The Guardian

The 1980s were a special decade for metal, where the genre was specially more open-minded and inventive. Acts such as Queensrÿche and Crimson Glory took metal to realms it was completely new to, and their sound was very influential for many modern musicians. As a logical consequence of that evolution, other bands seized the roots of that metal-esque songwriting and delved further into what their forefathers did, adding some uniqueness and searching deeper for a less accessible sound. That was the dawn of the sub-genre we all know now as progressive-metal…

"Awaken The Guardian" is the third studio album by progressive metal band Fates Warning, released in 1986 through Metal Blade Records. The album was the band's first to enter the U.S. Billboard 200, reaching No. 191 and remaining on that chart for four weeks. It is also the band's last album to feature original singer John Arch, who was replaced by Ray Alder on their subsequent 1988 album No Exit.