Arch / Matheos-Sympathetic Resonance (Sampler)

Metal Blade Records
2011

Sympathetic Resonance is the new album by Fates Warning/OSI guitarist Jim Matheos and former Fates Warning singer John Arch. Joining the pair are Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Anthrax, Fates Warning, Seven Witches) on bass, Bobby Jarzombek (Halford, Fates Warning, Sebastian Bach, Riot) on drums, and Frank Aresti (Fates Warning) on additional lead guitar. This 2-song sampler offers the tracks "Midnight Serenade" and "Stained Glass Sky". "Midnight Serenade" reminded me a lot of classic Fates Warning while "Stained Glass Sky" actually had me thinking about Seven Witches at times. That is when it wasn't playing out like Fates Warning on overdrive. Of the two "Stained Glass Sky" is much more majestic and intense. Clocking in at well over 13 minutes the track is both heavy and melodic. This is what technical power metal sounds like when it is played by a powerful progressive rock group. With only 6tracks Sympathetic Resonance should be quite interesting as the whole affair clocks in at just shy of 55 minutes! If these two songs are any indication of what awaits then Sympathetic Resonance will be a hell of an album!