FWX

FWX (or Fates Warning Ten) is Fates Warning's latest album to date and represents the late period of the band's diverse career. As such FWX is most similar in style to Disconnected and A Pleasant Shade Of Gray but inferior to those in quality. It is not a bad album in its own right, but it is clear that the band was running out of steam at this point and the album does sound rather uninspired compared to previous albums. Indeed, I would say that FWX is the least good of all the Ray Alder-era Fates Warning albums. So, I don't think it was a coincidence that the band decided to stop after this album and that there has not been any more Fates Warning albums since. In 2003 (the year before the release of FWX) Jim Matheos reunited with original Fates Warning singer John Arch to record Arch's solo EP A Twist Of Fate and the two epic songs found on that EP sound very much more inspired than anything from FWX. Maybe this was what motivated Matheos to put Fates Warning on ice and record a full length album with Arch in 2010?

The album starts on a high note with its best track, Left Here. This song has about the same quality as the average song from the previous two albums, but the rest of FWX is weaker and it tends to become a little bit samey towards the middle. The band sounds a bit tired and uninspired even if they have not lost they vocals and instrumental skills and talents. There is a nice acoustic touch to some songs and some electronic touches, but very little in terms of adventurous song structures and the like.

If Fates Warning will ever record another studio album together, I hope that it will not be similar to this one but rather a return to the sound of the band's classic period in the late 80's and early 90's.

FWX is recommended only for fans and collectors of the band, but they will surely enjoy it to some degree as did I.

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