Search - Fates Warning :: Disconnected

Fates Warning - The Band Continues To Evolve

Steven Sly | Kalamazoo, MI United States | 02/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After the complex prog concept piece that was the bands previous album "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray", Fates Warning came back in 2000 with an album of individual songs. Augmented with former Dream Theater and current OSI keyboard man Kevin Moore the band come up with another winner of modern progressive metal. Fates warning, in my opinion, just keep getting better with age, and I think this album ranks right up with their best. The album begins and ends with a mournful guitar wail not unlike an electric foghorn. It sets the tone for the rest of the disc and concludes the proceedings in the same manner connecting the tracks in the middle with a theme of loneliness and sorrow. Yes this is a bit of a downer album lyrically, but in the case of Fates Warning this only adds to the ambience of the music. When Ray Alder sings the "I'm so tired" chorus of the song "So", the delivery is so emotional that the listener can feel the fatigue of the protagonist in the song. The centerpiece of the album is the 16 minute plus "Something From Nothing". This epic track contains everything that makes Fates Warning great both musically, vocally and lyrically. Kudos to the band for not getting stuck in a rut like many of their peers. Instead of continually recreating their patented sound the band bring in the influence of new millennium metal bands such as Tool and manage to keep things fresh and relevant. Kevin Moore's keyboards also add just the right touch and also provide a more modern touch. Listening closely you can hear many electronic noises and textures that would not be unusual to find on a modern electronica or space rock album. "Disconnected" is a great prog metal album. If you are at all a Fates fan or a fan of heavy progressive rock in general this is a great one to check out."