FATES WARNING vocalist Ray Alder and guitarist Jim Matheos have released a video performance of an acoustic rendition of "Under The Sun," a track from the progressive metal band's 2020 album "Long Day Good Night."
The stripped-down performance was filmed as part of a run of promotional videos tied to NORTH SEA ECHOES, the separate project fronted by Alder, whose new album, "How To Cast A Shadow," arrives July 24 via Metal Blade Records. "Hey, everybody. So I'm here with Jim, and we're doing some videos and some press for the upcoming release for NORTH SEA ECHOES album, which is out this summer," Alder said in the video, framing the acoustic take as a companion piece to that album cycle rather than a standalone FATES WARNING release.
Alder has previously spoken about the range on display across "Long Day Good Night," noting the record was built to showcase the band's stylistic breadth: "The styles of music we've written distinguish this record from the rest of our catalogue... We tried to give the listener a host of different things." The acoustic reworking of "Under The Sun" leans into that variety, stripping away the album's heavier production to foreground Alder's vocal phrasing against Matheos's guitar work.
FATES WARNING has operated as one of progressive metal's most influential bands for more than 35 years, with Matheos among its founding members and Alder having fronted the group for 37 of those years. Despite that lengthy partnership, the band's live activity has slowed considerably in recent years, with its last full concert dating back to April 2019 — making the acoustic video one of the more visible recent glimpses of Alder and Matheos performing together, even in a scaled-down format tied to outside promotional obligations.
NORTH SEA ECHOES' 2024 self-titled debut earned strong reviews for its emotional vulnerability and sonic range, building anticipation for "How To Cast A Shadow" as Alder splits his creative focus between his long-running work in FATES WARNING and the newer project. For fans hoping for a return to the road from FATES WARNING itself, the acoustic clip offers little in the way of concrete plans, but it does confirm Alder and Matheos remain actively collaborating even as their attention turns toward Alder's parallel musical outlet.