When Fate started out in the mid eighties, it was former Mercyful Fate (hence the name Fate…) guitar player Hank Sherman who put the band together with fellow Danishmen Jeff Limbo (vocals), Pete Steiner (bass) and Bob Lance (drums). For old fans of Mercyful Fate, the sound must have been confusing, to say the least. Instead of the Black Metal that he used to play, this new project was full of poppy songs in the AOR territory. This line up released two albums, their self titled debut and the follow up A Matter Of Attitude, the latter now a classic in melodic rock scenes, before Sherman had enough of pop and their weird singer and split.
He was replaced by Jacob Moth and they released the half arsed Cruisin’ For A Brusin’ before the band split up. Steiner and Lance, however, decided to give it another go with a new guitarist, Mathias ”IA” Eklundh, nowadays fronting his own band Freak Kitchen, releasing the sadly underrated CD Scratch n’ Sniff. Unfortunately that didn’t last long, but every once in a while, Steiner, now under his real name Peter Steincke, brings Fate back from the dead with a new album.
The album V came out in 2006 and it followed the heavier style of Scratch n’ Sniff and the same goes for their brand new album. But where V failed to convince me that Fate is a force to be reckoned with, this one does. ”Children Of The Night”, the album’s opener is a great, catchy rocker that tickles your appetite for more, ”Fear Of The Stranger” is metal with a commercial touch and ”You’re All That I Need” is a catchy number that could be a hit with loads of luck and airplay.
Of course they also have the mandatory ballad on here, but ”Follow Your Heart” is by no means cheesy. It’s a heavy ballad with lots of feel. And in ”Murder” they have a real heavy piece with lots of 70’s feel that sounds very good. Fate has recorded a very good come back album, although it contains a few fillers too much, but the heavier direction they started with on Sn’S suits them well. Also, in Sören Hoff they have again found themselves a guitar hero to be. I only hope that this time they will continue their musical journey because I have a feeling they just might be up to something big.
Jon Wilmenius (7/10)
Tracklist:
01. Children Of The Night
02. Miracle
03. Seeds Of Terror
04. Fear Of The Stranger
05. At the End Of The Day
06. All That I Want
07. Follow Your Heart
08. Daddy’s Girl
09. Moving On
10. Murder
11. The Last Time
12. I Belive In Rock N Roll
13. The Other Side
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