•
Rating:
The Fates Warning present: their first misstep.
It might be that the band has accustomed us to other standards for so many years. In fact, the 10 tracks of this latest effort of theirs are sterile, cold, and give the impression of not having a climactic end after the common crescendo of many of them.
To tell the truth, only 9 of the tracks: I exclude no. 4, Another Perfect Day, a fabulous gem in the midst of this grey sea. The song is able to mix distorted and acoustic atmospheres, driving metal riffs, and sweet vocal melodies. It's a splendid song.
But rather than being happy about this, it almost makes me angry to hear it buried within such an anonymous album. The fact that Jim Matheos is still capable of composing such songs, on one hand, leaves hope for the future, but on the other, it makes one regret the missed opportunity to release a better album than this. In my opinion, the songs aren't bad, but they fall well below the band's capabilities. The only ones I enjoy listening to, besides naturally Another Perfect Day, are the driving Stranger (With A Familiar Face) and the opener Left Here, the only song that, at times, can make me relive the sensations of the masterpiece "A Pleasant Shade Of Grey." The other seven tracks fail to convince me, they don't captivate me, they leave a bitter taste, but above all (a novelty for Fates Warning), they bore me.
An unfortunately unnecessary album, unless you are a lover of complete collections. If you don't yet have the previous ones, go and seek those out.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Simple Human (04:03)
Stand right there man
I can see right through you
Make me understand
The mind within my head
Yeah, I am a simple human like you
Yeah, I am a simple human too
Speak what's on your mind
A simple thought, a reason
Some self righteous blind
Deconstructive thinking
I want to rip it away
I want to tear the walls down
Don't be afraid
You can't feel anything
Yeah, I am a simple human like you
Yeah, I am a simple human too
We're all caught
It's like a giant tangled web
We're all trapped going nowhere
Now you know, now you know
Yeah, I am a simple human like you
Yeah, I am a simple human too
Yeah, I am a simple human like you
Yeah, I am a simple human too
[Music - Jim Matheos]
[Lyrics - Ray Alder]
08 A Handful of Doubt (05:06)
Seven hours and a handful of doubt
The candle burns quick now
And time is running out...
I didn't ask for this
Yet somehow here we are
I didn't ask for this
Now I can't live without
Time moves
Time heals
Time slips
Time steals
40 pages and a handful of doubt
The eyes are tired now and the words are fading out
I didn't ask for this
Yet somehow here we are...
I didn't ask for this
Now I can't live without...
Time flies
Time fills
Time wastes
Time kills
I will leave behind all of the hours
I will find a way, a way out
I will walk away from all the years
With just a handful of doubt, a handful of doubt
I will leave behind all of the pages
I will live without, live without
I will walk away far from here
With just a handful of doubt, a handful of doubt
Twenty years and a handful of doubt
The candle burns quick now
And time is running out
10 Wish (06:38)
Was standing in the darkness
I was watching over you
And all the fears came drifting back
With every little breath you drew
Wished upon a falling star
Cold and pale against the night
And all the fears came drifting back
To cloud the view and steal the light
Was underneath a falling snow
I was lying next to you
And all the fears came floating down
With every little wind that blew
Wished upon a passing cloud
Cold and pale against the gray
And all the fears came floating down
To cloud the view and steal the day
May you never know this darkness
May you never be so blind
May you always know the peace
That I could never seen to find
May you never know this darkness
May you always see the light
May you always know the peace
That comforts you tonight
[Music & Lyrics - Jim Matheos]
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By splinter
Where has Kevin Moore gone? It’s the question that many might ask themselves after listening to this FWX.
At times it might even seem that the band is moving towards a more commercial direction.
