Fearful Symmetry (album)
Encyclopedia
Fearful Symmetry is a 1986 album by rock band
Daniel Amos
, released on Frontline Records
.
Fearful Symmetry is a lush, synthesizer driven pop album, lyrically wrapped in puzzles that the listener has to decipher. Nearly every song on Fearful Symmetry in some way deals with pain or darkness - from the William Blake
-inspired "Sleep Silent Child", a song about death, to "Strong Points, Weak Points", a song about doubt. The album title comes from a line in The Tyger
by Wm. Blake. The album ends on an upbeat note however, with the touching ballad, "Beautiful One".
Fearful Symmetry was the final chapter of a four part series
of albums by DA entitled The ¡Alarma! Chronicles
, which also included the albums ¡Alarma!, Doppelgänger
, and Vox Humana. The band raised eyebrows on the tour that followed each release, by presenting a full multimedia event complete with video screens synchronized to the music, something that was unusual in the early 1980s for any band. This album, along with the other three albums from the Alarma! Chronicles, was re-released as part of the Alarma! Chronicles Book set in 2000. The Book Set included three CDs, over 200 pages of lyrics, photos, liner notes, essays, interviews and other information in a hardcover book.
As with Vox Humana, keyboardist Rob Watson
was unavailable for the photo session for this album. Thus the album's group photo only shows four of the five band members.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Daniel Amos
Daniel Amos
Daniel Amos is a rock band formed in 1974 by Terry Scott Taylor on guitars and vocals, Marty Dieckmeyer on bass guitar, Steve Baxter on guitars and Jerry Chamberlain on lead guitars. Current members include bassist Tim Chandler, guitarist Greg Flesch and drummer Ed McTaggart...
, released on Frontline Records
Frontline Records (1980s)
Frontline Records was a Christian record label founded in 1986 by James Kempner. The label focused primarily on modern rock, rap, and hip-hop...
.
Fearful Symmetry is a lush, synthesizer driven pop album, lyrically wrapped in puzzles that the listener has to decipher. Nearly every song on Fearful Symmetry in some way deals with pain or darkness - from the William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
-inspired "Sleep Silent Child", a song about death, to "Strong Points, Weak Points", a song about doubt. The album title comes from a line in The Tyger
The Tyger
"The Tyger" is a poem by the English poet William Blake. It was published as part of his collection Songs of Experience in 1794 . It is one of Blake's best-known and most analyzed poems...
by Wm. Blake. The album ends on an upbeat note however, with the touching ballad, "Beautiful One".
Fearful Symmetry was the final chapter of a four part series
Tetralogy
A tetralogy is a compound work that is made up of four distinct works, just as a trilogy is made up of three works....
of albums by DA entitled The ¡Alarma! Chronicles
The ¡Alarma! Chronicles
The ¡Alarma! Chronicles is the name of a short story written by Terry Scott Taylor.The story was originally included in four albums released by the rock band Daniel Amos...
, which also included the albums ¡Alarma!, Doppelgänger
Doppelgänger (Daniel Amos album)
Doppelgänger is the title of a 1983 album by rock band Daniel Amos, released on Alarma! Records.Doppelgänger was a much darker, more haunting album than the album that preceded it, ¡Alarma!....
, and Vox Humana. The band raised eyebrows on the tour that followed each release, by presenting a full multimedia event complete with video screens synchronized to the music, something that was unusual in the early 1980s for any band. This album, along with the other three albums from the Alarma! Chronicles, was re-released as part of the Alarma! Chronicles Book set in 2000. The Book Set included three CDs, over 200 pages of lyrics, photos, liner notes, essays, interviews and other information in a hardcover book.
As with Vox Humana, keyboardist Rob Watson
Rob Watson
Robert D. Watson is a keyboard player, producer and composer best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies...
was unavailable for the photo session for this album. Thus the album's group photo only shows four of the five band members.
Side one
- "A Sigh For You" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor/Flesch/Chandler)
- "The Pool" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor/Flesch/Chandler)
- "Sleep, Silent Child" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor/Flesch/Chandler)
- "Neverland Ballroom" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor/Flesch/Chandler)
- "Strong Points, Weak Points" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor/Flesch/Chandler)
Side two
- "Instruction Through Film" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor/Flesch/Chandler)
- "When Moonlight Sleeps (On The Frosted Hill)" (Taylor)
- "Sudden Heaven" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor/Flesch)
- "Shadow Catcher" (Words by Taylor, Music by Taylor/Chandler)
- "Beautiful One" (Taylor)
Personnel
- Terry Scott TaylorTerry Scott TaylorTerry Scott Taylor is an American songwriter, record producer, writer and founding member of the bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies . Taylor is also a member of the roots and alternative music group, Lost Dogs. He is currently based in San Jose, California, USA.Taylor is highly regarded for...
on rhythm guitars and lead vocals. - Tim ChandlerTim ChandlerTim Chandler is a bass guitar player, best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies and The Choir....
on bass guitar. - Greg FleschGreg FleschGreg Flesch is a guitarist and musician, best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies .Flesch joined D.A...
on guitar. - Rob WatsonRob WatsonRobert D. Watson is a keyboard player, producer and composer best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies...
on keyboards. - Ed McTaggartEd McTaggartEd McTaggart is an American drummer and artist. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band Daniel Amos.McTaggart joined DA in 1976, after years of playing with Bill Sprouse Jr.'s band The Road Home....
on drums.
Additional musicians
- Alex MacDougallAlex MacDougallAlex MacDougall is an American record producer, and percussionist. MacDougall is best known for being a member of the Christian rock band Daniel Amos in the late 1970s in addition to his production and recording session credits...
: percussion. - Crystal LewisCrystal LewisCrystal Lewis is an American contemporary Christian/Gospel vocalist, songwriter and author.-Early years:Lewis grew up singing in her father's church...
: Background vocals. - Jerry ChamberlainJerry ChamberlainJerry Chamberlain , is a United States singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer, best known for his work with the rock bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies ....
: Background vocals. - Dave Hackbarth: Synth Treatments
- Doug Doyle: Synth Treatments.
Production notes
- Recorded and Mixed by Terry Taylor, Doug Doyle & Dave Hackbarth.
- Recorded at 3-D studios, Costa Mesa, CaliforniaCosta Mesa, CaliforniaCosta Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
. - Mastered by John Matousek at Hitsville, Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. - All Arrangements by DA.
- Cover Concept by DA.
- Photography by Derrill Bazzy.
- Photographics by Derrill Bazzy & Ken Baley.
- Band Photos by Linda Dillon Baley.
- Art Direction and Layout by Mr. Ed (McTaggart).
- Alarma! Chronicles Book Text Written by Terry Taylor and Greg Flesch. Also continued Thanks to Phillips Mangano for encouragement and inspiration.