Spectre Within [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Extra tracks]

Fates Warning | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 24, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Extra tracks
• Label: Metal Blade
• ASIN: B00006IT5B
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,214 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A piece of metal history, December 9, 2005

By 

Patrick Henry "noexitrecords" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spectre Within (Audio CD)

This is a good album and in my opinion an album that was ahead of it's time. Some of the people reviewing this album negatively were probably not even born when this album came out. It is unfair to compare Korn with Fates Warning- there is decade of differance between the two. Fates were pioneers of metal (like tons of the 80s'bands that get zero credit). Metal was a new world in the 80s'- bands like Fates Warning laid the groundwork for bands like Korn etc. Have a little respect for your elders and listen to this stuff with a sense of perspective. Compare Spectre Within to other titles that were around at the time (1985) and I believe you will see that Fates Warning were breaking new ground.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Album Ever Recorded, December 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Spectre Within (Audio CD)

I don't know where to begin. John Arch has the most beautiful, intense, incredible, gorgeous, perfect voice ever, and the music and lyrics of the songs match his voice perfectly. My favorite song on the album is "Epitath". It's hard to explain, but when I listen to this album, I almost feel enlightened. John Arch sings of mystical places and life after death and other planes of existence, and listening to this album makes you truly believe it is all possible. Five stars is not enough for this record!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Long Live John Arch!!!, September 23, 2000

By 

Streetcleaner (Midwest, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spectre Within (Audio CD)

Fans of Fates Warning seem to be understandably divided between the early John Arch era (1984-1987) and their work since with singer Ray Alder. I still feel the later albums are very good, but they'll never match the power that's heard in stuff like THE SPECTRE WITHIN. The performance here is exciting, energetic, thoughtful, and always interesting. "The Apparition" is a FW classic, and the twelve minute "Epitaph" features some outstanding songwriting. As always, John Arch's vocals are excellent, his melodies soaring high and his lyrics thought-provoking. The musicianship is intense yet still tasteful, the emphasis on complementing the songs rather than detracting from them. As a side note, the guy who labelled this shred-metal plainly missed the mark; no band wrote songs this deep or convincing in that bygone era.

Fates' progressive element was still developing here, as a few songs sound slightly disjointed and others more straightforward. That element would be manifested in their subsequent masterpiece, AWAKEN THE GUARDIAN. Nevertheless, this album is essential early Fates Warning and recommended for those seeking something heavier than their current material.