#mark zonder

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(Mostly the audience singing) We Only Say Goodbye by Fates Warning, live in Athens, Greece, 1999

[metalsongoftheday]

Thursday, January 1: Fates Warning, "Life in Still Water"

If Fates Warning parallel pathed with Queensrÿche for their first 20 years, Parallels was a clear indication that Jim Matheos was watching how Geoff Tate and Chris DeGarmo hit paydirt in the early ‘90s by streamlining their band’s overall approach and dialing down the histrionics.  The big difference, besides Queensrÿche having the muscle of a major label, more overtly aiming for the radio and MTV and ultimately selling a lot more records, was that Matheos was actually a more thoughtful songwriter, and while that didn’t lend itself to mainstream success (and honestly didn’t always work out creatively either) it made Fates Warning arguably a better band in the long run.  So while “Life in Still Water” didn’t have the frenzy and firepower of Awaken the Guardian and Ray Alder toned down his wailing by a lot, it was a complex, interesting and emotive track that offered a smarter take on prog going commercial.  The early ‘90s touches were probably unavoidable and the prog (including James LaBrie’s backing vocals) was a bit more subtle, but the tune showed how Fates Warning could adapt their sound and approach not only to the times but also present their vision in a more introspective context.  And that turned out to be the defining signal for where Matheos would go for the rest of the band’s run.

[rainingmusic]

Chroma key - Colorblind 

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Live version (April 1998) of A Pleasant Shade of Gray - Part V by Fates Warning from the Expanded edition of A Pleasant Shade of Gray

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In Trance (Scorpions cover) by Fates Warning

[rainingmusic]

Chroma Key • Undertow

[metalsongoftheday]

Monday, March 11: Fates Warning, “Stranger (With a Familiar Face)”

FWX wasn’t that far removed from Disconnected, but Fates Warning’s tenth record was ultimately a bridge between the band’s late ‘90s albums and their post-hiatus Inside Out records, and offered a preview of the heavier and more mature direction Jim Matheos and Ray Alder would take the band in.  This meant that the material on FWX was worlds away from even Perfect Symmetry, let alone Awaken the Guardian, but songs like “Stranger (With a Familiar Face)” demonstrated that Matheos wasn’t aiming straight for the middle: the track was more aggressive than anything they’d done since No Exit, while at the same time neither sounding like a throwback nor like they were grasping at current trends.  The song was also every bit as progressive as Dream Theater, as Mark Zonder’s drumming rolled, grooved, stopped and started with his customary grace.  “Stranger” offered the best of Fates Warning at that point- the guitars were supra-metallic, Alder was passionate, Zonder sounded fantastic, and the whole band (including Armored Saint’s Joey Vera, who went from a guest bassist to a full member) played with a comfort and precision that spoke to not only their confidence as a group, but also their ability to sound exactly like themselves.

[metalsongoftheday]

Tuesday, March 21: Slavior, “Origin”

Slavior was an interesting mix of musicians and backgrounds, and although the band’s self-titled debut was marketed as a Mark Zonder-driven affair, songs like “Origin” highlighted each player in equal measure.  In particular, Wayne Findlay’s riffing revealed a heaviness and dynamism that was seemingly hidden throughout most of his tenure with Michael Schenker (though the recent Temple of Rock albums offered a bit more on that front), while Greg Analla’s vocals avoided cliché.  As for Zonder, his drumming was sophisticated and tasteful, but nowhere near the prog workout most expected from the former Fates Warning sticksman. “Origin” was progressive, heavy and soulful all at once, accurately reflecting each members’ past outfits and underlining their individual talents while also presenting a unique and cohesive new sound for all three.