Long Live John Arch!!!

Review Score: (8/10)
Fans of Fates Warning seem to be understandably divided between the early John Arch era (1984-1987) and their work since with singer Ray Alder. I still feel the later albums are very good, but they'll never match the power that's heard in stuff like THE SPECTRE WITHIN. The performance here is exciting, energetic, thoughtful, and always interesting. "The Apparition" is a FW classic, and the twelve minute "Epitaph" features some outstanding songwriting. As always, John Arch's vocals are excellent, his melodies soaring high and his lyrics thought-provoking. The musicianship is intense yet still tasteful, the emphasis on complementing the songs rather than detracting from them. As a side note, the guy who labelled this shred-metal plainly missed the mark; no band wrote songs this deep or convincing in that bygone era.

Fates' progressive element was still developing here, as a few songs sound slightly disjointed and others more straightforward. That element would be manifested in their subsequent masterpiece, AWAKEN THE GUARDIAN. Nevertheless, this album is essential early Fates Warning and recommended for those seeking something heavier than their current material.

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