Customer Reviews

Disconnected

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Forget what you thought you knew about popular music. Disconnect your brain from the concepts of traditional rhythm, classical harmony, conventional song structure and stereo-typical pop culture ideals. Got it all erased? Now you are prepared to delve into the mastering minds of progressive metal's masters, Fates Warning. After having taken the concept album seeming as far as they possibly could in every direction on the epic A Pleasant Shade of Grey, the Connecticut sons return with a more focused effort, though no less ambitious in writing. Disconnected seeks to bring together the masterwork ideal of thematic writing with the more song oriented flow from the Parallels/ Perfect Symmetry/ No Exit era. Disconnected finds the core trio of Ray Alder (voices), Jim Matheos (guitars), Mark Zonder (percussion) rejoining forces with long-time friends Joey Vera (bass, from Armored Saint) and Kevin Moore (keyboards, from Dream Theater). The flowing ebb and wake the quintet creates through pastoral colouring of sound is as dynamically expressive as it is musically complex. There are few bands with the structured musicianship that Fates Warning consistently bring to the table. Their experimentation with textures and sound colouration harmonically is intertwined with their disregard of time signatures in an effortless flow. The grace by which the quintet conquer the traditional bounds of music is inspiring and the lines soar as much as they whisper.

Disconnected is what past Fates Warning fans have been longing for the past several efforts while establishing a new direction for the band in the next decade. After nearly twenty years their sound transcends the definition of maturity and exudes a depth of style and precision that encompasses the true spirit of music, both in mechanics and artistic expression. You have been warned about defining music by traditional orchestrated structure, now accept the hand the fates have dealt to you. Disconnect every previous notion you have and embrace the value of Fates Warning.

I always hate to use the word 'mature' describing music, especially metal bands, but it's probably the best description. This is what metal should be like; not being loud for its own sake, but adding to the music. The Who understood. King Crimson, Dream Theater, Queensryche, they understand. And so does Fates Warning.

Disconnection. Alienation, separation, loneliness. The subject has been dealt with many times before, true, but at least Fates (mostly) isn't resorting to cliches here. The lonely feeling is palpable throughout, from Ray Alder's dead-on vocal delivery to Jim Matheos's guitar wails that open and close the album. (Has he been listening to a little too much Robert Fripp lately? Nevermind.) Though Ray contributes a lyric or two, this is mostly Jim's baby. Hard to believe how far they've come since the D&D days of Awaken the Guardian, isn't it? There's hardly any soloing or showing off here, no wild screaming or frenzies of 64th notes. Like their previous A Pleasant Shade of Gray this is an album full of tones and textures, a recording where the production and ambiance is just as important as the music.

This will also come as a relief to those who disliked the valium-induced-coma approach of PSoG. Though the mood is dark and dreary as ever - I still find Disconnected impossible to listen to if I'm in a happy mood - they've brought fire and energy back to the mix. Mark Zonder's wonderfully understated drumming gives everything just the punch it needs, and they've remembered to turn up the tempo again. The one exception is "So;" Ray sings tiredly and everyone else seems practically numb. And for that track, that's exacty how it should be.

Is this album worth buying? That probably depends on what you're looking for. If you just want heavy metal, probably not. If you prefer subtlety in music you have to hear several times to appreciate, come right in. Welcome.

How do you top A Pleasant Shade of Grey (APSOG)?

You don't try to. I will have to admit, I was skeptical about this album. After all, APSOG didn't leave my heavy rotation for over a year (it didn't leave my cd player for three months!).

Disconnected? This isn't a new theme. Queensryche has brushed on the subject several times, but not to the extent that ever satisfied me. So I popped this cd in and listened to it the first time. Impressive, but different.

So I listened again. In reading some of the other reviews, some people were disappointed or were expecting something else I guess. So was I. My second listen was disappointing. There was something, I don't know what....disturbing? Annoying? Irritating? What was wrong? What was I missing?

So I set it aside. For a few days. But the opening guitar riffs, which carry the familiarity of haunting whale sounds, stuck in my head. I put it back in and gave it a couple of more spins.

I don't know if it grew on me, but I don't think so. I think I grasped the message. I can't write it here, because I can't verbalize it. All I can say is that they achieve in this album the feeling of disconnection that is ingrained in our societal consciousness. And they toast your socks off (nice and heavy).

This isn't APSOG. Don't expect it to be. But what amazes me is the fact that these guys continue to produce such great albums without losing their way or losing their focus. They are in top form. Buy this album, definitely buy APSOG.

Fates Warning's previous effort, A Pleasant Shade of Gray, is one of my favorite albums of all-time. Knowing that, I wasn't expecting Disconnected to top it. And it doesn't. That's not saying it's bad, APSOG is an album for the ages. Disconnected doesn't quite reach that elated status, but it's still an excellent effort nonetheless.

The album starts out with Part I of the title track, a short opening number that serves to set up nicely with the heavy opening of One, a nice song with shifting dynamics. So and Pieces of Me are two other good songs, which show without a doubt that Jim has brought back Fates heavy sound. However, those three songs are good, but not great; they give one a sense that there is something excellent bubbling just below the surface about to explode.

And explode it does on the next two songs, the epics Something From Nothing and Still Remains. These lengthy pieces are Fates Warning at their best: heavy vitroustic guitar playing from Jim Matheos, unique drumming from Mark Zonder, and Ray Alder's expressive vocals. I should not discount the two unofficial band members, Joey Vera, whose crunchy bass lines drive segments of the songs (especially Something From Nothing) and master keyboard player Kevin Moore, who adds texture to these two epics that guitar/bass/drums alone could not provide.The album it worth buying for these two songs alone.

Overall, not as good as Pleasant Shade, but a must for any Fates Warning or prog-metal fan.

Who would have thought Fates Warning would manage to create another album on par with the masterpiece A Pleasant Shade of Gray... somehow they did. I was afraid of stagnation, after all the band has existed, and released albums since the '80s, it's more than rare that the musicians manage to keep refining their art, being creative and progressive while retaining their identity. Even if this album is quite distinct, and in some ways differs from their earlier works, it's still very much Fates Warning.

Describing music with words is never an easy task, and I wont even attempt doing so with this one. All I will say is that the playing is superb, as always from Fates', the lyrics are interesting and emotional. And the compositions, as always, are masterpieces.

If you are into art rock, prog rock, and thus dont suffer from an 'mtv' attention span, the Fates might be able to deliver.

This album is in my humble opinion among the greats of progressive rock/metal, not the same as A Pleasant Shade Of Gray, nor Perfect Symmetry, but on the same level if different.

I ALWAYS RESPECTED BANDS THAT WERE NEVER AFRAID TO PUSH THEIR MUSIC ORAMA TO THE VERY LIMIT. ONE OF THEM ARE FATE'S WARNING. FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF THE "NIGHT ON BROKEN" TILL THEIR LATEST MASTERPIECE "DISCONNECTED" THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO PUT ME IN THE POSSITION NOT KNOWING WHAT HIT ME!!!! THERE IS NO THING AS "CLASSIC F.W. ALBUM" DUE TO THE EXPERIMENTAL CHARACTER OF THE BAND. MY FAVORITE SONGS ARE "SOMETHING FOR NOTHING" AND "STILL REMAINS", EVEN THOUGH I GOT THE CHILLS FROM THE VERY FIRST SOUND OF THE PESSIMISTIC INTRODUCTION OF "DISCONNECTED PT 1". I GLADDLY DISCOVERED THAT KEVIN MOORE'S CONTRIBUTION CONTINUED WITH THIS ALBUM AND THAT THE CHARISMATIC EX-ARMORED SAINT BASS PLAYER JOEY VERA IS STILL BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE RYTHM SECTION ALONG WITH THE RAVING LUNATIC MARK ZONDER - A MAN WHO CAN PLAY THE MOST SIMPLE TUNES IN THE BEST PROGRESSIVE WAY...

IF YOU LIKE FATE'S WARNING, YOU DON'T NEED TO READ THIS REVIEW. IF YOU'RE NOT AQUANTED WITH THEIR MUSIC, TRY THEM OR ELSE..... YOUR LOSS!!!!!!

Fates Warning seems to delve a little more into the gothic direction with their new album. It's a little more techno-rock than what we're used to, kind of like APSOG but a bit more accessible and danceable. Disconnected may be repetitive, but it's all in the concept. Being both a prog and electronica fan, I immediately fell in love with it.

Fates Warning have now firmly established themselves as the other titans of the prog metal world. <Disconnected> picks up where APSOG left off in terms of mood, but musically harkens back to the days of <No Exit>. Again there is a continous almost story feel to the lyrics and even the way each song blends and flows into one another.The one difference is that each individual song seems slightly more focused than APSOG, which is a masterpiece in it's own right. Ex-Dream Theater Keyboardist Kevin Moore once again lends his immense talent. Kevin's dark style helps develop the overall tone of the subject matter which deals with separation. Jim Matheos' performance is a little subdued in terms of blazing leads, but his sheer songwriting ability can be ignored no longer. This is complemented by another brilliant performance by Ray Alder. Ray's emotional voice helps bring some of the dark melodies completely to there desired impact. Just check out the 16-minute epic Still Remains! The overall complexity is somewhat down from APSOG especially from Drummer Mark Zonder, who is still amazing mind you, but the whole album makes up for this AND more in sure execution and emotion. Die hard Fates fans will devour this relishing in the fact that each new album brings something wonderfully fresh without rehash. Any new fans may need several listens to adequately digest what this brilliant album has to offer, but it pays off. APSOG was a VERY tough act to follow, but <Disconnected> just might be even better. Dream Theater now has company atop the prog-metal throne.

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.

About a years time ago I purchased on impulse Fate's Warnings seminal 'metallic' works "Spectre Within" and "Awaken the Guardian". Aside from thinking John Arch was the finest vocalist I'd ever heard in a metal band, I didn't really find anything memorable about the works and alas they're 'fate' was met at the used record store.

Fast forward to today, as a fan of progressive rock and progressive metal who feels no satisfaction from mp3's I'm constantly scavenging for new bands/music. Fate's Warning was still lingering in the back of my mind, so I decided to see what a band that I was only slightly impressed by in their early days could do in the autumn of their career with only a single foudning member remaining. I am very surprised as this album is very memorable and unique, with a progressive sound that actually sounds modern (as modern as prog can get, at least). Ray Alder lacks the dramatic umph of John Arch, but he is a fine singer none the less whose voice fits the modern FW much better than Arch could. Matheos shows that he is no one-trick pony as his guitar has been tuned down and he depends more on riff structuring rather than blistering solos and lightning fast delivery. Marc Zonder seems to be the most talented member here, as his techinal bounciness on the drums is what really gives this album the truly progressive feel. Kevin Moore recieves credit for adding great texture and atmosphere to a few of the albums tracks.

The two "Disconnected" tracks needn't really be listed as songs, as they are more or less atmospheric movements to open and close this work. "One" is a truly triumphant song, and much catchier than alot of bands in this field usually allow themselves to be; it is much like a Queensryche song without the excessive wailing of the guitars and vocalist. "So" and "Pieces of Me" seem to follow this same formula, but each are good pieces of work. On "So" they attempt to make a very droning sound, and I have to ask myself if this isn't the influence of TOOL on these veterans. "Something for Nothing" and "Still Remains" are the best tracks, as they are saved for last, both have more epic feels and more epic lenghts. "Still Remains" is where guest keyboardist Kevin Moore really shines.

Overall I'd say fans of Porcupine Tree will really enjoy the guitar work of this albums and fans of Tool will be able to appreciate the layered progression and build up of the album. Many fans of the bands previous works or fans of the more overzealous form of prog-rock (in a nutshell, Dream Theater) might not be able to dig as far into this album as they'd like, but kudos to Fates Warning for not feeling the need to over do it. No this album is not exactly perfect, but it shows a band truly expanding their sound and leaving the beaten path.