PARALLELS

This would be the first time Terry Brown produced one of their albums. Recorded at Metalworks in Toronto. The band would thank Gil Moore the drummer for TRIUMPH and owner of Metalworks, as well they thank DREAM THEATER and WATCHTOWER. Speaking of DREAM THEATER, James LaBrie sings backup on the track "Life In Still Water". Hugh Syme would do the album cover. So there is a definite Toronto connection with this album, they even wrote "We Only Say Goodbye" on the shores of Lake Ontario. Of course LaBrie is from Ontario as well, he actually grew up in a town about 25 miles from where I live and grew up.This album is more commercial then the previous one "Perfect Symmetry" and not nearly as complex either. A testimony to this is the fact that no less then 4 songs from this album are on their greatest hits compilation "Chasing Time".

"Leave The Past Behind" opens slowly with fragile vocals and gentle guitar.The song picks up and the main melody features the guitars churning it out while Ray sings passionately. Some scorching guitar 4 minutes in sound great ! This is a really good song. Ray's vocals fit perfectly with this style of music, as they did on "Perfect Symmetry". "Life In the Still Water" features the ever-present guitars that grind it out, and the drumming from Zonder is amazing as usual. He's definitely not as "out front" as he was on "Perfect Symmetry" though. Some nice guitar solos on this song as well. "Eye To Eye" was the first song where they wrote the lyrics before the music.This was the second single that was released off this record and it has some tasteful guitar throughout with fantastic vocals.

"The Eleventh Hour" is one of my favourite FATES WARNING songs post "Awaken The Guardian". Someone from the band said if one song could define the band it would be "The Eleventh Hour". An atmospheric intro with light drums and gentle guitar. Ray's vocals are fragile as it all seems so haunting until about 3 minutes in when the song starts to come alive. Best part of the album is the guitar solo followed by Ray's battle cry vocals. "Point Of View" is perhaps the hardest hitting song on the record. Zonder has said it's his favourite off the album to play live. It opens with some great bass from DiBiase and the lead guitars again grind it out. Great tune ! "We Only Say Goodbye" is a surprisingly good song for being so ballad-like. One of my favourites. "Don't Follow Me" is a more uptempo song, while "The Road Goes On Forever" is a slow, atmospheric song with percussion throughout. The guitar to open is beautiful.

Excellent record from the band ! This new accessible direction the band took didn't please all their fans, but this one comes highly recommended.