Fates Warning, Wardrum // Eightball Club, Thessaloniki, Greece // 19.10.13
Fates Warning, having been one of the best progressive metal bands that still reign on top of their existence since the mid 80s, have come back anno 2013 with a new release “Darkness In A Different Light” and just a few days after its release date, a fully packed 8ball Club in Thessaloniki await them for another music journey.
Wardrum, were the lucky and as it seems the hardworking band, that had the opportunity to open this incredible night. Performing songs from their latest release “Desolation” as well as some older tunes and some new yet unreleased tracks, these local power/prog metal heroes lead by guitar virtuoso Kosta Vreto, really set the standards high for every band that wants to be considered as professional in any possible way. Warming the crowd with their uptempo music everything was ready for the coming of the true global prog metal GODS!!!
Fates Warning, kicked off their appearence with “One Thousand Fires” from their latest release and everything from that moment and on, was a completely orgasmic set with songs from “Perfect symmetry” release and forth. An amazing night for all the possible reasons,the band performed absolutely incredible and by far highly professionally and their difficult non-consuming music which only they manage to play so tight, overcharged everyone in the venue emotionally and literaly!
Having Drum legend Bobby Jarzombek, replacing the austere and highly important drumming duties, of absent drum GOD Mark Zonder, everyone’s attention was to the little tiny things as well as the overall presence of the drum-kit controller and believe me none left unimpressed!!! Bobby Jarzombek, is just amazing to the way he placed himself and his duties as a drummer to the music, the style and the performance needed and simultaneously “demanded” by the Fates Warning back and new song catalog! Absolutely the FITTEST for this job!!!
Another new link that didn’t make his presence unattended was session guitarist Michael Adbow in the Frank Aresti guitar parts. Playing note by note everything where needed he also did an amazing job!
Now for the final and most amazing thing that was reveale to us from note one to the last note of the show was one true mystery that revealed to everyone that had their eyes on stage!!! Ladies and gentleman Jim Matheos CAN smile – and did so many times during the show- Jim Matheos CAN headbang – and did some of it enough times during the show to make us notice and mention as well- and YES my friends this was an absolute delight to see and enjoy!!!
Ray Alder being way to good once again left everyone stunned by his performance and communication with the crowd!!!And so did the backbone and coenerstone of their music Mr. Joey Vera – who despite a minor problem during encore-indulged us to his absolutely high standard performance alongside with a band that sounded so professional like no other I’ve seen the past few years!!!
Fates Warning were and will always be a hell of a great performance band with music so unique that even a full 2 hour show will never be enough!!!
Report: Andrew Koran