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”
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