PERFECT SYMMETRY

Progressive metal and me. In the past, we've not had a good relationship together. Granted, I have not heard much from the genre and consider myself no expert by any means. That doesn't matter when album after album either disappointed from spin one or gradually lost steam the more I tried to listen. PERFECT SYMMETRY changed my perspective.

For the metal, the expectation of a banshee-esque lead singer and loads of crunching guitar riffs was met. For the prog, the same could be applied to some dynamic changes, mind- boggling instrumental performances and multitudes of shifting metres. What makes PERFECT SYMMETRY good is that Fates Warning cares about the compositional quality. The solos are under some restraining order, no song exceeds eight minutes, and transitions are all fluid.

Its close resemblance (at least in my view) to glam metal gives me a few qualms, and I'll have to admit that Ray Alder's voice is hard to come to terms with. Beyond that, this is excellent for those that love complex metal. ''At Fates Hands'' is the signature song on the album with it's soft beginning section (where Alder's vocals are tolerable) and punishing instrumental climax. Other highlights include ''The Arena'', ''Part of the Machine'' (not the Jethro Tull song) and ''Nothing Left to Say''. If this is the album that reenergized my interest in prog metal, then I'd put it high on the recommendation list.