Still Life

Fates Warning | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 6, 1998)
• Original Release Date: October 6, 1998
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Metal Blade
• ASIN: B00000C2GN
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,744 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

DESCRIPTION COMING SOON

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very impressive - but too much crowd in the mix., November 21, 2002

By 

Muddy Moe (Plano, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Still Life (Audio CD)

Unlike some of the other reviews, I really enjoy hearing "A Pleasant Shade of Gray" preformed in its entirety on Disk 1. I think it demonstrates the band's technical skill to pull this off and the material comes off well.

My biggest single complaint with this release is how the producer mixed in crowd noise. I guess he didn't want us to "forget" it's a live album because the crowd noise is way to prevelant. During the soft intro of APSOG a handful of fans continue to whistle and holler for almost two full minutes. Rather than adding excitement, it just becomes grating because these few fans whistling is almost louder than the music.

Other than this issue, this is a great live release with excellent performances and production. You can hear each instrument (including the bass!) very clearly. I definitely recommend picking it up.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 and 1/2 Stars-Good Live Album That Could've Been Great, December 16, 2000

By 

Bill R. Moore (New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Still Life (Audio CD)

Disc 1 of this double-disc live set is devoted to a live representation of Fates Warning's magnum opus, A Pleasant Shade of Gray. And although this piece is played well, it ends up not being as good as the studio album. It's missing some things that the album had: the build-up at the first, the alarm clock at the end, etc., and the playing is inferior to the record in the more chops-heavy sections. Also, it is played straight-up as the album plays, with no improvisitation, and is actually shorter (!) than the album. A fine piece of work, no doubt, but if I wanna hear APSOG I'll just pop in the studio version.

Disc 2, on the other hand, is a must for any Fates Warning fan. Stunning versions of The Ivory Gate of Dreams (the whole thing), Monument, At Fates Hands, and Prelude To Ruin among other Fates favorites are abound on this disc. The band is in good form, especially Ray, and there are a few good improv sections with Jim, Mark, and Joey Vera really tearing it up. Bernie Versailles does a good job on second guitar as well. Any Fates fan will love this disc.

In hindsight, this is a good live album that could've been great. It would've been better to have had just a handful of tracks from APSOG represented (especially since there is already a live APSOG video), and there could've been more songs tacked on to disc 2. I would've liked to have had versions of Nothing Left To Say, Part of the Machine, or stuff from any of the earlier albums. Still, this album is worth looking into if you are a FW fan.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great production, but too much gray, May 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Still Life (Audio CD)

Out of the thousands of bands that have released live cds in late 1998, this one is the best. Great, crystal-clear sound and no phony audience over-dubs. My only problem with this set is that the only difference between disc 1 of this release and their previous release is the audience. In my opinion, they should have picked 5 or 6 selections from A Pleasant Shade Of Gray to play live so there would be room for more older greats like Life In Still Water, Fata Morgana, Orphan Gipsy, and perhaps an entire Prelude To Ruin. Even with the entire Gray cd being performed, this live set is a must for any Fates Warning fans.