UMUR "Inside Out" is the 7th full-length studio album by US progressive metal act Fates Warning. The album was released in July 1994 by Metal Blade Records. Fates Warning had enjoyed some commercial success with "Parallels (1991)", which is arguably the most accessible album release by the band, and in some ways the sound on "Inside Out" follows the same formula. Ultimately I think "Inside Out" sounds very different from "Parallels" though.

The much colder and harsher production (courtesy of Fates Warning and Bill Metoyer) sounds very different from the warm and polished Terry Brown production that graced "Parallels". The technical playing is also more prominent on "Inside Out", than was the case on the more subtle progressive "Parallels". There are even a couple of relatively long instrumental parts on the album. Most notably the closing minute of "The Strand" and the middle section in "Monument". The drumming in particular is more prominently technical this time around. Drummer Mark Zonder hits more off-beat notes on this album than what you hear on a standard Bob Marley release and I guess that speaks for itself. Mark Zonder´s playing is as always very tasteful though and his drumming style unique.

Tasteful is actually a very good way to describe the music on "Inside Out". While the vocal melodies are not as memorable as they were on the last album and the playing is more focused on technical details than was the case on "Parallels", the band still create clever compositions and they sound like they play everything with ease. There is a unique flow in the songs that, along with the simultanious clean electric and distorted guitar playing, is one of the defining characteristics of this era Fates Warning. One of the other defining characteristics is of course the distinct sounding vocals by Ray Alder. His performance here is confident and he possesses great skill and the ability to create great emotional impact. The lyrical content hasn´t changed much since "Parallels", and still deal with thoughts and emotions in general.

The songs on the album are generally accessible and memorable. There are several standout tracks on the album but I´d mention "Outside Looking In", "Pale Fire", "The Strand", "Island in the Stream" and "Monument" among the highlights.

"Inside Out" is another outstanding release by Fates Warning and while it´s true that the album is often mentioned as a release that stands in the shadows of "Parallels", I think "Inside Out" in it´s own right is a unique release that deserves a lot of praise. "Inside Out" fully deserves a 5 star rating in my book.

"Inside Out" marks the end of an era in Fates Warning´s career as long-time members Frank Aresti and Joe DiBiase would leave the band after the tour supporting the album. The loss of especially Frank Aresti would have a major impact on how the next couple of albums would sound as Fates Warning opted to continue with only one guitarist. But bassist Joe DiBiase´s contributions to the unique sound that Fates Warning had in the late eighties/ early nineties definitely shouldn´t go unnoticed either.

Time Signature Monument...

Genre: progressive metal

Fates Warning is one of my favorite bands, and "Inside Out" is one of the main reasons why. "Inside Out" has been described as an underrated album, and it probably is - maybe it's because of the very uninteresting cover artwork that it did not capture the attention of that many people.

Musically, however, it's got everything. It's got Zonder's brilliant drumming. It's got guitar harmonies. It's got guitar solos. It's got simple and comples riffs. It's got catchy melodies. It's got fantastic vocals. It's got odd time signatures. It's got "Monument", which is my favorite Fates Warning track. It's even got the obligatory couple of ballads that I don't care fore.

It is true that "Inside Out" is softer than Fates Warning's older stuff, but that does not make it a bad album. Ofcouse, I'm biased, as I think it's one of the best rock albums ever.

Stooge Inside Out is something of a less metal version of their previous album, Parallels, but don’t let that scare you away. There are still several great songs on here. In fact, there is not a single song on the album that I dislike. It is a very consistent effort by the band with several memorable choruses and with great vocal delivery by singer Ray Alder. His vocals are phenomenal in “Shelter Me”, “Island In The Stream”, and album closer “Afterglow”.

Guitarists Jim Matheos and Frank Aresti play with a lighter, more melodic approach than on past albums, but I’m a fan of the results. The guitars on “Pale Fire”, “Down To The Wire”, and the instrumental “Inward Bound” certainly falls under melodic territory. There are some parts of the album where there is a more metallic attack on the guitar (parts of “Outside Looking In” and “Monument”, for example), but overall nothing overly aggressive in nature. Despite this, I’d still brand the album as a metal album by a metal band.

While the album has more of a laid back vibe, this doesn’t mean drummer Mark Zonder is going to be satisfied playing straightforward drum parts. His signature playing style is in tact and can be heard on tracks such as “The Strand” and “Face The Fear” among others. Unfortunately for bassist Joe DiBiase, his presence on the album isn’t as recognizable, with only his playing in “Monument” being immediately noticeable.

Though lacking in heaviness in places, Inside Out is an excellent album that prog metal fans will certainly appreciate.

Valarius Often (unfairly) referred to as 'Parallels Pt. 2', I think this is a truly underrated album which has so much more on offer than being a mere clone of their previous release.

I've no problem admitting that the music and production here is very similar to 'Parallels', but that doesn't make it a weak effort at all. In fact, seeing as this would be the last FW album to have this sound (their next album would head towards a different direction), I feel the band have really peaked here with this line-up.

Musically the album is full of what you'd expect from these guys. Interesting guitar harmonies with tasteful solos, thought-provoking lyrics masterfully sung by Ray Alder, and Mark Zonder really takes his drumming to the next level. The songs are a nice combination of beautiful melodies, crazy time signatures and riffs that could only Jim Matheos could think of.

The only reason I give this album four stars is because the shortest two songs are pretty weak compared to the rest of them. But the highlights include 'Pale Fire', 'Monument', 'The Strand', and one of the my favourite Fates Warning songs, 'Outside Looking In'.

Though some might argue this opinion, I definitely believe this is one record everyone should have in their collection.