Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian (1986)

The third and last Fates Warning album to feature original vocalist John Arch in the fold. Considered an all-time classic by many power/progressive metal fans worldwide, it truly left a big mark on Metal Blade Records' roster of bands.

In my opinion, Awaken the Guardian is a near-perfect album that is a notch down from the sheer brilliance of The Spectre Within, and only because the last couple of songs drift a little in the end. Nonetheless, there's not a bad song to be found. The first half and "Prelude to Ruin" are all guaranteed kills, and having to pick one of them among my favorites is difficult. "Guardian" has the best melodies of them all, but I really love the heaviness of "Valley of the Dolls", which I will be voting for. "The Sorceress" and "Fata Morgana" are all quite great, though.

"Valley of the Dolls" for me as well. Followed by "Guardian" and "Fata Morgana."

Valley of the dolls.

I hear about how great this album is all of the time, think it would be wise to acquire a copy soon.

Valley of the Dolls

Heart of Winter.

Exodus. Those melodies are phenomenal. 

The whole album is fantastic.

This album is perfect, and is my fave FW. I chose Guardian.

This is my all time favorite FW album. Gotta go with Guardian. It just builds and builds into near perfection.

Guardian

This is as hard as grandpa at the nursing home on visiting day when grannie brings that little purple pill.

I will go with "Guardian"

This was a great tour and I have always wondered if anything was documented from this era ?

James B. wrote:

This was a great tour and I have always wondered if anything was documented from this era ?

The reissue included a live DVD from around this time.

I voted for Guardian.

The Sorceress is my favorite. But this album, like Spectre, is damn-near perfect. I'm listening to it right now and have already had chills sent down my spine two minutes in.

Wurthless wrote:

The Sorceress is my favorite. But this album, like Spectre, is damn-near perfect. I'm listening to it right now and have already had chills sent down my spine two minutes in.

And let's be honest, how many other bands can actually pull off the line "dancing with the banshee" and have it sound awesome?

Temple of Blood wrote:

James B. wrote:

This was a great tour and I have always wondered if anything was documented from this era ?

The reissue included a live DVD from around this time.

Thanks for the heads up

MetallicSeminarian wrote:

Wurthless wrote:

The Sorceress is my favorite. But this album, like Spectre, is damn-near perfect. I'm listening to it right now and have already had chills sent down my spine two minutes in.

And let's be honest, how many other bands can actually pull off the line "dancing with the banshee" and have it sound awesome?

I love Arch's lyrics. They fit the sprawling, twisting, and maze-like music perfectly. Who wouldn't wanna dance with a banshee?

I almost didn't vote because, after many listens, I could not find anything to grab on to. It just sounds like a long wail-fest. I'm interested in hearing a different singer with the next album. I did find a few moments I liked in "Exodus" so I voted for it.

80s Metal Lady wrote:

I almost didn't vote because, after many listens, I could not find anything to grab on to. It just sounds like a long wail-fest. I'm interested in hearing a different singer with the next album. I did find a few moments I liked in "Exodus" so I voted for it.

As a fanboy of this band, I kind of forced myself to like Arch-fronted material before I actually started enjoying it. Shows how much I love Parallels lol. Took a lot of turns to start appreciating wail-fests though.

Prelude To Ruin

80s Metal Lady wrote:

I almost didn't vote because, after many listens, I could not find anything to grab on to. It just sounds like a long wail-fest. I'm interested in hearing a different singer with the next album. I did find a few moments I liked in "Exodus" so I voted for it.

Just a word of warning. You might like the vocals on the next album (No Exit) better, but the songs themselves aren't really much more accessible than those on Awaken the Guardian (although Silent Cries has a nice hook in the chorus). Don't give up on Fates even if No Exit is also not to your liking. I think Perfect Symmetry, Parallels, and Inside Out are more accessible (although not overly so by any means).

Guardian. It's my favorite Fates Warning song ever.

"Prelude To Ruin". I love that guitar riff at the 3:39 mark!