A Twist of Fate [Single, EP, Import]

When I first learned that Arch had finally decided to make a return with this two-track EP, everything in my life took a second seat as I played this brilliant CD the first 15-20 times. I didn't know how to feel; should I be filled with joy that Arch is still one of the greatests singers in any genre of metal ever or regret that we had to miss out on him the past two decades? Unlike most of his contemporaries like Geoff Tate from Queensryche or Midnight from Crimson Glory, John's voice is still at its best, and I just can't believe this guy hasn't sung professionlly since the mid-80's. How is it even possible to keep your voice in such good shape despite all these years that have passed? I am now fully convinced that John Arch was made to sing forever... his godly voice is surely one of the most influential voices ever. Period.

Don't be put off by the number of tracks on this EP. Although there are only two songs on A Twist of Fate, we get a running time of nearly 30 minutes. The first track clocks in at over 12 minutes and was co-written by Arch and his former bandmate Jim Matheos, thus displaying Arch's proggy roots. We are offered his unbelievable scream right off the bat which puts a smile on our faces reminding us of the old days. After Arch, there have been countless singers that emerged with a high vocal range. Many of them are able to hold their voice too long and scream their lungs out. But NONE of them can scream so melodically as Arch. And I mean it: there is NO other singer that can wail at the top of his voice and still manage to catch your ear with the strongest melodies dripping. That is how John delivers "Relentless" with lots of key and tempo changes as well as fantastic musicianship backing him up. The song is slightly reminiscent of Fates Warning though more with Arch's vocals being the centrepiece. And that's cool since this is John Arch; not Fates Warning or Dream Theater or another band for that matter. It feel more like his work too.

While writing these songs, Arch must have focused his power on turning his dreams into reality. It's like he too missed his fans and wanted to give them his all. The second track "Cheyenne" is a 100% John Arch creation and relies more on vocals. The music takes a back seat during some moments and here John does everything he did back 20 years ago. Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater proves to be a stunning drummer. He uses his hands more than his feet this time giving the songs a more concise touch.

Best prog metal related CD of 2003. And I mean it. Hopefully a full-length album will follow this soon. At least we know it won't take another 17 years.

heard about the OSI project. Now, on to the Ep: One glaring thing I noticed is : Its way too short! I mean, he was out of
the music scene for 16 years, and now he only has 30 minutes to give us? Well, I have a feeling this isn't the last we'll hear from the guy, I think he was going for perfection and this is what we have: a stunning set of two epic tunes. The first song, Relentless, is the weaker of the two, similarities to latter day Dream Theater are obvious. While not a bad thing, it doesn't sound as unique with Arch's vocals, and Arch's vocals almost recall James Labrie in a way (or is it the other way around). Also this song is a bit more disjointed, which takes some getting used to. The musicianship is superb, with Portnoy's drumming displaying the usual virtuosity, and Jim Matheos' awesome riffs and spacey synths. The second song is where this album really shines though. "Cheyenne" is another epic song, which was the highlight of the album for me. It has the melodious resemblence to something off Awaken the Guardian, and almost exceeds anything from that album because of the improved production. John Arch is a lyrical/musical genius, and I'm sad that he turned down/or was turned down the Dream Theater spot. But now that he's returned, let's hope he takes it to the next level. Highly recommended epic Prog metal.