After a planned reunion with his ex-Led Zeppelin bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones fell through in the early 1990s, Robert Plant unsurprisingly returned to his solo career, while Page united with Plant soundalike David Coverdale. With its focused sound and songwriting, most longtime Zep/Plant fans point to his sixth solo release, 1993's FATE OF NATIONS, as one of his finest.
Plant and his backing band continue to explore the harder rock sounds of his previous two solo albums, as evidenced by "Calling to You" and "Promised Land", while turning down the bombast and letting the mood get more reflective on "I Believe" and "The Greatest Gift". A few years after FATE OF NATIONS appeared, Plant and Page finally reunited.

• Q (1/94, p.87) - Included in Q's list of `The 50 Best Albums Of 1993' - "...there's a surprising delicacy about his performance and a new lightness in his step throughout...."
  Rolling Stone (6/8/93, p.114) - 3.5 Stars - Very Good - "...almost ceremoniously attempts to shake the Led out....Plant's technical achievements alone attest that some of rock's greatest performers are, like any legendary vintage, only improving with time..."
  Musician (7/93, p.90) - "...Having tired of the post-modernism that pervaded NOW AND ZEN, Plant shifts gears and turns to...hippie music? Well, sorta. Although the thrumming acoustics and Celtic modality hearken to LED ZEP III, Plant's approach has less to do with nostalgia than emotional intensity..."
  Q (6/93, p.105) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...this generously proportioned magic carpet ride over some varied, though well signposted terrain should be regarded as another notable notch on the belt...the venerable vocalist's most ambitiously constructed album to date..."
  Entertainment Weekly (6/11/93, p.58) - "...[a] wonderfully textured and mature solo album, his best ever..." - Rating: A-

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals, guitar); Kevin Scott MacMichael (guitar, background vocals); Francis Dunnery, Richard Thompson, Oliver J. Woods, Doug Boyle (guitar); Martin Allcock (mandolin); Nigel Kennedy, Navazish Ali Khan (violin); Phil Johnstone (piano, keyboards, organ, harmonium, background vocals); Phillip Andrews (keyboards); Nigel Eaton (hurdy gurdy); Charlie Jones (bass, percussion); Pete Thompson, Michael Lee, Chris Hughes, Chris Blackwell (drums); Gurdev Singh (dilruba, sarod); Sursit Singh (sarangi); Maire Brennan, Julian Taylor, Steve French, John Flynn (background vocals).
Robert Plant's performance of "Calling To You" was nominated for a 1994 Grammy Award as "Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal."
After a planned reunion with his ex-Led Zeppelin bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones fell through in the early 1990s, Robert Plant unsurprisingly returned to his solo career, while Page united with Plant soundalike David Coverdale. With its focused sound and songwriting, most longtime Zep/Plant fans point to his sixth solo release, 1993's FATE OF NATIONS, as one of his finest.
Plant and his backing band continue to explore the harder rock sounds of his previous two solo albums, as evidenced by "Calling to You" and "Promised Land," while turning down the bombast and letting the mood get more reflective on "I Believe" and "The Greatest Gift." A few years after FATE OF NATIONS appeared, Plant and Page finally reunited.

Even if Robert Plant had disappeared after the demise of Led Zeppelin, he'd still be lauded as one of rock's greatest vocalists. The fact that he had a healthy post-Zep solo career is a testament to his own artistic fortitude. Admittedly, Zeppelin fans wouldn't have been too far afield with Plant's first couple of early-'80s releases, but by 1985's SHAKEN 'N' STIRRED he had more in common with SECURITY-era Peter Gabriel than with '70s blues-rock. A detour with side project the Honeydrippers found Plant exploring his love of '50s rock & roll. By the 21st century, he was exploring roots of a different kind, effectively reinventing songs by the likes of the Youngbloods and Tim Buckley on the Grammy-nominated DREAMLAND. In 2007 he teamed up with bluegrass star, Alison Krauss, for RAISING SAND. The album--featuring covers of Gene Clark, Tom Waits, and the Everly Brothers amongst others--hit number 2 on the Billboard charts.