INSIDE OUT

"Inside Out" is the 7th full-length studio album by US progressive metal act Fates Warning. The album was released in July 1994 by Metal Blade Records. Fates Warning had enjoyed some commercial success with "Parallels (1991)", which is arguably the most accessible album release by the band, and in some ways the sound on "Inside Out" follows the same formula. Ultimately I think "Inside Out" sounds very different from "Parallels" though.

The much colder and harsher production (courtesy of Fates Warning and Bill Metoyer) sounds very different from the warm and polished Terry Brown production that graced "Parallels". The technical playing is also more prominent on "Inside Out", than was the case on the more subtle progressive "Parallels". There are even a couple of relatively long instrumental parts on the album. Most notably the closing minute of "The Strand" and the middle section in "Monument". The drumming in particular is more prominently technical this time around. Drummer Mark Zonder hits more off-beat notes on this album than what you hear on a standard Bob Marley release and I guess that speaks for itself. Mark Zonder´s playing is as always very tasteful though and his drumming style unique.

Tasteful is actually a very good way to describe the music on "Inside Out". While the vocal melodies are not as memorable as they were on the last album and the playing is more focused on technical details than was the case on "Parallels", the band still create clever compositions and they sound like they play everything with ease. There is a unique flow in the songs that, along with the simultanious clean electric and distorted guitar playing, is one of the defining characteristics of this era Fates Warning. One of the other defining characteristics is of course the distinct sounding vocals by Ray Alder. His performance here is confident and he possesses great skill and the ability to create great emotional impact. The lyrical content hasn´t changed much since "Parallels", and still deal with thoughts and emotions in general.

The songs on the album are generally accessible and memorable. There are several standout tracks on the album but I´d mention "Outside Looking In", "Pale Fire", "The Strand", "Island in the Stream" and "Monument" among the highlights.

"Inside Out" is another outstanding release by Fates Warning and while it´s true that the album is often mentioned as a release that stands in the shadows of "Parallels", I think "Inside Out" in it´s own right is a unique release that deserves a lot of praise. "Inside Out" fully deserves a 5 star rating in my book.

"Inside Out" marks the end of an era in Fates Warning´s career as long- time members Frank Aresti and Joe DiBiase would leave the band after the tour supporting the album. The loss of especially Frank Aresti would have a major impact on how the next couple of albums would sound as Fates Warning opted to continue with only one guitarist. But bassist Joe DiBiase´s contributions to the unique sound that Fates Warning had in the late eighties/ early nineties definitely shouldn´t go unnoticed either.