Originally written for Soundshock.
In 2003 John Arch, most notable for his work with US veterans Fates Warning, recorded his last release – an EP entitled ‘A Twist of Fate’. Until this year, Arch’s vocals have not been committed to record. Elena Francis has a word with Arch, as he discusses what it was like reuniting with guitarist Jim Matheos for an exciting project.
“It was Jim and I,” Arch reflects. “Although it has been a while, it has always been a comfortable working environment for me, so it was like two old friends [reuniting]. It wasn't until the studio when the drums were ready for
recording where I met Bobby [Jarzombek, drummer] and that was like having an old friend after 20 minutes.”
It's with a great sigh of relief that the former Fates Warning man reveals that it's back to business as usual following a dry spell that has seen his old band not put out a full-length since 2004. Mainman Jim Matheos’ original intention was to create the next Fates Warning release but because of the tight schedules of his band mates, it was impossible to make this a reality. Fortunately not all is lost. Prog metal fanatics worldwide have had some glory to bask in and it comes in the form of the dual effort of Arch/Matheos on 'Sympathetic Resistance’.
Arch was very comfortable with the line up for ‘Sympathetic Resistance’ and the outcome of his pairing with Matheos. Indeed, fans were very expectant to hear his return to music after a lengthy absence and their reaction was not disappointing. “It has been nothing short of amazing,” Arch says. “The best part is that fans both new and old seem to be connecting with the music. A big thank you to all the fans new and old – we went into this with no expectations, and certainly didn't expect this.”
The primary concern for those holding their breath for this release was the condition of Arch’s voice, after such a spell of inactivity. “My singing voice remained dormant for I believe, 8 years. So needless to say, that was for sure not a positive when it was time to start singing again. I had returned to life as usual after ‘A Twist of Fate’ enjoying my other passions such as riding and racing, mountain and road cycling, hiking and camping year round and of course making a living. If Jim had not placed that call to me, this would not have happened. The writing and the recording of the demos were happening as I was trying to build up my vocals. It was harder than I thought it was going to be this time. At first my pitch was off and I had virtually no vibrato. It was definitely a work in progress and now that I'm out of the studio and singing the songs all the way through, I know one thing for sure – I'll never learn.”
‘Sympathetic Resistance’ itself is vibrant, emotive and lively, instilled with complex heavy guitar riffs that are signature in contemporary prog metal acts, married with the
idiosyncrasies of later Fates Warning. With its crisp sound and dynamic compositions, the album boldly portrays equally spirited album art – the silhouette of a figure engulfed in flame. “The album cover is always another difficult venture and again we searched near and far,” Arch says. “Jim and I liked these images mostly because they were intense and almost alive, emitting an explosion of emotion. The photography is done using only exposure times and light which is fascinating in itself.” The decision behind the album’s title emanated from this same idea too, as Arch elaborates. “We searched high and low for a title for the album that would really incorporate the lyrical ideas with the intensity and movements of the music, and 'Sympathetic Resonance' worked nicely. It is a musical term by definition, but with a little imagination you can draw so many parallels to its meaning to the human emotions and how we resonate with each other through our anger, fear, empathy and so on.”
Given Fates Warning’s inception as an 80's American power metal outfit, Arch/Matheos have been penned to play the prestigious Keep it True festival in Germany. Arch’s reaction is highly positive. “I'm beside myself to be honest, but I think that is reasonable to feel that way being that I will be in the very public eye after decades of not performing songs that were difficult in my hay day. Having said that I'm trying to stay focused and rehearse as much as I can.” And of course their setlist will include classic Fates Warning numbers. Arch states that there are possibilities that the Arch/Matheos band may play live again and additionally the door is not necessarily shut on a sequel to ‘Sympathetic Resonance’. Given the amount of support they have secured with their debut, a sophomore effort appears to be universally desired by the prog metal community.
