Fates Warning is probably the most underrated progressive metal/rock band ever, even if they have released twelve magical albums of which A Pleasant Shade Of Gray (1997), Parallels (1991) and Theories Of Flight (2016) are their real classical gems. Live Over Europe is Fates Warnings' first live album since Still Life, which already dates from 1998! Live Over Europe features twenty-three tracks and the album really sounds amazing with Fates Warning (Alder, Vera, Matheos, Jarzombek and guest player Abdow) in top notch shape, really second to none! You can enjoy all the FW classics and live staples such as Monument, The Eleventh Hour (goose bumps), Point Of View, Eye To Eye and of course A Pleasant Shade of Gray Part 9 from my favourite FW album with the same name. From FW's most recent superb album Theories Of Flight (2016, see review) we are treated to From The Rooftops (with sublime guitar work), Seven Stars, SOS and the epic The Light And Shade Of Things, one of the best songs Fates Warning has ever recorded. When you think it cannot get any better than this, FW comes up with two older epics being Still Remains, clocking over fifteen minutes from the album Disconnected (2000) and And Yet It Moves, clocking over fourteen minutes, from Darkness In A Different Light (see review), released in 2013. Since I have heard this album for the first time I have been addicted to Live Over Europe, as live albums cannot get better than this one. Alders' vocals are almost out of this world and every song on this album is a prog metal gem. Fates Warning reaches a new melodic and progressive level of prog metal music with this album! Forget all other live albums and buy this one and I am sure you will be addicted very soon, just like me! Fates Warning is the best prog metal band on our planet at this moment in time; forget Dream Theater, Fates Warning rules BIG TIME!!!! ***** Martien Koolen (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
