Updated 6/24

HERE IT IS! JOHN ARCH "A TWIST OF FATE" BUY IT!!

It may have taken 16 long years of waiting, but JOHN ARCH Finally returns with some new music on this brand spankin' new CD "A Twist Of Fate" brought to us by Metal Blade records! One word to describe this: MASTERPIECE!

John Arch's voice is TOP NOTCH, just as if it were 1987. His vocal melodies, arrangements, and song lyrics are of equal caliber, and gel together beautifully with Jim Matheos' excellent guitar playing and Mike Portnoy's drum work. There is one immense disappointment in this release, however..... it is only a two song EP! 2 of the best songs I've heard in a long, long time, mind you, and we can only hope that John will return again soon with a full length release sometime in the near future. Perhaps he was testing the waters after so many years out of the music scene. Well, the waters are quite warm, and give this CD 10 stars!(and that's on the 5 star system, by the way...)

I am a huge fan of Both Dream Theater and Fates Warning....and quite frankly, this EP takes the cake. To hear such an amazing voice again after all of these years gives a new hope to progressive metal once again.

MY REVIEW: JOHN ARCH "A TWIST OF FATE":

After 16 years, he is back. John Arch, the man, arguably behind progressive metal band Fates Warnings greatest efforts to date, namely "Awaken The Guardian" and "The Spectre Within" has returned with a brand new album. The uniqueness of his high ranged voice, his lyrical genius, and vocal melody arrangements have not lost their touch. Combined with the guitar virtuosity of Fates Warning's own Jim Matheos, FW's temporary permanent bass player Joey Vera, and Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy on drums, this release quickly becomes a musical masterpiece. Issued on Metal Blade records, it is a two song EP, not a full length CD, however, captures the magic that was seemingly once lost by a band that decided to take a different musical direction. One word for this release: Masterpiece. From beginning to end, it does not fail to disappoint. The only true disappointment in this release, is that it is only an EP, leaving the listener to yearn for more material. Let's hope that John has the time and the desire to create more music in the near future! Hanging on every word in the song "Relentless", the power of the vocal arrangements melded with the energy of the music behind it brings out deep emotions that make this song come alive. Over 12 minutes long, this opus is easily one of the greatest progressive metal songs ever written. Next we have the 15+ minute masterpiece called "Cheyenne", yet another fantastic song, of equal caliber to that of the first, making one delve into the deeper meaning behind the lyrics and feeling the emotions within the song itself. A list price at only $9.98, and having seen it for even less, this CD is far beyond being worth every penny. 1987 was the last time we heard from John Arch, leaving us with a legendary legacy, with exception to his Dream Theater auditions in the early 1990's, he has not touched the music scene since. Now he is back, and it's like he never left.John Arch is about making music that matters. His fans are glad he is back, and we hope he'll stick around for a while longer this time.

I collect all on Fates Warning. E-mail me items for sale/trade! Especially looking for CD and LP bootleg releases, Promo releases, live video, ANY demo/rare live especially w/John Arch, all John Arch related items, live photos, magazines/clippings, promo photos, promo posters, and other promotional items.