Originally recorded when the group was still known as The
Mob, Queensryche’s debut EP serves as one of the band’s most conventional yet
definitive statements. Its four songs have more to say than most bands’
full-lengths and simultaneously expresses their influences while hinting at the
shadow that they would cast over the prog music scene.
Seeing as how the band was still largely riding on their
Iron Maiden and Ronnie James Dio influences, it isn’t too surprising for this
EP to be their most metal-oriented release to date. The songwriting is
straightforward, the guitars operate at more aggressive tempos, the vocals are
as charismatic as they are high pitched, and the production job also manages to
be their grittiest.
Yet even in their earliest days, the band had several
nuances that placed them above most traditional metal fare. You won’t see any
epics on here but tracks like the immortal “Queen Of The Reich” offer a degree
of structural complexity while “The Lady Wore Black” offers some bells and
literal whistles that keep it from being your typical power ballad. The band’s
sophisticated air was also firmly secured by their debut, putting them two
steps ahead of their contemporaries in Fates Warning and Savatage.
But as anyone will tell you, Geoff Tate’s vocals are what
truly set Queensryche apart from the rest of the pack. He offers a great deal
of variety and control in his delivery as he offers consistent wails throughout
“Queen of The Reich,” a nut ripping scream on “Blinded,” and masterful low to
high transitions on “The Lady Wore Black.” Not too shabby for a guy that doesn’t
even like metal and performed on this EP as a favor…
While it has been overshadows by the best (and the worst) of
future installments, Queensryche’s debut EP shows the band starting off strong.
Despite there being only four songs on display, there are a few classic tracks
on board and heavier metal fans may find this to be an ideal starting point if
they don’t already have the obligatory Mindcrime.
Either way, it’s just more proof that 1983 was a damn good year…
Current Highlights:
“Queen Of The Reich”
“The Lady Wore Black”
1 comment:
My favorite Queensryche album ever!! The musicianship was great, and Geoff Tate's voice was as good as Bruce Dickison's, if only for a brief part of his/their career!
Post a Comment