PARALLELS

I've always been a huge Fates fan and seeing so many great reviews about Parallels i would figure i give a shot. Man this is beatutiful its a bit commercial but Fates Warning doesn't dissappoint with some awesome progressive rhythms. It seems to almost add up with No Exit being their heaviest tightest album, Perfect Symmetry being their most complexed and progessive, A Pleasant Shade of Gray being their best epic song with lots of complexed rhythms and progressions. Well to me Parallels is by far their most melodic progressive album they released. There are lots of great songs here from the energetic power of Leave the Past Behind, Life in Still Water, The Eleventh Hour, Point of View, and Don't Follow Me. To the very melodic and heart warming sounds of Eye to Eye and We Only Say Goodbye. to the very beautiful yet sad but great The Road Goes on Forever you just can't loose with this album. I will admit it does have an 80s fill to it but it still has that FW crunch that makes these guys the innovaters of prog metal. I mean first off you got Ray Adler a wonderful singer with his amazing soft sweet voice, to his courageous harmonies, and well TO THOSE WAILS MAN. I know guys like Geoff Tate, Russel Allen, and James Labrie (who does awesome for the backups on LISW) can get those high notes but man Ray is just a man not to be mess with. Then you have the duo of Frank and Jim to very gifted guitar players who know how to use them progressive riffs and solos. I was very pleased at how wonderful both of there soloing is at times i think these guys can really show Queensyrche guitarist what there made up. Then you have the rhythm section with Jim and Mark. Jim does a great job making people know what a bass player is. AND MARK ZONDER oh man i love this guy's playing style he is just acrobatic and has wicked control. its almost like the way he is playing with the kit its almost like he's floating in air i mean listen to the beginning of Life in Still Water and how awesome that rhythm sounds. so definitely a great addition for any Fates Warning fans i will say not quite as heavy but that doesn't mean it is heavy cause there are some section where they don't mind some heaviness. but definitely this is probably one of Fates Warning's best albums.