Metal Family Tree

This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

Fates Warning are among the earliest Progressive Metal bands. Jim Matheos has been the only consistent member since the beginning. John Arch was the original vocalist on the first three albums but Ray Adler has been on every album since. The band has had several second guitar players and sometimes only Jim. Victor Arduini played on the first two albums, Frank Aresti would play on the next five, skip a few and then return again for a time. Bass players have been fairly consistent with Joe DiBiase there from the beginning through he mid 90s and Joey Vera stepping in since then. As for drums Steve Zimmermann played on the first four albums, Mark Zonder stepped in till 2005, and Bobby Jarzombek has been on albums since. Jim has been the primary song writer over the years and on some albums the sole writer although other members have also contributed on many albums. For this reason his influences probably carry more weight with the bands sound.

Jethro Tull are an influential progressive rock band often remembered as the band with the guy who plays the flute. Jim and Victor named them as an influence.

Deep Purple were a hard rock band who dabbled in heavy metal. Victor named Ritchie Blackmore as an influence. Bobby named them as an early influence.

Genesis were a very important progressive rock band. Jim named them as an influence.

Grand Funk Railroad was a hard rock band big in the 70’s. John and Victor named Mark Farner as an influence.

Led Zeppelin are easily one of the most important hard rock bands. Victor named Jimmy Page as an influence.

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer are another influential progressive rock band. They were an influence on Jim.

Black Sabbath are the fathers of metal. Jim named them as an influence. They are a huge influence on Victor who even played in a Sabbath cover band when he was 18. Joe named Geezer as an influence. Bobby named Sabbath as an early influence.

Uriah Heep were a progressive rock band who also dabbled in heavy metal in their early days. Jim named them as an influence. John named Dave Byron as an influence.

UFO are a very influential hard rock band. Jim named them as one of his influences.

Budgie was a heavy rock and progressive band that dabbled in metal from time to time. Victor named them as an influence.

Thin Lizzy are a very influential rock / hard rock band. Joe named Philip Lynott and Thin Lizzy as his favorites.

Scorpions are a very influential hard rock / heavy metal band. Ray named them as an influence.

Kansas were a popular progressive rock band. Jim named them as an influence and said Steve Walsh was his favorite singer. John also named him as an influence.

Jefferson Starship was formerly Jefferson Airplane and later just Starship. John named Mickey Thomas, who sung with Jefferson Starship and Starship, as an influence. — Jefferson Starship was formerly Jefferson Airplane and later just Starship. John named Mickey Thomas, who sung with Jefferson Starship and Starship, as an influence.

Rush are an important progressive hard rock band. Joe named Geddy as an influence. Bobby named Neil Peart as an influence.

Judas Priest are known as the metal gods and for good reason. John named Halford as a later influence. Priest was Ray’s first big influence and says that Unleashed in the East was probably the album that made him want to be a singer. Bobby named session drummer Simon Phillips as an influence.

Kiss were a huge American hard rock band. Joe said they was his first influence.

After leaving Deep Purple Ritchie Blackmore started Rainbow along side Ronnie James Dio. Victor named Ritchie as an influence.

Journey was on the poppy side of rock music. Ray said Steve Perry was a big influence on him as a kid.

Randy Rhoads

Boston was a hard rock band with progressive elements. John named Brad Delp as an influence. Frank was also a fan.

Al Di Meola

Yngwie Malmsteen is a neoclassical metal shredder considered one of the best in guitarist ever. Frank named him as a influence.

Iron Maiden are one of the most influential metal bands of all time. John named them as a big influence and named Number of the Best as one of his favorite albums of all time. Bruce is definitely John’s hero and a later influence on him. Joe named S… — Iron Maiden are one of the most influential metal bands of all time. John named them as a big influence and named *Number of the Best* as one of his favorite albums of all time. Bruce is definitely John’s hero and a later influence on him. Joe named Steve Harris as an influence. Ray also named Maiden as an influence.

Accept are German metal masters. While the NWOBHM was going on Germany had Accept. Victor named them as an influence.

Mercyful Fate was super technical switching riff to riff although most would never consider them progressive they certainly are on that side of the spectrum. Victor named them as an influence.

Metallica are the fathers of thrash. Victor named them as an influence. Frank was into Metallica.

Exodus was one of the first bay area thrash bands. Frank was into them as well.

Anthrax were one of the big four of thrash and the only one from the east coast. Frank was also into them.

Armored Saint were bringing Traditional heavy metal from the Bay Area. Ray named them as an influence.

Slayer were one of the most aggressive early thrash bands. Frank was into them.

Queensryche are progressive metal pioneers. Ray named Geoff Tate as an influence.

Trouble were one of the doom pioneers of the 80’s that followed in the foot steps of Black Sabbath. Victor named them as an influence.

Wait… What? Yes Ray said that John Arch was one of his favorite singers.

John played guitar and did vocals in cover bands before joining Fate’s Warning.

Victor wrote on the first two albums but those were the only albums he was part of.

Joe DiBiase was with the band from the beginning through 1996. He has writing credits on two albums during that time.

Steve Zimmermann was the first drummer but only has writing credits on the fourth album which was the last one he played on. I am unsure of his influences.

Bobby Jarzombek has been with the band since 2007 and has a couple co-writing credits. Some of his influences not mentioned above are Frank Zappa, Yes, Three Dog Night, and U.K. drummers, Terry Bozzio, and Bill Bruford. He also named Simon Phillips who not only played on a Judas Priest album with a ton of other bands.

Other members have not contributed to writing that I’m aware of.

Bands influenced by Fate’s Warning!

As this project advances, bands will be added here…

More Family Trees

Sources:

http://www.progressiveworld.net/html/modules.php?name=Interviews&rop=showcontent&id=90
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6A9Tl0Ql54
https://www.jaimevendera.com/new-interview-with-john-arch-by-austin-jenkins/
https://ringmasterreviewintroduces.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/beyond-the-fate-an-interview-with-victor-arduini-of-freedoms-reign/
https://deadrhetoric.com/features/arduini-balich-interview/
https://www.metaltoinfinity.be/INTERVIEWS/Freedomsreign_2013.html
http://fateswarning.com/2001/04/18/interview-with-frank-aresti-4182001/
http://fateswarning.com/2001/04/29/interview-with-joe-dibiase-4292001/
http://fateswarning.com/2013/11/14/cryptic-rock-interview-with-ray-alder-11142013/
http://fateswarning.com/2018/01/16/bobby-jarzombek-interview-by-jimmy-cabbs-01-16-2018/
https://metalwarehouse.nl/2015/11/12/fates-warning-awaken-the-guardian-lineup-reunion-wont-affect-current-band/
https://gtdspod.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/episode-33-bobby-jarzombek/