Queensryche – Queensryche
By now anyone who is a Queensryche fan or really just a rock fan knows about the drama in the band and that there are currently two versions. For this review we are going to focus on the version with the original lineup and new lead singer Todd La Torre. From Warning to Promised Land, QR were the band that stood out from all the hair bands and both Proggers and Metalheads alike could profess proudly they were a fan. But then the downfall happened starting with Hear In The Now Frontier in the late nineties thru 2011′s horrific Dedicated To Chaos. Each album seemed to alienate the fan base more and more. Now finally QR fans have something to be happy about from their favorite band.
While former singer and leader Geoff Tate was off releasing a subpar album under the Queensryche name, this lineup has returned the band to its original form with an album that stands as the proper follow up to Promised Land. The self-titled album “Queensryche” looks to signal a new beginning for this band. It recalls the glory days in both sound and lyrics. Back are the dual guitar solos, the dark heavily chorused guitars, the harmonies and solid songwriting.
There is one complaint that brings the album down a few notches in my book; there is not enough music on it. Clocking in at around 35 minutes with only 9 real songs you have to wonder if they weren’t feeling rushed to release something. That said, the songs on the disc are all solid. So quality over quantity I guess.
The first song “X2″ is a brief intro into the first actual song, “Where Dreams Go To Die.” This is standard QR songwriting and production. Sounding like a track from Empire, you immediately get a grasp of why they chose La Torre to be the vocalist. His power and tone is very reminiscent to that of Tate. Even much of his phrasing is similar as well. Fortunately he does add a bit of his own style to the songs so it feels like he could have been the singer from the beginning.
As a fan you can place a lot of the newer tracks along older Queensryche albums. “Spore” would fit easily on Mindcrime and features some fantastic guitar work. “In This Light” is right away the most accessible track and would be a great single. It recalls “Another Rainy Night” and features the QR harmonies we have grown to love. “Redemption”, the first song released from the cd a few months ago on YouTube, sounds like it would fit on Rage For Order. The song features Michael Wilton’s signature lead guitar and has one of the catchier choruses on the album.
“Vindication”, “Don’t Look Back” and “Fallout” round out the rockers on “Queensryche, each falling somewhere between older tracks like “Needle Lies” and “Walk in the Shadows.” No QR album would be complete without its share of ballads. “A World Without” recalls the Mindcrime era and contains all the elements of a classic QR ballad. “Open Road” is the prefect closing song to the album. It is more uplifting and leaves the listener on a high note.
Each track has the requisite dueling guitar solos, vocal harmonies and heavy drum work. The only noticeable missing elements are extended instrumental sections and drawn out endings. But I guess we can’t have it all.
It is a welcome change to finally have them acknowledge who they are and what they do best. The days of trying to reinvent yourself, following the new trends and breaking new ground musically are long since past. This band has paid the price for that. We are now in the Age of Nostalgia and fans want to hear the music of our youth. This album takes you back while still feeling modern and current. There is no other band that sounds like Queensryche. They should revel in the fact that even after all of these years people still care and just want to hear them be themselves. Here’s to New Beginnings.
review by RA
Release Date: June 25th, 2013
Key Tracks: In This Light, Redemption
Tracklisting:
| 1. | “X2” (instrumental) | Scott Rockenfield[70] | 1:09 |
| 2. | “Where Dreams Go to Die” | Parker Lundgren, Todd La Torre, Michael Wilton | 4:25 |
| 3. | “Spore” | Rockenfield, La Torre, Eddie Jackson | 3:25 |
| 4. | “In This Light” | Rockenfield, Jackson | 3:23 |
| 5. | “Redemption” | Wilton, La Torre, Rockenfield | 4:16 |
| 6. | “Vindication” | Wilton, La Torre, Rockenfield | 3:26 |
| 7. | “Midnight Lullaby” (instrumental) | Rockenfield, La Torre | 0:55 |
| 8. | “A World Without” | Rockenfield, La Torre, Wilton | 4:10 |
| 9. | “Don’t Look Back” | Wilton, La Torre | 3:13 |
| 10. | “Fallout” | Rockenfield, Jackson | 2:46 |
| 11. | “Open Road” | Rockenfield, La Torre, Wilton | 3:55 |
- Queensrÿche[70]
- Todd La Torre – vocals
- Michael Wilton – lead and rhythm guitars
- Parker Lundgren – lead and rhythm guitars
- Eddie Jackson – bass, backing vocals
- Scott Rockenfield – drums, percussion, orchestral arrangements
- Other musicians[70]
- Pamela Moore – vocals (on track 8)
- Andrew Raiher – violin, additional orchestral arrangements
- Production[70]
- James “Jimbo” Barton – recording (tracks 1–11), production, mixing
[…] https://progreport.com/2013/06/28/queensryche-2/ […]
Terrible album and a terribly biased review that’s clearly anti-Tate. Even if you don’t like the guy, there’s one thing you can’t get around with this album: the songs don’t sound new, they sound like a rehash of the past. Art moves forward. Staying the same leads to stagnation. That’s what this album is: stagnant.
Just for the record I am a huge Tate fan and consider him one of the best singers of all time. I just think its good to hear the band put out something with their classic sound since it has been 15+ years since they sounded like this.
i imagine this might be considered rehashing of older material if you were not there with the band from the beginning. but, in my opinion, this album is full of music that had not, for whatever reason, been allowed to have a place in later recordings. the classic style QR fans have come to expect has returned. and as such, it is not a rehash, but a return to form. of course, if you are a fan of everything from Hear to Dedicated, then i can imagine your disappointment. i recommend buying the New GT solo album, Frequency Unknown….
Allen, I know what it’s supposed to be. That doesn’t make it an artistically sound concept. I have all of QR’s albums from their self-titled LP up through Dedicated to Chaos. I freely admit that Dedicated is the weakest album they did. When I can hear strands of older songs and even material from other bands, like Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality,” I don’t think “wow this is awesome.” Rather, I think “I’ve heard this before.” There’s no magic in this album compared to the older material everyone keeps gushing over.
youtube queensryche
Hi! I am here in Queensryche New CD Review – The Prog Report, bacause I am a Online Services News WordPress Blog…Good!
I’ve listened to this album several times since it’s release and while it’s not a “legendary” album….I’ll give it several points for showing that the band is at least headed in the right direction again. I know all bands have to change to avoid stagnation and what-not…..but changing for the sake of changing is a waste in my opinion. Especially when changing into a band AND STYLE that I really don’t recognize anymore.
But…..I do like the album….and it gives me hope for their future albums. I’ll FOR SURE be waiting on new material from the band. Todd kicks ass. PERIOD.