Fates Warning - No Exit

Exit John Arch, enter Ray Alder. Another comparison to Maiden ensues (see Awaken the Guardian) as I'm reminded of the difference Bruce Dickenson made there. Don't get me wrong, I liked both Paul DiAnno and John Arch, but man, does Alder knock you to the wall. He's also well suited to the heavier feel and meatier production found here. Opener Anarchy Divine (after a 0:42 second intro) is the best thing the band has done yet, and it just gets better. A higher degree of intelligence has been found lyrically, and any time a side long epic appears, count me in! At 21 minutes, The Ivory Gate of Dreams is pretty awesome, and one of the most requested songs the band has written. It's the 2112 of metal! This is prime stuff, and the last album the band would release solely to the underground. Final hour for drummer Steve Zimmerman, whose style didn't appear to match the direction the band was headed.