FATES WARNING "Perfect Symmetry" /CD/

The ninth full-length studio album by legendary American Progressive Metal band.
Massacre Records, 2000 (MAS DP0242). Made in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:
1. Disconnected Part 1 01:13
2. One 04:27
3. So 08:08
4. Pieces Of Me 04:24
5. Something From Nothing 10:59
6. Still Remains 16:08
7. Disconnected Part 2 06:11
Total playing time: 51:32 min.

Remastered re-release of debut full-length album by legendary Progressive Heavy/Power/Speed Metal band.
The debut of 1984 showed the band around mastermind Jim Matheos still pretty straight and quite MAIDEN-esque. But a song like "Damnation" already shows the epic direction of the later century-albums like "The Spectre Within" and "Awaken The Guardian", for many the evangelium in Metal! But also songs like "The Calling", "Kiss Of Death", "Soldier Boy" or the great title track are mandatory cult! John Arch just as a gigantic voice and his original vocallines are extraordinary and make the old Fates Warning something very special! That is just the magic that the last three releases of the band are lacking a bit. Basically, this is the demo recording, upgraded to first album status. The title of the album is apparently a reference to The Bröcken, a mountain in Lower-Saxony (Germany) that is traditionally connected with witches (Walpurgis Night), most famously in Goethe's “Faust”. The reference becomes apparent on two original album covers that "were scrapped prior to major distribution".
Re-edition contains four bonus tracks!
Metal will never be this unique and creative again!!
Metal Blade, 1984/2002 (3984-14431-2). Made in Germany.



Tracklist:
1.Buried Alive 04:39
2.The Calling 05:04
3.Kiss Of Death 04:39
4.Night On Brocken 05:30
5.S.E.K. 01:19
6.Misfit 05:06
7.Shadowfax 03:17
8.Damnation 06:27
9.Soldier Boy 06:26
Bonus Tracks:
10.Last Call 05:39
11.The Calling 04:37
12.Kiss Of Death 04:35
13.Flight Of Icarus (+ hidden track) 05:19
Total playing time: 62:39 min.

Remastered re-release of debut full-length album by legendary Progressive Heavy/Power/Speed Metal band.
The debut of 1984 showed the band around mastermind Jim Matheos still pretty straight and quite MAIDEN-esque. But a song like "Damnation" already shows the epic direction of the later century-albums like "The Spectre Within" and "Awaken The Guardian", for many the evangelium in Metal! But also songs like "The Calling", "Kiss Of Death", "Soldier Boy" or the great title track are mandatory cult! John Arch just as a gigantic voice and his original vocallines are extraordinary and make the old Fates Warning something very special! That is just the magic that the last three releases of the band are lacking a bit. Basically, this is the demo recording, upgraded to first album status. The title of the album is apparently a reference to The Bröcken, a mountain in Lower-Saxony (Germany) that is traditionally connected with witches (Walpurgis Night), most famously in Goethe's “Faust”. The reference becomes apparent on two original album covers that "were scrapped prior to major distribution".
Re-edition contains four bonus tracks!
Metal will never be this unique and creative again!!
Metal Blade/Heavy Metal Rock, 1984/2002/2012 (PLCD53281). Made in Brazil.



Tracklist:
1.Buried Alive 04:39
2.The Calling 05:04
3.Kiss Of Death 04:39
4.Night On Brocken 05:30
5.S.E.K. 01:19
6.Misfit 05:06
7.Shadowfax 03:17
8.Damnation 06:27
9.Soldier Boy 06:26
Bonus Tracks:
10.Last Call 05:39
11.The Calling 04:37
12.Kiss Of Death 04:35
13.Flight Of Icarus (+ hidden track) 05:19
Total playing time: 62:39 min.




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The eighth full-length studio album by legendary American Progressive Metal band.
Album contains one song divided into twelve chapters and is noted for its darker mood and more Progressive style. The band’s attempt to widen its audience through a more accessible/commercial Progressive Metal sound with "Parallels" (more) and "Inside Out" (less), was unsuccessful, although both records were ranked as great or excellent, in terms of artistic success. The band’s rushed urge and the subsequent failure to combine artistic and commercial success were two evils masking a tremendous benefit. From this point further, Fates Warning could finally claim uncompromised artistic freedom without the oppressive burden of commercial success on their backs, in short without having to prove anything to anyone. And this was the case.
Matheos composed one big song, separated in 12 chapters. Following the structure of a book, those song chapters are related to a loose but clear concept floating around the body of the lyrics that revolves around the semiology of peoples’ hopes, dreams, guilt and regrets with respect to the fellow human being. What is, what has been and what could have been.
In terms of music, the band, based on its well established Progressive Metal patents, forged a dark sound inspired from the Blues but also from Industrial. In more detail, the song chapters are comprised of few, sometimes simplistic, sometimes “similar” but highly memorable and addictive rhythms and melodies. The repetition of certain of these melodies and riffs, solidifies (along with the lyrics) the album’s nature, that of a soundtrack for a movie, existing or not, little does it matter. In addition, Fates Warning leave aside the traditional Rock/Metal song structures by varying, as they see fit, the magnitude of the instrumental parts in each song chapter. Jim Matheos adapts all the band's trademark elements to the new album’s needs in a most prolific way. His riffing is staccato or flowing in equal portions, yet minimal altogether, while it blends superbly with his trademark semi electro-acoustic parts. The latter sound so simple and yet genuinely inspired, while they are mainly responsible for keeping the soundtrack element intact throughout the record. The rhythm section, comprised by Joe Vera (Armored Saint) and Mark Zonder, follows Matheos’s riffing and delivers top-notch musicianship. While Vera’s bass lines hold tight to the guitars for the most part, Mark Zonder’s drumming is equally precise, as it is intense and chaotic altogether. Whether he must sustain a slow or a furious pace, being at times “out” of the arrangements of the rest of the band, Zonder delivers his beats with tremendous vigor. As a result, he is stealing – at times – all the attention a listener has to give. Furthermore, his extravagant ability by which he realizes his off-key patterns for the cymbals is simply orgasmic.
The sound production is immense. Although the two previous Fates Warning albums had great production as well, with this, things are ten times better. The sound of the guitars is thick, the keyboards and effects have the anticipated depth, the same holds for the drums, while the bass lines are joyfully audible.
This album can be seen as the epitome of what Fates Warning do better than anyone, from “Perfect Symmetry” and forth. That is, to provide us each time with an updated Prog Metal adaptation of the diary of our lives!!
Massacre Records, 1997 (MAS CD0125). Made in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:
1. Part I 1:53
2. Part II 3:25
3. Part III 3:53
4. Part IV 4:26
5. Part V 5:24
6. Part VI 7:28
7. Part VII 4:51
8. Part VIII 3:31
9. Part IX 4:45
10. Part X 1:19
11. Part XI 3:34
12. Part XII 7:45
Total playing time: 53:48 min.



Samples: https://fateswarning.bandcamp.com



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The first re-release of the seventh full-length studio album by legendary American Progressive Metal band.
The album continues with the commercial sound that "Parallels" began, but not as effective as a collective whole. The tracks seem to be a bit edgier and slightly harsher than those from "Parallels", and lyrically they are more introspective.
Mark Zonder's drumming approach continues to impress and Jim Matheos' guitar arrangements have grown increasingly complex; however, the band seems to be struggling for a clear direction. An effort toward commercial success is evident; however, they are also attempting to satisfy their core fan base. The standard strong structures can grow tiresome, but there are catchy melodies such as "Shelter Me" and "Pale Fire." "Island in the Stream" is a memorable ballad that works despite the use of strings. "Down to the Wire" and "Face the Fear" are aggressive songs that show the band's energy, but again suffer from Pop clichés. "Monument" is the session's best performance and has become one of the band's most requested songs (Mark Zonder is simply astonishing on this track). For all the fans who are in awe of Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, it would be a disservice not to investigate the Progressive stylings of Zonder. The music here is bubbling just below the surface, but never quite erupts as it should. Still recommended for Zonder's performance alone.
It was the last to feature long-time members Frank Aresti and Joe DiBiase, who left after its release. Aresti would rejoin Fates Warning in 2005 and appeared on their 2013 album "Darkness In A Different Light". DiBiase would return in 2010 for a number of shows, but did not officially rejoin.
"Inside Out" is an extremely melodic album, featuring amazing musicianship and fine songwriting both in terms of music and lyrics. Having that said, no Fates Warning or Metal collection would be complete without this album, so go buy it!!
Massacre Records, 1994/2004 (MASS CD 037). Made in Germany.


Tracklist:
1. Outside Looking In 4:50
2. Pale Fire 4:17
3. The Strand 5:29
4. Shelter Me 4:45
5. Island In The Stream 6:30
6. Down To The Wire 4:30
7. Face The Fear 5:37
8. Inward Bound 2:34
9. Monument 6:34
10. Afterglow 3:26
Total playing time: 48:39 min.

The thirteenth full-length studio album by legendary American Progressive Metal band.
Fates Warning have been a formidable presence in Progressive Metal for more than 35 years, helping to shape and drive the genre without ever compromising their integrity or losing relevance. "Long Day Good Night" their most epic and longest album of their storied career. The styles of music distinguish this record from the rest of their catalogue. There are some songs with electronics and some with a nice ethereal feel, as well as some pretty straightforward grooves. And there are also some pretty heavy songs. The band 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.
"Long Day Good Night" is certainly Fates Warning’s most versatile and varied release, but that doesn’t translate into their best effort. The band’s goal seems to be to demonstrate a wide variety of moods and styles, and in that manner they have succeeded. With “Long Day Good Night”, Fates Warning once again take a bold step forward into the next phase of their exhilarating career!
Limited Edition to 300 copies 180g Clear White Marbled Vinyl in gatefold cover includes download card.
Metal Blade Records Inc., 2020 (3984-15735-1). Made in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:

Side A
1. The Destination Onward 8:12
2. Shuttered World 5:14
3. Alone We Walk 4:44

Side B
4. Now Comes the Rain 4:15
5. The Way Home 7:43
6. Under The Sun 5:49

Running time: 35:57 min.

Side C
7. Scars 5:05
8. Begin Again 4:06
9. When Snow Falls 4:15
10. Liar 4:23

Side D
11. Glass Houses 3:36
12. The Longest Shadow of the Day 11:29
13. The Last Song 3:31

Running time: 36:25 min.

Total playing time: 72:22 min.


Samples: https://fateswarning.bandcamp.com

The debut full-length studio album by American Progressive Doom Metal band.
"Dawn Of Ages" is the result of a collaboration between two very powerful figures in their own right of the Metal scene - founding Fates Warning guitarist Victor Arduini and Argus vocalist Paul "Butch" Balich.
The story goes back in time to the end of 2013, when Arduini put a final word to his experience with Freedoms Reign. Victor needed more freedom to express his creativity, feeling his ideas weren’t much fitting into the style of Freedoms Reign anymore. If you've heard Freedoms Reign, you'll immediately understand why it was the right decision for Victor to move on.
The music on "Dawn Of Ages" has a pronounced Doom vibe, with a clear Black Sabbath influence that can be heard on the bludgeoning opening riff of "Into Exile" and the ethereal guitar work of "The Wraith." Arduini's guitar work is superb and the tone he achieves is downright menacing, though he doesn't limit the atmosphere to pure Doom, as the change to a major key at the end of "Beyond the Barricade" can attest. As for Balich, he gets to cover familiar ground, as "Dawn Of Ages" is not unlike Argus in style. He delivers an outstanding performance, as though working with different musicians has energized him. He's able to wring more emotion from his vocals, bringing the appropriate weight to the somber lyrics.
"Dawn Of Ages" is long, clocking in at just over an hour. Long albums generally annoy a listener, but "Dawn Of Ages" has such complex and at the same time engaging songwriting you'll never get bored, but maybe still the whole package is a load. An awesome load!
Fans of Black Sabbath, While Heaven Wept, Atlantean Kodex and all True/Doom Metal must check this one out!!
Cruz Del Sur Music, 2017 (CRUZ85). Made in Italy. Pressed in Austria. First press.


Tracklist:
1. The Fallen 10:06
2. Forever Fade 06:09
3. Into Exile 11:37
4. The Wraith 13:43
5. Beyond the Barricade 17:26
6. The Gates of Acheron 03:38
Total playing time: 62:39 min.


Samples: https://arduinibalich.bandcamp.com

The thirteenth full-length studio album by legendary American Progressive Metal band.
Fates Warning have been a formidable presence in Progressive Metal for more than 35 years, helping to shape and drive the genre without ever compromising their integrity or losing relevance. "Long Day Good Night" their most epic and longest album of their storied career. The styles of music distinguish this record from the rest of their catalogue. There are some songs with electronics and some with a nice ethereal feel, as well as some pretty straightforward grooves. And there are also some pretty heavy songs. The band 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.
"Long Day Good Night" is certainly Fates Warning’s most versatile and varied release, but that doesn’t translate into their best effort. The band’s goal seems to be to demonstrate a wide variety of moods and styles, and in that manner they have succeeded. With “Long Day Good Night”, Fates Warning once again take a bold step forward into the next phase of their exhilarating career!
180g Black Vinyl in gatefold cover includes download card.
Metal Blade Records Inc., 2020 (3984-15735-1). Made in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:

Side A
1. The Destination Onward 8:12
2. Shuttered World 5:14
3. Alone We Walk 4:44

Side B
4. Now Comes the Rain 4:15
5. The Way Home 7:43
6. Under The Sun 5:49

Running time: 35:57 min.

Side C
7. Scars 5:05
8. Begin Again 4:06
9. When Snow Falls 4:15
10. Liar 4:23

Side D
11. Glass Houses 3:36
12. The Longest Shadow of the Day 11:29
13. The Last Song 3:31

Running time: 36:25 min.

Total playing time: 72:22 min.

The first re-release of the fourth full-length studio album by legendary American Progressive Metal band.
The first Fates Warning album to feature current singer Ray Alder, who replaced John Arch after the release of "Awaken The Guardian" (1986), as well as the last to feature drummer Steve Zimmerman, who left the band just prior to the recording of their subsequent album "Perfect Symmetry" (1989). The album's title was inspired by No Exit, a 1944 play written by French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.
Usually regarded as the finest release from Fates Warning's early years, when their Progressive leanings were tempered with no small amount of classic Metal riffing, "No Exit" is a typically difficult album to come to grips with. Still, the album is another step forward, and tracks like "Anarchy Divine", "Shades of Heavenly Death", and "In a Word" rank among the best of their career thus far. Side two is entirely taken by the daunting "The Ivory Gate of Dreams", which, at over 20 minutes and eight separate parts, finds the band in its most extreme and complex Progressive Metal mode. "The Ivory Gate of Dreams" remains one of their better songs even three decades later. Songs like this weren't really common until the late 90s, when Dream Theater really popularized them. Many people call long songs like this, "epics", and it's absolutely a journey of epic proportions.
Like his predecessor, new vocalist Ray Alder's piercing screams are something of an acquired taste (coming off like a less disciplined version of Queensrÿche's Geoff Tate), but the rest of the band perform to their usual high technical standards.
"No Exit" is one of Fates Warning's most acclaimed releases, and rightfully so. It is a landmark album in Progressive Metal, and it marked a shift of the band from a Power Metal approach to a more Progressive approach. However, with the popularity of Thrash Metal thanks to acts like Metallica and Megadeth, they also intertwined elements of Thrash into this album. The result is an album that is unique and, at times, odd (in a good way).
In general, this album absolutely deserves its spot of notoriety among Progressive Metal, and it led to what became the most foundational band in the genre!
The album reached No. 111 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for thirteen weeks, longer than any of the band's albums before or since. In a 2007 article by IGN, it was ranked No. 14 on their list of "Top 25 Metal Albums".
Mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in May 2020, 180-gram Black Vinyl includes Download Card and two-sided Poster.
Metal Blade Records, 1988/2020 (3984-25168-1). Made in Germany.


Tracklist:

Side 1
1. No Exit 0:41
2. Anarchy Divine 3:46
3. Silent Cries 3:17
4. In A Word 4:25
5. Shades Of Heavenly Death 5:56

Side 2
6. The Ivory Gate Of Dreams 21:25
    I. Innocence 1:13
    II. Cold Daze 2:15
    III. Daylight Dreamers 3:06
    IV. Quietus 4:25
    V. Ivory Tower 3:17
    VI. Whispers on the Wind 2:24
     VII. Acquiescence 4:24
     VIII. Retrospect 1:01

Total playing time: 40:04 min.



Samples: 
https://fateswarning.bandcamp.com
https://fateswarning.bandcamp.com

The tenth full-length studio album by legendary American Progressive Metal band.
Band's last album on Metal Blade Records until re-signing in 2019. It is also their last studio album to feature drummer Mark Zonder.
There may be four years separating "FWX" from the last Fates Warning album, "Disconnected", but the progression between the two releases is as fluid as the gap between their 1988 Metallic peak "No Exit" and 1997 Progressive Extreme "Pleasant Shade Of Gray" is wide. Both of those career highs come to mind when listening to "FWX".
"FWX" is a complex album for the heavier and more Progressive metalheads out there. Full of existential, gargantuan, and bombastic cuts. Jim Matheos' vocals are heard front and centre, dominating each mix with performative vigour.
Give Jim Matheos, Ray Alder and crew credit: there are few bands that have been around as long (twenty years for founding member Matheos, and sixteen for vocalist Alder) that produce albums as consistent or inventive as "FWX".
Metal Blade Records, 2004 (3984-14500-2). Made in Germany. First press.


Tracklist:
1. Left Here 6:59
2. Simple Human 4:03
3. River Wide Ocean Deep 6:09
4. Another Perfect Day 4:43
5. Heal Me 7:38
6. Sequence #7 2:13
7. Crawl 4:21
8. A Handful Of Doubt 5:06
9. Stranger (With A Familiar Face) 4:20
10. Wish 6:38
Total playing time: 52:15 min.