Artist: Fate
Label: MTM Records
Release: 2006
Rating: 3/5
This is the “comeback” album from Danish “melodic/AOR/hard rock” legends, some of whom you might remember from their self-titled debut in 1984, followed in 1986 by “A Matter Of Attitude”, as the Danish version of Van Halen. For a quick refresher: the band was founded in 1984 by Hank Sherman, who had just left Mercyfull Fate at the time. 13 years after the split, they’re finally back together! They’ve even written a brand new album, their fifth, with the symbolic title “V”, which kind of announces a fresh start for the Danes. Bassist Peter Steincke is the only original member still left in Fate. Fate are currently running the same lineup as in 1993, when they shut up shop, except for a new drummer. That’s Mikael Kvist , who came over from the Swedish “progressive metal” band Elsesphere. MTM Records recently reissued their albums “A Matter Of Attitude” (1986) and “Scratch ‘N’ Sniff” (1990), which was the hint that a likely “comeback” was brewing.
Fate found the strength and the guts, and 13 years of downtime gave them plenty of material and ideas, but what really mattered was the will to do it, and of course what the working chemistry would be like between the reunited members in the studio. The album “V” was produced by the established producer Tommy Hansen, who already produced Fate’s album “Scratch’N’Sniff” and has worked on albums by bands like Pretty Maids, Helloween and TNT.
The new album “V” is a return to the band’s classic sound, the foundations of which they laid in the eighties. Thick, open-sounding guitar riffs, pushed up front in the production, slightly raw and sharpened just the way they should be, keep the sound lively and dynamic! And of course Fate haven’t forgotten the impressive, indispensable guitar solos, the classic Scandinavian guitar craft. The tracks carry the epic melodies you’d expect, and the keyboards bring drama to the songs and lift the atmosphere to a high level.
But it’s the vocals that somehow define Fate’s identity. Peer’s voice could be interestingly described as a halfway point between Ralf Scheppers (Primal Fear) when he goes for high-register vocals (a typical example is the chorus of Everything About You or the song Life), while in the mid and low registers he sings with a “slight lump in his throat” reminiscent of Udo Dirkschneider (U.D.O., Accept), but the “normal” Udo, when he’s not screeching and sings in a relaxed tone. An interesting side note is that Peer in places takes lines modeled on Helloween singer Andi Deris (e.g. the chorus of the song I’ll Get By). Maybe the production adds to that “Deris-era Helloween feel” , especially the “backing vocals”. The Danes work an obscure edge into every song! That edge is actually uncharacteristic of melodic AOR ”hard rock” waters and usually goes with “heavy metal” genres. The sinister keyboards bring the real tolling of the hour of doom to the album, and Peer’s vocals are certainly to blame for that too, being heartfelt and relentless throughout, and above all the color of his voice. The vocals really are what makes Fate a bit different from the sea of similar bands.
So the album is flawless. The guys sound convincing, fresh and hungry to prove themselves. There are no deviations from the established Fate guidelines on the album. In other words: melodic, but dramatic and wrapped in darkness. The sadness of an apocalyptic vision is a constant companion on the album ”V”. It may sound contradictory, but this is an interesting album, typical “melodic hard rock” templates crossed with an unexpected modern Germanic “power heavy metal” touch of real drama and obscurity. An absolutely convincing album with Fate’s own recognizable stance, which could mean the start of a new creative era for Fate and a great springboard. The return to the scene was a success, then. Keep it up, guys!
Line-up
01. Butterfly (5:03)
02. Heaven’s Crying Too (5:02)
03. Everything About You (4:43)
04. Ecstacy (4:18)
05. Nobody Loves You The Way I Do (5:21)
06. Burned Child (4:56)
07. I’ll Get By (4:00)
08. Life (5:23)
09. Fate (5:08)
10. Memories Wont Die (5:20)
11. Toxic (5:30)
Album length: 54:55
Production
Tommy Hansen
Track list
Per Johansson – vocals
Søren Hoff – guitar
Peter Steincke – bass guitar
Mikael Kvist – drums
