Artist: Fates Warning Album: FWX

Year: 2004
Duration: 0:0-1

A Critical Review of the Album: FWX by Fates Warning

Fates Warning, the American progressive metal band, has been around since the early 80s and they have undoubtedly carved a niche for themselves in the music industry. The band has a lot of albums, but in this review, we’ll be discussing their 2004 album FWX. FWX is an album that subtly speaks to the band’s maturation process and the artistic risks they are willing to take. In this review, I’ll be giving a brief history of the band, analyzing the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and finally, my overall critique of the album.

Fates Warning was founded in 1982 in Hartford, Connecticut. Over the years, they have had several line-ups but the band currently comprises Jim Matheos, Ray Alder, Joey Vera, Frank Aresti, and Bobby Jarzombek. The band is often credited with helping to pioneer the progressive metal genre with their early albums. In my opinion, FWX is possibly one of the darkest albums from the band.

FWX contains 11 tracks, opening with the track Left Here, a melancholic and eerie track that sets the scene for the rest of the album. The band shifts between genres in the album with elements of jazz, rock, and blues clearly evident across different tracks. Stand out tracks for me on the album included Another Perfect Day, Simple Human, and River Wide Ocean Deep. These songs encapsulate the band’s listless and almost anguished state while retaining the iconic elements and exceptional musicianship that define every Fates Warning album.

What is most innovative about FWX is perhaps the incorporation of some non-metal sounds. The song Simple Human would fit perfectly as a ballad on the radio, with its clean guitar lines, emotive lead vocal, and infectious chorus. The band also experiments with electronics and ambient sounds, a new feature never seen before in previous Fates Warning's albums.

Critically analyzing FWX, the album has culled elements marking each band output till its release. Fates Warning has a known stylistic approach, and this album does the job of presenting a full-bodied, contemplative and angsty take on their sound. My critique is that too many filler tracks ruin the momentum and continuity of their greatest work. Some of the songs seem mild and uncluttered for a band whose hallmark is titled complex prog music.

FWX is a worthy addition to the catalog of Fates Warning’s discography, and it’s clear that the band had grown through the years. There’s a sense of maturation in terms of the thematic elements explored on this album and a willingness to take risks. The incorporation of non-metal sounds and genres was refreshing and speaks to the band’s eagerness to broaden their horizons. However, the album would have been better with fewer filler tracks. Overall, FWX is an album that won’t disappoint Fates Warning fans who enjoy their intricate and progressive sound.