Fates Warning

In 1982 vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase and drummer Steve Zimmerman formed Fates Warning in Hartford, Connecticut. The band debuted with Night on Bröcken in 1984 and followed it with The Spectre Within on Metal Blade in October 1985. Awaken the Guardian, released in 1986, pushed their songs further towards long, complex arrangements and fantasy-themed lyrics.

After Awaken the Guardian the band parted ways with Arch, and Ray Alder became their singer in 1987. His first album was No Exit in 1988. Drummer Mark Zonder joined in time for Perfect Symmetry in 1989, and Parallels followed in October 1991. Inside Out came out in 1994, completing a run of four albums with the same singer and drummer.

For A Pleasant Shade of Gray in 1997, a single piece of music split into twelve parts, Matheos and Alder recruited former Dream Theater keyboard player Kevin Moore and Armored Saint bassist Joey Vera. Disconnected followed in 2000 and FWX in 2004. After a nine-year gap the band returned in 2013 with Darkness in a Different Light on Inside Out Music, the first album with drummer Bobby Jarzombek.

Theories of Flight appeared in 2016, and Long Day Good Night was released by Metal Blade on 6 November 2020. In May 2023 Alder said that Matheos no longer wanted to write music for Fates Warning, and guitarist Michael Abdow later stressed that the band had not broken up. As of 2026 no new album is planned, while Alder has said the band is still open to playing live if the logistics can be worked out.

Last line-up: Ray Alder (vocals), Jim Matheos (guitar), Michael Abdow (guitar), Joey Vera (bass), Bobby Jarzombek (drums)