A Twist Of Fate

This album won the first place of Heavy Order Was?, one of the three German metal magazine. A surprising vote considering this record is 28 minutes long ... and contains only two songs. After hearing these songs I understand this vote. A Twist Of Fate is an incredible piece of progressive metal. What a remarkable come back from John Arch ? John who ??? Yeah, I emphasize your question ... because I asked myself the same question when we received the promo. Who the hell is this guy ? Why Metal Blade does so much "publicity" for this unknown man ? The answer is evident ... when you know it. John Arch is the first singer of Fates Warning, the voice on the magnificent Awaken The Guardian and The Spectre Within. Well, that was two decades ago, before Ray Alder took the vacant (?) place. To be honest, everybody though John Arch was "dead" ... I mean out of the "metal business". He was indeed ... I presume something happened recently as John is back with an amazing "dream-team". Look at that squadron : Jim Matheos & Joey Vera of Fates Warning ... and Dream Theater's drummer Mike Portnoy. Aoooooouch !!! Music maestro :) This mini-album starts with Relentless : a piece of prog metal at the border of Dream Theater, Fates Warning and Shadow Gallery. Don't misunderstand me, A Twist Of Fate is not another copy of these bands. Far from that ! This music is really personal as John Arch's voice makes the whole different. Of course his vocal reminds you old Fates Warning - who said logical ? - but the music is strong and modern enough to set apart from what the above-mentioned bands usually offer. Sometimes heavy, sometimes explosive, sometimes light as a feather, John Arch's world is a soul fly experience :) My preference goes for the first track (Relentless, 12:25). The second track Cheyenne (15:36) is also progressive and melodic, reminding you the different level of depth used by Shadow Gallery. In fact, these songs could have been divided in two or three chapters, but I suppose John wanted that way. As said above, the structure of Cheyenne reminds me Shadow Gallery (Tyranny album) : different coating of music twisting together. It is very difficult for me to translate all the emotions. You have to give a try yourself ... but I am sure you will like this EP as much as I did because this music talks so much. Innovative and stimulating are the words that comes to my mind when I listen to A Twist Of Fate. Warning :)