Fates Warning were one of the forefathers of progressive metal in the eighties, and 'Awaken the Guardian' catches them at a time when their sound was still distinctly rooted in the 1980s heavy metal sound, albeit with a focus on experimentation. The sound is comparable to Iron Maiden around that time, with the even more extreme vocals of John Arch carrying off some impressive and very high melodies that will doubtless repel as many listeners as they attract. Unusual time signatures keep listeners on their toes, but unfortunately the album fails to be gripping all the way through, and becomes fairly repetitive by the half-way point. Some songs stand out for ...  Read the complete review