Customer Reviews

A Twist of Fate

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What else can I say about this release that hasn't already been said????....

It's a brilliant masterpiece. It also deserves to be one of the years best recordings IMO. There hasn't been a stronger release than this in a very long time, and just to hear John singing again sent chills down my spine. He's without question one of the best voices Metal has ever had the pleasure of listening to, and even 16 years later, his voice is as strong as it's ever been....

I can't get enough of this. J. Arch has returned, and with "A Twist Of Fate", he's never sounded better. There are only two songs here, but together, they clock in at over 27 minutes of some of the most beauitful and inspiring music you'll ever hear.

Fates Warning guitarist J. Matheos and J. Arch worked together on this, so you know it's got plenty of Fates sound within it. Although this isn't the old Fates Warning of the past, it's just as good, or possibly even better than anything they did back when John was the frontman. After just one listen, you simply can't deny that "A Twist Of Fate" is one amazing release that will stand the test of time....

I'm buying ten copies of this, as I'm positive this will become an instant classic for many years to come. If you are a fan of any type of Heavy Metal, and have never heard J. Arch, you're in for a real surprise here. Buy it with the upmost confidence....

NOTE TO JOHN : Please, strongly consider continuing your career as a solo artist. It's very rare that we ever get to enjoy somthing as wonderful as this. You have really inspired a whole new generation of musicians with "A Twist Of Fate", and it would a shame not to continue. We love you, and personally, you are the reason I ever became a die-hard Fates fan in the first place...

I don't think anything important has been left unmentioned in all these wonderful reviews. It seems we are all in agreement about John Arch's long-awaited debut solo album. After recording Fates Warning's excellent album Awaken the Guardian, Arch decided to take a break, which unfortunately was a bit of a too long an absence. Many vocalists have come and gone after Arch, but few, VERY few, of them have had the same impact. John Arch simply has a godly status in prog metal, and he deserves every bit of it.

When I first learned that Arch had finally decided to make a return with this two-track EP, everything in my life took a second seat as I played this brilliant CD the first 15-20 times. I didn't know how to feel; should I be filled with joy that Arch is still one of the greatests singers in any genre of metal ever or regret that we had to miss out on him the past two decades? Unlike most of his contemporaries like Geoff Tate from Queensryche or Midnight from Crimson Glory, John's voice is still at its best, and I just can't believe this guy hasn't sung professionlly since the mid-80's. How is it even possible to keep your voice in such good shape despite all these years that have passed? I am now fully convinced that John Arch was made to sing forever... his godly voice is surely one of the most influential voices ever. Period.

Don't be put off by the number of tracks on this EP. Although there are only two songs on A Twist of Fate, we get a running time of nearly 30 minutes. The first track clocks in at over 12 minutes and was co-written by Arch and his former bandmate Jim Matheos, thus displaying Arch's proggy roots. We are offered his unbelievable scream right off the bat which puts a smile on our faces reminding us of the old days. After Arch, there have been countless singers that emerged with a high vocal range. Many of them are able to hold their voice too long and scream their lungs out. But NONE of them can scream so melodically as Arch. And I mean it: there is NO other singer that can wail at the top of his voice and still manage to catch your ear with the strongest melodies dripping. That is how John delivers "Relentless" with lots of key and tempo changes as well as fantastic musicianship backing him up. The song is slightly reminiscent of Fates Warning though more with Arch's vocals being the centrepiece. And that's cool since this is John Arch; not Fates Warning or Dream Theater or another band for that matter. It feel more like his work too.

While writing these songs, Arch must have focused his power on turning his dreams into reality. It's like he too missed his fans and wanted to give them his all. The second track "Cheyenne" is a 100% John Arch creation and relies more on vocals. The music takes a back seat during some moments and here John does everything he did back 20 years ago. Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater proves to be a stunning drummer. He uses his hands more than his feet this time giving the songs a more concise touch.

Best prog metal related CD of 2003. And I mean it. Hopefully a full-length album will follow this soon. At least we know it won't take another 17 years.

Well, where to start? Its the return of one of my favorite singers of all time, John Arch. On the first three (my favorite) Fates Warning albums, he showed an awesome display of melody, and genius wordplay lyrically. I was awaiting something else from him for the six years I've been a Fates Warning fan. Finally the day arrives when I read on a website that he is
returning to the music scene in a project from Dream Theater and Fates Warning members. I was 100 times more excited than when I

heard about the OSI project. Now, on to the Ep: One glaring thing I noticed is : Its way too short! I mean, he was out of
the music scene for 16 years, and now he only has 30 minutes to give us? Well, I have a feeling this isn't the last we'll hear from the guy, I think he was going for perfection and this is what we have: a stunning set of two epic tunes. The first song, Relentless, is the weaker of the two, similarities to latter day Dream Theater are obvious. While not a bad thing, it doesn't sound as unique with Arch's vocals, and Arch's vocals almost recall James Labrie in a way (or is it the other way around). Also this song is a bit more disjointed, which takes some getting used to. The musicianship is superb, with Portnoy's drumming displaying the usual virtuosity, and Jim Matheos' awesome riffs and spacey synths. The second song is where this album really shines though. "Cheyenne" is another epic song, which was the highlight of the album for me. It has the melodious resemblence to something off Awaken the Guardian, and almost exceeds anything from that album because of the improved production. John Arch is a lyrical/musical genius, and I'm sad that he turned down/or was turned down the Dream Theater spot. But now that he's returned, let's hope he takes it to the next level. Highly recommended epic Prog metal.

I HAVE BEEN WAITING ALMOST 20 YEARS TO HEAR JOHN ARCH'S BEAUTIFUL VOICE AGAIN. I HAVE NOT BEEN DISAPPOINTED! FROM THE FIRST TIME I HEARD "SOLDIER BOY" ON METAL MASSACRE 5 BACK IN '83 I HAVE BEEN A HUGE JOHN ARCH/FATES WARNING FAN. GET THIS CD! DON'T EVER TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR CD PLAYER! EMAIL FRIENDS AND TELL THEM JOHN ARCH IS BACK!! EMAIL ALL THE FATES WARNING WEBSITES AND TELL THEM HOW MUCH YOU LOVE THIS CD! CALL RADIO STATIONS AND REQUEST IT! THANK YOU JIM MATHEOS, JOEY VERA, MIKE PORTNOY, AND THANK YOU JOHN ARCH FOR GIVING US SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF MUSIC!

I don't review a lot of CD's, but I felt I had to write something about this one... I have never heard John Arch sing - I own none of the early Fates CD's (although that is soon to change). I picked this up on a whim, and have only listened to it ONCE, but in that one listening I was blown away by the control, power, and feeling that this guy has. After hearing the CD it's hard to believe that he hasn't been singing for 16 years, he sounds that fit. The 2 compositions on this disc are very good; the production is great. It's a delight to hear DT's Mike Portnoy drumming. I add my voice to the others who are calling for the musical return of this amazing singer.

I've had this CD for just over two months and in all honesty I have listened to little else besides this EP.

I could say that two songs (even at 27 minutes in length) aren't enough and that I want still more which would be true but somehow cliche. I might even mention that fans of the monumental Mr. Arch from the first three albums most certainly will embrace this new offering but alas that should go without saying.

To fans strictly of the newer Fate's Warning (since 1989), I thought about mentioning how "A Twist of Fate" gives an overwhelming and temptation filled yet somehow fulfilling look at what could have been had John Arch remained a part of Fate's Warning. But perhaps individuals falling within that category are satisfied enough living within the world according to Jim Matheos which is a fine existence in and of itself indeed but narrow and constraining to my perception. No slight is intended here, but if one believes themself to have emerged from that mold then "A Twist of Fate" probably merits little interest for that person. If one inquires as to why this might potentially be so please read on.

The dynamic that existed on the first three Fate's Warning releases has been rekindled and burns every bit as bright and then some as it did 15 years ago (around the time of John's departure). Fans of strictly post-Arch FW will likely find this release too rich in complex and overlapping vocal melodies and overall emotion for their tastes but on the other hand that is what appeals most to myself. At the same time, the songs are notably thin on the requisite showcasing(?) of musical virtuousity displayed by the players (although the playing is still impressive in its own right thanks to Jim Matheos, Mike Portnoy, and Joey Vera) that marks most of their collective previous offerings to the discerning consumers of progressive metal. The tracks on "A Twist of Fate" are "songs" in the truest sense.

In short, the duo of Arch and Matheos are back writing material that fans of the original Fate's Warning found (and still find) so touching and memorable. What's more is that they lined up a top notch rhythm section that gives it an "old Fate's for the new millenium" feeling. Okay, so I said I didn't want to be cliche but dammit if that's not the most accurate description for this disc that I can think of.

On a personal note, I'd like to tell Mr. Arch thank you for stopping by to say hello and please don't be a stranger and makes us wait another 15 years for another taste of the fruit of your creative gifts. We've missed you.

Terrific. One of the best Heavy Metal vocal efforts of all time. Its a must buy for all prog. rock fans.

I better start off by saying I may be a little bit biased with this review. After all, John Arch has always been one of my favorite singers, and the early Fates Warning albums he sang on (Spectre Within and Awaken the Guardian) have been on my A-list of essential metal albums since they came out in the mid-80's.

When I first heard John Arch was going to return to writing and recording after an 18-year hiatus from the music world, I was a little cautious about getting my hopes up. Alot of time has passed since Awaken, and I knew the liklihood of a repeat performance was 50/50 at best. I needn't have worried. Twist of Fate is a solid five-star classic that will stand the test of time, just as Mr. Arch's early work has.

Known for his unique operatic style where his voice is actually used more as an instrument rather than a narrator of lyrics, John Arch delivers with just as much pomp and emotion as he did two decades ago. The only difference is he has reigned in delivery just a tad from the old days, but that's not a bad thing in this case. The music itself is much more mature than Spectre and Awaken, as is the production. John's vocals have matured as well, blending in perfectly with the musical style.

Although consisting of just two songs, this masterpiece of musical bliss still clocks in at just under half an hour. While the short duration is my ONLY complaint about Twist of Fate, I have found that listening to it twice in a row gives me that one-hour epic feel of other great bands in the prog/classical metal genre -- and believe me, it's good enough for two listens in a row.

Twist of Fate is done in the old 80's progressive metal style, very reminiscent of the early Fates albums that John sang on, but also has a very modern day sound with nuances of more recent releases by Fates and Dream Theatre.

If you enjoyed Fates Warning's Spectre Within and Awaken the Guardian, you MUST buy this album. If you like any kind of progressive metal, you MUST buy this album. If you are into any other genre of heavy metal, you probably should still buy this album...it's a gamble that is likely to pay off considering the single-digit price tag.

For the past 20 years I've had a dream that I would once again hear John Arch return to the recording world. My dream has been answered and I now sleep peacefully with Cheyenne ringing in my ears. I just hope it's not another 18 years before the next one. John Arch has a special gift, and to not utilize that gift -- and bring such joy to the masses -- would be a travesty.

John Arch (this somewhat "unlucky" monster from the early-Fates Warning's era) fleetingly (and finally!) comes back, more inspired than ever. After many years of absence and already being a legend, Arch's "volatile" return is like a homage he has done to himself and to his crowd. The final product (this "A Twist of Fate" EP) is definitively close to perfection -- and a must-have for any progressive metal fan.

The first thing I liked from this EP is Arch's voice, which has been "aging in a barrel" like a good rum, and still sounds fresh and powerful. It reminds me the sound of "Awaken the guardian" thanks to those original melodic moves (still those Arabic-like vocal lines) and the use of some unorthodox intervals. The voice of the guy sounds so soulful, so nostalgic and so sincere! In addition, it has matured and no longer shows those reminiscences of Bruce Dickinson he had in the first two Fates Warning albums -- which is good to me, as I enjoy Dickinson as Dickinson, and Arch as Arch.

Beyond vocals, everything else in this CD is also great: the cover art, the production (which is almost flawless), Arch's warm words about how this project was conceived, the lyrics and (of course) the whole music -- which in my opinion is no less than monumental.

When I put "A Twist of Fate" into my CD player I got caught from the very first note and didn't quit after the 30 minutes (or so) it lasted. The first song ("Relentless"), being co-written with Jim Matheos, proudly shows more-than-something of the modern Fates Warning's vibe, peppered with some sparks of the early (and heavier!) Dream Theater. I loved that song, and be prepared to get surprised with a bunch of sudden (but VERY coherent!) changes. But the second one, though in the same vein, is even better! The level of lyricism he reached in "Cheyenne" is so high that I almost cried when he said "...this is the end" at the end of the song. And there's also a moment in that song when a violin enters in the game that is simply unforgettable. Lyrically and musically speaking, I think that these two masterpieces are John Arch's best so far -- and I hope we'll get more from him someday ;-)

Well... I won't say now much more than "five stars" and "GO FOR IT NOW!!!!" :-) And yes, the rest of the line-up is Jim Matheos (guitars and keyboards), Mike Portnoy (drums) and Joey Vera (bass): a dream team, so enjoy them together while it lasts! :-)

What can I say? Simply Amazing Covers it. John Arch,You inspired me to be a singer,though I never caught up with you,it was always like as a vocalist,you were 50 steps ahead of all of us. Your control over your amazing voice is like none other. Others will claim that this singer or that singer is the best,but they simply havent heard the likes of John Arch. Not Only on this 2 song disc is the vocal range stunning,it's what another reviewer said,it's the power of John Arch's ability to create the most amazing melody.After all these years,not only has his voice held up,it's wonderful to hear him recorded with much better equipment. I can only imagine what he'd have done in all this time had he not taken a step back,I know this much though,it was worth the wait. The only other word I can say is MORE!!!!!