FATES WARNING
VENUE SELLERSVILLE THEATER 1894, PA DATE 08/03/19 SUPPORT MINDMAZE
Formed nearly 40 years ago, Fates Warning are considered one of the premier names in American progressive metal (with 2016’s Theories Of Flight upholding that standard). While their performance at Sellersville Theater 1894 certainly prioritises that LP, the breadth of material covered makes the show feel most like an intimate, thorough, and spectacular retrospective on vocalist Ray Alder’s entire 30-year stint with the band. Thus, it’s equally endearing and rewarding that Fates Warning still remain a nearly impeccable act in concert.
Pennsylvanian progressive metal quartet MindMaze open the stage in novel fashion, as guitarist/keyboardist Jeff Teets, drummer Mark Bennett and bassist Rich Pasqualone quickly take over from the pre-recorded beginning of the chaotic The Machine Stops.
Lead vocalist Sarah Teets conveys immense enthusiasm and ability as her soaring singing blends into the surrounding arrangement. It’s an impressively varied and tight, if also a bit by-the-numbers, rendition, and fortunately the following entries – True Reflection, One More Moment, Sign Of Life and This Holy War – maintain those balances. She repeatedly thanks the crowd and encourages them to get
involved, while Pasqualone and Jeff Teets provide fitting backing vocals, solidifying MindMaze as a humble and talented local pleasure.
Before long, Fates Warning come out to a dissonant industrial soundtrack and a standing ovation. Naturally, they launch into a virtually faultless take on Theories Of
Flight starter From The Rooftops and later replicate three other album cuts – Seven Stars, SOS and the especially elaborate
The Light And Shade of Things – with comparable mastery. Scattered around those songs are a few other gems from the last two decades, including One, Pieces Of Me, Firefly and Falling Further. Combined, these selections showcase how much the group have retained their edge in the second half of their career.
Of course, the quintet also bring out several older fan favourites, including Parts III and VI of A Pleasant Shade Of Gray, as well as Life In Still Water, The Eleventh Hour and Point Of View from Parallels. Following a brief break, their 90-minute trip concludes with Through Different Eyes, The Ivory Gate of Dreams: VII.
Acquiescence (from Alder’s first recording with them, 1988’s No Exit) and
“FATES WARNING COME OUT TO A DISSONANT INDUSTRIAL SOUNDTRACK AND A STANDING OVATION.”
Monument. Throughout, they ensure that just about every note and timbre is studioperfect, with founding guitarist Jim Matheos looking especially focused and bassist Joey Vera displaying delightfully manic gusto.
Although both sets are superb, a couple of minor grievances warrant mention. Seeing as how both sound and sight are crucial parts of a concert, both ensembles could have added more spectacle to the venue’s token flashing coloured lights. Granted, MindMaze are still modest enough to get away with displaying only their latest album cover on the screen
(in addition to placing two smaller posters on either side of Bennett), but for an act as big as Fates Warning, doing even less than that –
displaying just a single static image related to
Theories Of Flight behind drummer Bobby Jarzombek
– is disappointingly uninspired. Furthermore, and despite a mostly unblemished performance,
Alder’s vocals are a touch too low and/or strained at times (especially during the initial tracks).
Gripes aside, both bands relentlessly captivate the crowd. Although young, MindMaze harness enough talent and personality to deserve the starting spotlight. As for Fates Warning, they do a fine job of highlighting both how strongly they’re still going and how special the Alder era has been overall. Sure, they should’ve done more to be as visually intriguing, but the quality of their sonic reign is more than enough to demonstrate why their live road should go on forever.