The 10 Best Fates Warning Songs of All-Time
Fates Warning is a popular American progressive metal band formed in 1982 in the city of Hartford, Connecticut. The band consists of guitarists Victor Arduini and Jim Matheos, drummer Steve Zimmerman, vocalist John Arch, and bassists Joe DiBiase. However, the band has experienced several lineup changes over its 40-year career, with Jim Matheos being the only constant member. As of 2020, the Fate Warning band consists of drummer Bobby Jarzombek, guitarists Jim Matheos and Michael Abdow, bassist Joey Vera (who replaced Joe DiBiase in 1996), and vocalist Ray Alder (who replaced John Arch in 1987). Fates Warning is regarded as one of the “Big Three” for its mastery of the progressive metal genre as well as its hand in developing Dream Theater and Queensrÿche. Here, we will take a closer look at the best 10 Fates Warning songs.
10. The Ivory Gate of Dreams
The track single “The Ivory Gate of Dreams” is also featured in Fates Warning 1989 album titled No Exit. This jam is generally described as breathtaking, especially among Fates Warning die-hard fans.
9. Monument
The track Monument was featured in the band album dubbed Inside Out, which was launched in 1994. This was Fates Warning’s last studio album to feature the band’s first bassist, Joe DiBiase. This track is listed as number 9 on the Inside Out album.
8. Life in Still Water
The single Life in Still Water features some soft, quiet guitar riffs followed by an energetic, fast tempo that dominates the entire music till the end. In addition to Alder’s magic voice, the stunning vocals of James LaBrie of Dream Theater are also heard. Zonder’s “acrobatic” drumming skills are also featured in the song, as well as an amazing extended sustain guitar solo that adds an uplifting touch to the track.
7. A Pleasant Shade of Gray
To start off our list of the 10 greatest Fates Warning songs is the single The Pleasant Shade of Gray Suite. The piece is absolutely amazing with its catchy lyrics.
So, where do we begin
And what else can we say?
When the lines are all drawn
What should we do today?
The above verses are featured in the eighth Fates Warning studio album. The title. A Pleasant Shade of Grey is a clever oxymoron. The band’s efforts to widen its target audience through their more commercial progressive metal genre with Inside Out (less) and Parallels (more) proved unsuccessful. However, all their releases were regarded as an excellent choice, particularly in terms of artistic prowess.
6. Point of View
The single Point of View was featured on the band’s 1989 music studio album, No Exit. The track kicks off with an upbeat tempo beat dominated by soft guitar rhythms and great drum sounds. In addition to its acrobatic drumming style, the music later becomes pleasingly vocal with Alder’s stunning voice. This is the ideal song to listen to, especially when you are feeling down and seeking some motivation. Another exciting segment in the track is the stunning guitar solo played in high register notes performed by the two talented guitarists, Frank Aresti and Jim Matheos.
5. Pale Fire
The single Pale Fire is also featured in the band’s 1994 album and listed as song No.2 in the album. The lyrics of the song are very catchy, particularly the chorus that attempts to display a rather powerful image. The track “Pale Fire” proved successful as other tracks released by the band, namely Perfect Symmetry and Through Different Eyes. The track’s mesmerizing lyrics and unintentional soliloquy display steered the band’s new direction in the years to come.
4. Seven Stars
The track Seven Stars is the most recent single released by the American progressive rock band Fates Warning among our list of the ten greatest hits of Fates Warning. The song was featured in the band’s 2016 album dubbed Theories of Flight.
3. Leave the Past Behind
The song Leave the Past Behind is the first song in the band’s Inside Out album. The single kicks off with an ambient vocal style followed by pleasant soft guitar fills. The track’s powerful bass lines and dynamic drum rolls give the music an uplifting fast tempo till the end. Ray Alder’s solid and powerful vocals are also distinctively heard amidst the rhythmic guitar solo that is heard during choruses. The single Leave the Past Behind is undoubtedly the perfect album opener.
2. We Only Say Goodbye
The song We Only Say Goodbye is among the most popular songs released by the American progressive metal band Fates Warning. The song was written by the band’s guitarist Jim Matheos and later to be featured in their sixth studio album titled Parallels. This track starts off with a calming, mellow melody that progresses into a more upbeat tempo. Fates Warning’s sixth studio album, Parallels, was released on 29 October 1991 under Metal Blade Records. The album was quite successful as it peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Heatseekers chart.
1. Guardian
One of Fates Warning’s most amazing and fan-favorite jams is the song “Guardian.” The single was featured in the band’s album titled Awaken the Guardian, was recorded in 1986. Awaken the Guardian is the third Fates Warning studio album that was released through Metal Blade Records. The album was the band’s first album to reach the US Billboard 200. It rose to number 191 on the chart and held that spot for a maximum of four weeks. This was also the last album to feature the band’s first vocalist John Arch (who was replaced by Ray Alder) and the first album to feature the guitarist Frank Aresti.
