The first single is really good... but I'm definitely biased.

Biased? Me too.

Have you heard it?

I love me some Fates. I will give it a try.

Solid track, but I don't see how this different from any modern FW track

I was thinking the same thing.

Will most likely still try the whole album when it releases just to see if much else is going on. Hopefully, he strays from the FW path a little bit more on the other songs.

@bloc:

Edited for clarity... it definitely sounds like a modern Fates Warning song, and I'm willing to bet a majority of these songs were written with Fates in mind. I figure this is released as a solo album because if Ray waited to try to get his songs on a Fates album he could be waiting years before another one is released. Also, even if there was another Fates album coming out soon (which doesn't seem likely) the songwriting is dominated (Rightfully so) by Jim Matheos, so these songs still probably wouldn't see the light of day.

I didn't realize they weren't planning on putting out another album anytime soon.

Ray is focusing on this, and Jim has Arch/Matheos that just barely came out.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I meant to listen to it and never did.

I was not impressed by it, unfortunately. It was okay, but not nearly as good as their last album together.

yeah this is really good

I really like this, but I as well am biased seeing Ray ranks up there as one of my favorite vocalists.

Sweet

drums sound good but this is pretty boring, vocals absolutely put me to sleep here

Great news, looking forward to listen to this!

I was not impressed by it, unfortunately. It was okay, but not nearly as good as their last album together.

Agreed, although the album starts strong.

If there's no new Fates Warning for a while, I certainly don't mind this.

Nice one.

Such a shame Ray left Redemption. Arch/Matheos is horrible. Arch is so one-dimensional.
This is kinda generic/boring.

Arch/Matheos rules agreed m/

--vocals absolutely put me to sleep here--

From Redemption to modern Fates Warning, Ray doesn't use a lot of range anymore. He did seem to have a little more grit in places, though, on this. It seems strange that he picked a song so far into the album. I feel like this might be one of the more straight-ahead rockers, based on the song's placement in the album.

--Agreed, although the album starts strong.--

The opening song is okay, but the only other standouts are "Wrath of the Universe" and "Straight and Narrow".

--Arch/Matheos is horrible. Arch is so one-dimensional.--

John Arch is fantastic, in my opinion. I don't know what happened on 'Winter Ethereal', but it feels like Jim is more to blame. The music just feels lacking, which leaves John at a disadvantage from the start.

Also, has anyone heard Ray's Engine albums. They're like straight-up modern metal with a hint of prog.

Engine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpmvi47B2Pk

The new Fates Warning album from what I've heard from Jim is pretty much done already and was written very shortly after their last one. That album should be out in 2020... so I don't think Ray wrote this with Fates in mind at all. I think that's the headspace he is in when he wites modern and heavy music. Just like the Engine albums have a strong Numetal vibe. That's just where his headspace is

That said, it does have a modern FW quality to it, though with less dynamics. It's very good and should fit in nicely with what Ray has done in the past.

I enjoy Ray's midrange, it's where he needs to be at his age. It's strong and when he really opens up in that range (see The Light and Shade of Things), few people do it better.

If what you're saying is true, that would be awesome. Fates' last album was easily my favorite of their entire discography... although nostaglia still brings me back to Awaken and Parallels (almost all of their discography, really).

I enjoy Ray's midrange too. It definitely makes the songs more 'modern', and despite the diminished vocal dynamics he seems to be able to be more expressive with his voice these days. Especially compared to the No Exit/Perfect Symmetry era.

Never liked Fates Warning or Rush tbh

King Crimson ftw

Fates Warning is quite a bit different from especially Rush and King Crimson tho.
In terms of instrumentation it's quite a lot heavier - being metal based where Rush and King Crimson are more classic rock based. In terms of vibe I can see some similarity between Alder-fronted Fates Warning and King Crimson tho. Both have that downtrodden feel going on at times.

Never heard Engine before. Sounds cool. He sounds fairly diff there than what I have heard out of Fates, too.

Alder has gone thru some interesting vocal changes over the years. I was kind of skipping around when I first started listening to Fates and went from Parallels to Theories and thought they had a different vocalist on first listen.

Willie, check it here:

http://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/site/news-fates-warning-sign-2019-album-contract-with-metal-blade-records/

Also totally agreed on Theories. They knocked it out of the park on that album!

Ray album and Arch/Matheos in 2019, new Fates in 2020. Good times

The drummer from Ignite drumming with Fates Warning vocalist, pretty interesting!

Enjoyable but prefer FW more. Will check out the full album when it's out.