Arch/Matheos - v. Winter Ethereal COMING MAY 10th, 2019!

[gazinwales]

Live streaming from Metal Blade of the album;
https://youtu.be/KBM4e6g-eiw

Played the album once through and it's already sounding killer.
Lots going on and too much to digest in one listen.

[devieira73]

Yes, Aresti plays solos in Never In Your Hands and Kindred Spirits

The rest is only Jim? Wow, he’s soloing a lot, very unusual for him.

[Mister Gold]

Yes, Aresti plays solos in Never In Your Hands and Kindred Spirits

The rest is only Jim? Wow, he’s soloing a lot, very unusual for him.

Yeah, I think this has to be the most he's soloed on an album in at least twenty-five years, right? At least since Inside Out, I think.

Kinda hope the trend continues and we see him do more solos on the next FW album next year, because he knocked it out of the ballpark with this album!

[devieira73]

Agreed, he did a terrific job on this one! Also, although I love those CDs, I wish there was more guitar solos from aPSOG to FWX. 

[Kwyjibo]

Played the album once through and it's already sounding killer.
Lots going on and too much to digest in one listen.

That's me, too.

[Mister Gold]

Having listened to the album a lot today, I'd say Kindred Spirits is probably my absolute favorite off the album. In fact, that song might just be the greatest piece of work John and Jim have ever made together. It's that good.

[goo-goo]

This album is fucking poetic. Man, what a listen! This album may be the reason Jim is my all time favorite musician.

[me7]

Am I the only Arch/Matheos/FW fan that is bothered by the muffled production? The sound is a bit of a letdown IMO. Makes it difficult to make out details at lower volume.

[goo-goo]

I do think the bass is a tad too high but it doesn’t sound muffled to my ears. But having said that, Malone’s bass on Kindred Spirits sounds amazing.

[SoundscapeMN]

here's another interview with John Arch.

this album.

They really labored over this album, and it shows. It does support my feeling of spending time and being a bit meticulous with songs/songwriting really can pay off in the end.

in other words, patience very much can be a virtue.

the background on Tethered and Kindred Spirits is very in-depth. I should checkout that documentary John mentions "The Russian Woodpecker"

[TAC]

I haven't paid much attention to the lead up to this album, but I just unwrapped my CD and listening now.

Again, not paying attention, I assumed this would also be Jarzombek/Vera rounding out the band.
But it's way more than that.., Dibiase, Digiorgio, Malone and Zonder, Lang tooo. never heard of the other guys listed.

[gzarruk]

I’ll give this album a spin, but I’ve never been able to listen to John’s voice for too long. I tried with his FW albums, his solo EP and the first Arch/Matheos and couldn’t get through any of them

[TAC]

I’ll give this album a spin, but I’ve never been able to listen to John’s voice for too long. I tried with his FW albums, his solo EP and the first Arch/Matheos and couldn’t get through any of them

I haven't even finished my first listen (listening now), but I would say that this is easily the most accessible John Arch has ever been vocally.

[Mister Gold]

I’ll give this album a spin, but I’ve never been able to listen to John’s voice for too long. I tried with his FW albums, his solo EP and the first Arch/Matheos and couldn’t get through any of them

I haven't even finished my first listen (listening now), but I would say that this is easily the most accessible John Arch has ever been vocally.

Yeah, I'd agree with this. He knocked it out of the park with this album IMO.

[abydos]

Wanderlust and Tethered are probably my favourite so far. Tethered is SO beautiful!

[The Walrus]

I dunno. I really enjoy Arch's voice, but he's just so one-note both on this album and the other one. He sings exactly the same way from start to finish - loudly. That works for the heavier sections but I'm not sold whenever it slows down a bit. Just my two cents.

[Mister Gold]

Wanderlust and Tethered are probably my favourite so far. Tethered is SO beautiful!

Yeah, I really dig Tethered a lot. Love how soulful Arch gets on that song. That said, I think my absolute favorite is still Kindred Spirits though, followed by Vermilion Moons and Pitch Black Prism.

[TAC]

After just ONE listen, the two standouts for me are Vermillion Moons and Wrath Of The Universe.

[Mister Gold]

After just ONE listen, the two standouts for me are Vermillion Moons and Wrath Of The Universe.

Both are fantastic songs! All of the epics on this album are some of Jim’s finest work ever IMO.

[JLa]

Listening now ... music is bad ass as always. Decent vocals too this time around, that's an improvement! Or, when it comes to Arch I don't really know if I struggle most with his voice, his vocal melodies or both, but either way he sounds better on this. 

[abydos]

Metal Blade released the full album on YT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW1I6klf-kA

[Mister Gold]

Metal Blade released the full album on YT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW1I6klf-kA

I love when record labels and bands do this! IMO it's a nice way to help introduce potential new fans or less informed fans to these sorts of albums.

I'm very curious to see how the rankings between Winter Ethereal, Sympathetic, Awaken the Guardian, The Spectre Within and John's E.P. will turn out among fans. I'd include the OG Fates album in the race here, but I think it's a safe bet that most fans would rank it last.

[bosk1]

It makes no sense to me.  What incentive do people have to buy it if the entire thing is up in the public domain for free?

[abydos]

The original incentive - to support the band. It's going to get on YT anyway and all over the place, might as well be the first to do it so all the people who look for it go to the official source with links to the store, etc. It's free on Spotify and other services like that, so why not YT.

[goo-goo]

It makes no sense to me.  What incentive do people have to buy it if the entire thing is up in the public domain for free?

I believe they get streaming royaties as well. Youtube calls it “monetizing”.

[goo-goo]

This might be my album of the year. I'm just shocked how Jim has written Darkness in a Different Light, Sympathetic Resonance, Theories of Flight and Winter Ethereal which all have been amazing pieces of work and top notch quality. I feel that all these records do not have a single filler track.

[The Walrus]

I mean I guess it doesn't really matter when they barely make money from Spotify and YouTube plays as it is, so why not. The whole industry sucks.

[goo-goo]

Am I the only Arch/Matheos/FW fan that is bothered by the muffled production? The sound is a bit of a letdown IMO. Makes it difficult to make out details at lower volume.

Finally got the cd and looking at the credits, it was mixed by Jens Bogren and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios. Their mixes and mastering seem to be a bit on the hot side but have some clear instrument separation. Jens has mixed some Opeth, Symphony X, the last Haken, and the last FW studio albums and many others. This mix kind of resembles the rest of Jens’ work.

[abydos]

I love this album so much. But as much as I love Arch's voice, I would love it even more if he chooses to incorporate more of his lower register too. Things like the intro of Neurotically Wired is so beautiful, when he combines both. Likewise, the quieter moments in Wanderlsut (1:11), although that is higher and the part starting at 5:00 on Vermilion Moons. He has a nice talking voice too so I'd definitely encourage him to use all aspects of it when singing.

I'd also like to hear Ray sing Tethered. Perhaps with Arch.

[ProfessorPeart]

Listening now ... music is bad ass as always. Decent vocals too this time around, that's an improvement! Or, when it comes to Arch I don't really know if I struggle most with his voice, his vocal melodies or both, but either way he sounds better on this. 

Bolded my sentiments on John. After awhile I find my ears bleeding from listening to him sing. I started listening to this one and totally forgot about his wacky vocal melodies. Sometimes it's like he is singing for a different song or they applied his vocals to the wrong one. It's like he just freestyles or is doing scat vocals. I find it a bit disconcerting and it takes me out of it sometimes.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Listening now ... music is bad ass as always. Decent vocals too this time around, that's an improvement! Or, when it comes to Arch I don't really know if I struggle most with his voice, his vocal melodies or both, but either way he sounds better on this. 

Bolded my sentiments on John. After awhile I find my ears bleeding from listening to him sing. I started listening to this one and totally forgot about his wacky vocal melodies. Sometimes it's like he is singing for a different song or they applied his vocals to the wrong one. It's like he just freestyles or is doing scat vocals. I find it a bit disconcerting and it takes me out of it sometimes.

That's part of his charm for me. No one else has the same cadence or melodies as John. He is unique.

[gzarruk]

Listening now ... music is bad ass as always. Decent vocals too this time around, that's an improvement! Or, when it comes to Arch I don't really know if I struggle most with his voice, his vocal melodies or both, but either way he sounds better on this. 

Bolded my sentiments on John. After awhile I find my ears bleeding from listening to him sing. I started listening to this one and totally forgot about his wacky vocal melodies. Sometimes it's like he is singing for a different song or they applied his vocals to the wrong one. It's like he just freestyles or is doing scat vocals. I find it a bit disconcerting and it takes me out of it sometimes.

This is my experience as well. I feel like the songs have no melodic line and he’s just belting it out for the sake of it. Haven’t been able to get into anything this guy has done. THANK GOD for Ray Alder

[SoundscapeMN]

there's really no singer who sounds exactly like John Arch.

[Samsara]

there's really no singer who sounds exactly like John Arch.

Not at all. His delivery is really unique. It took me awhile to appreciate him. I started my Fates love with Ray, and prefer his more melodic, enveloping tone. But Arch was a bit more of a challenge. But I got there.

[abydos]

The other day Pitch Black Prism finally clicked with me. I liked it initially too but it didn't grab me. I think it might be one of the best songs in prog, certainly in the last 10 years or so. I even started watching the Chernobyl HBO show.