JOHN ARCH: 'It Is Very Gratifying To Break Away From Early Comparisons And Find Your Own Voice'

Phil Swanson of Powerline recently conducted an interview with former FATES WARNING singer John Arch about ARCH/MATHEOS, the new progressive rock band featuring Arch and FATES WARNING/OSI guitarist Jim Matheos. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Powerline: Lyrically, in my opinion, you are the best writer in music. Where do you draw your ideas and concepts from — beyond the obvious?

Arch: Well, thank you for the compliment. In the earlier works with FATES, the music and the name had a mystical connotation to it, and what I thought would be fitting lyrically would be sort of a hybrid of fantasy, lore and the intangible — with glimpses of reality. It was all about using the imagination and taking a journey away from the harsh realities of life. The music has progressed to more complex arrangements with many movements, so, in essence, the lyrics and melodies have to evolve with the music and weave in between and around to compliment the music. It wouldn't be very interesting to sing in a simplistic way to this music in my opinion. "Sympathetic Resonance", much like "A Twist of Fate", the lyrics are of a different beast and deal with less mythology, but in my opinion something equally perplexing and intangible: the human emotion. No matter how jaded some may think this is, to me it is the only way I could have turned something I've experienced that almost killed me, into something that can help me begin to heal.

Powerline: Your voice is more powerful than ever, what do you attribute that to — seeing that most diminish with age? What's your secret?

Arch: I wish there was a secret, because I'd love to hear it. In my humble opinion the digital recording versus analog brings more clarity, and the beauty of the studio gives you multiple takes. Having said that, I don't believe we used auto tune and a plethora of effects, just straight-forward singing until we got it right. I had a difficult time at first on the onset of the recording because of not singing for the last eight years since "Awaken The Guardian". So, in essence, it was a building process, getting my voice into respectable recording shape. I say "recording shape," because there is a difference between recording and the endurance you need to build for performing, which is a whole different animal.

Powerline: Your style is so distinct and identifiable and, to be honest, the most courageous I've ever heard. An inspiration, if I do say so myself. To be an original voice seemed very difficult back then, do you agree?

Arch: Well, thank you again. It is very gratifying to break away from the early comparisons and find your own voice. I still hear singers today who sound identical to early Geoff Tate, and although that is a remarkable achievement and takes skill, it seems more like a competition rather than offering an original voice. … which I believe everyone has…. you just have to find it. It is really interesting how opinions can differ and not everyone hears, or processes, the sound of my voice the same way, and I totally respect all opinions. To me it sounds like a natural progression, and I try to sing with as much emotion as my connection to the music and lyrics allows. This time around, I tried to use more of a range and stay away from anything that wasn't complimentary to the music, such as singing in to high of a register. I partially succeeded in that.

Powerline: It seems you were the most underrated singer in the genre. Do you feel a bit vindicated by the current demand for your comeback?

Arch: I don't know. … I'm a little weird when it comes to accolades and such. I wouldn't be truthful if I didn't say that on some level I find it rewarding when the music connects with the listener, but parades and big fanfare brings with it "expectations" and that tends to make me nervous.

Powerline: I am much like you, not a fan of touring and the live environment. Have your feelings changed over the years? Do you see any real importance in it in the end?

Arch: I totally "get it" as far as touring goes. I am a fan of many a band as well and love seeing a show. I have just recently better understood the connection the fans have with the music as part of an era or time in their lives where the music got them through tough times, or maybe in their youth. … it was the best of times, we all want to re-live that. My issues with touring are multi-dimensional. I remember when I was in the best of shape vocally, totally immersed in the band and touring and it was hard enough back then. Here we are twenty-some odd years later and having been so out of that element for so long makes the tour very intimidating. To up the ante, during the "Awaken The Guardian" tour, I was experiencing something many performers become hit with out of the blue And although I had no idea what was happening to me at the time I now better understand that it was a piece of the puzzle that would be part of a diagnosis years later. It still baffles me that something I once craved became a source of dread.

Read the entire interview from Powerline.