Well it has been years since we have heard from the likes of original
Fates Warning frontman John Arch, and it is about time. Since his departure in 1987 after the "Awaken the Guardian" album, Arch has gone awol, leaving fans wondering where he has gone and if he would ever return.
Arch has returned with an EP of two extended tracks clocking in at less than thirty minutes. It is kind of a weird for him to surface with two conceptual epics rather than a full album of songs, but after hearing this, I don't think anybody will complain, in fact the only thing that is kind of negative is that after hearing these two cuts I wanted to hear more stuff.
Produced by Arch and Jim Matheos (who also plays all the guitars on the record), featuring
Mike Portnoy on drums and Joey Vera on bass, it should not surprise anyone that there are direct similarities to
Fates Warning and Dream Theater. In fact these two cuts sound almost like they could be a continuation of the extended tracks on the first disc of Dream Theater's "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence," but the originality of Arch's presence remains.
"Relentless," written by both Arch and Matheos is a more dark but yet driven cut sounding heavy and thick with layers of guitars pounding out riffs that are in relation to some of the later period
Fates Warning material, complete with technical mastermind.
"Cheyenne," which is solely written by Arch, follows a different style, being somewhat more epical, using keyboards sparingly, but yet having the same driven style of
"Relentless." "Cheyenne" starts out as a darkish ballad but then metamorphoses into a metallic rush of shattering guitars along with bizarre effects used on the guitars outlaying this cut, which is in more relation to some of the earlier
Fates Warning material.
Both tracks follow progressive elements on top of tempo changes that keep the songs in their envisioned technical form, but the main star on this album is Arch's voice. His range is still wide, with his alto being as clear and strong as it ever was, which would make anyone wonder why he ever left (or should I say, forced to leave, which surprises me that Arch and Matheos are working together). Very well done, but at the same time very short, but all for all, he's back.
Written by
Hashman Tuesday, August 5, 2003
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