John Arch (born John Maurice Archambault; May 15, 1959) is an American singer most well known for his work with the

progressive metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...

band Fates Warning.

Fates Warning

Arch co-wrote the majority of the band's songs with guitarist Jim Matheos, and was the band's sole lyricist. After their third album, '' Awaken the Guardian'', was released, Arch was asked to quit his job or leave the band. Financial obligations made it impossible for Arch to quit his job, and he argued that he had shown 100% commitment to the band throughout the years. However, the band informed him that they had to let him go and started to look for another singer. In one interview with John Arch, he said that he would have quit his job if he were asked, but the rest of the band never asked him to.

Later career

Arch kept himself out of the metal scene for seventeen years (he currently works crafting custom furniture), with the exception of an audition for upcoming progressive metal band Dream Theater and a few others. He decided to get out of music and pursue other interests. He made his return in 2003, when his EP '' A Twist of Fate'' was released. The EP includes musicians Jim Matheos,

Mike Portnoy Michael Stephen Portnoy (born April 20, 1967) is an American musician who is primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. In September 2010, Portnoy announced his departure ...

and

Joey Vera Joey Vera (born April 24, 1963) is an American bassist who is known as a member of the heavy metal band Armored Saint and progressive metal band Fates Warning. During 2004 and early 2005, he toured with Anthrax as a fill-in for Frank Bello, who ...

, all of whom Arch worked with at some point in the past. The EP shows that Arch's vocal ability had not decreased over the years, likely due to his long break from touring. The album contains only two songs, although these total nearly half an hour (one written solely by Arch, one co-written by Arch and Matheos – marking the first time the two wrote a song together since '' Awaken the Guardian''). Arch has a naturally high

tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...

range. He is very proficient at

legato In music performance and notation, legato (; Italian for "tied together"; French ''lié''; German ''gebunden'') indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, the player makes a transition from note to note wit ...

when singing. On January 19, 2011, it was announced that Arch had reunited with Jim Matheos and the rest of the members in Fates Warning (minus Ray Alder) to record a full-length for a new band, simply titled Arch/Matheos. The band's debut full-length album, ''

Sympathetic Resonance Sympathetic resonance or sympathetic vibration is a harmonic phenomenon wherein a passive string or vibratory body responds to external vibrations to which it has a harmonic likeness. The classic example is demonstrated with two similarly-tuned ...

'', was released on September 9.

Discography

Solo albums

*'' A Twist of Fate'' (2003)

With Fates Warning

*''

Night on Bröcken Night on Bröcken is the first studio album by the American progressive metal band Fates Warning, released on September 9, 1984 through Metal Blade Records. The title of the album is apparently a reference to the Brocken, a mountain in Saxony-A ...

'' (1984) *'' The Spectre Within'' (1985) *'' Awaken the Guardian'' (1986) * ''Awaken the Guardian Live'' (2017)

With Jim Matheos (Arch/Matheos)

*''

'' (2011) * ''Winter Ethereal'' (2019)

References

External links

Encyclopaedia Metallum – John Arch
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arch, John Progressive metal musicians 1959 births Living people Musicians from Colorado Springs, Colorado Fates Warning members American people of Irish descent