QUEENSRŸCHE — The Warning (review)

QUEENSRŸCHE — The Warning album cover Album · 1984 · US Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Negoba
Take Hold..... Classic Queensryche with Glimpses of Glory

This is Queensryche's first full length album, produced after their very successful EP. Where the EP had been written by the band members and singer Geoff Tate recruited to sing, this album includes Tate's hand in the songwriting. This introduces more theatrics, more experimentation, but also replaces balls- to-the-wall riffing with more mid-tempo darkness. Tate had been working in progressive rock bands and reportedly had not wanted to do straight metal, but agreed after the success of the EP. The resulting sound begins here and climaxes with the iconic Mindcrime. I have been extremely impressed with how good the early albums sound when I go back to review them.

First of all, the items that are not debated. Queensryche's sound is firmly based in 80's NWOBHM, most notably Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Geoff Tate's voice reminds of Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, and occasionally Ronnie James Dio, and easily matches or perhaps eclipses all of his influences. Most of all, this is VERY good 80's metal, standing up with Powerslave, Screaming for Vengeance, and or any work by Dio. The biggest lack on this particular album is the loss of a driving, ahead of the beat rocker like their namesake track.

Take Hold of the Flame, however, is an anthem of immense power that just smokes live. It's straightforward metal, but anyone who listens to that song and doesn't want to pump their fist, well, maybe they don't really get metal. NM 156 is the most progressive track, a mechanical vision of futuristic dystopia. Before the Storm also foresees progressiveness to come. But those looking for complex time signatures, rapid-fire mood changes or other prog-metal elements will be disappointed. The band does utilize many different 6/8 and other feels of 3 along with standard 4. The lyrical themes extend beyond most metal to a degree, but certainly aren't out of place in the genre.

All in all, this is a very good metal album by a young band that will improve on their next release (Rage for Order) and hit pure magic on the subsequent album. Warning is essential for Queensryche fans and recommended for metal fans in general.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Goblin Sessions Heavy Metal
THEM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tormenta De Arena Metalcore
VORAGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Infinite Metalcore
FUTURE GHOST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Heretic Melodic Death Metal
SUNCINDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept Mathcore
FRONTIERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Future Ghost - Wolves (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Future Ghost - Nemesis Game (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Harrowed TwentyTenVideo
HARROWED
Bosh66· 3 days ago
Sunmancer - Realms of Dilemma (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
Sunmancer - Lower Cavalier (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed