A PLEASANT SHADE OF GRAY

To start with, the band's playing is not nearly as exceptional as it is hyped to be. I acknowledge some exceptionally complex instrumental passages, but as a whole there is little to grab the listener here; the heavy parts are monotonous and the textures are not nearly as dynamic as I've come to expect from Moore; moreover, Maethos' guitar is consistantly crunchy/distorted and has little emotion. I found the band's non-metal moments to be there most interesting, unfortunetly they are few and far between.

Worst of all though-- and I think this is probably what ruined the album for me-- is the TERRIBLE singing of Ray Alder. At his best, he sounds like an '80's hair-metal frontman, but he is more often than not groaning out uncreative, monotonous passages with zero range or charisma. The band would be much better off as an instrumental act, and even then only if they upped the ante with more inspired songwriting and playing.

Listen before you buy, and even then buy any of the many many many more excellant prog-metal albums out there before getting this one!

Songwriting: 2 Instrumental Performances: 2 Lyrics/Vocals: 1 Style/Emotion/Replay: 1

Share this FATES WARNING review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Prog Leviathan
• Report this review (#122249)
• Buy FATES WARNING music online with PA partners
• Show all FATES WARNING MP3/Stream
• Go to FATES WARNING page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to A Pleasant Shade Of Gray page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for FATES WARNING related discussions