RAY ALDER Says JIM MATHEOS Doesn't Want To Write Any More New FATES WARNING Music

In a new interview with Sakis Fragos of Greece's Rock Hard magazine, FATES WARNING singer Ray Alder spoke about his decision to continue making solo music, with his sophomore solo effort, "II", set to arrive on June 9 via InsideOut Music.

"With FATES, after we did the last album and Jim [Matheos, guitar] saying he doesn't wanna write any more FATES WARNING music, I have to do something," he explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I'm a singer. I can't just get a normal job. I mean, music is my life; it's been my life since I was 16 years old. I've been in bands — shit, since I was 14 years old I've been in bands. The first time I ever sang, I think, I was 14, [in] my brother's band. So it's my life. I don't know what else I would do otherwise."

Pressed to clarify if Jim really said that he wasn't interested in writing any more FATES WARNING music, Ray said: "Yeah. [He said it] when we did [2020's] 'Long Day Good Night' [album]. That was basically his saying he doesn't wanna write any more FATES WARNING music. It doesn't mean we won't ever tour again. I would love to tour again, and Jim would as well; we've already discussed it. It's just a matter of getting everyone together. Joey's [Vera, bass] in five or six different bands. And Bobby Jarzombek, Bobby's now playing with George Strait, one of the biggest country music stars in the world, and Bobby's his drummer now. But George doesn't really do normal tours; he does one-off shows now and then. And so it's really hard for Bobby to leave for more than a week or two to be on tour. So we've been trying to deal with that lately. But next year is the fortieth anniversary of FATES WARNING, so we're discussing doing a few shows next year around the world. Not a full tour, but some shows every few weeks or months apart. So hopefully that'll work. We'll see."

Asked if that means that there will be no more new FATES WARNING music in the future, Ray said: "It doesn't seem like it. I can't speak for Jim. Of course I would love to, and everybody else would, but at this point I don't think Jim wants to write any more."

As for why he thinks Jim isn't interested in making any more FATES WARNING music, Alder said: "You've gotta ask him, man. You've gotta ask him. I can't speak for him. Sorry."

FATES WARNING has been a formidable presence in progressive metal for nearly four decades, helping to shape and drive the genre without ever compromising its integrity or losing relevance.

FATES WARNING, with John Arch on vocals, unleashed three albums (1984's "Night On Bröcken", 1985's "The Spectre Within" and 1986's "Awaken The Guardian") that would go on to influence progressive-minded bands like DREAM THEATER, before Arch left the group and was replaced by Alder.

A FATES WARNING biography from noted author and journalist Jeff Wagner, "Destination Onward - The Story Of Fates Warning", was made available last July. The 400-page history of the legendary prog metal band features interviews with every member of FATES WARNING, past and present, and covers the early days of the original members, the band's formation in 1983 as MISFIT, their commercial peak with 1991's "Parallels", right through to their last song, "The Last Song", which closes out "Long Day Good Night".

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral