Night on Bröcken
| Night on Bröcken | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Fates Warning | ||||
| Released | September 1984[1] | |||
| Recorded | The Gallery Recording Studio in East Hartford, Connecticut | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal, progressive metal | |||
| Length | 42:26 | |||
| Label | Metal Blade | |||
| Producer | Fates Warning | |||
| Fates Warning chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
.jpg) 1988 reissue |
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Night on Bröcken is the first studio album by progressive metal band Fates Warning, released in September 1984 through Metal Blade Records.[1]
The title of the album is apparently a reference to the Brocken, a mountain in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, which is traditionally associated with witches (Walpurgis Night), most famously in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust (1806–31). The reference becomes apparent on two original album covers that "were scrapped prior to major distribution".[2] The spelling is a typical example of a "metal umlaut".
Reissues
Night on Bröcken has been reissued several times. The first edition, featuring the original cover art, was released only on vinyl[3] and cassette.[4] A CD edition with new cover art was released in 1988.[5] A double compilation album, together with The Spectre Within (1985), was released in 1992.[6] A remaster of Night on Bröcken was released in 1994,[7] followed by another in 2002; the latter containing four bonus tracks[2] and restoring the original cover art (albeit with a different font).[8]
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
Robert Taylor at AllMusic gave Night on Bröcken two stars out of five, calling it "A very humble beginning for this excellent progressive band" but stopping short of actually recommending it for fans of progressive metal: "Metal fans will find this too close to Iron Maiden, and progressive fans should skip this altogether."[9]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Buried Alive" | Jim Matheos, John Arch | 4:40 |
| 2. | "The Calling" | Matheos, Arch | 5:04 |
| 3. | "Kiss of Death" | Matheos, Arch | 4:38 |
| 4. | "Night on Bröcken" | Matheos, Victor Arduini, Arch | 5:30 |
| 5. | "S.E.K." | Matheos | 1:20 |
| 6. | "Misfit" | Arduini, Arch | 5:06 |
| 7. | "Shadowfax" | Matheos | 3:16 |
| 8. | "Damnation" | Matheos, Arch | 6:27 |
| 9. | "Soldier Boy" | Arduini, Arch | 6:25 |
Total length: |
42:26 | ||
| 2002 remastered edition bonus tracks | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 10. | "Last Call" (demo; 1984) | 5:39 |
| 11. | "The Calling" (rehearsal; 1983) | 4:36 |
| 12. | "Kiss of Death" (live at L'Amour, Brooklyn, New York; 1985) | 4:35 |
| 13. | "Flight of Icarus" (rehearsal; 1983) | 5:18 |
Total length: |
62:34 | |
Personnel
Fates Warning
- John Arch – vocals, production
- Jim Matheos – guitar, production
- Victor Arduini – guitar, production
- Steve Zimmerman – drums, production
- Joe DiBiase – bass, production
Additional credits
- Doug Clark – engineering
- Bill Metoyer – mixing
- Brian Slagel – mixing
References
- 1 2 The Best of Metal Blade: Volume 1 (vinyl gatefold). p. 1. Metal Blade Records. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
- 1 2 "Night On Bröcken". fateswarning.com. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
- ↑ "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
- ↑ "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
- ↑ "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
- ↑ "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken / The Spectre Within". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
- ↑ "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
- ↑ "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
- 1 2 Taylor, Robert. "Night on Bröcken - Fates Warning". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
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