so extensively for ToF.
Fates Forever!
:metal
Very well put :tup :tup
Absolutely love Live Over Europe. The performances come at you with such punch and energy, and the "setlist" (I should say song selection) is fantastic.
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Disconnected and FWX reissues (including vinyl)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CuhyKEJpmzO/
https://www.facebook.com/FatesWarning/videos/1554359848300954/
https://www.metalblade.com/fateswarning/
@metalbladerecords has reissued two classic albums from progressive metal act FATES WARNING!
“Disconnected”, which was originally released in 2000 and “FWX”, which was originally released in 2004, have both been remastered for these reissues by Alan Douches and contain additional bonus tracks. Each album is available on CD, digitally, on all streaming platforms, and as a double LP in different variants, which can be seen and ordered at www.metalblade.com/fateswarning (link in our bio)
Head on over to the Metal Blade Records YouTube channel to watch two, brand new visualizers! 🤘
#Metal #HeavyMetal #ProgMetal #ProgressiveMetal #MetalBladeRecords #MetalHeads #FatesWarning @joey_vera @bobby_jarzombek @rayalderofficial @michael_abdow #JimMatheos #MichaelAbdow #RayAlder #JoeyVera #BobbyJarzombek
https://www.metalblade.com/fateswarning/
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These record label websites are obnoxsious, it's so hard to find the thing you want and what it includes. But as for the remaster, is it just me or is there barely no difference? The new ones seem a bit louder and brighter but not much more than that?
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I had to order from Napalm Records in Germany. Metal Blade had no pre-orders. They literally got them up for sale either the day the records were supposed to be released, or after. Not sure what's going on there. I had stuff pre-ordered on Amazon, and it got all delayed and backordered.
Got a notification yesterday my LPs are on the way from Germany. Hopefully it is expressed and will be here soon.
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What is the point of these re-issues? Putting aside that they're two of my bottom three FW albums, was there something wrong with the original releases? This doesn't seem to be a continuation of the anniversary editions that stopped with APSOG.
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What is the point of these re-issues? Putting aside that they're two of my bottom three FW albums, was there something wrong with the original releases? This doesn't seem to be a continuation of the anniversary editions that stopped with APSOG.
I presume the vinyl component is the draw here.
For me, I'm thinking hard about Disconnected.
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What is the point of these re-issues? Putting aside that they're two of my bottom three FW albums, was there something wrong with the original releases? This doesn't seem to be a continuation of the anniversary editions that stopped with APSOG.
If memory serves, Disconnected was never available on vinyl, and FWX was a very minor run (and that original press is an expensive collector's items). So for me, these are no-brainer pick-ups.
MB has been doing this with FW albums on the regular. Now that they are through FWX, I am hoping (praying) they do an audio release of Live in Athens on vinyl and CD. But after that DIADL was released in 2013, and probably doesn't need a reissue (which was on Inside out anyway). But yeah, just one more, at least for me. Oh, and it'd be nice to have Still Life on vinyl too. Hopefully MB does that one.
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What is the point of these re-issues? Putting aside that they're two of my bottom three FW albums, was there something wrong with the original releases? This doesn't seem to be a continuation of the anniversary editions that stopped with APSOG.
If memory serves, Disconnected was never available on vinyl, and FWX was a very minor run (and that original press is an expensive collector's items). So for me, these are no-brainer pick-ups.
MB has been doing this with FW albums on the regular. Now that they are through FWX, I am hoping (praying) they do an audio release of Live in Athens on vinyl and CD. But after that DIADL was released in 2013, and probably doesn't need a reissue (which was on Inside out anyway). But yeah, just one more, at least for me. Oh, and it'd be nice to have Still Life on vinyl too. Hopefully MB does that one.
Disconnected was also released on vinyl back in the day with Massacre Records with the white cover. I have a copy of that one :) I haven't been able to snag a copy of the origin FWX pressing though.
Darkness and ToF were reissued by Back on Vinyl last year I believe with the Darkness vinyl being clear and ToF was orange or red.
Would love Live in Athens as a CD and/or vinyl. It's one of my all time favorite live recordings.
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Disconnected was also released on vinyl back in the day with Massacre Records with the white cover. I have a copy of that one :) I haven't been able to snag a copy of the origin FWX pressing though.
I didn't realize that about Disconnected. Thanks!
Darkness and ToF were reissued by Back on Vinyl last year I believe with the Darkness vinyl being clear and ToF was orange or red.
See, that makes no sense to me. Why reissue them so soon. The original pressings are still out there, aren't they? And fairly affordable? I'm not sure, I bought the original pressings (various versions when they first were released in 2013/2016, respectively).
Would love Live in Athens as a CD and/or vinyl. It's one of my all time favorite live recordings.
It's SO good. So much energy in that room. And having Nick on drums for that gave everything a different feel. Really enjoy going back to that one. A buddy of mine ripped the audio into a giant .wav file and broke it up, but I'm too lazy to do that. LOL
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So it's nothing more than a vinyl release (cough...cough...scam...cough)?
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So it's nothing more than a vinyl release (cough...cough...scam...cough)?
A couple bonus tracks, but yes. Not a scam though for those of us that couldn't acquire the records on vinyl previously. FWX was so limited that very few are out there, and none these days are very affordable. Same for Disconnected. So I wouldn't label it a scam at all, at least on the vinyl. Not sure why the CD reissues are necessary though.
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So it's nothing more than a vinyl release (cough...cough...scam...cough)?
A couple bonus tracks, but yes. Not a scam though for those of us that couldn't acquire the records on vinyl previously. FWX was so limited that very few are out there, and none these days are very affordable. Same for Disconnected. So I wouldn't label it a scam at all, at least on the vinyl. Not sure why the CD reissues are necessary though.
That's my commentary on the vinyl resurgence in general. :)
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It's funny, when the whole resurgence thing began, I was on board. I had a bunch of old vinyl. But when I saw the price of NEW vinyl, I quickly changed my tune. It comes down to this for me:
If it is one of my favorite records and I don't have it on vinyl, I pick it up. If it's one of the bands I am a completist of (Fates Warning, Alter Bridge, a couple others), it gets bought. But in general, I'm just a CD guy. And I still maintain that is the absolute best format for music. Pristine sound, still physical media, not too large, plenty of room for art and liner notes.
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It's funny, when the whole resurgence thing began, I was on board. I had a bunch of old vinyl. But when I saw the price of NEW vinyl, I quickly changed my tune. It comes down to this for me:
If it is one of my favorite records and I don't have it on vinyl, I pick it up. If it's one of the bands I am a completist of (Fates Warning, Alter Bridge, a couple others), it gets bought. But in general, I'm just a CD guy. And I still maintain that is the absolute best format for music. Pristine sound, still physical media, not too large, plenty of room for art and liner notes.
It was somewhere around 1987 that I first became acquainted with someone who had a CD player. I didn't want to convert from vinyl to CD. It was partly because I didn't want to spend money to buy albums again. Also, I recall a lot of CD players not having the ability to fast forward or rewind within a song (like if I was learning a particular part of a song, I'd want to rewind over and over). Eventually, I got tired of dealing with skipping and crackling. Over the next 10 years, I slowly replaced vinyl records with CDs. Shortly before starting law school, I trashed the remaining vinyl that I hadn't replaced (e.g., my Dokken and Twisted Sister albums) and my record player. And I have zero interest in going backward.
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I actually have all of my albums, but I gave all my cassettes away a long time ago.
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It's funny, when the whole resurgence thing began, I was on board. I had a bunch of old vinyl. But when I saw the price of NEW vinyl, I quickly changed my tune. It comes down to this for me:
If it is one of my favorite records and I don't have it on vinyl, I pick it up. If it's one of the bands I am a completist of (Fates Warning, Alter Bridge, a couple others), it gets bought. But in general, I'm just a CD guy. And I still maintain that is the absolute best format for music. Pristine sound, still physical media, not too large, plenty of room for art and liner notes.
I will DIE on the hill that Blu-Ray/DVD-A is actually the best format. It literally has everything a CD has and more: Better sound, physical, same size, can be packaged with liner notes or have it incorporated into the video presentation.
But in one of the greatest injustices in music in my lifetime just as that was gaining a little bit of steam the train got derailed by the far inferior vinyl resurgence.
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I will DIE on the hill that Blu-Ray/DVD-A is actually the best format. It literally has everything a CD has and more: Better sound, physical, same size, can be packaged with liner notes or have it incorporated into the video presentation.
But in one of the greatest injustices in music in my lifetime just as that was gaining a little bit of steam the train got derailed by the far inferior vinyl resurgence.
Nick, I'd die on that hill with you. I should have probably said that CD is the best "popular" format of music. Sadly, Blu-Ray/DVD-A just never caught on for audio purposes. I have several, and the sound quality is absolutely amazing.
What's sad is that car audio systems now have done away with physical media. I have a very high end audio system in my car, and I remember just sighing when I had to connect my iPod to it. With the huge screens, incredible speaker set up, and great sound, I'd love to pop in a DVD-A, and crank it.
But, we have what we have. And CD will make a resurgence at some point, and those of us wise enough to hold on to them will be thankful. LPs will die out again. It really goes against the more minimalist nature of the younger generations. Once they start to move and realize how annoying it is to have huge vinyl collections and be on the move, that will die out, and CD will pick back up again because they sound great. I have faith.
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I don't think the CD will return in the same way as vinyl. Sure a large LP collection can prove be cumbersome but the large majority will forge on regardless.
But so far as the return of the CD, sure it will. But CDs don't have quite the same retro aesthetic appeal going for them like vinyl does, and the sound of CD perfection is the opposite of the old sound of the needle hitting plastic, clearly another big appeal.
So no, doubt CDs will make as significant a comeback although do of course hope I'm wrong, because if you're right, I like many folks here, could be sitting on some tasty pocket money ;D
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You're probably right that it won't return in the same way. But it is the perfect middle ground between vinyl and digital, that's why I think there will be a shift going back to that medium to a degree moving forward.
Funny about sitting on pocket money. I sold off a lot of CDs about 15 years ago. Didn't take, and I was able to rebuy all that I wanted to rebuy. And the collection has expanded since then, in the thousands. But I don't know, even now, as I approach 50, I wouldn't want to part with them. Maybe when I'm 70 and find myself not really caring about the odd release from some nu metal band I found interesting 30 years prior. But once I retire in another 12 years or so, and my listening habits inevitably shift (meaning how I listen, not if), it'll be interesting.
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Yeah I get that. Have purged bundles in the past but being just past the 50 mark feel more connected to the collection than ever.
Thankfully managed to reinvest in vinyl a few years before its big comeback and was able to get most of what I'd gotten rid of way back when (would cost me a fortune to do it all again now) and have also been able to plug most holes in the CD collection. Grateful to have been able do that too.
Anyway yeah completely get it and while collection isn't the quantity of some but the personally the quality (IMO) sentimental value far exceeds the money value for me personally anyway.
So same, no desire to rid of them so unless personal circumstances force that to change I hope to hold on to them for as long as life will permits ;D
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Not sure if this is the right place to post this apologies if should be elsewhere...
Ray and Matheos back with 'North Sea Echoes'
First single...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvYfsvcjjPo&t=59s
Not sure if this will be exclusively a guitar and vocal only album as such or perhaps just this one song but whatever the case damn! The music and vocal melodies here are typically stunning from these two.
Album drops sometime in February :metal
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Liked it. I will pretend this is a more Fatesy OSI.
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Not sure if this is the right place to post this apologies if should be elsewhere...
Ray and Matheos back with 'North Sea Echoes'
First single...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvYfsvcjjPo&t=59s
Not sure if this will be exclusively a guitar and vocal only album as such or perhaps just this one song but whatever the case damn! The music and vocal melodies here are typically stunning from these two.
Album drops sometime in February :metal
Press release said they tapped the Puscifer drummer for the drums in this album. Not sure how many songs will feature drums though.
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Mini created a dedicated thread a bit ago.
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58837.0
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Hard to listen to that with the static-y keyboard (?) patch in the background, but Ray sounded great.
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Mini created a dedicated thread a bit ago.
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58837.0
Excellent. Stupidly hadn't occurred to me an actual 'North Sea Echoes' thread might exist :lol :facepalm:
Will head on over there thanks
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I've been thinking recently about Jim Matheos and his desire not to write any new material for Fates Warning. Having read the Destination Onward book last year and reading the articles in which Ray has commented on the topic, I think I understand Jim's thinking -- and I respect it. I feel like Jim is proud of FW's catalog of music and he wants to finish the band's run on a positive note -- kinda like Jerry Seinfeld when he ended the "Seinfeld" series while it was still good. From reading the FW book, it's clear that Jim was very disappointed by the band's 1994 album Inside Out and how it was looked at by some as a "Parallels Pt. 2." So, I feel like he will only write new FW music if he feels inspired and like he has something fresh to present to fans. He doesn't want to create the same album over and over and potentially water down the band's catalog so late in their career. I think it's pretty admirable. While most artists would stick with the project that makes them the most money, Jim is more about artistic integrity. Also, I noticed that Jim doesn't like to do the same project for too long. Look at OSI, Arch/Matheos, and even Kings of Mercia (I believe KoM signed only a three-album deal). Jim will do a handful of albums with a particular project and then give it a rest before it becomes stale, and then he'll go on to something else. To me, it's almost like he is very conscious of not repeating himself too much, and I feel like that all stems back to Inside Out. I couldn't be wrong though. That said, in my heart I feel like he will ended up doing another FW album eventually when he feels like he's gotten the other stuff out of his system. Fingers crossed!
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I've been thinking recently about Jim Matheos and his desire not to write any new material for Fates Warning. Having read the Destination Onward book last year and reading the articles in which Ray has commented on the topic, I think I understand Jim's thinking -- and I respect it. I feel like Jim is proud of FW's catalog of music and he wants to finish the band's run on a positive note -- kinda like Jerry Seinfeld when he ended the "Seinfeld" series while it was still good. From reading the FW book, it's clear that Jim was very disappointed by the band's 1994 album Inside Out and how it was looked at by some as a "Parallels Pt. 2." So, I feel like he will only write new FW music if he feels inspired and like he has something fresh to present to fans. He doesn't want to create the same album over and over and potentially water down the band's catalog so late in their career. I think it's pretty admirable. While most artists would stick with the project that makes them the most money, Jim is more about artistic integrity. Also, I noticed that Jim doesn't like to do the same project for too long. Look at OSI, Arch/Matheos, and even Kings of Mercia (I believe KoM signed only a three-album deal). Jim will do a handful of albums with a particular project and then give it a rest before it becomes stale, and then he'll go on to something else. To me, it's almost like he is very conscious of not repeating himself too much, and I feel like that all stems back to Inside Out. I couldn't be wrong though. That said, in my heart I feel like he will ended up doing another FW album eventually when he feels like he's gotten the other stuff out of his system. Fingers crossed!
I've seen this many times, but it really never made much sense to me. Parallels was great, but IO stands on its own merits. When we did the FW countdown a couple years ago, EIGHT songs from IO placed in the top 50, and Monument was one of only three songs to appear on every list. Obviously, that's only representative of a small fraction of the fanbase, but still. I think the "Parallels Part 2" thing sells IO way short.
Also, if he really wanted to end FW on a positive note, he should have done it after TOF. I hope you're right that we get something more at some point.
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Very little of early Fates Warning interested me. As I've said before, it wasn't really until X that I got interested in them. And while I appreciate that not everything needs to be ranked, here is how I look at the parts of their discography that I have:
1. Theories of Flight: Just an absolute masterpiece. This was my album of the year when it came out.
2. Darkness in a Different Light: I was really happy with this album and wasn't expecting them to top it. This was a rare Fates Warning album I could spin from start to finish.
3. Long Day Good Night: The "lesser" of my top 3--it may not quite reach the heights of the top 2, but is in a similar vein and feels like the satisfied sigh at the end of a long, tiring journey.
4. X: As I said, this is the first album that made me take notice of them.
5. Parallels: A few good moments on this one, but it is nowhere near the top 4.
I don't own any other full albums, and don't feel any desire to (I've heard several). I also have a greatest hits package I picked up back when they were touring with DT and Queensryche. There are a handful of songs on that that I thought were decent enough to make me keep it. I also have Live Over Europe, which is great. It really brings a nice edge to songs from albums I don't care for, and rejuvenates them. They are just one of those bands where, while I reall appreciate some of what they do, I don't feel compelled in any way to be a completist, and I just enjoy what I have.
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X is where I lost interest.
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FWX seems a pretty polarizing album. I enjoyed it but can see where it would be a point where people might tune out.
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I've been thinking recently about Jim Matheos and his desire not to write any new material for Fates Warning. Having read the Destination Onward book last year and reading the articles in which Ray has commented on the topic, I think I understand Jim's thinking -- and I respect it. I feel like Jim is proud of FW's catalog of music and he wants to finish the band's run on a positive note -- kinda like Jerry Seinfeld when he ended the "Seinfeld" series while it was still good. From reading the FW book, it's clear that Jim was very disappointed by the band's 1994 album Inside Out and how it was looked at by some as a "Parallels Pt. 2." So, I feel like he will only write new FW music if he feels inspired and like he has something fresh to present to fans. He doesn't want to create the same album over and over and potentially water down the band's catalog so late in their career. I think it's pretty admirable. While most artists would stick with the project that makes them the most money, Jim is more about artistic integrity. Also, I noticed that Jim doesn't like to do the same project for too long. Look at OSI, Arch/Matheos, and even Kings of Mercia (I believe KoM signed only a three-album deal). Jim will do a handful of albums with a particular project and then give it a rest before it becomes stale, and then he'll go on to something else. To me, it's almost like he is very conscious of not repeating himself too much, and I feel like that all stems back to Inside Out. I couldn't be wrong though. That said, in my heart I feel like he will ended up doing another FW album eventually when he feels like he's gotten the other stuff out of his system. Fingers crossed!
I've seen this many times, but it really never made much sense to me. Parallels was great, but IO stands on its own merits. When we did the FW countdown a couple years ago, EIGHT songs from IO placed in the top 50, and Monument was one of only three songs to appear on every list. Obviously, that's only representative of a small fraction of the fanbase, but still. I think the "Parallels Part 2" thing sells IO way short.
Also, if he really wanted to end FW on a positive note, he should have done it after TOF. I hope you're right that we get something more at some point.
I could quote this word for word. Parallels is my favorite Fates Warning record, but Inside Out is not far behind. And, sure, it's not a huge stylistic departure, but it has its own thing going.
And agreed on TOF. Such an incredible late-career highlight. Long Day Good Night is ok, but it's pretty significant drop in my book.
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FWX is great, and if my memory recalls, when it came out, a lot of fans loved it.
I did a FW discography series of videos on my YouTube channel a couple of years ago, revisiting every record, and I still find FWX holds up really well.
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I was initially a bit disappointed with FWX following Disconnected. Liked it but I was hoping for a bit more. That quickly began to change and over the years my appreciation and love for the record has only grown. Even now, it's one of my favourite album of theirs.
The same is happening with Theories and Long Day now. Theories is the new Disconnected and the latter didn't quite hit as hard initially, but lately I've been mostly spinning that one instead. And I absolutely adore it and it continues to grow on me.
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https://open.spotify.com/track/0IrNa2XY7JQrIotyplRoIw
Heal Me = Top 10 FW track for me (https://youtu.be/Xyj_m-u9jUo?list=PLFNc6ga_mjMuvpWwfdxAauzf0FRg0a0BI&t=1085)
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X is where I lost interest.
Fates was riding such a high with me after APSOG was released. The '90s was a decade where most of my favorite bands were laying eggs. Maiden and Priest both lost their HOF caliber singers. Queensryche had completely lost it. Rush was recovering somewhat from the "synth era" and Roll the Bones. Fates and Dream Theater were the real bright spots of the decade. However, whereas Fates released the epic APSOG, DT released the massively disappointing FII, so by 1998, it was really only Fates. DT obviously rebounded big time with SFAM, but Fates went the other way with the huge disappointment of disconnected. With all that happened in my life between 2000-04, I somewhat lost track, but then someone got me FWX for my birthday or Christmas in 2004, and it was even more BLEH than Disconnected had been. I basically figured they were done, and the near decade long layoff didn't do anything to refute that. Fortunately, the band found lightning in a bottle with DIADL and then took it to an even higher level with TOF. That's why I really hope LDGN isn't the swan song.
https://open.spotify.com/track/0IrNa2XY7JQrIotyplRoIw
[ur=https://youtu.be/Xyj_m-u9jUo?list=PLFNc6ga_mjMuvpWwfdxAauzf0FRg0a0BI&t=1085]Heal Me = Top 10 FW track for me[/url]
I assume that's counting APSOG as a single song? You had Heal Me at #18 on the list you submitted for the 2022 countdown, but you also had all of the individual tracks from APSOG in the top 11 spots.
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I've been thinking recently about Jim Matheos and his desire not to write any new material for Fates Warning. Having read the Destination Onward book last year and reading the articles in which Ray has commented on the topic, I think I understand Jim's thinking -- and I respect it. I feel like Jim is proud of FW's catalog of music and he wants to finish the band's run on a positive note -- kinda like Jerry Seinfeld when he ended the "Seinfeld" series while it was still good. From reading the FW book, it's clear that Jim was very disappointed by the band's 1994 album Inside Out and how it was looked at by some as a "Parallels Pt. 2." So, I feel like he will only write new FW music if he feels inspired and like he has something fresh to present to fans. He doesn't want to create the same album over and over and potentially water down the band's catalog so late in their career. I think it's pretty admirable. While most artists would stick with the project that makes them the most money, Jim is more about artistic integrity. Also, I noticed that Jim doesn't like to do the same project for too long. Look at OSI, Arch/Matheos, and even Kings of Mercia (I believe KoM signed only a three-album deal). Jim will do a handful of albums with a particular project and then give it a rest before it becomes stale, and then he'll go on to something else. To me, it's almost like he is very conscious of not repeating himself too much, and I feel like that all stems back to Inside Out. I couldn't be wrong though. That said, in my heart I feel like he will ended up doing another FW album eventually when he feels like he's gotten the other stuff out of his system. Fingers crossed!
I agree with you Mike. I also feel like Long Day Goodnight was sadly, pt. 2 of Theories of Flight, which in my opinion is by far the superior of the two, which very much have the same vibe. Almost the same kind of vibe between Parallels and Inside Out.
I actually think Fates will do something else in time. I fully believe Jim will write an epic song that both Ray and John will sing on, both solo singing sections, harmonized portions, call and response, an amazing piece. I really feel that will happen before Fates is truly done. It may not be an album. It may just be an EP. But I feel strongly that without uniting both singers, Fates isn't truly done.
regarding X:
I love that Fates record. I think it kind of goes under the radar these days and borrows from some OSI moments (and I liked OSI, so that's cool for me). But stuff like Wish, Heal Me, A Handful of Doubt, Simple Human...just absolutely killer.
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regarding X:
I love that Fates record. I think it kind of goes under the radar these days and borrows from some OSI moments (and I liked OSI, so that's cool for me). But stuff like Wish, Heal Me, A Handful of Doubt, Simple Human...just absolutely killer.
Well, you were the one that gave me a copy, so you are largely responsible for me connecting with anything from them that led me to give the Darkness a chance when it came out. Glad you did.
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https://open.spotify.com/track/0IrNa2XY7JQrIotyplRoIw
Heal Me = Top 10 FW track for me (https://youtu.be/Xyj_m-u9jUo?list=PLFNc6ga_mjMuvpWwfdxAauzf0FRg0a0BI&t=1085)
I assume that's counting APSOG as a single song? You had Heal Me at #18 on the list you submitted for the 2022 countdown, but you also had all of the individual tracks from APSOG in the top 11 spots.
right. I don't consider A Pleasant Shade Gray 12 separate songs. It's 1 song/suite for me. Why in the Countdown it ended up at 18 (and APSOG 1-12 were my top 12), but in that video I ranked it #9.
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I've been thinking recently about Jim Matheos and his desire not to write any new material for Fates Warning. Having read the Destination Onward book last year and reading the articles in which Ray has commented on the topic, I think I understand Jim's thinking -- and I respect it. I feel like Jim is proud of FW's catalog of music and he wants to finish the band's run on a positive note -- kinda like Jerry Seinfeld when he ended the "Seinfeld" series while it was still good. From reading the FW book, it's clear that Jim was very disappointed by the band's 1994 album Inside Out and how it was looked at by some as a "Parallels Pt. 2." So, I feel like he will only write new FW music if he feels inspired and like he has something fresh to present to fans. He doesn't want to create the same album over and over and potentially water down the band's catalog so late in their career. I think it's pretty admirable. While most artists would stick with the project that makes them the most money, Jim is more about artistic integrity. Also, I noticed that Jim doesn't like to do the same project for too long. Look at OSI, Arch/Matheos, and even Kings of Mercia (I believe KoM signed only a three-album deal). Jim will do a handful of albums with a particular project and then give it a rest before it becomes stale, and then he'll go on to something else. To me, it's almost like he is very conscious of not repeating himself too much, and I feel like that all stems back to Inside Out. I couldn't be wrong though. That said, in my heart I feel like he will ended up doing another FW album eventually when he feels like he's gotten the other stuff out of his system. Fingers crossed!
I agree with you Mike. I also feel like Long Day Goodnight was sadly, pt. 2 of Theories of Flight, which in my opinion is by far the superior of the two, which very much have the same vibe. Almost the same kind of vibe between Parallels and Inside Out.
I actually think Fates will do something else in time. I fully believe Jim will write an epic song that both Ray and John will sing on, both solo singing sections, harmonized portions, call and response, an amazing piece. I really feel that will happen before Fates is truly done. It may not be an album. It may just be an EP. But I feel strongly that without uniting both singers, Fates isn't truly done.
regarding X:
I love that Fates record. I think it kind of goes under the radar these days and borrows from some OSI moments (and I liked OSI, so that's cool for me). But stuff like Wish, Heal Me, A Handful of Doubt, Simple Human...just absolutely killer.
This is a phenomenal idea, I'd also love to hear something in this vein. Arch's vocals never grated on me the way I've heard others complain about, and I think mixing up the vocals with Ray would be great!
While I'm here - I guess I can see why someone would feel like I/O is an extension/Pt 2 for Parallels, and similarly LDGN being an extension of ToF - but I enjoy I/O and LDGN a ton on their own and never really got on board w that line of thinking.
If FW is really done, ToF and LDGN were certainly the kind of swan song I'd want/expect from them.
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new interview discussion podcast with Jeff Wagner talking about the book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbMQndTuMTA
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new interview discussion podcast with Jeff Wagner talking about the book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbMQndTuMTA
This is great. Thanks for the heads up!