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

[Evermind]

I still haven't been able to get my hands on the physical copy of the album, but I've been spinning it on the streaming platforms and while I'm not convinced about the whole thing yet, as John Arch is an acquired taste—there are songs like Solitary Man or Pitch Black Prism that I can't get into—I've got to say Tethered is the best song I've heard in a while. It's just out of this world, ridiculously good.

There are a lot of albums coming out in the next months, but I'm not sure anything will top this gem of a song.

[Evermind]

Apologies for the double post, but seeing how Katt put Moonglow in his Top 50 I just have to say this album has been in a heavy rotation for the last week and damn it, this is the best thing I've heard from this year. This album is so intricate and yet quite accessible after a couple of listens. I love this.

[Samsara]

Apologies for the double post, but seeing how Katt put Moonglow in his Top 50 I just have to say this album has been in a heavy rotation for the last week and damn it, this is the best thing I've heard from this year. This album is so intricate and yet quite accessible after a couple of listens. I love this.

The A/M album is the frontrunner so far for me in 2019 Album of the Year....

[jammindude]

The deluxe version arrived in the mail over a week ago, and I haven't even had time to spin it from start to finish yet.   

I've just had so much going on, and a LOT of new purchases. I dropped $150 bucks on a 14-disc Seattle Opera version of Wagner's Ring Cycle, and just finished one spin of that entire thing.   Then there's the new District 97 that I can't get enough of.   Then I had to spin the new Riverside again because I went to the show last night and wanted to familiarize myself.     BUT I ALSO HAVE A FAMILY!!

I have heard a couple of tracks and loved what I've heard.  I'll have to move it up my priority list.

[Cyclopssss]

Album of the year for me.

[Mebert78]

Just stumbled across this vocal analysis of John Arch, which I thought was pretty informative for those interested. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfQqE5HAtAA

[NoseofNicko]

Wasn’t a big fan of the album at first, but now I think it’s really great. Love those vocal melodies!

[goo-goo]

Keep playing this one at least twice a week. This is Matheos' finest piece. He is on a totally different level right now as far as writing goes. From Darkness in a Different Light, to Sympathetic Resonance, to Theories of Flight, and now Winther Ethereal. That is 4 outstanding albums. But Theories and Winter are just absolutely perfect compositions and masterpieces.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Keep playing this one at least twice a week. This is Matheos' finest piece. He is on a totally different level right now as far as writing goes. From Darkness in a Different Light, to Sympathetic Resonance, to Theories of Flight, and now Winther Ethereal. That is 4 outstanding albums. But Theories and Winter are just absolutely perfect compositions and masterpieces.

I've always thought Darkness in a Different Light seemed a little phoned in as far as song writing goes, but the other 3 albums there are top notch!

[TAC]

I agree Pup. Darkness never did anything for me.

[PowerSlave]

Darkness has a couple of great songs, but it pales in comparison to almost any other FW/Arch album. I do like to think about it as the start of Jim getting his groove going, though. It was a long time between that and him writing anything else in the FW universe.

[TAC]

Yeah, that's fair.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I'm getting an urge to do a Fates Warning/Jim Matheos/John Arch discography listen.

[SoundscapeMN]

I agree on Darkness, my least played Fates record.

However, I feel this is his 2nd outstanding run in the last couple of decades.

The 1st being APSOG, Disconnected, OSI, A Twist of Fate and FWX (the 1 that somehow gets overlooked, and yet when it came out a ton of fans loved it).

That stretch, everything he recorded turned to gold.

I would say now Sympathetic Resonance, Theories and Winter Ethereal have a similar sweet spot for songwriting.

[TAC]

The 1st being APSOG, Disconnected, OSI, A Twist of Fate and FWX (the 1 that somehow gets overlooked, and yet when it came out a ton of fans loved it).

APSOG-OVERRATED!
Disconnected-Excellent but nothing more than an EP
OSI-Unlistenable
FWX-Worst FW album

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

The 1st being APSOG, Disconnected, OSI, A Twist of Fate and FWX (the 1 that somehow gets overlooked, and yet when it came out a ton of fans loved it).

APSOG-OVERRATED!
Disconnected-Excellent but nothing more than an EP
OSI-Unlistenable
FWX-Worst FW album

While I do enjoy both APSOG and OSI, I can see your point. But calling FWX the worst Fates album is both alarming and confusing, especially considering Night on Brocken exists...

[TAC]

I love the early albums. I think they get way overlooked in the Fates Warning story. Tons of character.


To me, and I know it's a ME problem, I found nothing on FWX that I could latch onto.

A number of years ago, I did a deep dive of that album, possibly on Samsara's site.



I do like APSOG. But I just don't think it's as great as everyone else does. I will NEVER understand OSI. I don't even get it. How is that even music? Again, a ME problem.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I love the early albums. I think they get way overlooked in the Fates Warning story. Tons of character.

I love Spectre Within and Awaken the Guardian, but Night on Brocken just wasn't good. I look at it like the band just trying to find their feet, which they did in a huge way on the very next album.

[TAC]

I'm OK with that though.

[PowerSlave]

I will NEVER understand OSI. I don't even get it. How is that even music? Again, a ME problem.

Shutdown is absolutely amazing. I can understand if the rest of the album might not appeal to you, but that song simply transcends!!!

[gazinwales]

I have to be in the right mood for OSI, I bought Blood last year and it's killer, I can even stand KM monotone vox 

[bosk1]

On my second listen.  I like this album.  But it doesn't grab me nearly as much as Sympathetic Resonance did.  At least, so far.  Maybe it will eventually, but for now, it's just a "good" album that sits firmly in the "like but don't love" category.

[Evermind]

I'd say this album unfolded in all its glory after about seven or eight listens to me, so it's possible.

[Bentower]

I was lukewarm on it initially as well, but I've grown to love the thing. It's a strong contender for album of the year at this point.

One thing it doesn't have are the highs of the debut, nothing of the caliber of Stained Glass Sky. I also feel the debut was more consistent, which of course is easier to accomplish when there's fewer songs and a shorter run-time.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed Bobby Jarzombek being unleashed on Sympathetic Resonance, the amount of kickass drummers on here is a wicked cool treat.

[jingle.boy]

I'd say this album unfolded in all its glory after about seven or eight listens to me, so it's possible.

On your recc'n, I gave it a go.  While something about John's voice just doesn't quite click for me, holy shit-balls this was fuckin fantastic musically.

Kindred Spirits 

[jammindude]

On my second listen.  I like this album.  But it doesn't grab me nearly as much as Sympathetic Resonance did.  At least, so far.  Maybe it will eventually, but for now, it's just a "good" album that sits firmly in the "like but don't love" category.

I’m with Bosk. I really like it, and there are a few stellar tracks, but SR grabbed me more.

[The Walrus]

On my second listen.  I like this album.  But it doesn't grab me nearly as much as Sympathetic Resonance did.  At least, so far.  Maybe it will eventually, but for now, it's just a "good" album that sits firmly in the "like but don't love" category.

I’m with Bosk. I really like it, and there are a few stellar tracks, but SR grabbed me more.

+1

Sympathetic Resonance has a charm to it that I'm not feeling from this. Like the title, it's a cold record. Kindred Spirits is cool though...

[gzarruk]

I haven't even listened to it. Tried so hard to like John's voice with his FW abums, his solo EP and the first A/M, but nope, I just can't stand listening to his voice for more than one song, sometimes I can't even get through the whole song. It's sad, because they got a great lineup for this album

[Evermind]

I disagree that it's a cold record. Or maybe it's cold, but I just like cold then. Still way ahead of anything else released this year so far for me.

I'd say this album unfolded in all its glory after about seven or eight listens to me, so it's possible.

On your recc'n, I gave it a go.  While something about John's voice just doesn't quite click for me, holy shit-balls this was fuckin fantastic musically.

Kindred Spirits 

That's all I can ask for, honestly.

I'm going to listen to this album again now.

[Kwyjibo]

John Arch is not for everyone but I really like his singing. It's kinda quirky and out there and you don't know what's coming next, his melodies aren't predictable, but that's his unique style.

Both Arch/Matheos records are stellar and I thought I liked Sympathetic Resonance more, but now, after listening to Winter Etheral a couple of times last week I'm not so sure anymore.

[TAC]

So in comparing the two albums, I find the music on SR a lot more interesting, but Arch's vocals on WE are easily much easier on the ears.

Vermillion Moons is my favorite song on either album.

[Evermind]

UNDER VERMILION MOO-OO-OOOONS
DON'T LOOK AWAY DON'T EVER

Fuck man Vermilion Moons is just so good.

[gzarruk]

John Arch is not for everyone but I really like his singing. It's kinda quirky and out there and you don't know what's coming next, his melodies aren't predictable, but that's his unique style.

That’s my issue, I hear no melody on these vocal lines, just a guy singing with an unpleasant voice.

[WheyWaffles]

This album makes me cry a lot, particularly the last two songs. Being an animal lover and knowing this could be my favorite singer of decades' final work, the double meaning of the very last line of the very last song guts me. John and Jim just get better and better, and I wish their partnership would never permanently end.

Anyway, let's talk about Mike.

MP is a John Arch mega-fan like me. He was at the ProgPower Awaken the Guardian Anniversary show, he drummed on John's "A Twist of Fate" EP in the early '00s, he was at the show where John and Ray did the Guardian duet in the early '90s, John stayed at Mike's house when recording the DT audition demos, John was at his wedding (or the opposite, I forget), and on and on... Last I knew, he still loved Jim Matheos, too. In the past Mike's promoted the hell out of anything John Arch-associated, and John still speaks glowingly of him.

All that said, I can't find where he's talked about the album anywhere or even acknowledged its existence..? There's no way if it had come out 5 years ago he wouldn't have promoted it all over social media.

Anyone know anything about why Mike's seemingly ignored it? It'd probably be his album of the year (perhaps it secretly is). Jim said he looked into about 15 drummers, but the album only ended up with 5. What are the chances that Mike is upset he wasn't asked to participate (I don't think he'd have turned down the offer--working with Jim is famously easy)? If I was Mike, I'd probably think it would be pretty awesome for Max to get to record drums for a track. It would be wildly inappropriate for Mike to suggest it considering the nature of the project, but I could see either of these scenarios embittering Mike and leading to radio silence. From everything I've seen of Mike, some perceived personal slight (from Jim, in these hypothetical scenarios) seems the most likely explanation.

I hope someone proves me blind by producing a recent interview where Mike gushes about the album.

[PowerSlave]

This album makes me cry a lot, particularly the last two songs. Being an animal lover and knowing this could be my favorite singer of decades' final work, the double meaning of the very last line of the very last song guts me. John and Jim just get better and better, and I wish their partnership would never permanently end.

Anyway, let's talk about Mike.

MP is a John Arch mega-fan like me. He was at the ProgPower Awaken the Guardian Anniversary show, he drummed on John's "A Twist of Fate" EP in the early '00s, he was at the show where John and Ray did the Guardian duet in the early '90s, John stayed at Mike's house when recording the DT audition demos, John was at his wedding (or the opposite, I forget), and on and on... Last I knew, he still loved Jim Matheos, too. In the past Mike's promoted the hell out of anything John Arch-associated, and John still speaks glowingly of him.

All that said, I can't find where he's talked about the album anywhere or even acknowledged its existence..? There's no way if it had come out 5 years ago he wouldn't have promoted it all over social media.

Anyone know anything about why Mike's seemingly ignored it? It'd probably be his album of the year (perhaps it secretly is). Jim said he looked into about 15 drummers, but the album only ended up with 5. What are the chances that Mike is upset he wasn't asked to participate (I don't think he'd have turned down the offer--working with Jim is famously easy)? If I was Mike, I'd probably think it would be pretty awesome for Max to get to record drums for a track. It would be wildly inappropriate for Mike to suggest it considering the nature of the project, but I could see either of these scenarios embittering Mike and leading to radio silence. From everything I've seen of Mike, some perceived personal slight (from Jim, in these hypothetical scenarios) seems the most likely explanation.

I hope someone proves me blind by producing a recent interview where Mike gushes about the album.

I remember reading somewhere (I forget specifically where at this point) that MP was asked to play on the album, but his schedule wouldn't allow for it to happen. I think that's the reason for his silence about this album. As we all know, MP is a very busy man at this point in his career. Between touring and recording all of his projects he simply doesn't have the time to comment.