Recorded: February to April, 2000.
Released: July 25th, 2000.
Produced by: Fates Warning and Terry Brown (known for working with Rush).
Lineup:
Ray Alder - Vocals
Jim Matheos - Guitar
Mark Zonder - Drums
Joey Vera - Bass
Kevin Moore - Keyboards
The same lineup from
A Pleasant Shade... returns for the next album, which is a logical step forward from the last. This one is a bit more dense, cold, and even a little sci-fi sounding. The atmosphere is more ambient, spacey, and has a bit more electronic presence than the last album. Kevin Moore's keyboards were definitely a great addition to the band's sound.
And every now and again, there is this great floating-sounding basswork from Joey Vera. Matheos' riffs are well written, tight, and angular. His tone is a tad heavier than it was on most of their 90s output, which adds a new dimension to the sound they'd already established during that decade. And Mark Zonder shows off why he's one of my absolute favorite drummers all over this album. His work behind the kit is phenomenal, making complex rhythms sound effortless and natural.
The lyrics deal with personal strife, emotions, and feelings of separation & disconnection from society and humanity. A theme present is wishing for a better future and feeling helpless to create a reality that surrounds one with the happiness and light-hearted joy that many seek. This darker, more personal Fates Warning is a great companion to the fantasy, mysticism, and witchcraft driven Fates of the 80s. The band kept progressing, both in terms of becoming more musically intricate, as well as growing intellectually and emotionally, as indicated by the lyrical maturation.
Choosing a favorite track on this one is tough, as they're all fantastic songs. "Still Remains" is a prog-metal epic, "One" is punchy, heavy and the most immediate song here, and "Something From Nothing" is full of rich textures and great melodies.
I'd probably go with "One" if I flipped a coin on it, as it was the song that got me into the album initially.