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Fates Warning > Perfect Symmetry > 1994, CD, Metal Blade Records (Reissue) > Reviews
Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry

Drastically changing your style done right - 73%

LuigiCalzone, February 25th, 2023

Every band reaches a point in its career where they need to decide how to continue. Releasing the same album over and over again can get boring over time. Take Obituary as an example. The albums after 'World Demise' are interchangeable, not only in sound and style, but also quality. It took them until 'Obituary' and their most recent album 'The Dying of Everything' to finally release something consistently good again. Bolt Thrower also were pretty much recycling 'War Master' after 1991, just that in this case the fans liked it somehow. However, another option would be developing your sound into a certain direction. For example Slayer, contrary to the common belief that they always kept doing the same thing, reduced speed and aggression after 'Reign in Blood' and were capable of writing another two classics with 'South of Heaven' and 'Seasons in the Abyss'. Kreator after their experimental phase in the 90s returned to their thrash roots but developed them, made the music more melodic and released albums that can definitely be considered modern classics. Death developed their sound from straight death metal to technical death metal, resulting in albums that the fans loved. Of course going mainstream is also an option, but this can go wrong quickly. It may have worked for Metallica in terms of success, but when they followed the grunge trends of the 90s, boring albums like 'Load' and 'Reload' were the consequence. Also Slayer can be named as an example once again as they followed the nu metal hype and released 'Diabolus in Musica' and 'God Hates Us All', albums with next to no killers but many fillers.

Fates Warning went for a totally different direction, drastically changing their sound but without aiming to go mainstream. There is this one story of Mike Portnoy, who back then had a demo with his band Majesty, being at a Fates show on the tour for 'Awaken the Guardian'. After the show he went to Fates guitarist Jim Matheos and showed him his demo. I personally think that this was not only the beginning of a close friendship between two bands, but also a moment of inspiration for Matheos. Later Majesty became Dream Theater and released their debut 'When Dream and Day Unite' in 1989. In the very same year Fates Warning released 'Perfect Symmetry', an album that definitely shares similarities with Dream Theater's debut. Fates Warning went from an intense, heavy guitar tone on 'Awaken the Guardian' and 'No Exit' to a very restrained tone on this album, and their sophisticated approach on the classic heavy metal sound was replaced by something even more technical, something that could only be labelled purely as progressive metal.

Many fans were disappointed when 'Perfect Symmetry' came out, even I myself was disapointed when I listened to it the first time, but this record is like a fine wine, bocoming better and better with each subsequent listen. Songs like "Part of the Machine", "Nothing Left to Say" and in its later half "At Fate's Hands" offer such a fascinating variety of odd rythms and time signatures. There are instances where technicality can get annoying, but here it is just an overwhemingly interesting experience. "Static Acts" also has a pretty cool build-up and some badass riffs, while "Chasing Time" is more on the ballady side of things. "World Apart" can even be compared to a waltz, since it is mostly written in 3/4. Up to this point the album could easily be a 7.5 out of 10 or perhaps even better, unfortunately there are two songs that fall off a bit. "Through Different Eyes" is something like Fates Warning's first underground hit and in fact sounds more commercial than the rest of the album. It is a good song but a little too radio friendly for me to get enthusiastic about it. And finally "The Arena" is nothing more than an okay song I just wouldn't miss if it wasn't there. It's neither good nor bad, it just there and doesn't excite me, but doesn't annoy me either.

Overall 'Perfect Symmetry' is still a great record I always enjoy coming back to. Fates Warning took a risk with their changes, but I think it payed off. Their fifth album is considered a classic, and it totally deserves it. Also Ray Alder's voice seems to be much more comfortable with this style than with 'No Exit'.

The start and the end of something - 82%

colin040, November 18th, 2017

For some years my familiarity with Fates Warning’s Alder era stuff started with No Exit and ended with Parallels. However, at one point I noticed that I had missed one album, which for some reason slipped under the radar. My loss, though, because Perfect Symmetry is still a solid piece of work and even if it hints what Fates Warning would become shortly after this, I have no problem calling it the best of the Ray Alder-era.

Depending on your taste, I could think of two conclusions one would have after having finished listening to Perfect Symmetry. The first would be that Fates Warning’s new sound would build from here, as it’s clear the band were moving forward as musicians. Guitar duo Jim Matheos and Frank Aresti rely on more acoustic passages here and and have changed gears when it comes down to their riff-driven approach of the past. Mark Zonder's drumming feels more unorthodox and sophisticated than downright aggressive, but it fits the direction Fates stuff Warning were heading towards. Production wise too, things sound a bit lighter and airier here and while would the guitars appear to be less distorted, they, too, work in the context of this record. At last musically things soften up quite a bit from here, too; there’s still plenty of metallic fury to be found but ‘’Through Different Eyes’’ hints what the band would do shortly after this, even if it’s still a good track: light hearted and nostalgic, but not too sappy.

The second conclusion I could think of would be that this was Fates Warning’s last ‘’serious metallic’’ output. You just wouldn’t hear certain songs like these on any of their following albums anymore. Ray Alder hadn’t changed too much at this point but gained more control this time, giving plenty of material the amount of boost that it just needed. ‘’Part of the Machine’’ kicks off with its factory-like atmosphere where Ray Alder screams like a frightened man unable to escape from the mechanical wastelands he’s been wandering in. The guitars still do much here, even if they’re far off the band’s earlier style and the song progresses in a rather unpredictable manner, not unlike Rush's ''The Camera Eye''. Saving the best for the last, ‘’Nothing Left to Say’’ ends the album on a high note and combines about everything the band had demonstrated thorough this album. Maybe it’s appropriate to call this is a partially-instrumental-metallic-power-ballad of sorts? Regardless of labels, I’m especially fond of the final section where Ray Alder had never wailed as convincing before, backing up the hypnotizing leads with an enormous amount of power.

Out of eight tunes, just one appears to be a bit of a missed opportunity. ‘’At Fate’s Hand’’ starts like a relaxing ballad but ends like a too ambitious and over the top instrumental noodling fest, recalling early Dream Theater (Images and Words to be specific) to a certain degree. Still, one half filler isn’t an issue, especially since the rest of the material never gets this over the top and isn’t exactly hard to grasp. The half gloom/half soaring ‘’Static Acts’’ and the choppy prog’n roll fun of ‘’The Arena’’ surely make up for such a weaker track.

So while everyone's got their own preference regarding Fates Warning, this is the last record I’d bother with. They’d get more commercial after this and eventually turned into a more modern band that I just don’t find appealing. Perfect Symmetry might not be as special as the best of the Arch era stuff (you know which two albums I’m talking about), but then again, not much is.

Heart Of The Machine - 95%

Metal_On_The_Ascendant, October 24th, 2016

Fully stripped of John Arch and his influence that overwhelmed nearly half of "No Exit", the Fates Warning that still lives today started upon their uber-prog path with "Perfect Symmetry". They may have refined their melodic sense and sensibility on "Parallels" and caved in to their minimalist urges on "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray" but no set of songs speaks of their prog rock character as that found on "Perfect Symmetry". This is an essential album on the same mapping as Dream Theater's "Awake", Psychotic Waltz's "Into The Everflow" and the 'Ryche's "Operation: Mindcrime" but without the conceptual overbite. Giants of a genre, in other words. To credit it further, "Perfect Symmetry" has aged better than most. Its warmth of melody and abundance of nuance are things many metal makers still leap for and mostly find ultimately elusive. No Haken album for example, can compete with this. Not yet anyway. There's a genuine togetherness and spreading out that Fates Warning maintained in terms of flow and delivery, making these songs sound daunting and timeless in one fell swoop.

Ray Alder is at the helm of things and he sounds very much in charge - far from the screechy thing that almost killed "No Exit" and still years away from the pale charisma of latter days. He hits the highs with such drama and ease and his tone conveys warmth and wisdom, making even the most absurdly abstract lyric seem profound. Jim Matheos was always at his best with Frank Aresti by his side and together they deliver riff cycles that seem like sprawling towers. "Part Of The Machine" and "At Fates Hands" are magnanimous pieces immersed in a savage beauty of riff layering where nothing ever drifts into chaos yet the very premise of it is felt thunderously. The result is total euphoria for the discerning ear because of how much there is to peel off. Kevin Moore adds his touch of genius to the proceedings in songs that fit his somber inclinations than those of Dream Theater ever would.

Another key feature of this masterpiece that does indeed make it rather "perfect" is the control of mood. Like King Crimson and Yes before them, Fates Warning take a lot of time refining and emphasizing the mood around each song. Much of the melodic phrasing and rhythmic interchange is deliberately focused unto this purpose. "Nothing Left To Say" for example trudges on somberly as if playing to the void the lyrics speak of. There's a frantic urge to "Static Acts" and this atmosphere of tension is further heightened by Ray Alder's panicky screaming vocals. Heck, even "Part Of The Machine" begins with believable machine-like rattling. "Chasing Time" on the other hand does graceful to the hilt, completing its elegance with swelling violin to make a productively pensive piece even King Crimson would be proud to own. "Through Different Eyes" is one of the best songs the band ever wrote and its beauty lies in its terribly overwoven melodic sea that somehow flows into catchiness thanks to a searing chorus and its simple and conventional structure that bears all this complexity.

There's rarely a flaw on "Perfect Symmetry". Even when the boys do unhinged as on "The Arena" it comes off neat and precise. It is not a long album and yet it feels rich and abundant. There's depth and substance where most prog bands sacrifice that for technical gravitas, and nothing is rushed yet nothing is drawn out either. Balance is key and all instrumentalists display their genius from time to time - not once losing their footing within the song. "Parallels" in comparison sounds too treated and "No Exit" too bloated, leaving "Perfect Symmetry" the heart of prog-Fates Warning.

Fates Warning V2.0 - 72%

Human666, February 23rd, 2016

Perfect Symmetry is the exact moment when Fates Warning began to shift towards creating precise, deep and meaningful music that stood the test of time and influenced some of the more well-known metal acts of these days. After creating an Iron Maiden worship album plus a trilogy of dull and tedious albums that went nowhere, the awakening has occurred. This is the first album where Fates Warning polished their production, said goodbye to wonderland and started writing realistic, contemplative lyrics and composed cohesive songs that make sense and occasionally leave their mark on you.

One of the most noticeable changes from previous records, as I mentioned, is the almost perfect production of this album. Perfect Symmetry are probably the best words one can use in order to summarize the mixing qualities of this effort. Each instrument has a prominent location and balance in the auditory space of this record, and that is alone a significant improvement that was lacking in former albums.

Most important thing about this album is the tremendous improvement in the songwriting. This is the album where Fates Warning started to develop a somewhat unique sound, which will eventually transform into a cohesive, recognizable style known as progressive metal. Some songs have a complex structure and dynamic mood that is quite close to being pure progressive metal, but aren't exactly there yet, thus resulting in an array of sophisticated songs that will require multiple listenings in order to fully appreciate.

If there are any easily depressed folks out there, I should probably warn you that you'll find an abundance of melancholy throughout this album. 'Part of the Machine' deals with the necessity of finding self-fulfillment and individualistic state of mind yet ultimately failing to being a faceless entity in mundane life, dictated by unwritten society rules. 'Through Different Eyes' sinks into pits of despair and nostalgia and 'Nothing Left to Say' is probably the most pessimistic song in this album. The bleakness is the starting point for most of the songs in this album, and it feels quite realistic at times, as if someone took a pen and let all his desperation flow into the paper.

After all, Perfect Symmetry is quite an interesting change of direction for the band. There's no more fantasy related stuff in here nor attempts to sound like band X, only cold and harsh nihilism exhibited in the form of dynamic, heavy riffs and mostly minor key driven vocal melodies that sometimes struggle too much to reach a climax yet still manages to sound convincing and imaginative. If you like your music with a somber atmosphere and sophisticated structures filled with aggressive riffs, Perfect Symmetry is the right album for you.

Whatever stains the page - 88%

autothrall, February 8th, 2010

A new logo. A photo as cover art. A sleek, rigid industrial aesthetic to both of them.

Something had shifted in the Fates Warning camp, and though the band had desired to change their name following the departure of John Arch in '87, Metal Blade urged them to keep it. This wasn't such a big deal for 1998's No Exit, which, while debuting a new frontman and injecting an appreciable fraction of thrash metal into their equation, still sounded largely like the same band. As for their 5th album, Perfect Symmetry, you will notice only vague similarities even to its direct predecessor, and these manifest primarily in the softer side of that album, ala the acoustic segments of "In a Word" or "The Ivory Gate of Dreams".

What is even further confounding is that the band were making all these changes while their success continue to climb among metal fans. I certainly don't have the stats to back myself up here, but Perfect Symmetry was possibly their most popular album, or at least the one most of their new fans were first exposed to, thanks to the decent video play of "Through Different Eyes" and increased word of mouth, and probably the massive success of Queensrÿche's masterpiece Operation: Mindcrime the year prior, which had brought many into this fold (and to their next stop, Dream Theater). This could all be saddening, were Perfect Symmetry not a pretty fascinating album in its own right. Sure, this sees the nearly complete castration of the band's power/thrash boner of previous years, but the metal remains, and it's unique. There is a mechanical aesthetic to the album which gives it a conceptual polish, and this can at least be partially attributed to the unique drumming of Mark Zonder (ex-Warlord), who replaces Steve Zimmerman here with a simple stick-weaving that that derives as much from Neil Peart and fusion artists as it does from his metal background.

"Part of the Machine" serves as an elegant christening to the album's industrial prog-lite aesthetics, in not only the glaring song title but the very unique, brooding rhythms which harry the melodies into the chugging, assembly line guitars in the verse. Alder is more tortured here, but still retains the ability to fly off the handle at a second's notice. The tempo shifts subtly here or there, the bass plucking through the factory atmosphere and no, you haven't heard something quite like this before. It was easy to see the appeal of "Through Different Eyes" as the single, for the bluesy, morose intro makes a great catalyst for an 80s rock song, and the track's central melody is a brush of subtle majesty without derailing the album's bleak, pensive candor. It would be difficult to deny the accessible and catchy, if tight-reigned chorus, in an era where such things were packing stadiums full of hard rock fans with millions of dollars to lavish upon their idols.

"Static Acts" is a nice slice of melodic exercise, which descends into a brooding acoustic verse before the bridge just hammers you in Alder's silver-lined, open throat and an amazing guitar rhythm. It's quite the rush, channeling a small level of the band's ferocity from the previous, and this is welcome. "A World Apart" is tranquil but dark, the context of generational and ethnic gaps explored with a haunting resonance, picking up aggression only in the seconds before the lead breaks over a mechanical rhythm guitar. "At Fate's Hands" is perhaps one of the more ambitious works here, nearly 8 minutes long: an orchestrated ballad with pianos and strings that slowly gains ground as the band steps into ponderous, slower paced rock and then a wonderful, if downcast sequence after 3:00 where synths ring out over a slow but steady dagger of antagonistic jamming and Zonder's fancy rhythm keeping. It's like a modern day "Moby Dick" meets "Kashmir", if performed by robotic factory workers.

"The Arena" drops another into the album's metal quota, a mesmerizing stream of harmony, gorgeous bass lines and Alder's screaming down of the world, from the lofty smokestacks and skyscrapers to the streets upon which he walks. One of the best tracks here, and an fine example of how this band once mastered nearly everything it touched. "Chasing Time" was another fan favorite, sort of a "Silent Lucidity" for Fates Warning, a tapestry of sadness, this time not embarking into metal territory whatsoever. It's catchy, but my least favorite track on the entire album. "Nothing Left to Say" starts out with a jarring rhythm from the school of "YYZ", spinning fusion leads into its concrete foundation before it too parts for acoustic tranquility. However, I will point out that the entire segment beginning at 4:00 is breathtaking, imbued with true emotional power, like a forgotten king clearing the cobwebs from his thrown and taking up his crown again.

Perfect Symmetry might not be as technically astounding as some might desire from their progressive metal, and in truth, bands like Watchtower, Coroner and Deathrow all released albums of staggering proficiency and composition in 1989 which leave it far behind in the dust. Still, it's got a distinction about it, a charm that is difficult to resist, and it remains easily the best album of the 'latter day Fates' to this day. For though they might try, Parallels and Inside Out could simply not match its bounty of melodies and desperation, and anything beyond that is hardly worth talking about.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

An Example Of Modern Progressive - 70%

Shirt_Guy, June 21st, 2008

Recent progressive bands have done what they could to basically copy Fates Warning, pretty much under the idea that they could sound just like Fates Warning, only with different songs, which of course is extremely limiting. The way Fates Warning comes off in my interpretation is as a bunch of experienced players from the world of power metal just diving right into progressive, so there’s tiny little hints of power metal sprinkled throughout the album. The other big noticeable element is actually the fact that Fates Warning decided not to make “Perfect Symmetry” a huge fest of overdone cliches. Sure they can play off-time, get a couple of longer songs (just under anywhere from 3 to 7 minutes) and shred the guitar fretboard into splinters, the amazing part is that they don’t overdo anything simply for the sake of showing off their prog chops. You can feel that the band is simply taking their time and relaxing through the song, and it’s emotion like that translates rather well to the listener.

My copy also came with a bonus disc, and the main addition is full of demos and long lost material. It isn’t simply a demo of the entire album, but actually a collection that goes back quite far back in time. Some of those demos sound like they could’ve been done in ‘84, when Fates Warning actually had their first demo out before they got signed. It’s always a plus to hear a young band before they really got started, as they always have a bit of youthful exuberance, and a real urge to show the world their wares.

The saddest part isn’t the actual album at all, but the simple fact that so many imitators have come along, from cheap to nearly perfect, who have come along to basically rape and pillage the signature sound of Fates Warning to the point where the real thing has become devalued. While I haven’t heard later Fates Warning, I’m hoping that they took their abilities to push themselves to creative limits rather than superficial ones. For those prog musicians looking to pick this album, my suggestion is to use “Perfect Symmetry” as inspiration rather than an influence. For regular listening audiences, “Perfect Symmetry” showcases itself as that signature sound that was around before everyone else was doing it.

Originally posted at www.waytooloud.com

Another road taken. (expanded edition) - 89%

hells_unicorn, February 13th, 2007

There are two paths to Fates Warning according to the views of the metal faithful, one to the mystical land that dwells beyond the gates of the sleeping guardian, or one that subjectively exists inside the inner ego that comes forth during sessions of psychoanalytic exploration. One of these paths is fraught with wonders of fantasy, sorcerers and dragons in the midst. The other seeks the confounded reaches of a mind trying to process the events of his life in the natural world, his passions, and his contemplations as he navigates the winding roads of life. With 2 paths as radically different as these, one would surely assume correctly that no fan could walk both paths, or would they?

“Perfect Symmetry” is a departure for Fates Warning when compared with previous efforts. The addition of Mark Zonder as drummer, as well as the different compositional direction of Jim Matheos, has molded something that is much closer to the Dream Theater vain of progressive metal rather than the Maiden/thrash inspired epics that broke all the original rules during the John Arch/”No Exit” era. Mark’s drumming is very complex, but doesn’t neglect the need of keeping a stead pulse to the song, resulting in something that is quite different from the traditional metal drumming approach of Steve Zimmerman. But the changes do not end with the drums, but encompass every aspect of Fates’ sound.

The album has a lot more experimental time signatures thrown into the mix, resulting in something sounding quasi-Jazz influenced at times. These can be readily viewed on the closing section of “At Fate’s Hands”, much of “Part of the Machine”, and at various points in pretty much every other song. Earlier Fates Warning material dabbled with mixed meters, but not with the amount of frequency that is found on here. Likewise the frequency of fills and changeups in tempo is intriguing, and definitely calls for frequent listens before being fully processed.

Ray Adler’s voice still carries many remnants from the “No Exit” album, mixing influences from Rob Halford and Geoff Tate, resulting in an atmosphere that in turn combines the musical direction of Dream Theater with some more traditional sounding elements. His absolute best performance on here is found on both “Through Different Eyes” and “The Arena”, where he spends the better part of the duration up in no man’s land. “At Fate’s Hands” and “Chasing Time” feature him singing cleanly and in a moderate register, which he also pulls of perfectly.

The lyrical pursuit is probably the most drastically different element here, as all remnants of the fantasy subjects still found on “No Exit” have been completely rubbed out. Most of the songs deal with introspective subjects, be it interpersonal relationships or individual struggle, much of it being quite gloomy. The album art is probably the most blatantly altered aspect of the band, as it looks more like something extracted from the work of a modern artist/photographer, lacking all the otherworldly images of the band’s past.

The inclusion of a violin on here is also a nice touch, in addition to the keyboards being handled by then Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore. It definitely brings a much needed amount of atmosphere to the ballads on here, although Aresti and Matheos still prove to be apt at their acoustic guitar playing abilities even after the glory days of “Awaken the Guardian”. “At Fate’s Hands” and “Chasing Time” make the most use of these elements, although cleaner guitar parts come into play at times in “Nothing Left to Say” and “A World Apart”.

When faced with all that is heard one then obviously comes back to the initial question, a change this radical would likely make it impossible for a person to be a fan of this incarnation of Fates Warning and the one before, right? Wrong, this is where I differ with the conventional wisdom of the metal community, and why I can listen to Iron Maiden and Dream Theater with equal satisfaction, depending on the album of course. When all the squabbling about image, lyrics and formal devices is said and done, only two things matter and they are the riffs and the overall tune. Furthermore, if you look to the demo material included on the expanded edition of this release, you can basically hear bits and pieces of “No Exit”, mostly because keyboard and violin parts are done with the guitars and mirror the arrangement of their older material.

Although I am inclined to like all things that bring forth melody, poetry, and overall artistic greatness there are naturally different tastes out there. If you like your metal in the traditional sense, with mystic images and classic early 80s metal worship, what came before this where you should go (Awaken the Guardian being the best of what is in that era). If you like metal in the untraditional post-80s Progressive vain such as Dream Theater’s stuff, this album and what came after it (up until “Disconnected”, which is where the band actually did fall apart) is for you. But if you are one of the small number of eccentric heavy metal fan boys like me who loves everything that rocks and you can sing along with, I recommend this album as long with everything they did before and after up until 1997. The Fates have spoken, and the wind of change robbed nothing from this band or this album.

Later submitted to (www.metal-observer.com) on August 30, 2008.

Perfect by name, perfect by nature... - 95%

AlanOB, December 26th, 2005

The release of Perfect Symmetry signalled a much needed change of direction for Jim Matheos’ Fates Warning, one that divides fans of the band to this day. On one side of the fence you have those who hark back to the days when the band were a lot more metallic, aggressive and fronted by John Arch. The other camp disagrees and prefers the more mature, mainstream direction that began on this album. This is the school of thought that I’m on board with. One of the main reasons for this is the new(ish) frontman.

After an impressive debut album on No Exit, Ray Alder really comes into his own on this one. I defy anyone to listen to his aggressive wailing on Static Acts or his impassioned cries on Nothing Left To Say and not be amazed by the emotional range of this man. From start to finish, Alder drives this album harder than any other vocalist you care to mention. Like his contemporaries Geoff Tate and James LaBrie, everything revolves around Ray. By that I mean that he is perfectly capable of turning an average song like A World Apart into a great song simply through the power of his performance. Enough cannot be written about his contribution to this album, but he is by no means the only reason why this gem shines.

Jim Matheos deserves endless plaudits for the way in which he reinvented himself and his band on this record. He took what was essentially a rather uneven style of songwriting that he was employing on previous albums and focused it into a series of catchy yet substantial tracks that hook you in and keep you listening. Gone is the rather frustrating inconsistency of the old Fates Warning and in is a new found efficiency and smoothness that never fails to impress. This is truly the first really cohesive Fates Warning album and it hits in a big way.

Benefiting greatly from this change of direction is bassist Joe DiBiase. It’s very noticeable that his place in the mix has become more prominent on this album and he takes advantage of that. The one word I throw back at people when describing his style is infectious. His style just infiltrates your brain to the point where you find yourself isolating the bass in your head all the time while listening to his work on this and subsequent albums. If you’re a fan of bass guitar you need to hear this man work. Individually he’s brilliant but in tandem with new drummer Mark Zonder who makes his debut on this album, we rise to a different level of greatness entirely.

Mark is surely one of the most underrated metal drummers of all time, but for those who are familiar with his work he is much loved. Nothing is a better representation of his work than the opening track on this album, Part Of The Machine. His unique double bass intro to this track is wonderful and not only sums him up but sums up this album as a whole. You know right then and there that you’re about to hear something special. And as if I need to say it, you’re not disappointed.

This album when looked at as a piece of prog metal has it all. It’s got catchy hook laden metal in Through Different Eyes, it’s got two breathtaking prog epics in At Fates Hands and Nothing Left To Say, aggression in Static Acts and balladry in Chasing Time. If you are at all interested in the progressive metal sub-genre or if you want to hear a mature, intelligent heavy metal album I suggest you get out and buy this NOW. You need this album.