Artist: Fates Warning
Label: Metal Blade
Release Date: 7/25/00
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Title: Disconnected Artist: Fates Warning Label: Metal Blade Release Date: 7/25/00 |
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Abyss's Review:
Alright, I guess the less said about this release the better, maybe that will lessen the amount of emails from Fates Warning fans telling me that I just "don't understand" this genre. Well, the fact is that is a true statement, and I'm not going to try and pretend I do, so let's just get by that and this will all be over soon enough for all of us.
Fates Warning, alongside Queensryche, helped define this genre, so they should need no introduction. They've come out with a seven track slab of prog "metal", and although that seems like an EP in this genre, don't worry. There are some songs over ten minutes long to make sure you have enough time to get through the whole bag you most assuredly just bought to accompany this music. And I got to believe that it's just what the average progster would want. There are a good deal of time changes and instrumental solos, as well as an emoting lead vocalist spouting ambiguous lyrics. The musicianship is, of course, very good, and when this band hits a particular melody it's not half bad. The guitar riffs are a bit non-descript, but by no means poor, and the rhythm section is particularly impressive, as is often the case in this genre.
"Unfortunately, it falls into the progressive trap that always blows it for me."
Unfortunately, it falls into the progressive trap that always blows it for me... the 4 minute long passages of near silence- broken only by a repetitive guitar bend or synth sample, that is meant to lull you to sleep until you are suddenly "surprised" when the song actually kicks in again. Fans of this genre seem to live for these moments, but I personally find them to be tedious parlor tricks. In all honesty, this style of music I just find too boring to enjoy (Why don't any of these bands have the songwriting knack that Queesryche did?)
"Probably a good pickup for fans." Aside from that it's probably a good pickup for fans, and although it does seem a bit unambitious for its genre, it's not devoid of quality. "Pieces of Me" has a relatively good hook to it that shows this band can write a melody when they want to, but in all honesty, once this review is done I'll most likely never listen to this disc again. It's unfair, I know. Why should someone who dislikes progressive music even review something like this? The answer is simple, the powers that be make me. I just don't get it, so you may want to skip to Death's review.
Death's Review:
So here it is, Wednesday night/ Thursday morning, and I'm late getting in my Fates Warning review. Abyss and Hel have long since submitted. But I need to do this one right. I feel a special obligation to accurately and completely convey to you how absolutely wonderful this record is.
"Disconnected is a far better record than A Pleasant Shade of Grey, and is probably better than anything since Perfect Symmetry" So I get the inevitable call from our webmaster, who tells me he needs my review. And we get to talking, first about some inaccuracies in last week's Metalfest reviews that many of the Internet diehards felt compelled to write in about (for the record, no Deceased didn't cover Slayer, it was Hirax; and apparently, The Chasm is signed to Dwell records), then about the new Halford, which he had just picked up that day (I still say "Silent Screams" is the best track). But then I busted out with it: "Dude, you really should check out the new Fates Warning, I think you would really like it."
He responded, intrigued. "How does it compare to A Pleasant Shade of Grey"? I answered: "It's not as laborious of a listen; it is definitely different. Warmer, more immediacy to the guitar tone, simpler but heavier guitar riffs, incredible drumming, experimental sounds, quality songwriting."
"Wow," he said. "At first I was thinking of buying it, and reading Abyss' review made me want to buy it anyway, 'cause I know he's not really into that kind of shit, and the way he described it made it seem good. But Hel's review made it seem like it would actually require some work and some effort to get into. Is that the case?"
"is it a chore? Not at all. It is a joy. Probably one of the year's ten best when we're through." "Hmmm," I thought. Good question. I guess that my first thought is that the new Fates Warning is surely not Listening 101, this is definitely graduate-level material. But why? Well, to start with, Fates Warning is still and always probably will be somewhat of a musicians' act. Mark Zonder displays genius-level talent here, reaching back to the intricacy of his performance on Perfect Symmetry while at the same time experimenting with a range of electronic and looped sounds which add a Fear Factory-type element at certain choice parts. And although Jim Matheos has toned down the complexity for complexity's sake aspect to the guitar parts and has kept the riffs almost frustratingly simple, everything on the record works towards advancing a greater rhythmic unity and wonderfully morose spirit that can only be the product of accomplished players.
But lets be honest. There's more to it than that. Fates Warning is not a party band, and it takes a patient and somewhat refined metal ear to appreciate the subtleties a band like them bring to the table. To me, Fates are about more than how well they play, and to me, they have more in common with prior incarnations of the name than simply an aged Jim Matheos. No way. Fates have always had an undercurrent of powerfully morose doom to them, and on Disconnected, the circle now seems complete.
Disconnected is a far better record than A Pleasant Shade of Grey, and is probably better than anything since Perfect. But it is such a stylistic progression for the band that the initial semi-shock at the sound clouds first and maybe even second listens. But as soon as the songs got under my skin, I found myself signing them and longing to listen to the record. "One," "Pieces of Me," "So" and the others, each with its own individual merits and charms. Ray Alder's voice still is high pitched and warbly, but it sounds modern and as effective as ever before, quite frankly.
Is Disconnected a more mature Fates Warning album? I suppose you could call it that. It certainly is a more self-actualized Fates Warning, and the product of the complete solidification of the Zonder/Matheos/Alder voice (although Armored Saint's Joey Vera is audible and complimentary on bass). But back to your question, webmaster: is it a chore? Not at all. It is a joy. Probably one of the year's ten best when we're through. Yes, it requires effort, open-mindedness, and at least a couple of close listens. But it is more than worth the effort. I am both suprised and proud of Disconnected -- I never expected them to throw something this brilliantly new at me while hitting their prime songwriting stride this late in the game.
"I never expected them to throw something this brilliantly new at me while hitting their prime songwriting stride this late in the game." I feel a connection between Awaken the Guardian and Disconnected, I feel like it is the same band. But Arch and Aresti aren't in the band now, and they sound more like Rush and Dream Theater than Queensryche and Maiden. But the soul remains the same, and Disconnected obviously comes from the heart. So give this one a spin or three, will you? I bet it spends more time in your CD player than you thought it would.
Hel's Review:
I come from the perspective of a long-time Fates Warning fan, and I am certain that I will ultimately write this review in a way that will be most understandable to other long-time fans. People who are hearing Fates for the first time may not understand – not only my review, but the album itself – that is unfortunate, but there are some things that defy explanation.
But let me try to explain anyway. You can't just pick up Disconnected, listen to it once, and then decide its value. That would be akin to graduating from high school, walking into a graduate class the very next day, and tying to teach that grad class. You really just have no idea where even to begin. At a minimum, you need to fully familiarize yourself with the content prior to doing anything else at all.
"You can't just pick up Disconnected, listen to it once, and then decide its value." After lengthy study and consideration, I consider this to be a fantastic album. The best thing they've ever done? Well, I'm certainly not ready to say no to that question, further consideration is fully necessary to settle that question, particularly since each time I listen to it, it grows on me even more. At this rate, it could be a month or more before I am able to fully decide where in the continuum of my favorite Fates albums this belongs.
Overall, there are elements in the music on Disconnected both, which we have heard before, and which we have not. Throughout the album there is a great deal of ambience and most of the songs have a similar tone that connects them all together. It is largely experimental and there are several extremely cool guitar sounds.
"After lengthy study and consideration, I consider this to be a fantastic album." Is it heavy? Some parts are, some are not. But that's part of the beauty of Fates Warning, to me. Each song is epic, containing both mellow ambience and metal thrashiness. My fan-dom causes the overall heavy factor to be less important in my overall rating criteria than usual. It is more important that each and every talented individual involved with this project turned in a superb performance.
I've heard this kind of music often referred to as "thinking man's metal", frankly, I think it's more "paying attention person's metal/awesome music". But the first is easier for most to remember, I guess. Call it what you will, it's first-rate in my book.
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