 | Tracklist:
1. Left Here
2. Simple Human
3. River Wide Ocean Deep
4. Another Perfect Day
5. Heal Me
6. Sequence #7
7. Crawl
8. A Handful of Doubt
9. Stranger (With a Familiar Face)
10. Wish
Release Date: 2004 | |
| | other reviews | Trey Spencer STAFF (3.5)
Fates Warning continue to change with every album, this time streamlining their sound and increasing... | Gortholomew Sombodom (2)
So what do you get when you take Dream Theater, strip it of all technicality (what's good about DT),... |
On 1 Lists
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| Summary: Definitely not their best, FWX is still as thoroughly entertaining as any other Fates Warning record. |
3 of 3 thought this review was well written
It's true that everyone falters at some point in their career, and Fates Warning is no different. However, those who have claimed FWX to be a complete failure are in need of a hearing check. For starters, there really isn't a single song here that is poorly written or underperformed. Sure, it fails in comparison to their last album, but FWX isn't all that bad, but rather a lot less progressive then before. Second, comparisons of Fates Warning to Dream Theater should not include this being labeled as a “bad Dream Theater album,” as it should be obvious that Fates Warning is not Dream Theater. FWX is merely another step in the evolution of the band. It's their tenth release (so far) and their most recent to their sprawling catalog of progressive flurries. It is still a showcase of the band's ability to compliment each other while playing, and a working model of their beautiful simplistic lyrics that mirror the band members themselves.
“Twenty years and a handful of doubt
The candle burns quick now
And time is running out”
Excerpt from A Handful of Doubt
Returning from a four year hiatus, Fates Warning threw a hand over fist amount of strength into making this record. While it didn't turn out to be their best, it did turn out to be impressive. Much like a melting pot, it turned out to be a combination of their previous efforts. In some areas you have the digital inserts that helped mold A Pleasant Shade of Gray and at times you can make out similarities to the rhythms of Inside Out as well as the epic styles of Parallels. This album is also their heaviest to date, beating out Disconnected with bombastic tracks like Simple Human and Crawl. FWX can be arguably seen as a rushed effort in the fact that it does not have anything too special to stand out against their previous more progressive efforts. The result here is too convincing to have been anything other than a massive spark in the band's creative brains.
“You tell me you love me… and I wonder why.
The sun is overhead but I can't see past the clouds in my eye
You show me what is real and I just pretend
Another perfect day and I wonder how it all will end”
Excerpt from Another Perfect Day
Perhaps the greatest letdown of FWX is that it fails to become anything greater than their past albums. The songs individually are not bad, but not a single song stands out as epically as "Monument" or "Anarchy Divine." Even Inside Out was more instrumentally innovative and was daring to include different kinds of progressive elements.
FWX acts as an extremely strong foundation; It holds its place, but there is nothing on top of it that stands up or stands out. While FWX's flame is one that flickers, song's like Another Perfect Day and Left Here are not to be missed by any listener of Fates Warning. A portion of the songs really should be medically labeled as depressants, especially the notable finale Wish. Throughout the somber tune it grabs the listener, as if pulling them into a dark abyss of melancholia. The way the album ends leaves a hint of foreshadowing to the next FW album, and I can't help but feel giddy knowing what could come from their next release.
Rating: 3/5
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Album Rating: 3
Okay, I've had a headache all day, I am going to go lie down now
The Fates Warning Discography is complete.
Digging: King's X - Dogman Digging: King's X - Dogman | | |
Aaah, Another Perfect Day is on this one. A perfect song! I've never heard the rest, will correct it.
Digging: Taal - Skymind
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
I never could get into this one, and I've tried. The riffs seem bland and uninteresting to me, and it there's virtually no lead guitar melodies or solos. Not what I expect from Fates Warning.
Digging: Beyond the Bridge - The Old Man and The Spirit | | | Album Rating: 3.5
Nice work on completing the discography. I've been enjoying getting into these guys.
Digging: Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here Digging: Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here | | | Album Rating: 3
thanks ties and jethro, hope you enjoyed the review.
@horror: its understandable, i mean, i can't seem to enjoy the John Arch era at all.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
I couldn't get into the Arch era at all. I'm enjoying most of the Alder era though.
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just a nitpicky formatting suggestion, with the big quotes, I like to center and italicize them:
{center}{i}QUOTE{/i}{/center} (except of course with square brackets)
Might have wrapped up the conclusion a little quickly, but a good review nonetheless. And congrats on finishing this discography man!! shit that's impressive, I'm stoked about the fact that I've reviewed two of six of The Features' releases and that's about as far into a discography as I've gotten haha
Digging: Spraynard - Funtitled Digging: Spraynard - Funtitled
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Good review, pos.
I haven't listened to this in quite a while, so i don't remember it, but i remember it to be very different from the previous FW albums.
Perhaps the greatest letdown of FWX is that it fails to become anything greater than their past albums
I agree, but it depends on how much one will dwell in it, as the album is a bit of a grower.
River Wide Ocean Deep is a terrific song.
Digging: Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic | | | Album Rating: 3.5
Whole album is interesting, haven't listened to it in a while unfortunately. Great review!
Digging: Vaura - Selenelion | | |
this sounds heavy! i will check it out as im trying to get into more manly music
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gd album
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