Night on Bröcken
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Night on Bröcken
| type = studio
| artist = Fates Warning
| cover = Night on brocken.jpg
| caption = Original vinyl edition
| released = {{start date|1984|9}}
| recorded =
| studio = The Gallery Recording Studio, East Hartford, Connecticut
| genre = Heavy metal
| length = {{duration|m=42|s=26}}
| label = Metal Blade
| producer = Fates Warning
| next_title = The Spectre Within
| next_year = 1985
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = studio
| cover = Fates Warning - 1984 - Night on Bröcken (reissue).jpg
| caption = 1988 reissue
}}
}}
Night on Bröcken is the debut studio album by the American progressive metal band Fates Warning, released in September 1984 through Metal Blade Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.metalblade.com/us/releases/fates-warning-night-on-brocken/|title=Fates Warning Night On Brocken|publisher=Metal Blade Records|access-date=November 10, 2022}}
The title of the album is apparently a reference to the Brocken, a mountain in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, which is traditionally associated with witches (Walpurgis Night), most famously in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust (1806–1831). The reference becomes apparent on two original album covers that "were scrapped prior to major distribution".[https://web.archive.org/web/20110417000015/http://www.fateswarning.com/Discography/Albums/NightOnBr%C3%B6cken.aspx "Night On Bröcken"]. fateswarning.com. Archived from [http://www.fateswarning.com/Discography/Albums/NightOnBr%C3%B6cken.aspx the original] on April 17, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2020. The spelling is a typical example of a "metal umlaut".
Reissues
Night on Bröcken has been reissued several times. The first edition, featuring the original cover art, was released only on vinyl[http://www.discogs.com/Fates-Warning-Night-On-Br%C3%B6cken/release/1842637 "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken"]. Discogs. Retrieved March 17, 2015. and cassette.[http://www.discogs.com/Fates-Warning-Night-On-Br%C3%B6cken/release/4337801 "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken"]. Discogs. Retrieved March 17, 2015. A CD edition with new cover art was released in 1988.[http://www.discogs.com/Fates-Warning-Night-On-Br%C3%B6cken/release/3432776 "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken"]. Discogs. Retrieved March 17, 2015. A double compilation album, packaged together with The Spectre Within (1985), was released in 1992.[http://www.discogs.com/Fates-Warning-Night-On-Br%C3%B6cken-The-Spectre-Within/release/1098149 "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken / The Spectre Within"]. Discogs. Retrieved March 17, 2015. A remastered edition of Night on Bröcken was released in 1994,[http://www.discogs.com/Fates-Warning-Night-On-Br%C3%B6cken/release/3520056 "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken"]. Discogs. Retrieved March 17, 2015. followed by another in 2002; the latter containing four bonus tracks and restoring the original cover art, albeit with a different font.[http://www.discogs.com/Fates-Warning-Night-On-Br%C3%B6cken/release/1739773 "Fates Warning – Night On Bröcken"]. Discogs. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}Taylor, Robert. [https://www.allmusic.com/album/night-on-br%C3%B6cken-mw0000200581 "Night on Bröcken - Fates Warning"]. AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
}}
Robert Taylor at AllMusic awarded Night on Bröcken two stars out of five, calling it "A very humble beginning for this excellent progressive band" but stopping short of actually recommending it for fans of progressive metal: "Metal fans will find this too close to Iron Maiden, and progressive fans should skip this altogether."
Track listing
{{Track listing
| title1 = Buried Alive
| writer1 = Jim Matheos, John Arch
| length1 = 4:40
| title2 = The Calling
| writer2 = Matheos, Arch
| length2 = 5:03
| title3 = Kiss of Death
| writer3 = Matheos, Arch
| length3 = 4:38
| title4 = Night on Bröcken
| writer4 = Matheos, Victor Arduini, Arch
| length4 = 5:29
| title5 = S.E.K.
| writer5 = Matheos
| length5 = 1:19
| title6 = Misfit
| writer6 = Arduini, Arch
| length6 = 5:06
| title7 = Shadowfax
| writer7 = Matheos
| length7 = 3:16
| title8 = Damnation
| writer8 = Matheos, Arch
| length8 = 6:27
| title9 = Soldier Boy
| writer9 = Arduini, Arch
| length9 = 6:24
| total_length = 42:22
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = 2002 remastered edition bonus tracks
| title10 = Last Call
| note10 = demo; 1984
| length10 = 5:39
| title11 = The Calling
| note11 = rehearsal; 1983
| length11 = 4:36
| title12 = Kiss of Death
| note12 = live at L'Amour, Brooklyn, New York; 1985
| length12 = 4:35
| title13 = Flight of Icarus
| note13 = rehearsal; 1983
| length13 = 5:18
| total_length = 62:34
}}
Personnel
Fates Warning
- John Arch – vocals, production
- Jim Matheos – guitar, production
- Victor Arduini – guitar, production
- Joe DiBiase – bass, production
- Steve Zimmerman – drums, production
Additional credits
- mixed at Track Record, Los Angeles
- Bill Metoyer, Brian Slagel – mixing
- Doug Clark – engineering
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Fates Warning}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Night On Brocken}}