Album Review: Disconnected

By: Norbert Uzseka (Hungarian Metal Hammer magazine)
Translated By: Totikus (totikus@gmx.net)
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 disconnected took 3rd place in this month's Hungarian Metal Hammer with an
average score of 9.11, falling behind Iron Maiden's Brave New World (9.67)
and In Flames' Clayman (9.38). I'd say that's pretty impressive as I wasn't
really expecting it to do that well in a metal magazine (even though I am
absolutely amazed by the album). A review which I've translated was also
printed as follows:

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Fates Warning: disconnected

  An unendingly painful guitar sound breathing emptiness and hopelessness
which returns again and again starts off disconnected. One turns oneself
off, can't take any more of pain, the world...
  Today's -- in my opinion -- most progressive metal band didn't care now,
either, about what was in demand. They didn't take into account that true
heavy metal has returned in Europe, a style in which they, too, had some
things to say once (early John Arch records) -- didn't endeavor to write a
concept album with a story. The present impacted them, but in the way it
impacts us all, since it is what we live in, more or less. And it is no
wonder that the band led by the guitarist-genius Jim Matheos finally made
an album which, at first, seems not friendly, but disillusioned and
prickly. But that is only the surface.  
  Sure, "One," which follows the intro, grabs you on the first listen,
since its chorus would have fit on the band's most poppy record, 1991's
Parallels. But already here you can feel that divine-voiced vocalist Ray
Alder's Engine project of last year, which was a mix of prog. metal and
modern (Tool, Deftones) music, influenced FW as well. The music is not
similar to the aforementioned bands, but the deeper, more distorted riffs
and Ray's more aggressive vocals show the effect nonetheless.
  And the parallels with ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore's Chroma
Key project also appear. This is the second album Kevin has played on for
FW, therefore it would be fitting to have him join as well, since his
playing has been built into the band's music so deeply. I don't know
whether he took part in writing as well [he didn't, according to the
Progeny interview with Jim -- Totikus], but his arrangements, solos,
coloring effects are very typical of him. Of him, and not of Dream Theater,
which shows that here he gives at least as much of himself as in his former
band. It is enough to listen to disconnected part 2, which contains
practically only piano/synths, as well as sampled speech. Space-Dye Vest
and Chroma Key mood, obviously.
  The third song, So, builds on a mid-tempo, quite powerful riff and
clarifies the fact that Mark Zonder, whose playing is frighteningly
complex, is a god as well. The song also reveals that this album is a
direct continuation of A Pleasant Shade Of Gray released 3 years ago, but a
much more metallic, energetic, and passionate album. That is not to say
that the melancholic, contemplative, mesmerizing moments are missing. But
first, we are treated to the incredibly tight Pieces Of Me, which should be
heard by every modern metal fan! I can't imagine a livelier FW song. Then
the 11-minute Something From Nothing and the 16-minute Still Remains are so
layered that pages could be written about them. Beauty, suppressed tension,
spacey flight, noises like memories, feelings and thoughts, goosebumps;
parts continuing the thread of arch-prog. rock bands, maybe even Hammond
organ, bassist Joey Vera's great moments, then Engine-ish shouting parts
and crushing riff, then a close which surpasses even the best parts of the
latest Dream Theater album. Perfection.
  Fates Warning continues on its own path, which in spite of all its
pensiveness and "braininess" is instinctively artistic, sensitive,
beautiful, and filled with emotion. Introspective music, its goal is not
entertainment, the parade of musical abilities, this is what makes it, in
spite of its complexity and progressiveness, honest and human. The more I
listen to disconnected, the more I am enchanted by it. Without a doubt, it
must be sunk into, still I know that anyone could connect to it because its
message is not world-redeeming or only decryptable with a diploma. Everyone
feels so tired sometimes that all they wish to do is disconnect themselves...
10/10 Norbert Uzseka
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  A pretty good review, I think, even though I don't agree with everything
(the score I'd give, however, is also 10/10). BTW, this guy absolutely
raved about APSOG, the live video, and Still Life as well back when they
came out. 

Totikus