Arch / Matheos
Winter Ethereal

It would have been a real shame if “Sympathetic Resonance” had remained just a brief chapter. Once again, the past and present of Fates Warning reconvene, taking advantage of a pause period for the historic proto-prog metal band (a return in 2020 is likely). The guitarist and main mind of the band, Jim Matheos, and the historic singer John Arch (with Fates Warning for the first three albums) reunite and are serious about it once more.

Some might be inclined to think that this project is a rather pointless spin-off of Fates Warning, both because the sound strongly recalls that of the main band and because the musicians collaborating are the current members of the band (“Sympathetic Resonance” was practically a Fates Warning album with the current lineup but with the historical singer). However, that would be a gross mistake. In truth, in this “Winter Ethereal,” the musicians from Fates Warning (including the historic Mark Zonder and Joe DiBiase) are much more “guest” than in the previous one, limiting their appearances to few tracks each. Additionally, several other names are involved, such as drummer Thomas Lang, former Cynic bassist Sean Malone, and current Leprous drummer Baard Kolstad. The intentions of the Arch/Matheos project seem quite clear: to revive the approach of Fates Warning's 80s productions, mixing them with more recent ones, to relive that proto-prog metal magic (or tech-metal as it was often called at the time) but with a touch that also looks to today, generally with a superior technical level. The absence of keyboards is already a factor that harks back to the origins of the subgenre, but what makes the difference are especially the compelling and frenetic guitar riffs, short and pounding, power-metal inspired rides, the lack of melody even in slower and arpeggiated moments, the deliberately gloomy and dim atmosphere, already evident in the title and the gray cover; but the duo does not want to create a copy of “Awaken the Guardian” and thus tries to make those riffs a bit more “open,” sharp, and clean in the manner of the more current Fates Warning.

So no, it is not a pointless project. Here, Matheos can give freer rein to his creativity and technique, as well as propose some sounds that for his main band would seem obsolete but find more sense in a side project; John Arch’s voice seems the most suitable for this purpose. I'll admit, I don't really love Arch’s voice, too nasally and not melodic enough for my tastes, almost thankful he wasn’t chosen by Dream Theater (yes, he did audition for aspiring Dream Theater singers), but for the needs of this project, a more classic and Maiden-esque voice is undoubtedly more effective than Ray Alder’s more melodic one. I must admit, however, that in a certain sense, this project made me partially reevaluate him; in the end, he has his fair share of power.

The strength, however, I find in the technique. Matheos and his guests offer a masterful performance without excessive showmanship; the power remains at the forefront. Instrumental refinements on guitar, bass, and drums abound but don’t want to stand out, almost hiding in the solid wall of sound. They try to give free rein to virtuosity without making it a showcase built specifically for musicians. It’s all a bit like a wall with a rough surface that, however, appears smooth; while listening to the album, you never feel a sense of instrumental self-indulgence. The listener, who doesn’t take it too seriously, might notice the power and dynamism but almost overlook the technical aspect, yet if you listen carefully, you realize the musicians are doing monstrous things. To capture the multiple facets, numerous listens are required, where you need to concentrate to try to understand what the musicians' true intent is or even just to catch the slightest hidden nuance. That’s exactly how I came to all these conclusions. Initially, the album might even seem a bit trivial, but with repeated listens, it will prove to be a true modern gem of technical metal.

In my opinion, one of the top albums of the year, I would even place it higher than the much-anticipated Tool comeback. I am not exaggerating when I say I found it more challenging to digest this album compared to Tool’s; with Tool, we knew the characteristics, and they didn’t do much more than simply confirm them, whereas here, every nuance is camouflage and imperceptible. Only through numerous listens can you get the complete picture of the work, definitely an album not for everyone.