Official top 50 Fates Warning countdown thread!! - #1 Song Revealed!

[pg1067]

Finally, no tie!  It’s interesting that the first seven songs revealed, along with one of today’s songs, all came from different albums.  I mentioned that there was a lot of diversity in the lists I received.

44 Chasing Time (Perfect Symmetry – 1)

Appeared on 11 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (WardySI)

I ranked Chasing Time at #40.  The first few lists I received didn’t rank it at all, but it eventually showed up on 11 lists.  Most of the rankings were in the 25-45 range, and the high ranking is 15 spots higher than anyone else’s.  I think it’s an excellent composition, and I love that they used a violin solo.  I did a quick Google search, and the violinist, Faith Fraioli, was apparently a member of a ‘70s jazz-rock band called Flying Island.  Such an eclectic choice!


43 A Pleasant Shade of Gray III (Rain Falling Hours Calling) (APSOG – 2)

Appeared on 9 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 3 (SoundscapeMN)

We now have our first album to get a second song on the list (and our first 2x high ranker).  APSOG III is where the metal part of the album kicks in with Jim’s simple, feedback-laden riff, but it also has a very moody chorus.  I love the little girl saying “rain falling hours calling."  Ray really stretches things out here as well, and Joey lays down some great slap bass.  Great track, but I only ranked it at #49, and I’m feeling I should have ranked it higher.

[Lethean]

Chasing Time at #40 for me.  I think this is a really beautiful song.

APSOG III: #6.  I love this track alone or in the context of the album. 

[Samsara]

Chasing Time clocked in at #39 for me. Beautiful track.

APSOG III went unranked for me for purposes of top-50, but it's right outside of 50.

[romdrums]

44. Chasing Time (27).  I love the placement of this song on Perfect Symmetry as a respite of calm in an otherwise chaotic album.  Ray sounds fantastic here, and I really love the violin solo.  Over the years, I've realized how this song really succeeds as their attempt at their own version of Rush's "Losing It," both with the violin work, the overall mood of the song, and it's placement as the penultimate track on the album.  Great stuff.

43. APSOG III (NR).  Another one that I had ranked in my original rankings.  I think it works better in the context of the album.

[Dublagent66]

Chasing Time - NR
APSOG III - #26

[TAC]

Two unranked songs for me. Not even close.


50                                                                              NR
49                                                                              Handful Of Doubt
48                                                                              Chasing Time
47                                                                              APSOG III
46  APSOG VIII (Instrumental)
45
44
43
42
41
40
39  The Longest Shadow Of The Day
38  Face The Fear
37
36
35
34
33
32
31  Don't Follow Me
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17  Exodus
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6  Down To The Wire
5
4
3
2
1

[devieira73]

I never thought Chasing Time (#30 for me) as a FW's Losing It, but I think it's a perfect association!! Wonderful song

[Zoom E]

I had Chasing Time at #20. As RHCP would say, it’s a pretty little ditty.

I didn't rank APSOG III.

[wolfking]

Chasing Time didn't rank for me.  Never quite did much for me to be honest.  APSOG3 came in at 45.

[nick_z]

Chasing Time - My rank: #31

Lovely, lovely song. A more subdued performance by Ray, much needed after he pretty much goes for it in all the songs preceding it on PS (and The Arena, in particular!). Love the violin and the guitar "solo" all done with harmonics.

APSOG Part III - Not Ranked

Never really loved this one. I mean, the mood is cool, but Ray's singing is a bit grating in the chorus.

[The Realm]

44 Chasing Time (Perfect Symmetry – 1)

Appeared on 11 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (WardySI)

43 A Pleasant Shade of Gray III (Rain Falling Hours Calling) (APSOG – 2)

Appeared on 9 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 3 (SoundscapeMN)

Chasing Time - unranked and wasn't close to making it. A nice song but I am surprised to see this in the top 50.

APSOG III - number 20. I love this whole album and this track really gets things going.

[WardySI]

Yep so clearly had Chasing Time at #5 which was about where I expected it to be before using the ranker.  On an album which romdrums described as a tad chaotic this was not only an appreciated calm, it's also a beautiful song showcasing Ray's vocals which I was glad to hear more of this style on followup albums.  And yes that violin was all class!

APSOG III great song but NR, IIRC wasn't far out of my 50.

[jammindude]

I had Chasing Time at #25. Beautifully haunting song.  Funny story about that song. I can’t remember now how I got it…but I got a 4 song promo cassette “from the forthcoming album” at least a couple of months before it was released. It had Through Different Eyes, Static Acts, At Fate’s Hands, and Chasing Time. The same program was repeated on both sides. But the weird thing was that after Chasing Time, the cassette included the opening section of Nothing Left to Say. JUST the opening section. But since there was no other song listed on the cassette, I spent two months thinking that it was an ending instrumental heavy section of Chasing Time (kind of like AFH had). It took a bit of adjustment when the album finally dropped to realize that it was the opening section of another song.

APSOG III - at #39. It’s hard for me not to rank any individual sections of their masterpiece. This section keeps the energy from part 2 chugging along. I especially love the post chorus quiet section.

[pg1067]

With today’s songs, we close out the 41-50 group.  Although these songs ranked at the bottom of our countdown, all but 2 of the 11 songs ranked in at least one person’s top 10 (and today we get someone’s #1 song!).  Also, we’ve now seen NINE of the band’s 13 albums represented and have had nine different high rankers!


42 White Flag (Theories of Flight – 1)

Appeared on 9 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Samsara)

It took me an inordinately long time to get into Theories of Flight.  One day…BANG…it clicked.  For my money, however, it’s a front-loaded album.  I still like White Flag (maybe the heaviest track on TOF?), but it finished just outside the top 50, at #54.


41 Silent Cries (No Exit – 1)

Appeared on 14 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 1 (Zoom E)

No Exit was the first FW album I bought, and I’m pretty sure I listened to the album before seeing the video for this song on MTV.  It’s a really good song, and I LOVE the “time blindly races on” section after the guitar solos.  However, it’s one of the more basic songs on No Exit, so I’m one of only five rankers who didn’t include it in the top 50.


By way of a preview, the next group of 10 songs will come from 8 different albums (including 3 we haven't yet heard from).

[Zoom E]

I didn’t rank White Flag. There are so many good songs on ToF that I may have overlooked this one.

And yes, I ranked Silent Cries as my #1 song. When doing so I considered whether I was just being nostalgic as it was the first FW song I ever heard, but no, I don't think there is any other FW song that I enjoy more than this one.

[jammindude]

I really feel badly for not ranking White Flag. It’s a fantastic rocker. It just came in at #72 on my first attempt and I only included the top 65 or so in my 2nd and 3rd tries. But I at least should have included this one in the subsequent attempts and I didn’t.

Silent Cries is classic. Ray really hits the stratosphere!!! I had it at #34. I really need to give No Exit a spin.

[Samsara]

Ha! Well, I guess my tastes differ, since this now marks two songs that I've had ranked way higher than most of us as a group.

White Flag just has this vibe I connect with. Looking at my list, I may have put it a couple songs lower, but not much. It's a bad ass tune and great solos.

Silent Cries was #15 for me. As JDude said, it's a classic. Love the original version, and also really like the modified version they did on Live Over Europe that has Ray doing a lower vocal. I mean, obviously I prefer the original, but the tune is just such a great tune, it doesn't matter.

[pg1067]

Album rankings through the first 10:


1. A Pleasant Shade of Gray (2 songs, 12 points):  VIII (47T), III (43)

2. No Exit (1 song, 10 points):  Silent Cries (41)

3. Theories of Flight (1 song, 9 points):  White Flag (42)

4. Inside Out (2 song, 8 points):  Face the Fear (49T), Down to the Wire (45T)

5. Perfect Symmetry (1 song, 7 points):  Chasing Time (44)

6. Long Day Good Night (1 song, 6 points):  The Longest Shadow of the Day (45T)

7. FWX (1 song, 4 points):  Handful of Doubt (47T)

8. Awaken the Guardian (1 song, 2 points):  Exodus (49T)

9. Parallels (1 song, 2 points):  Don't Follow Me (49T)

10T. Night on Brocken (0 songs)

10T. The Spectre Within (0 songs)

10T. Disconnected (0 songs)

10T. Darkness in a Different Light (0 songs)

[Dublagent66]

White Flag - NR
Silent Cries - #30

[TAC]

42 White Flag (Theories of Flight – 1)

Appeared on 9 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Samsara)

41 Silent Cries (No Exit – 1)

Appeared on 14 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 1 (Zoom E)

I had White Flag as Not Rated. Just not really impressed with it. It's the kind of song that generally would make my ears glaze over on the last three albums.

I had Silent Cries at #32. Great tune. Classic and thrashy. Good on Zoom for having it #1.

I LOVE the “time blindly races on” section after the guitar solos.  However, it’s one of the more basic songs on No Exit, so I’m one of only five rankers who didn’t include it in the top 50.

That's a great part, yes. Odd to see a song on so many lists end up this low.





50                                                                              NR
49                                                                              Handful Of Doubt
48                                                                              Chasing Time
47                                                                              APSOG III
46  APSOG VIII (Instrumental)                                     White Flag
45
44
43
42
41
40
39  The Longest Shadow Of The Day
38  Face The Fear
37
36
35
34
33
32  Silent Cries
31  Don't Follow Me
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17  Exodus
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6  Down To The Wire
5
4
3
2
1

[Lethean]

I didn't have either one on my list.  Like them both just fine.

[nick_z]

White Flag - My rank: #30

I never particularly loved FW's "heavier" songs in their post-Disconnected output, with some exceptions. Well, this is one such exception  Great, great opening riff, and enough of that FW melodic stamp (the bridge, for example). Excellent performance by Ray (true for ToF as a whole, actually)

Silent Cries - My rank: #38

I guess we could call this a melodic thrasher? The riffage is excellent and headbangable, but I love the interplay with the cleaner-sounding guitars, especially in the verses. Great song.

EDIT: had my rank wrong for Silent Cries

[pg1067]

I LOVE the “time blindly races on” section after the guitar solos.  However, it’s one of the more basic songs on No Exit, so I’m one of only five rankers who didn’t include it in the top 50.

That's a great part, yes. Odd to see a song on so many lists end up this low.

Just for funsies...as mentioned, Silent Cries showed up on 14/19 lists with the following rankings:

32 (you) (19 points)
29 (22 points)
45 (6 points)
35 (16 points)
48 (3 points)
34 (17 points)
15 (36 points)
38 (13 points)
45 (6 points)
37 (14 points)
1 (50 points)
38 (13 points)
30 (21 points)
38 (13 points)

Average ranking (only including those who had it in the top 50):  30
Total points:  249 (6 points behind White Flag and 3 points ahead of song #40)

Other than the two outliers in red, it had a pretty consistent range.  When you factor in five non-rankings, it drops from 30 to 40.

Also:

41. Silent Cries - 249 points
42. White Flag - 243 points
43. APSOG III - 236 points
44. Chasing Time - 232 points
45T. The Longest Shadow of the Day - 226 points
45T. Down to the Wire - 226 points
47T. Handful of Doubt - 223 points
47T. APSOG VIII - 223 points
49T. Face the Fear - 220 points
49T. Don't Follow Me - 220 points
49T. Exodus - 220 points

The spread between songs 40-49T (29 points) is the lowest spread between any group of ten until you get down to songs 81-90.  By way of comparison, the spread between songs 3 and 4 was 110 points, which is about the same as the spread between songs 41-65.

[wolfking]

White Flag didn't rank for me.  It's solid but it hasn't aged that well and one if the weakest on the album.

Silent Cries I had at 37.  Nice solid tune.

[romdrums]

42. White Flag (13).  Solid banger, and I love Bobby Jarzombek's drumming on this.
41. Silent Cries (35). Interesting that this was one of the few songs ever that the band actually wrote as a group, the other being Shades of Heavenly Death.  Really shows off Ray's range at the time.

[The Realm]

42 White Flag (Theories of Flight – 1)

Appeared on 9 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Samsara)

41 Silent Cries (No Exit – 1)

Appeared on 14 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 1 (Zoom E)

Two songs I ranked today!

White Flag - number 29. This song is heavy but just has a great driving chugging riff and feel. I just love the guitar playing and the drums in this song.

Silent Cries - number 38. Great song with a very different style of vocal from Ray - compared to White Flag.

[WardySI]

White Flag #49
Fantastic song but eclipsed by a few other Theories and think a few of the upbeat numbers on LDGN were better but hey White Flag made my list and dig the song plenty!

Silent Cries NR
And I really don't know why it didn't rank as it's a great number and this is the first in the countdown I regret not pushing into my 50 as I play the songs with each reveal, and listening back now I'm gutted I didn't include it.

[pg1067]

Welcome to the Top 40!

40 A Pleasant Shade of Gray IV (Listen) (APSOG – 3)

Appeared on 10 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 8 (Dublagent66)

This section opens with some nice clean guitar, but the standout instrument on this track (or at least the first half of it) is the fretless bass.  Joey Vera uses the fretless to GREAT effect a few times on APSOG, but this piece really demonstrates something special, which I doubt anyone expected when the guy from Armored Saint replaced Joe DiBiase.  The second half of the track is very different – a very cool instrumental with a bunch of odd time hooks and Kevin Moore’s keyboards adding some great accents.  I only had this at #48, and I’m now wishing I had pushed it higher.


39 Firefly (Darkness in a Different Light – 1)

Appeared on 10 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Tomislav95)

I had Firefly at #43, but I kinda thought it would rank a bit higher on the consensus.  I can recall hearing this song when it was released and being so happy that, after nearly a decade, Fates had taken a massive leap forward after the prior two very disappointing albums.  It’s a great heavy track with a nice chorus, but I ultimately think there are a bunch of much better songs on DIADL.

[Lethean]

APSOG IV at 23 and Firefly 30.  I really like the vocal melodies on Firefly.

[jammindude]

Huh. Two more non-rankers for me.

APSOG IV is a beautiful interlude between 3 and 5, but it feels more just that…a bridge between two larger pieces.

Firefly placed in the 90s on my first try. Decent song, just more than 50 songs that are better.

[wolfking]

Both didn't rank for me.

[The Realm]

40 A Pleasant Shade of Gray IV (Listen) (APSOG – 3)

Appeared on 10 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 8 (Dublagent66)

39 Firefly (Darkness in a Different Light – 1)

Appeared on 10 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Tomislav95)

APSOG IV - This is my number 9 so I just missed out on the highest ranker. As already stated, ranking these parts/songs was really tough. I really love the back end instrumental section, just a ton of really cool music and ideas going on.

Firefly - Number 22. This is the standout song on DIADL and only one I ranked. Such a great chorus and vocals from Ray.

[nick_z]

APSOG IV - My rank: #34

This is, for me, when Fates Warning truly starts being Fates Warning on this album. The atmospheric first part, with Matheos' cleans and the bass, is so beautifully moody (that clean chord when Alder sings "Listen, only us breathing"...perfect)...then when Zonder starts playing around with his cymbals, you know something cool is about to happen...and it sure does! Great instrumental section. I don't disagree with JDude that this could be considered an interlude of sorts, but for me it sets the tone brilliantly, even more so than the previous parts.

Firefly - Not Ranked

Not a huge fan of DIADL, unfortunately. The generally heavier approach on this album falls a little flat for me. This song is actually pretty good, and would have made a hypothetical top 75. The chorus, in particular, works very well. 

[devieira73]

I adopted the approach of combining APSOG parts in bigger musical segments that made more sense to me in terms of sounding more or less like a one song. So APSOGIV and V I ranked at #39 and 40. There’s indeed an amazing fretless bass on it and the instrumental section is great!

I love Firefly (#26) and I think DIADL is a very strong album, although the next would be even better.

[TAC]

40 A Pleasant Shade of Gray IV (Listen) (APSOG – 3)

Appeared on 10 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 8 (Dublagent66)

39 Firefly (Darkness in a Different Light – 1)

Appeared on 10 of 19  entries
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Tomislav95)

I ranked neither.

  Joey Vera uses the fretless to GREAT effect a few times on APSOG, but this piece really demonstrates something special, which I doubt anyone expected when the guy from Armored Saint replaced Joe DiBiase. 

Joey's bass playing in Armored Saint is amazing. They had some sneaky intricate parts, especially during the solo sections.


50                                                                              NR
49                                                                              Handful Of Doubt
48                                                                              Chasing Time
47                                                                              APSOG III
46  APSOG VIII (Instrumental)                                     White Flag
45                                                                              APSOG IV
44                                                                              Firefly
43
42
41
40
39  The Longest Shadow Of The Day
38  Face The Fear
37
36
35
34
33
32  Silent Cries
31  Don't Follow Me
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17  Exodus
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6  Down To The Wire
5
4
3
2
1