Fates Warning - Parallels - Expanded Edition (2010)

Possibly Fates Warning's biggest commercial if not artistic success, 1991's Parallels was ironically also the closest the Connecticut natives ever came to sounding like their nemesis, the wildly popular Queensrÿche. Of course, most old-school fans were none too pleased about the group's increasingly concise and restrained songwriting style, but this change actually represented an important sign of maturity (if in a reverse kind of way), as it proved that the band was learning to appreciate the merits of forgoing wild showmanship in the best interest of a seamless, well-constructed song. As such, excellent singles "Eye to Eye" and "Point of View," along with beautiful power ballad "We Only Say Goodbye," brought the band more radio and MTV exposure than ever before, or after. And in keeping with tradition, the band still whipped out a few extended compositions ("The Eleventh Hour," "Life in Still Water") more in tune with its progressive metal past (and future). While definitely not the most representative album of Fates Warning's classic sound, Parallels remains an ideal first purchase for fans of traditional '80s metal.