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Disconnected

Fates Warning - Disconnected Audio CD

A fair review of the Fates Warning "Disconnected" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Fates Warning reviews here, or go back to the Fates Warning tabs.

Band: Fates Warning
Title: Disconnected
Rating:

Release Date: 2000-07-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Disconnected, Pt. 1 2: One 3: So 4: Pieces of Me 5: Something from Nothing 6: Still Remains 7: Disconnected, Pt. 2

Hard to connect
. 2 1/2

Fates Warning helped bridge a gap between the compositional complexities of 70's progressive titans and 80's hard-rockers, and with this 2000 release still sound like Dream Theater and Tool's older, less hip brother basking in stale artistry, though in a solid context.

incredible!!!
the first time i listened to this album i felt it was missing that effect that made their previous efforts like "Parallels" or "InsideOut" so wonderful. . . but after the third listen this album really got to me. Its up there with the very best this band has ever produced, and out of all their albums perhaps the hardest to accept. This has often been called the "Thinking man's metal" which is true in some aspects but you dont have to be a thinking man to understand how wonderful this album can be, all u gotta do is open you mind, forget comparing this to past FW albums and accept it for wat it is, a majestic, beautiful, masterful and epic release that should be regarded as one of the true and best prog metal albums ever released. Alder is on top form nailing every emotion in the songs without elevating his pitch too much like he did before(although it was awesome)Matheos plays more modern style guitars and riffing up and lowering his tempos according to the mood of the songs and Zonder as always giving an outstanding performance on the drums, nailing everthing at the right time and giving those extra details to his playing like the symbals and toms ghost notes ,amazing!. . . . give this a chance, listen with an open mind, and eventually you will realize like i did and like some of my fellow reviewers here how good this is. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FIVE STARS! LONG LIVE FATES WARNING!

Fav Song here(althought the entire album is amazing): STILL REMAINS(especially when it gets to around 11 min).

Progressive, metal, modern
Fates played some stuff from this album and sounded both heavy and progressive, whereas Queensryche just sounded like mellow pop-rock. I saw the progressive metal dream tour of Fates Warning, Dream Theater, and Queensryche and was struck by how Fates stole the show (despite having only a 1/2 hr slot while the other two got their 2-hrs each). Not that they were bad (actually Fates went for a Queensryche sound around the early 90's), but it was just a letdown after Fates's exciting set.
I'm a big fan of the early (John Arch) Fates Warning, which is very metal with fantastic lyrics and complex prog riffing. This album is the heaviest and most metal they did after No Exit (the first to introduce singer Ray Alder), but with a moodier modern sound indicative of it's late 90's release. Ray's voice by "Disconnected" has taken on a more late 90's post-grunge sound (am I the only one that thinks all non punk/alternative rock vocals sound like a mixture of Pearl Jam, Soundgarten, etc?). I normally find this style of singing a little boring (due to the fact so many singers for so long have used it), but his voice is good and due to Fates Warning's more interesting music, it manages to give them a "modern" sound while being good. There's a continuation of the moody modern sound of the previous "Pleasant Shade of Grey" album, but with a lot more heavy parts, too.
Overall, Fates Warning here have managed to take the best parts of what made them great over various parts of their career and mix it with a contemporary sound for something that is new and exciting.

Fates Warning - The Band Continues To Evolve
Augmented with former Dream Theater and current OSI keyboard man Kevin Moore the band come up with another winner of modern progressive metal. After the complex prog concept piece that was the bands previous album "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray", Fates Warning came back in 2000 with an album of individual songs. Fates warning, in my opinion, just keep getting better with age, and I think this album ranks right up with their best. The album begins and ends with a mournful guitar wail not unlike an electric foghorn. It sets the tone for the rest of the disc and concludes the proceedings in the same manner connecting the tracks in the middle with a theme of loneliness and sorrow. Yes this is a bit of a downer album lyrically, but in the case of Fates Warning this only adds to the ambience of the music. When Ray Alder sings the "I'm so tired" chorus of the song "So", the delivery is so emotional that the listener can feel the fatigue of the protagonist in the song. The centerpiece of the album is the 16 minute plus "Something From Nothing". This epic track contains everything that makes Fates Warning great both musically, vocally and lyrically. Kudos to the band for not getting stuck in a rut like many of their peers. Instead of continually recreating their patented sound the band bring in the influence of new millennium metal bands such as Tool and manage to keep things fresh and relevant. Kevin Moore's keyboards also add just the right touch and also provide a more modern touch. Listening closely you can hear many electronic noises and textures that would not be unusual to find on a modern electronica or space rock album. "Disconnected" is a great prog metal album. If you are at all a Fates fan or a fan of heavy progressive rock in general this is a great one to check out.

Seriously....the vocals ruin the whole experience....they suck
I hate to start off a review like this, but. . . . . . . . don't get me wrong:
The music part of this album is AWESOME! From the irratic and somewhat mathematical rhythms to the ambience of the keyboards, there is a lot to be heard on "Disconnected". The guitars provide much chops and even some amazing heavily effects sounds. Even the bass lines are somewhat decent. Overall, this would be an amazing and must have instrumental album.
The vocals, and even the lyrics are horrible and sound so amateur and lame that it ruins the experience that "Disconected" has to offer.
I am a lyric and vocal SNOB, the vocals and the lyrics have to be JUST RIGHT or I will hate them. Sorry, I know I sound like a stuck up fool, but with the amount of bands that walk this earth, one has to be really picky. Vocalists like Maynard James Keenan and Mikael Akerfelt are where its at.
Not that I would want all singers to sound like them, but at least come with something that matches the music more! The vocals somewhat match the lyrics on "Disconnected", but seem highly out of place, in my opinion.
I just cannot get over it, this singer sounds like the UBER-whine master! His voice is so grating and annoying. His lyrics are stale and cliche'd. I'm sorry to all of the fans that really like the vocals and this singer, but he really does not have that much talent. Sure, he is very emotional, but almost to the point that it adds a huge, HUGE layer of cheese to the band.
The vocals sound very much like popular 80's ballads and rock bands. Now this can be good, if your into that sort of thing, but I am not.
I do agree that the singer could be something really great, he just needs to focus, or something!

Highlights of "Disconnected" would be literally every song because there are enough change ups on every track to keep you interested, if you can get past the horrible singing.

One reviewer mentioned that they could see a Tool influence on this album. I agree, on the music side. The Rhythms have that same dis-jointed and somewhat Mathetmatical and progressive style to them. Even the guitar distortion sounds like Undertow/early Aenima guitars. The drummer is amazing, creative and highly original.
The track "Something from nothing" is probably my favorite track on "Disconnected" and my favorite Fates song all together. This song is so spaced out and filled with odd time signatures and pleases me on many levels.
The keyboards get away with being a prominent sound in the band WITHOUT sounding cheesy or horrid, they actually add a huge amount of atmosphere and bleeps and bloops to the overall sound, giving this album a kind of electronic/progressive metal sound.
I truly feel bad for giving this album a low review, but the vocals kill it, and they over power everything else on this disc, so there is NO chance of getting away from it. . . Hopefully this singers annoying singing style grows on me. . . . who knows. . . stranger and more uncertain things have happened!
Wow, this singer sucks!
I will have to say that as of later listens, the vocals become more listenable and tolerable bumping my original review of 4 stars to 5.

You can see a complete list of all Fates Warning discography, or go back to the Fates Warning tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.