CHASING TIME

When I first got into Prog I quickly realized that the local record stores carried very little in the way of Progressive music. So when I saw this FATES WARNING cd I snapped it up not knowing anything about it. It actually was a perfect place for me to start, as it covers their first ten years as a band.The title "Chasing Time" is taken from a song on "Perfect Symmetry". It was through this release that I fell in love with the music of FATES WARNING. Two of the songs were previously unreleased, while four are from the John Arch era and eight are with Ray Adler.

We get started with "Monument" from "Inside Out" and this is one of my favourite songs from the band.There are some atmospheric passages as well as a great instrumental section 3 minutes in that includes some Fripp-like guitar believe it or not. "The Apparition" introduced me to my now favourite vocalist John Arch as we are served up some heavy slabs of ecstacy ! This is a head-bangers delight and check out the vocal melody that Arch is famous for. Awesome tune ! "Through Different Eyes" and the following song "Point Of View" are both from "Parallels". The first has some scorching guitar in it while in the second the guitars just grind away. Nice.These two tunes are both accessible and melodic. Great job from Adler as well. "Prelude To Ruin" has a sinister, SABBATH like vibe to it and check out the riffs ! Incredible vocal melodies and mood shift 7 minutes in. More amazing vocals from Arch. "Quietus" is Adler's turn to let it rip in this heavy as hell song from "No Exit". Fantastic tune !

"Eye To Eye" is another release from "Parallels" while the next one "Guardian" is one of my all time favourite songs from "Awaken The Guardian". It opens with some beautiful acoustic guitar that is stomped into the ground by heavy guitar solos. This one for some reason hits my emotional button. "At Fates Fingers" is a previously unreleased instrumental that makes this album a must have all by itself, it's that good ! This is a guitar driven wonder ! "Silent Cries" from "No Exit" is the first song the whole band actually wrote together. Great vocals, heavy riffs and scorching guitar solos. "We Only Say Goodbye" from "Parallels" is such a beautiful tune. A nice change of pace."Damnation" from their debut opens quietly enough with reserved vocals and acoustic guitar, but that all changes 2 1/2 minutes in as dual lead guitars crash the soundscape. Great song ! "Circles" another previously unreleased song would have fit nicely on the "Parallels" album, it was a demo from 1993. "The Eleventh Hour" another favourite of mine, that compels me to say "Holy Crap !"

I originally gave this 5 stars because I love it so much, but decided that I couldn't give a compilation cd a masterpiece rating. So 4.5 stars it is.