 | Tracklist:
1. Leave the Past Behind
2. Life in Still Water
3. Eye to Eye .mp3
4. The Eleventh Hour
5. Point of View
6. We Only Say Goodbye
7. Dont Follow Me
8. The Road Goes on Forever
Release Date: 1991 | |
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On 2 Lists
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| Summary: Absolutely recommended to anyone who hasn’t yet heard anything by Fates Warning, because even though this is still a progressive metal album, it's FW easiest record since they went progressive. |
2 of 2 thought this review was well written
With “Perfect Symmetry” Fates Warning had found themselves in the same position Queensryche did when they made “Rage For Order”; they had released a progressive metal masterpiece (needless to explain if, how and why “Perfect Symmetry” is important to the progressive metal genre) but commercial success was yet to come. Seeing what “Operation:Mindcrime” did to Queensryche’s career, FW decided to take the same step Queensryche took after “Rage For Order”.
Therefore “Parallels” find FW trying to express themselves in a more conventional way. They just simplify their song structures and they try to make use of all their strengths, but in a more accessible way . So they write songs that build up nicely and really explode as soon as choruses kick in, songs that include the catchiest vocal lines since their power metal days, their best melodies and their most straightforward riffs. No wonder this album was initially considered as a commercial release.
This is a false statement though. “Parallels” is not a simplistic, mindless album. It’s not at all a cheesy metal record packed with hit wannabes. On the contrary, it is very introspective and intelligent, it just displays everything in moderation, as opposed to the excess progressive metal usually brings forth. Its intelligence and moderation is best reflected in Jim Matheos lyrics. In “Point of View” he declares every man’s right to have an opinion and the subsequent right for every one else to disagree. In “Eye to Eye” he tries to explain that he and his fans have nothing in common except for the music and in “Don’t Follow me” he states that everyone should find solutions to their own problems and not look up to a musician they admire to find these solutions. In “Leave the Past Behind” he expresses a very rare (for hard rockers anyway) “bygones be bygones” attitude, and so on.
The guitar work in this album is admirable, but for the opposite reasons that it was admirable in “Perfect Symmetry”. Instead of lengthy songs with very odd time changes, there are some of FW’s most powerful riffs and some of the most melodic solos this band ever wrote. Nevertheless, Ray Alder is the true star of this album; his performance is very mature and in the spirit of “Parallels”, modest. In spite of the somewhat sad mood of the album his vocal lines are very catchy and especially in choruses he’s outstanding, bringing to mind Geoff Tate and the way he performed in “Operation:Mindcrime”. As a result all songs in “Parallels” are incredible and only if you absolutely have to pick out a few you’d go for “Eye to Eye”, “Point of View” and the acoustic marvel that is “The Road Goes on Forever”.
Unfortunately, this record didn’t become the commercial breakthrough FW expected. However, it’s sheer brilliance and the fact that “Parallels” is the most accessible FW record since they went progressive is the reason this album is pretty much adored by progressive and non-progressive fans alike. It’s absolutely recommended to anyone who hasn’t yet heard anything by this band, especially before diving in to FW’s more complex stuff.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 4.5
Excellent review. Speaking as someone who has written four Fates Warning reviews, don't expect this review to get much attention here.
This Message Edited On 04.21.09
Digging: The Shizit - The Shizit | | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks dude. It's a pity noone seems to care about FW, they have been one of the most consistent prog metal bands, and one who dared to evolve throughout their career as well
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
It's true, but for some reason this band gets overlooked (not just on this site).
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good review man...i like this and perfect symmetry ...i think they are better than dream theater
Digging: Jesu - Opiate Sun
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Perfect Symmetry is easily better than anything Dream Theater has ever done. Dream Theater don't really have an album as slick and mainstream as this one to compare it to.
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Really impressive review. I enjoyed how informative this was on the band and the genre as a whole. No Exit and FWX were great so I will be on the lookout for this.
Digging: Nadja - Radiance of Shadows
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It is kind of wierd that they're overlooked by this site (myself included), because when I was first getting into prog rock it was always dream theater, queensryche, and fates warning that i saw lumped together as the core group of bands that revived the genre in the early nineties.
Digging: Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
| | | Album Rating: 3
album is pretty good. get awaken the guardian.
Digging: Devin Townsend Project - Addicted | | |
It's a decent album. I used to really love it, but upon a re-spin, it's pretty much got Dragonforce syndrome - granted Fates Warning was well ahead of Dragonforce. A lot of the songs sort of blend together and I often find myself wondering where I am on the album from time to time.
That's not to say that Fates Warning aren't good or that the album isn't good, but a lot of it is the same or very similar material. This is an album I like to go to sleep listening to, especially in stressful circumstances.
Digging: fordirelifesake - Dance.Pretend.Forget.Defend
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Dragonforce syndrome? That couldn't be any further from the truth. I'm curious how much you've even listened to this. The songs don't blend together at all if you're listening in the least, and they definitely aren't even loosely tied to Dragonforce.
| | | Album Rating: 3
lol comparing fates warning to dragonforce the man's still sky high from 4-20
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i don't think he meant they sound like dragonforce i think he was saying all the songs are very samey like dragonforce
Digging: Smog - A River Ain't Too Much Too Love
| | | Album Rating: 3
its funny because they arent
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idk never listened to this gayboy band
| | | Album Rating: 3
homoeroticboy
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gaslight, these guys are too geek for you.
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probably
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I was just listening to this yesterday, which is a good enough reason to bump this underrated band/album.
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