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Category: Metal Music Lounges
Forum Name: Metal Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific metal bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.MetalMusicArchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=890 Printed Date: 22 Dec 2024 at 2:09pm Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 10.16 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: The Queensryche appreciation threadPosted By: LittleBig
Subject: The Queensryche appreciation thread
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 2:12pm
No Queensryche threads yet? Well, let's start one here: talk about your favourite albums, songs, the works...
An album like Operation:Mindcrime needs no introduction; after this album, although they never shined like they did in the 80s, they delivered some good music - Empire, Promised Land and Tribe deserve to be mentioned. I even like some songs on their least popular albums Hear in the Now Frontier and his follow up album, but I'll get back to this later.
Replies: Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 2:33pm
Great band, one of my all-time metal favourites. Saw them last year at ProgNation - we were so lucky here as to have them guest on the tour just for that one date in the DC/Baltimore area. Their new material may not be as strong as their classics, but it shows they still have a few tricks up their collective sleeves - and Geoff Tate is one hell of a frontman (as well as an extremely influential vocalist). As to my favourite songs, besides the whole of the masterly Mindcrime, I'd like to mention "Roads to Madness" and "Della Brown".
Posted By: LittleBig
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 2:36pm
of course i forgot to mention their last album (American Soldier) which i for one thought it was ok.
Posted By: Ulfednar
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 2:51pm
While not being a big fan of the band (or indeed the genre), Operation: Mindcrime has been on my MP3 player for months, and I still can't say I'm bored with it.
Posted By: Stooge
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2010 at 5:07pm
Never a huge fan of Queensryche, but I can bust out some of their albums every once in a while. I recall The Warning being a good listen, but it's been a few years since I've spun that record. Operation Mindcrime is indeed a great album with a good variety of songs on it. I used to have Empire, but I didn't interest me too much.
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 8:43am
I almost go back to the beginning with Queensryche. I have The Warning and Rage for Order on vinyl from back when they were originally released. I didn't get the EP until years later on CD. I love Operation Mindcrime, Empire, and Promised Land. I also rate American Soldier quite high. I have their entire discography and enjoy most of their output to a certain extent. I even enjoyed Operation Mindcrime 2, despite the general panning that it has got in internet land. As I type, I am currently listening to their cover album Take Cover. I enjoy hearing their interpretations of the various classic rock songs. In my mind Geoff Tate has one of the top 5 voices within my circle of metal knowledge and it is enjoyable to hear him sing these cover songs.
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Posted By: UMUR
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 7:51am
Big fan of "Operation Mindcrime" but none of their other albums come near IMO. Most of them are high quality metal though. I saw them live on the Empire tour on a bill that said AC/DC, Metallica, Queensr�che and The Black Crowes. It was one of my first concerts so needless to say that I was in awe. That�s a show I will never forget.
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Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 8:24am
Operation: Mindcrime is among my all-time favorite albums. I like a lot of their other albums (namely Empire, Rage For Order, and Promised Land), but they have had more than their share of weak releases. I do really like their newest album, though.
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Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 10:01am
rushfan4 wrote:
I almost go back to the beginning with Queensryche. I have The Warning and Rage for Order on vinyl from back when they were originally released. I didn't get the EP until years later on CD. I love Operation Mindcrime, Empire, and Promised Land. I also rate American Soldier quite high. I have their entire discography and enjoy most of their output to a certain extent. I even enjoyed Operation Mindcrime 2, despite the general panning that it has got in internet land. As I type, I am currently listening to their cover album Take Cover. I enjoy hearing their interpretations of the various classic rock songs. In my mind Geoff Tate has one of the top 5 voices within my circle of metal knowledge and it is enjoyable to hear him sing these cover songs.
I have the album too, and you can find my review of it on ProgArchives. In my view, not all of their covers are totally successful, but there are some crackers indeed - like "Neon Knights" or "Bullet the Blue Sky". Incidentally, I also have both their first two album on vinyl, though heaven knows where they are now.
Posted By: Time Signature
Date Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 5:38pm
I really like the first "Operation: Mindcrime", but my undisputed favorite is "Empire". I also quite appreciate "The Promised Land" and their very old stuff, too, and "American Soldier" is not bad either. I'm not too fond of "Hear in the Now Frontier", which I think is quite bland 90s rock.
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Posted By: MAVIIIVAM
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2010 at 3:49am
. . . I have lost the Faith.
My story and Love for The Queen of the Riech!
I was into Queensryche when I 1st heard their EP on LA's now long gone station KMET 94.7 (now a
"Smooth" Jazz station). Our Infamous Jim Ladd (now on KLOS 95.5) had one of the 1st ALL Metal
Shows in the Nation called "The KMETal Shop" for 3 hours on Fridays at 10pm.
Me and my friend scowered every Store for its release, finally it debuted and wore out my LP.
Metallica and QR were my fave Metal Bands for quite sometime.
I have all their catalogue up to Promised Land on LP/Vinyl (and still have them all ) and up
to Operation Mindcrime II on CD's (QR EP's to OMII as well).
Its funny how me and a friend loved their 1st Video "Queen of the Ryche" , its pretty corny now,
but a fantastic heavy track that could pass for a QR Thrash song (1983!).
Love the "Star Wars Title Crawl", brings back good memories of that time in
my life .
The Lady Wore Black and Nightrider were awesome songs as well. Its amazing that they never
played a Club or Show as their Demo was heard by a Record Exect at EMI and Signed!
(I had not seen this Vid till "Building Empires", I imagine it was not
circulated widely at the time it was made).
I waited in baited breath for their next album "The Warning", man . . .
Just a solid Album through and through, the obvious ones were to become classics, The Warning,
and Take Hold of the Flame which set in stone Geoff Tate was a Vocal God.
But my personal faves were Before the Storm, Roads to Madness and NM156, NM is still my all
time fave QR song. And who would ever think "Whistles" mixed with Metal, well . . . Tate did and
used them at just the right times.
I am lucky to still have, un-released on DVD (I'm sure they'll get around to it), only on VHS "Live
in Tokyo" which is amazing, and we get to see Rockenfield beat his Chained Drum Kit, complete
with Tubular Bell Tree and Gong, be beatin' senseless (That man hit them Drums HARD).
Chris DeGarmo, Michael Wilton doing their best duals and Eddie Jackson and his galloping hand-
picking on Bass . . . these guys were musician musicians.
Lots of cool audio engineering to boot, things in the backround, and the music sounded HUGE,
and even the "Dirty Harry 44mag." Sounds sampled in Rockenfields Simmons Pads!
(YES!!! Capitol/EMI put up The Warning Live in Tokyo version with
Rockenfields "Mini Drum Solo"! Listen/see his Simmons Electronic
Drum Pads).
Rage!
QR would take advantage of their "audio" capabilities with their next "Rage for Order", at 1st I was
a bit "Put Off" by their "Glam" look on the back of the album, and Pics within (As I was NEVER a
fan of Glam), but their music was getting even more "Prog Metal" (a new term I started hearing by
then-and started looking into). Cool audio samples and FX/Keyboard textures and even better
Recording. Faves would be Neue Regel, Walk through the Shadows, Screaming in Digital and I Will Remember, but another solid album (Though "Gonna' get close to you" had to grow on me-
Did you know it wasa "Remake"? as the re-make is very faithful to "Dalbello's" original):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-e-lZekd2Y" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-e-lZekd2Y
This would be the 1st time to see them. Saw them at a small venue at the Santa Monica Civic
Auditorium. Still one of my all time fave Metal shows, Rockenfields Drums were really weird with
plastic tubing in and out everywhere.
They did not appear with the "make-up" and hair like the album but wore the Uniforms, they
looked pretty cool. The Whisper on the Rage for Order Tour:
Well . . .
The next album had to actually grow on me, yes-no kidding, I thought "Rage" was a bit heavier,
but soon would realize the ones that grew on me would show the test of time. Operation Mind Crime was Metals answer to Pink Floyds "The Wall", but more realisticaly, a
"Concept Album" done by a Metal Band. This story could be made into a Movie, and they did
a very good job with the VHS Video that was presented as a Filmed Story, and then the
"Box Set/Limited Edition" was released of the entire Live set (The BEST one imo), which also
comes with its Live CD (VHS w/ CD or Cassette). Its also available on DVD.
I think I saw this Tour as well, but they would play ALL the tracks at another "Special Engagement"
a year or 2 later (maybe during the Empire Tour).
What do you say about faves on this one, the entire album is a solid masterpiece.
Empire.
Even when making an AOR/Metal album and making "Hits" they still sound good! They have
become a solid Metal Band capable of no wrong, strong "Songs" yet still retaining their signature
sound. Again, I think every song is flawless, a really excellent album (though Della Brown and Is there Anybody Listening have a special place). I started to collect all the EP's and CD singles
from this album as well.
This was the 1st QR Concert I'd see gorgeous Girls in Skirts and Heels walking around, but still,
the Guys were the ones singing passionately in the crowd:
. . . I'm sure new fans were "Shocked" to hear older songs and "Mind Crime" tracks .
I remember Tate saying to the New Fans, "I bet some of you are saying . . .What the hell is this
stuff theyre playing?" .
Soon after, they released the Excellent Video of their History called "Building Empires" and had
excellent "Un-Plugged" versions, apparently shown on MTV:
(watch as the band-especially DeGarmo, crack a smile from
the "energy" they get from the crowd, they were really knocking
them dead).
A Prog Masterpiece.
I know QR lost many fans because off ths album, but it would become my Fave. Promised Land
was all I wanted in a Prog Metal Album, complete with SoundFX all the way through, a feast for
headphones and an acculmination of all theyve learned and refined.
I cherish each song. And at the time, was lucky enough to find a Japanese Import CD with
Bonus Tracks ("The Real World", "Last time in Paris" and the excellent Band version of
"Someone Else"), but now you can get the same song extras on the Re-Masters.
It is totally sad that they did not put this Tour on Video, as it was presented as a "Stage Play",
even more so than "Mind Crime"! Again, one of my fave tours and blessed to have witnessed
it all go down:
(Check out all the Tracks on YOUtube to see the "Promised Land Tour").
Beginning of the End. Hear in the Now Frontier I enjoyed actually, but it wasnt a "musicians" album, but a "Song" album,
but from a Grunge era that had faded 2-3 years prior. Some of my faves would be "Cuckoo�s Nest",
"Some People Fly", "Anytime/Anywhere", the only song ever sung by DeGarmo "All I Want", and the
single "Sign of the Times". DeGarmo started to play alot of slide and again, songs that sounded like
they came from the Grunge Era . . . but hey, I figured, their albums always sounded different with
each release, so what could be next? . . .
DeGarmo leaves.
I really was anticipating great things, and LOVED the album cover for Q2k, thinking "Cool! theyre
gonna' sing more topics around computers and technology and our society!" . . . nope.
Another GRUNGE album . . . and surprise! DeGarmo leaves .
Even when DeGarmo came back for Tribe, it was lackluster, the wind was knocked out of its Sails,
their was no life in QR anymore, the dynamics seemed to be gone forever with each album after.
No more emphasis on good solid Guitar Playing, no fireworks, no "feeling". Songs that meandered
to nowhere, no resolution, and Tate almost phoning in the vocals . . . What Happened?
OMII . . . why?
When I 1st heard that they were going to do a "Mind Crime II" everyone gushed and were excited.
I remember vividly my reaction . . .
"They are trying to re-gain former glory without the same hunger and without DeGarmo". Wilton is
a bad ass Guitarist, but with Chris, they were a Team!
I bought the album purposely without hearing any samples, I just wanted to take it in for what it was.
I found that the "directions" I wanted each track to go in, were BETTER than what I was hearing.
When a listener (like this idiot) makes-up better compositions in their head than the band! The
"Overture" wasnt even a real Overture, no "Themes" from Part "1", no capitulation for what was and
what was to come. . . WTF?
Like a Movie that has a Lackluster Sequel or a Sequel with "too many explanations", it ruins the
Enigma, the Mystery . . . maybe if it sounded better, it wouldnt have mattered then.
QR was done. The latest has such GREAT ideas and a worthy cause and theme, but its just flat, with
all its ideas its uninspired .
I have yet to hear the "Demos" from their "Myth" days on the Special Edition of "Sign of the Times:
The Best of Queensryche", or "Take Cover". But I still collect any EP or CD Singles I can find.
(I voice my opinion on American Soldier on page 2).
I dont know if the Band can be saved, but I still have those albums that inspired me and many other
bands, and I will be the 1st to acknowledge their place in Metal and Prog Metal History.
I hope that they can get DeGarmo out of the "Cockpit" and create an EPIC Prog Metal album full
of virtuosity. creativity and get Tate to get his voice in shape again . . . I pray.
See Wiki for their History:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensr%C3%BFche" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensr%C3%BFche
------------- "If you're happy to be an Ant in the Sand Box, you're welcome to it!" -Forbidden
For Progressive Metal and Prog Rock, come visit, request songs and explore at PrOgulus.com
Posted By: MAVIIIVAM
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 7:27pm
Wow!
Official from Roadrunner Records! QR signs to Roadrunner!
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Queensryche-Signs-to-Roadrunner-Loud--Proud-Records-21983.aspx - http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Queensryche-Signs-to-Roadrunner-Loud--Proud-Records-21983.aspx
I hope this will re-vitalize the band
------------- "If you're happy to be an Ant in the Sand Box, you're welcome to it!" -Forbidden
For Progressive Metal and Prog Rock, come visit, request songs and explore at PrOgulus.com
Posted By: Stooge
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 7:54pm
MAVIIIVAM wrote:
Wow!
Official from Roadrunner Records! QR signs to Roadrunner!
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Queensryche-Signs-to-Roadrunner-Loud--Proud-Records-21983.aspx - http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/news/Queensryche-Signs-to-Roadrunner-Loud--Proud-Records-21983.aspx
I hope this will re-vitalize the band
That's good news for them. Not really too big a fan of certain aspects of the label, but Roadrunner is the major label to get on if you're a metal band.
Judging by the first releases of a few "old" bands that Roadrunner signed in recent years, I'd guess their first album for them will focus more on the heavier elements of their sound, but that's just a guess as I haven't been paying close attention to where Queensryche are at these days.
Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 8:05pm
Roadrunner can either be a good thing or a bad thing... a lot of promotion on a major label can either mean another masterpiece like Operation Mindcrime, or it can mean a complete and total "sell-out". It's almost always one of those two...
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Posted By: MAVIIIVAM
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 4:02am
Haha . . .
was just thinking, with the way QR has been sounding (imo) what could QR do to possibly
"Sell Out" . "Empire" was close to that, but actually a great solid album with their biggest
hits .
Roadrunner lost their way for a bit decades ago, but they came back with a vengeance and
still have solid Bands along with the mediocre, just like any other Heavy Metal label.
I'm more worried that QR will just follow a mundane routine.
. . . but always hopeful they will shine again .
------------- "If you're happy to be an Ant in the Sand Box, you're welcome to it!" -Forbidden
For Progressive Metal and Prog Rock, come visit, request songs and explore at PrOgulus.com
Posted By: UMUR
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 4:49am
Yeah it�s like they owe us a really fantastic album soon right?
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Posted By: Time Signature
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 6:23am
I actually think that "American Soldier" was okay. It's not "Operation: Mindcrime" or "Empire" or "Promised Land", but I think its good.
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Posted By: UMUR
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 6:36am
It�s a solid release for sure. I kind of enjoyed it too, but as you said it�s not comparable to what is arguably their best albums.
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Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 9:21am
Time Signature wrote:
I actually think that "American Soldier" was okay. It's not "Operation: Mindcrime" or "Empire" or "Promised Land", but I think its good.
That basically sums up my opinion. Even though I'm not a huge fan of the album, it's probably their best since Promised Land IMO.
What do you guys think of OM2? There's usually a love it of hate it kind of thing on that album...
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Posted By: UMUR
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 9:37am
It doesn�t rock my world that�s for sure
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Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 9:50am
^ Same here. I like a few tracks on it, but it is FAR from being a worthy successor to the legendary Operation Mindcrime.
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Posted By: CCVP
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 11:06am
I surely don't love the album, but it ain't too bad for its own good. The problem is that it has it's own sounding amongst the band's catalog, which makes it somehow hard to digest. Past that problem, the album is quite good. 7/10 IMO.
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Posted By: MAVIIIVAM
Date Posted: 06 Sep 2010 at 3:18pm
J-Man wrote:
Time Signature wrote:
I actually think that "American Soldier" was
okay. It's not "Operation: Mindcrime" or "Empire" or "Promised Land",
but I think its good.
That basically sums up my opinion. Even though I'm not
a huge fan of the album, it's probably their best since Promised Land
IMO.
What do you guys think of OM2? There's usually a love it of hate it kind of thing on that album...
Again, I really respect the "Story" (or Stories) of American Soldier and why Tate wanted to do it, I
have heard about 5 tracks from it, but for me the sound is lackluster , with regards to the topic of
War, I wanted QR to really just leave me in . . . awe. Even with a thoughtful ballad for a sad story
of a Soldier, If they can grab me with a song like "Bridge", "Silent Lucidity", "I Will Remember",
"Anybody Listening" or "Someone Else (Piano version)", that is what I expected from American
Soldier with the powerhouse songs I have enjoyed from the pre-2000's.
I voice my opinions about OM2 in my rant on Page 1 (I know, its alot to read ), I "like" a few
songs but no DeGarmo (to colab w/Michael Wilton) to help write the music, no solid Album to
come and enhance the original story and sound (imo) to make me want to hear it on a regular
basis.
I still dare to hope they will come back .
By the way, if Degarmo cant be enticed to "retire" Flying, then get a freakin' "Known" Guitarist to
wake Wilton from the "Dire/Dark/Depressed" SOUND that he has had for the past few albums!
He needs someone to remind him what a great Guitarist he is, that lays dormant inside him!
------------- "If you're happy to be an Ant in the Sand Box, you're welcome to it!" -Forbidden
For Progressive Metal and Prog Rock, come visit, request songs and explore at PrOgulus.com
Posted By: MAVIIIVAM
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2011 at 3:25am
For a couple of Months now, I have owned "American Soldier" . . .
And you know what, I kinda' like it, but its up to par with "Hear in the Now Frontier". I'm trying to listen to it often, but its a good step in the right direction. Just PLEASE, find your passion in the next Album under the Roadrunner banner . . .
COME BACK TO US!!!
------------- "If you're happy to be an Ant in the Sand Box, you're welcome to it!" -Forbidden
For Progressive Metal and Prog Rock, come visit, request songs and explore at PrOgulus.com
Posted By: UMUR
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2011 at 4:53am
I think "American Soldier" is a pretty solid release ( I kinda liked it too), but of course nothing like their eighty and early ninety releases.
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Posted By: The Block
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2011 at 2:38pm
UMUR wrote:
I think "American Soldier" is a pretty solid release ( I kinda liked it too), but of course nothing like their eighty and early ninety releases.
Yeah, American Soldier was my first album of theirs, and I kind of liked it. But then I got Op:Mindcrime and that just totally blew me away, and so I didn't listen to American Soldier too much after that.
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Posted By: Time Signature
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2011 at 8:40am
"American Soldier" is a good album IMO. "Empire" and "Operation: Mindcrime", however, are masterpieces.
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: 05 May 2011 at 11:16am
That reminds me I have to listen to Operation Mindcrime 2 again. Its been a while... Very good band here.
------------- GLAM METAL!
Posted By: MAVIIIVAM
Date Posted: 30 May 2011 at 9:21am
Okay heres the BIG question . . .
Has anyone heard the 2 cuts off the NEW forthcoming album "Dedicated to Chaos"?
Well . . . I like the album Art . I think the 2nd one will grow on me though, its something like-off of Promised Land. . . . sort-of.
------------- "If you're happy to be an Ant in the Sand Box, you're welcome to it!" -Forbidden
For Progressive Metal and Prog Rock, come visit, request songs and explore at PrOgulus.com
Posted By: The Block
Date Posted: 30 May 2011 at 12:13pm
^Both songs are ok, but I'm still looking forward to this album. 2011 will be a good year.
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Posted By: Charcaroth
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2011 at 10:32pm
Queensryche used to be my favorite band, just before I got into heavier stuff. Geoff Tate used to be hands down my favorite vocalist ever. Then I lost touch with them after being a little underwhelmed with "Promised Land" and discovering black metal.
I heard "Sign of the Times" on the radio like three times and didn't even know I was listening to Queensryche until the DJ finally said so. I was amazed. Then the resentment set in. Now I have a strange love/hate relationship with the band. I wish Tate would quit smoking and being kind of a douchebag and decide to give a damn again. I wish Kelly Grey would get the hell out, whether or not DeGarmo comes back. They don't have to go back to the glory days, but I would appreciate a cease to the watered down, insincere alternative rock they've been wearing out all these years.
Sorry, that said, OM2 has some very good moments. It's very uneven, but the better moments are truly great.