Fates Warning - "Inside Out" Reissue CD Review (Metal Blade)

Two years after Metal Blade issued a deluxe 3-CD reissue of Fates Warning’s 1991 CD Parallels, the label has followed this up with a three-disc reissue of 1994’s Inside Out.

On the bonus CD are five tracks that were recorded live in Germany when the band was opening for Dream Theater along with seven demos/unreleased tracks. The live show consists of three tracks from Inside Out and two tracks from Parallels. The demos present early versions of five of the studio disc’s ten tracks along with a rough mix of “Monument” and the previously unreleased track “Circles”. The demos are great as they show a rawer edge to the songs than what ended up on the final studio disc. Particularly delectable is the instrumental version of "Face the Fear" and this demo version runs almost two minutes longer than the studio version. "Circles" is a solid track and it sounds completely produced so this song would have been a welcome addition to the original issue of Inside Out. On a humerous note, there is a 20 second snippet of an aborted take at the end of "Circles". (Note: For any completists out there – three of the five demos were previously released on a 2006 reissue of Inside Out).

Review copies of bonus DVDs rarely seem to circulate for review so I haven’t seen “Inside Out Live”. Based on the track list, I’m assuming these are various live tracks from different shows (in comparison – the bonus live DVD included in the Parallels reissue was a complete show). What is interesting is that “Island in the Stream” appears to be from the Parallels-lineup reunion tour in 2010.

Kudos to Metal Blade for keeping this reissue affordable as Amazon is selling the 3-disc set new for $15.92.

CD2 – LIVE in DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY February 11th 1995
Outside Looking In
Down to the Wire
The Eleventh Hour
Point Of View
Face The Fear

DEMOS/UNRELEASED
Outside Looking In (demo)
Pale Fire (demo)
Shelter Me (demo)
Island In the Stream (demo)
Face The Fear (demo)
Monument (rough mix)
Circles (unreleased)

DVD – INSIDE OUT LIVE
Outside Looking In 1994/95
Pale Fire 1993/94
The Strand 1994
Shelter Me 1993
Island In The Stream 2010
Down To The Wire 1994/95
Face The Fear 1994/95
Monument 1994/95
Afterglow Slide Show
Extras
Live In Still Water 1994
Through Different Eyes 1995
Guardian (Mike Portnoy drums) 1994
Shades of Heavenly Death 1995
MTV Europe Interview 1995
Eye to Eye 1994/95
Face The Face Of Fear 1994
Don't Follow Me 1994
Shortest Fates Warning Show Ever. 1994
Guardian (Arch/ Alder duet) 1994



There are days that I can be too much of a purist as, while this is a great package at an affordable price point, there are some aspects of this reissue that I was disappointed with. To start – Fates Warning was playing seven-eight song sets when opening for Dream Theater. I don’t know whether this was just a short set or songs were cut from this reissue – I’m guessing the later as the band seemed to consistently close their set with “Monument” for this run of shows. Here is the set list from another night on the German tour:

1. Life in Still Water
2. Outside Looking in
3. Down to the Wire
4. The Eleventh Hour
5. Point of View
6. Face the Fear
7. Eye to Eye
8. Monument

When reviewing reissues, I generally don’t attempt to review the original studio album but…I don’t think I heard this disc when it originally came out. This is a decent disc but it is quickly noticeable that it is missing the “wow” factor that made Parallels great. “Face the Fear”, “Monument” and “Down to the Wire” are memorable and strong tracks but the rest of the disc goes by in a pleasant blur without leaving a lasting impression. You have to wonder if the band was suffering from fatigue as guitarist Frank Aresti and bassist Joe DiBiase left the band after this disc’s release. In a 2001 interview with FatesWarning.com, DiBiase said “Parallels…was our peak as far as being a cohesive unit, musically and personally. For what ever reason after that album it started to become more like a job and not as much fun.”

Links:
Fates Warning

Creation's End Announce NYC Show with Suspyre and East Coast Mini-Tour

Creation's End is a new progressive/power metal band that is the outgrowth of a long-time collaboration between guitarist Rudy Albert (ex-Zandelle) and drummer Dario Rodriguez. Rounding out the lineup with vocalist Mike DiMeo (ex-Masterplan, ex-Riot), guitarist Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie Band), and bassist Joe Black (Chris Caffery, ex-Zandelle), the band worked with producer John Macaluso (who is also drummer for James Labrie Band, Fool’s Game) to rework eight of the demo tracks that Rudy and Dario recorded during 2003 - 2006. The band's debut album, A New Beginning was released at the end of last year via Sensory Records.

The band made their live debut last December at a show at Ace of Clubs and have just announced a headlining show at Sullivan Hall on June 30th prior to heading out on the Uniting The Powers Of Metal 2011 East Coast Tour (tour dates below). The show at Sullivan Hall is all ages (tickets are $10 for 21+ and $15 for under 21) and sharing the bill is New Jersey progressive metallers Suspyre with more bands to be announced shortly.

Set to take place this August, the quick but solid five-date Uniting The Powers Of Metal 2011 Tour brings together some of the finest contemporary progressive and power metal bands in the country including Artizan, Seven Kingdoms and Widow, in addition to Creation's End, and will make stops in some of the premiere heavy metal markets along America's Southeastern coastline.

Additionally, as previously announced, Creation's End are set to perform at the 2011 installment of ProgPower USA in Atlanta, Georgia this September, where they join an outstanding bill including Therion, Sacntuary, Dream Evil, Ihsahn, Mob Rules, While Heaven Wept, Sensory labelmates Haken, and tons more.

Creation's End Live:
6/30/2011 Sullivan Hall - New York, NY w/ Suspyre

Uniting The Powers Of Metal 2011 East Coast Tour
(Featuring Creation's End, Artizan, Seven Kingdoms, Widow)
8/17/2011 Jaxx - Springfield, VA
8/18/2011 Volume 11 - Raleigh, NC
8/19/2011 The Local - Marietta, GA
8/20/2011 The Haven Lounge - Orlando, FL
8/21/2011 The Local 662 - St. Petersburg, FL

9/16/2011 ProgPower XII - Atlanta, GA



Links:
Creation's End

Creations End – Live Footage from Debut Show / “A New Beginning” CD Review

Creation's End is a new progressive/power metal band that is the outgrowth of a long-time collaboration between guitarist Rudy Albert (ex-Zandelle) and drummer Dario Rodriguez. Rounding out the lineup with vocalist Mike DiMeo (ex-Masterplan, ex-Riot), guitarist Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie Band), and bassist Joe Black (Chris Caffery, ex-Zandelle). the band's debut album, A New Beginning was released last November via New Jersey’s Sensory Records.

I had the opportunity to talk with Rudy and Dario right after the record was released and asked how they would describe their sound.

"We have been asked this a lot and have been describing our music as “arena prog. rock”. The music is big and bombastic but we hope that it has universal appeal so that everyone can find something in it that they like."

The band made their live debut at a record-release show on December 3 at New York City's Ace of Clubs.



The new disc contains eight tracks of epic power-metal and the average track is just over seven minutes long. It is extremely refreshing that Creation’s End refuses to succumb to any of the clichés within the prog. rock genre as the disc never sinks into indulgent navel gazing or meandering technical wankery. All of the songs are purposeful, melodic and tight so the disc becomes a fulfilling listen.

As a whole, the songs on A New Beginning are dark and musically dense and contain elements of both American (Dream Theater) and European (Masterplan) power metal. Vocalist Mike DiMeo adds an edge to the band’s sound as he sing with a hard-rock style which doesn’t require a falsetto range to project its power. Guitarists Rudy Albert and Marco Sfogli throw down some solid riffs which are intertwined with soaring solos and Albert doubles up on keyboards, which are featured prominently on some tracks.

The band changes styles and tempos across the disc so each song is distinctive enough to stand on its own. Two of the strongest cuts are disc opener “Of Shadow and Flame” and “World Holocaust” where the band weaves together the best elements of the prog and power-metal genres which are then accentuated by some of Mike DiMeo’s strongest vocals on this disc.



Given the strengths of A New Beginning, expectations are going to be high for whenever the band goes back into the studio to record their follow-up.

Links:
Creation's End

Creation's End: "A New Beginning" Exclusive Interview // CD Release Party is Dec. 3rd at Ace of Clubs

Creation's End is a new progressive/power metal band that is the outgrowth of a long-time collaboration between guitarist Rudy Albert (ex-Zandelle) and drummer Dario Rodriguez. Rounding out the lineup with vocalist Mike DiMeo (ex-Masterplan, ex-Riot), guitarist Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie Band), and bassist Joe Black (Chris Caffery, ex-Zandelle), the band worked with producer John Macaluso (who is also drummer for James Labrie Band, Fool’s Game) to rework eight of the demo tracks that Rudy and Dario recorded during 2003 - 2006. The band's debut album, A New Beginning was released this past Tuesday (Nov. 9th) via New Jersey’s Sensory Records.

The band will make their live debut at a record-release show on Friday, December 3 at New York City's Ace of Clubs. Sharing the bill with Creation’s End is The MP Project, Monstar Zero and Clearview.



I had the chance to talk with Rudy Albert and Dario Rodriguez about the new album, the upcoming record release show and plans for the future.

BrooklynRocks: Coming out of established bands, what were your goals for the new records?

Creation’s End: We wanted to go in a different direction with a whole new vision – something progressive and dark. We’ve revised and reworked these songs over the years and they just didn’t fit with the direction of our then-current bands so we decided to take these ideas elsewhere.

BrooklynRocks: How did you hook up with Sensory Records?

Creation’s End: I met Claus (from Intromental) at ProgPower Festival in 2007 and we established a huge friendship. Claus passed our music on to Ken at Sensory and things happened from there. It feels great to have a family at Sensory.

BrooklynRocks: With your record coming out late in the year, what are your plans for 2011?

Creation’s End: We are really looking forward to the record release show at Ace of Clubs. All the band members will be there and Marco Sfogli will be flying in from Italy for the show. We are planning on going out on some late Spring / early Summer tours next year and we are playing the ProgPower Festival in Atlanta on Sept. 16th.

We are also writing on a weekly basis so we are expecting to go into the studio sometime next year to record our follow-up record.

BrooklynRocks: Are there many opportunities for a metal band to play out NYC? Are there any particular bands that you are looking to tour with?

Creation’s End: It is really difficult being a new band and playing out in NYC. A number of metal-oriented clubs have closed over the last few years and some of the promoters who are still around aren’t willing to book metal acts.

A dream tour would be with Devin Townsend – I’m a huge fan. There are a number of other bands that we would love to tour with which includes Evergrey and Symphony X.

BrooklynRocks: In a recent review of your new disc, the reviewer name-checked both Styx and White Lion. How would you describe your music and do you see any comparison to the aforementioned bands?

Creation’s End: We have been asked this a lot and have been describing our music as “arena prog. rock”. The music is big and bombastic but we hope that it has universal appeal so that everyone can find something in it that they like.

(Laughing) Mike DiMeo called me up after reading that same review saying that he sounds nothing like Mike Tramp. Personally, I think a closer comparison would have been to Russell Allen (Symphony X vocalist). I don’t know where the Styx comparison came from though. Creation’s End isn’t theatrical and we are certainly heavier sounding than Styx but we do have some big epic, dramatic sections on the disc so I guess that I can sort of see the comparison.

BrooklynRocks: With each song averaging 7+ minutes, do you have any concerns about your songs being too long to get much radio or video play?

Creation’s End: Our producer (Johnny Mac) asked us about this as well. We wrote these songs many years ago when bands like Metallica and Dream Theater were writing 7 – 10 minute epic songs so we wanted to write like this. While we didn’t want to edit down these songs, we have grown and matured as songwriters over the years and will likely have shorter songs on the next disc.

BrooklynRocks: Thanks for the time tonight! Is there anything that you want to leave people with?

Creation’s End: Pick up the new disc and judge it for yourself. (Engineer) Neil Kernon (Yes, Nile, etc.) captured the full range of audio dynamics in the mix so the disc has a full and uncompressed sound. I think the disc sounds great and I still listen to it regularly.

Come on out to the Ace of Clubs record release show. There are some good bands on the bill and we are going to rock out.

Links:
Creation's End

Fates Warning - Parallels Special Edition CD Review (Metal Blade)

Last month, Metal Blade continued on with the recent series of Fates Warning reissues and released the band's 1991 CD Parallels as a three-disc set. I'm starting to feel really old now as this disc is now nineteen years old and the last time (that I can remember) Fates Warning played NYC was 2001 at L'Amour.

The set contains an eight-track live show which was recorded on the Parallels tour at the Hollywood Bowl on January 23, 1992 along with six demos. The demos cover the majority of the Parallels LP with the exception of "Life in Still Water" and "We Only Say Goodbye". The live show also skips over these tracks (and "The Road Goes On Forever") but adds "Nothing Left To Say" (from Perfect Symmetry), "Quietus" (from No Exit) and "Through Different Eyes" (from Perfect Symmetry). The DVD contains a 13-track live concert that was filmed in 1992 in New Haven, CT along with behind-the-scenes footage from the 1992 tour and current interviews with all the band members.

Here is the full track listing for the two bonus discs. As Amazon is selling the 3-disc set new for $14.99, you aren't going to go wrong with this set.

Disc 2 - Live and Demos
"Leave the Past Behind" [Live] - 4:39
"Don't Follow Me" [Live] - 5:19
"The Eleventh Hour" [Live] - 8:09
"Point of View" [Live] - 4:20
"Eye to Eye" [Live] - 4:06
"Nothing Left to Say" [Live] - 7:59
"Quietus" [Live] - 4:00
"Through Different Eyes" [Live] - 4:39
"Leave the Past Behind" [Demo Version] - 5:50
"Eye to Eye" [Demo Version] - 4:06
"The Eleventh Hour" [Demo Version] - 7:39
"Point of View" [Demo Version] - 4:50
"Don't Follow Me" [Demo Version] - 4:17
"The Road Goes on Forever" [Demo Version] - 5:43
Tracks 1-8 recorded at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California on January 23, 1992.

Disc 3 - Live, "The Making of..." and Interviews DVD
"Leave the Past Behind"
"Static Acts"
"Don't Follow Me"
"Part of the Machine"
"The Eleventh Hour"
"Point of View"
"Silent Cries"
"Life in Still Water"
"Eye to Eye"
"Nothing Left to Say"
"Quietus"
"Damnation/In a Word"
"Through Different Eyes"



The Parallels line-up of the band has reunited for a few one-off reunion shows and the closest show that the band is playing is at The Webster Theatre in New Haven, CT on June 4th.

Links:
Fates Warning

Dream Theater Release Advance Single "A Rite of Passage" as a One-Day-Only Free Download

DOWNLOAD: Dream Theater - "A Rite of Passage" (MP3)
(Link expires at 11:59PM tonight)

Dream Theater's new disc, Black Clouds & Silver Linings, hits stores on June 23rd. The band released the first single from this upcoming disc as a one-day-only free download.

According to Dream Theater's website "In addition to the standard version CD, the album will also be available on vinyl LP, as well as a 3-disc Special Edition CD that will include the full album, a CD of instrumental mixes of the album and a CD of six cover songs, the titles of which will be revealed at a later date."

Links:
Dream Theater's MySpace Profile