Queensryche Month, Part 13: Review of the Self-Titled Album

Not to be confused with the 1983 EP, Queensryche’s twelfth full-length studio album finds the band in the most challenging predicament of their career. Too far removed in time from the classics and too far removed in quality from recent efforts, it is an album that simultaneously is way overdue and feels like the debut of a completely new band. Either way, former Crimson Glory singer Todd La Torre and guitarist Parker Lundgren have secured themselves without a single outsider in sight.

As expected by a band that has spent the last year reaching for their prog metal past and generally making up for lost time, there are plenty of references to their classic works to be found on here. Just as lead single “Redemption” channels Operation: Mindcrime with its twin guitar introduction and rapid fire choruses, faster songs like “Don’t Look Back” and “Fallout” show off their long forgotten Iron Maiden influence and probably would’ve fit in on The Warning with more structural complexity. They even allow some 90s influence to slip by as “Open Road” plays out like an Empire ballad, “A World Without” and the interludes evoke Promised Land, and “In This Light” is a radio friendly number in the vein of Hear In The Now Frontier.

But the debut aspect does come into play, as there are some new elements to be found. This album just might be Queensryche’s most aggressive since the EP as the production offers a bright yet gritty tone, the drums bring in more power, the guitars offer active riffs and solos, and La Torre’s vocals are raspier than his clone status would have you believe. Influence from contemporary power metal is also abundant and can best be seen on the theatrical “Where Dreams Go To Die” and the uplifting contrasts on “Vindication.”

While the production’s loudness has been a point of contention, the album’s thirty-five minute run time is the ultimate cause for concern. On one hand, it allows the band to focus on more straightforward songwriting and results in an album largely devoid of filler. On the other, a few songs could’ve been a minute or two longer and the inclusion of an epic track would’ve been great. Ultimately, the length doesn’t affect the quality but rather makes it feel more like an amazing appetizer.

And with that, Queensryche’s first album with the new lineup isn’t the godly comeback we hoped for but it does provide excellent songs and hope for an even greater follow-up when all this legal mumbo jumbo has been resolved. It is overwhelmingly clear that this lineup has earned their claim to the Queensryche name; they understand what made it great and how to properly bring those elements into the modern age. Let’s just hope you know who has a backup plan now that this has blown up in his face…

Current Highlights:

“Where Dreams Go To Die”

“Redemption”

“Vindication”

“A World Without”

“Don’t Look Back”

Queensryche Month, Part 12: Review of Dedicated To Chaos

Dedicated to Chaos will always be remembered as the album that almost broke Queensryche. In addition to being panned by just about everyone that heard it (Including a few band members), it allowed many fans to see just how far the band had fallen and arguably contributed to Geoff Tate’s well-publicized departure in 2012. It was also the first album to feature Tate’s former son-in-law Parker Lundgren on guitar duties though this factor doesn’t speak for itself quite as much as it would in the near future…

Scott Rockenfield was right when he described this album as being “kind of like Rage [For Order] through a time tunnel,” but not in the way that he intended. While he probably made that statement as a plea or reassurance to longtime fans, Dedicated to Chaos and Rage For Order are similar in that they both experiment with a wide variety of styles and have lyrical themes that reflect the musicians’ states of mind at a given time. However, Rage unified those sounds with brilliant songwriting and thoughtful lyrics; Dedicated To Chaos just serves as a mass of stylistic confusion thanks to a bunch of hacks not knowing how to handle their midlife crises.

This can best be seen on tracks like “Got It Bad” and “Wot We Do,” easily the two worst songs ever released under the Queensryche name. The music combines jazz, R&B, and whatever else they could think of into these faceless blobs and the lyrics do their best to bring sex appeal to a group that generally kept their class even when singing about horny teenage boy fodder. One could argue that the cabaret flashbacks are merely an attempt at being campy but the pacing is far too slow and Tate’s sneering is more obnoxious than funny.

Speaking of obnoxious, the lyrics are easily the worst that Tate has ever put together. When he is not providing us with the sexual insights of a man that is just a year older than my dad, he becomes everything that The Warning warned us about as he goes on about his YouTubes, cell phones, and how having “those sunglasses on” is pretty much the most erotic thing ever. In short, it’s the perfect antithesis to their classic outlook.

But with that said, Queensryche can still pull off a few worthwhile moments even in the absolute nadir of their career, though it can be a pretty big stretch to really notice them. “Get Started” makes for a legitimately fun opener and continues the band’s occasional Rush parallels thanks to its “Far Cry” style pacing. Following that, “Hot Spot Junkie” is a goofy successor to “Damaged,” “Around The World” makes for okay U2 worship, and “Retail Therapy” is a decent Alice In Chains-esque grinder if you are capable of ignoring the crap lyrics on each of those songs…

But what really makes this album frustrating is how the actual performances are actually pretty good. The diminishing vocals fit in with the album’s smug tone and toned down style, the focus on the rhythm section was the closest thing the album had to a smart move, and the guitars still have a decent shine to them in the absence of actual riffs. It’s certainly nothing that makes the songwriting any better but it does provide a glimpse at what the band could’ve been capable of with the right material.

The most masochistic fan may find a song or two of value, but there is no doubt that Dedicated To Chaos is the lowest point of Queensryche’s career. Say what you will about Lulu or Illus Divinum Insanus (You know, the other two pieces of shit that came out in 2011), but there has never been a band that so blatantly spit in the faces of their principles while claiming to be still adhering to them. Just listen to Rage For Order if you want experimentation, Operation: Mindcrime or Empire if you want insightful lyrics, and the new one if you want to see just what Queensryche is truly capable of.

Current Highlights:

“Get Started”

“Hot Spot Junkie”

“Around The World”

“Drive”

“Retail Therapy”

Queensryche Month, Part 11: Review of American Soldier

Having failed to win over disgruntled fans with Tribe and Operation: Mindcrime II, Queensryche went for a different approach for their tenth full-length studio album. The writing is still dominated by outsiders but all the band members seem to be accounted for and while the military theme could be seen as a different type of pandering, it is much more honest due to the insights gained by interviewing actual soldiers and incorporating their sound bites into the songwriting.

Despite the elaborate concept, it is still hard to identify this as a true Queensryche album. The prevailing style is a mix of post grunge and alternative metal, the guitars have a rather conventional chug, the vocals are about the same as they’ve been, and a liberal amount of samples are used to set the atmosphere. There is a bit of prog influence and the saxophone makes its first appearance since Promised Land but the band’s most defining traits are still sadly absent.

With that, the songwriting is also a mixed bag. Things start off rather awkwardly as “Sliver” and “Unafraid” seem to be going for a Saliva vibe while “Hundred Mile Stare” and “At 30,000 Feet” are decent but ultimately don’t live up to their atmospheric promise. Thankfully, it does get better as it goes along with “The Killer” offering some strong percussion, “Man Down!” being a more successful upbeat track, and “If I Were King” and “Remember Me” making for good ballads.

“Home Again” is another noteworthy track though one that is sure to divide people. While its structure is that of a typical acoustic ballad, its defining factor is the duet between Geoff Tate and his daughter Emily. While Emily’s flat tone and the song’s somewhat saccharine nature may turn some listeners off, she puts more emotion into her performance than her father has in years. Hell, it just might be one of the most passionate ballads that Queensryche has ever put together and will get you misty-eyed if you relate to the theme.

Overall, American Soldier is one of the most mixed albums in the Queensryche discography. The outside contributions still grate on the nerves and several ideas don’t quite catch fire, but the second half does make it potentially worth getting if you can deal with a different sound. There are better war-themed albums out there but this is arguably as good as Geoff Tate and his cronies will ever get.

Current Highlights:

“The Killer”

“Man Down!”

“If I Were King”

“Remember Me”

“Home Again”

Queensryche Month, Part 10: Review of Operation: Mindcrime II

Operation: Mindcrime II should not exist, at least not as an album released under the Queensryche name. The fact that it is a sequel to the greatest prog metal album of all time was puzzling enough when it was first released in 2006, but a few more details that have come to light since the band’s 2012 schism make it even more frustrating. Despite being another attempt to pander to disgruntled fans after the failed DeGarmo reunion, Operation: Mindcrime II is the first collaboration that Geoff Tate and producer/writer Jason Slater released under the Queensryche name and features a slew of session musicians instead of actual band members. From what I’ve gathered, longtime guitarist Michael Wilton and drummer Scott Rockenfield aren’t even on this damn thing!

What makes this revelation painfully ironic is that the second Mindcrime is the first album that actually sounds like Queensryche in a decade and might just be their most metal-oriented release since the first one. Granted the focus on slower tempos means that “I’m American” and “Signs Say Go” are the closest things that we really get to old school “The Needle Lies” style speed metal, but whoever is playing guitar got their tone to closely match the original shine and they even squeezed in a few actual metal riffs on songs like “One Foot In Hell.” They even upped the ante by reprising a few musical motifs, working in some orchestral elements, and having a few special guest vocalists on select tracks.

But in doing this, they seemed to forget that the original Mindcrime succeeded due to incredibly catchy songs and writing that put each member on equal standing in terms of showing off their skills. The songwriting on its sequel is rife with sluggish executions, meandering structures, and faceless instrumentals that merely set the stage for the vocal performances with very few chances to shine.

Queensryche’s first three releases showed us that this dynamic isn’t necessarily a bad thing but that idea is immediately thrown out the window when the listener realizes that the vocals on here sound like shit. All signs of deterioration that have popped up in the wake of Promised Land finally culminate to this single performance as Tate delivers his awkwardly constructed lines in a grating sneer, botches drawn out wails, abandons his lower range for dull spoken word, and generally makes one wonder how much sooner we would’ve noticed this if he hadn’t been coasting by on grunge for the last decade. Fortunately, all is not lost as Pamela Moore gives it her all as the ghost/hallucination/whatever of Sister Mary and metal master Ronnie James Dio upstages his former apprentice as Dr. X on the otherwise anticlimactic “The Chase.”

Speaking of which, it goes without saying that the story is as directionless as it is implausible. While a story featuring the loveable Nikki escaping prison and seeking revenge for Mary’s death would be a neat character study, the story we got falls flat as the brainwashed junkie is somehow paroled and goes off to die whimpering after an anticlimactic victory. It doesn’t help that going into his thought process is much more forced than it was in the original Mindcrime and that it immediately forgets about the social commentary that made its ancestor so inspiring. Seriously, this was released in the middle of the War on Terror; how did they pass up the chance to talk about that?

But with all this bitching to consider, the album’s first half actually manages to be pretty decent. In addition to “The Hands” being a legitimately good song and “Hostage” making for a decent bluesy number, other tracks like “One Foot In Hell” and “Signs Say Go” make for entertaining rockers once you get past Tate’s warbling. I also gotta give props to “Murderer?” for its excellent opening and wonder how things would’ve worked if it had been the closer instead of the twenty minutes that follow it. It wouldn’t have exactly been “Eyes Of A Stranger,” but it would’ve ended things on an intense, ambiguous note as opposed to a dull one.

In the end, Operation: Mindcrime II is one of those albums that I should hate on pure principle but isn’t totally devoid of value. It attempts to justify its existence by means of a decent start, passionate guest performances, and neat callbacks but ultimately falters due to the band’s disassociations as well as a declining creator’s misunderstanding of his own creation. Perhaps it could’ve worked if it had been released at a more favorable time or if the band members actually gave a damn, but this looks to be another case of what could’ve been. At least Ian Anderson had the good sense to release Thick As A Brick II under his own name…

Current Highlights:

“I’m American”

“One Foot In Hell”

“Hostage”

“The Hands”

“Signs Say Go”

Queensryche Month, Part 9: Review of Tribe

Tribe could be seen as a sort of crossroads in Queensryche’s career. It certainly doesn’t reach for their metal days, but it does have a unified lyrical theme and was their last true band effort before their next three releases were handed off to Geoff Tate’s entourage of outside writers. It even sees the brief return of Chris DeGarmo as a session member, overshadowing guitarist Mike Stone’s official addition to the group’s ranks in place of Kelly Gray.

Being the last part of what I’m now calling Queensryche’s Grunge Trilogy, Tribe seems to serve as an odd cross between Promised Land and Q2K. Just as it stays close to the latter’s rhythmic emphasis and muddy guitar tone, it also has a contemplative theme and might be their most laid back release to date. Of course, there are a few songs like “Open” and the disjointed “Art Of Life” that are slightly heavier than those on the last couple efforts, but they don’t feel out of place with the album’s reflective outlook.

But even with DeGarmo’s contributions, there still aren’t many changes to the band dynamic. “Open” does have the distinct honor of having the first honest to God Queensryche riff since “Hit The Black” but there aren’t too many intricate moments on the ballads that made past somber tracks like “Out Of Mind” and “The Lady Wore Black” so captivating. This is also where the vocals would start to get a little grating though it seems to have more to do with the patterns and inflection than trying to hit notes that just can’t be hit anymore.

And in a way similar to St. Anger, there are some moments where things feel a little unfinished. But while that album spent too much time beating stale ideas into the ground, Tribe has songs that seem like they should’ve gone in a different direction than what was released. “Desert Dance” could’ve been a highlight if it had spent more time on its darker beginning and the title track would’ve been even stronger if the flow of the vocals wasn’t so awkward during the verses. The ballads also have a tendency to run together though a few of them do show signs of promise.

Overall, Tribe is a decent album though it somehow seems to be even weaker than the last couple despite DeGarmo’s contributions. The reflective tone is nicely delivered and fitting for a band of Queensryche’s experience and “Open” is easily their strongest latter day diamond, but his involvement is more of a point of hype and what could’ve been than anything that truly salvages the album’s more monotonous moments. Stick with Hear In The Now Frontier if you want to hear the band play grunge. That album needs more love anyway…

Current Highlights:

“Open”

“Great Divide”

“Rhythm Of Hope”

“Tribe”

“Blood”

Queensryche Month, Part 8: Review of Q2K

In a world where so many bands only have one or two original members in their ranks, it is sad to see how severely Queensryche was affected by the loss of one guy. Having been the main writer and business overseer, Chris DeGarmo’s departure greatly changed the band’s dynamic as Geoff Tate assumed leadership and a series of guitarists were brought in to cover his tracks. The first of these was Seattle producer Kelly Gray, a former bandmate of Tate’s, who would quickly become a controversial figure among fans despite this being his only appearance as an official member.

Despite DeGarmo’s departure, Q2K’s sound isn’t too far removed from Hear In The Now Frontier. Some of the subtle nuances have lost their impact but the grunge influence has been kept in tact and most of the songs have kept their loose execution. However, there may be a little more variety and there is a fairly good mix of ballads and heavier tracks.

The band’s performances also don’t seem to be too affected though that has more to do with the style than anything else. While Gray isn’t much of a lead player, the focus on rhythms lets him fit in well and the vocals seem to be holding up as well as they were on previous efforts. In addition, Rockenfield seems to be a little more prominent as songs like the opening “Falling Down” and “Burning Man” are driven by his percussion skills.

Unfortunately, the lack of nuances and weaker songwriting do bring this album down to a degree. There is still nothing bad on here and having a few less songs on here does make it feel more solid than Hear In The Now Frontier, but this is the first Queensryche album where the listeners spends more time looking for diamonds in the rough than enjoying a consistent release.

Q2K’s diamond ends up being “The Right Side Of The Mind,” a brooding closer that channels the Promised Land days with its subdued vocals, spacy guitar and bass work, and unsettling chorus. In addition, “Falling Down” and “Sacred Ground” make decent grunge rockers while “How Could I” and “Beside You” respectively stand out for a passionate chorus and almost gospel motifs.

In addition to having the dumbest title for a Queensryche album this side of Operation: Mindcrime II, Q2K is the first that doesn’t feel like a true Queensryche album. Tate’s vocals may have been their most unique asset but their sophistication and strong dynamics made sure they still sounded like themselves through even the most blatant sellouts. It’s a slight step below Hear In The Now Frontier but it’s still great compared to just about everything that would come after it…

Current Highlights:

“Falling Down”

“Sacred Ground”

“How Could I?”

“Beside You”

“The Right Side Of My Mind”

Queensryche Month, Part 7: Review of Here In The Now Frontier

Queensryche’s sixth studio album is widely regarded as the first true misstep of their career. While having a few initial signs of success, it ultimately faded from sight due to their label folding combined with the Seattle group’s futile response to a movement that had already passed. To add insult to injury, guitarist/bandleader Chris DeGarmo left the band shortly after its release despite (or perhaps because of) his overwhelming influence on its development.

For the first time since the days of the EP, Hear In The Now Frontier sees the band emulating the styles of others as opposed to incorporating a wide variety of influences under a signature sound. Despite coming out a couple years after grunge was beginning to decline, Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots are the album’s leading aspirations though one can also finds reference to U2, Pearl Jam, and what Metallica was doing around the time. In short, it’s a very basic record that puts a bunch of jams out there without any signs of a bigger picture.

And while there aren’t any prog or ambient touches left, the band hierarchy isn’t too far off from the Promised Land dynamic. The guitars are still the prime focus and while there aren’t any strong riffs or solos on display, they do their job and are backed by a decent rhythm section. And like the EP before it, Tate’s vocals are what keep the music from sounding too generic. However, he has stuck with a mid-range approach that rarely ventures into extreme pitches.

When it comes down to it, the success of Hear In The Now Frontier heavily depends on how the songs themselves are written and presented. Unfortunately, having fourteen songs on a single disc does lead to a mixed bag as several of them end up running together. Fortunately, the running times are short and the songs themselves are pleasant to listen to, but it’s definitely not as consistent as everything that came before it.

In addition, there are still some pretty brilliant songs on here. “Hit The Black” may be the easiest song to get into for established fans thanks to its Mindcrime-esque guitar lines though “Saved” stands out for its explosive Soundgarden-isms and “You” reminds me of KISS with its simple but catchy hook. In addition, “Get A Life” brings in a little heaviness, “Miles Away” and “All I Want” bring in a little pop, and “Sign Of The Times” makes for a decent opener.

Much like Bruce Dickinson’s Skunkworks, Queensryche’s sixth full-length album is an experiment that is pretty enjoyable but ultimately came too late. Its reputation is deserved when you consider its plain presentation and the band’s over the top past, but it is worth looking into for grunge fans and makes for an entertaining character study. And the fact that it’s in every used CD store ever does mean that you won’t have to pay too much for a copy…

Current Highlights:

“Sign of The Times”

“Get A Life”

“Saved”

“You”

“Hit The Black”