Ray Alder solo album

[T'ski]

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/fates- ... n-october/

[Sir Exar Kun]

Cautiously excited..... I think back on the "Engine" albums he did, and worry he may try to go more heavy / pseudo-industrial.... Given the musicians involved, though, I'm really not expecting that.

EDIT - Silly me, didn't realize the lyric video dropped for this already too. I just saw the FB article but didn't catch the video. Yeah, this sounds excellent. Bring it on!!!

[Nos]

That song sounds good. Glad to hear Ray doing something other than Fates Warning again.

[Random Axe]

While 'd struggle to come up with a better vocalist/guitar duo than Alder and Matheos, this is a welcomed CD for sure. It's no secret he's my favorite singer alltime, but with the Engine stuff still rubbing me wrong, I approach this with a tiny bit of caution. I head the first song and it's pretty good. Of course I'm at work and didn't pay too much attention, but it really doesn't stray too far off from the Fates model, at least the most recent album anyway.

[Hearing Aid Man]

I'm in.

[Random Axe]

Upon a second and third listen, this is fantastic.

[LarryD]

Yes I'm in on this too ....... the music itself is pretty basic, but then it's not a FW disc ..... but Ray sounds awesome and I want to hear him sing outside of FW as well as in a church singing me the gospel according to Ray .......

Things are starting to look up right around that Prog Power time as predicted .......

[Nos]

Take this for what you will, considering my taste, but the promos got sent out very early for this one, so I just got to hear it; I love it. It sounds like modern Fates Warning, but with bigger, Redemption style melodies. The single is pretty indicative of the whole record.

[LASERCD]

I've only made one pass through the album but I was very impressed. Ray sounds great and the music was engaging.

[Mardoch]

Finally listening to the single just now and it sounds quite great. I love Ray's voice.

[Harvester]

Love the entire album.

[Random Axe]

Sounds like Jim has been holding him back lol!

The last album I've anticipated this much was the biggest musical letdown of my life and that was QR Hear in the Now.

I'm setting the bar and expectations pretty high on this. Even if its average, with Ray on vocals it'll likely be my no.1 for the year.

[Hearing Aid Man]

another tune...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-2Z21Gw9KI

[Random Axe]

I've been paying these two songs a few times a day since Thursday. There's pretty much no chance at all this doesn't end up being my no.1 for this year.

[introclaus]

It’s a very solid album and I think all songs are on same level (quite impressive for “new” songwriters). Ray sings pretty much like we’ve gotten used to him in the last decade which is much more laid back and subdued than in the old days, and as such it’s not a super dynamic performance but it’s really well done. He seems to know what he can and can not do - and he works well within those constraints. It’s a far cry from album of the year for me, but it’s still a great disc and it’ll end up in my top 30-40 undoubtedly.

[Russ]

Could be quite interesting

[Nos]

I've been listening to it for a month, and I've been liking it more and more. It takes the best parts of Fates and Redemption, but puts them in a more straight-forward presentation. I'm glad Jim took time off to make that record with John Arch, because it gave Ray time to make this. I would much rather have this than another Fates album. This was a beautiful surprise of an album that should make me list at the end of the year.

[LarryD]

I just got mine and I am more than surprised at how good it is ...... this is full of atmosphere and emotion, and Ray is singing in a more natural range than he does in FW....this music is perfectly suited for his voice, and this is a definite winner of a disc !!!!!! The production is first rate, and as the disc moved on I found myself wondering what the next song would bring .....( not the water ).....

Surprisingly good !!!!!

[Sparky]

Props to Ray for putting together guys who are thinking a bit outside the box, musically. It was an immediately thumbs up on first listen.

[Random Axe]

I'm the biggest Ray fan around, but I gotta be honest that this release hasn't floored me completely like I expected. There are five fantastic songs and five meh tunes that will likely grow on me but didn't have any WOW factor. I love that he was able to create an album without sounding like Fates at all, but a few of the songs are flat to my ears. He does have a Redemption style in a lot of his choruses like Larry mentioned so obviously being in that band helped with his song writing abilities outside of working with Matheos. I wish I loved this more, but I'm sure I will given time.

[Man Of Much Metal]

Pleasantly surprised by this disc, I must admit. I've never been the biggest Alder fan in the world, although I do really like his voice (I prefer it with Redemption over FW...ok, so shoot me!! )

The fact that the songs are shorter, punchier and more straightforward, really allows Alder's voice to shine through and properly take centre stage. I can hear little nuances and phrasings that are either new to him or were never really that audible in an all-out prog metal affair. The fact that I find myself humming several of the melodies after the disc has finished must be a good sign too.

All-in-all, it won't be a top 10 of 2019 release for me, but it is a very enjoyable record and one I'll add to the collection before too long I'm sure.

Review: https://manofmuchmetal.com/2019/10/30/r ... um-review/

[arnavut]

This may be th best solo album of a vocalist of a big name band(s). Solo albums of a big name band members always a meh for me. Exception Michael Romeo's album last year. But for a vocalist solo album I just don't remember going wow before. I just was not expecting this. This is definitely a top 10 of 2019.

[Nos]

This may be th best solo album of a vocalist of a big name band(s). Solo albums of a big name band members always a meh for me.

Interesting proposition. While I really like Ray's, I think I would put James LaBrie's last solo album ahead of it on that scale. Can't go wrong with either one, since that pool isn't super deep.