QUEENSRYCHE

Is there any album since "Hear in the Now Frontier" to present that anyone thinks is as good as or better than the band's earlier records? I find that when I am in the mood for some QR, I tend to grab something from the first five or six albums and rarely, if ever, grab for anything from 1997 on.

Honestly, I find something to like in all their albums but I find less and less with each succesive release.

I find that I force myself to listen to these albums simply because they are Queensryche, a band I loved early on. I too find something to enjoy about them when they are new. However, I rarely revisit any of these albums like I do the first five or six albums.

I recently heard a bootleg of the band performing live with Todd La Torre and it reminded me why I loved this band so much back in the day. The newer albums like "American Soldier" just don't have that 'something special'. I wonder, if these albums had been released under any other band name if I would have even given them a second listen.

There are good songs beyond Promised Land...but as whole albums, they're lacking. I rarely break out the post-PL stuff. I find something to enjoy about them to an extent...but the first 6 are magic.

I stopped purchasing Queensryche albums after Promised Land. I was never a big fan in the first place, though I did own all their albums.

A couple years ago I listened to their entire discography, I found that I didn't like the post-Promised Land albums...but also that most of their earlier stuff no longer floats my boat either. Every once in awhile I'll jam The Warning, Empire or Promised Land, but for the most part my Queensryche days are behind me.

I too stopped after Promised Land, and even that one is so-so in my book. I got Mindcrime II used but it quickly went on the trade list.

I quit with Empire

I honestly havn't listened to anything released after that. To the best of my knowledge, not a single note. Empire was decent enough for what it was. I am of the opinion that Mindcrime is boring and way over-rated.

James B. wrote:

I am of the opinion that Mindcrime is boring and way over-rated.

You and I share a similar opinion. I much prefer the first three, Empire and Promise Land to Mindcrime.

Ult-Has your opinion on "Hear In The Now Frontier" changed since you reviewed it? Cause I was kinda hoping to see you re-review that one.

Awww, but I like that review. Isn't that the aliens feeding us horse crap review?

Yeah that's kinda funny, but it would be nice to hear you go into detail as to exactly why you don't like it.

From what I remember, the last album was just horrific. One of the worst albums ever recorded by a band that was ever good (in Queensrÿche's case, great; Operation: Mindcrime is one of my favorite albums ever).

I find something to like on all their albums, but there first 4 albums are classic, and its hard to compete with your own legacy.

ultmetal wrote:

Awww, but I like that review. Isn't that the aliens feeding us horse crap review?

That line was CLASSIC!!!!

To answer your question, no. Nothing HITNF and on is anywhere near as good as the the classic albums. There are some good track on each album post Promised Land, but the albums themselves just aren't anywhere near as good. I did like OM:II at first but grew tired of it after a while.

I am really impressed with the clips I have seen of Todd La Torre - Queensryche sounds great and the band seems to have a lot more energy on stage (from the clips I have seen). Who would have though that firing Geoff Tate could be a good idea? I talked to some of my Maiden friends that saw Queensryche this past weekend and the all said they were blown away. Accept had played before them (now that's one hell of a bill!), put on an amazing show and they said Queensryche with La Torre took what Accept did to the next level. Someone also talked to La Torre and he said they are almost done with the new album - they just need to do some final recordings. I am looking forward to see what they come up with - I will be happy if it's better than anything since PL (which the band seems to know they have to put out an album that is better than anything during the last 20 years)

Someone I know took posted some footage on youtube, and she posted footage from Queesnryche with Tate from last year. She said the new version blows away what she saw the year before.

For fun, here's the clips. First is the La Torre version of "Take Hold Of The Flame" this past weekend:



Here's the Tate version:



Both sound great, but notice that Tate's version is down tuned. La Torre is singing in the original key (preferred by me!)

On a side note, a promoter was handing out flyers to an upcoming Geoff Tate's Queesnryche show.... at a venue that's 1/4 of the size the one Queensryche just played.

I bought Hear Now in the New Frontier when it came out, and I felt about as betrayed as Scott did. That wasn't QR. I bought Mindcrime II hoping for some return to the past, but was disappointed. I bought American Soldier because I'm a veteran and the premise of the album was good, if the music wasn't. Promised Land was a great album, but QR by then had become more Prog than Metal, losing it sometime around the first Mindcrime. Empire was s great album, but it was a bit too polished/commercial to be pure prog-metal.

I believe Queensryche is an acquired taste, because they're very different. Every album was different. I darned near freaked when Rage for Order came out, when they looked like girls and stuff. But I loved the music on that album. Did QR open for Iron Maiden at Long Beach in 85? I seem to remember my friends in High School singing "Before the Storm" over and over again.

I watched a video with LaTorre at the Corpus Christi show and he was awesome. The whole band seemed like they were into their music again, unlike the M3 show with Tate, which seemed forced and had no spirit. Todd's no Geoff, but he's close enough for me. And Geoff's not really Geoff anymore, I think. ToddRyche feels old school for me, and I can't wait to hear new material. Now only to get DeGarmo back in the band.....

IMHDO

The proof will be in the pudding (as the British say).....can't wait to hear what La Torre and the boys throw out for consumption. It will be nice to hear Mr Rockenfiled go off. If they are sincere about revisiting that path, Scott will have to drive that car. Of course, the navigation will come from whatever chemistry La Torre and the other songwriters posses together.

The only one post PL I have kept is Mindcrime II. It's ok, a couple songs like I'm American and One foot in Hell are actually quite good and give it a beginning it can't maintain.

ultmetal wrote:

I find that when I am in the mood for some QR, I tend to grab something from

...

...The best QR album of all time - Quiet Riot QR [s/t - 1988]



Yeah - I know. QR - QR came out at the exact same time as "Empire", which kicks ass. But let me throw a little Shortino love into an otherwise Boring Queensryche Discussion - Part Who Cares.

Actually, Empire came out in 1990. Operation: Mindcrime was the album Queensrÿche released in 1988.

ultmetal wrote:

James B. wrote:

I am of the opinion that Mindcrime is boring and way over-rated.

You and I share a similar opinion. I much prefer the first three, Empire and Promise Land to Mindcrime.

FINALLY!

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that thinks that album is one of the most over-praised ever. A few good songs stitched together with pretentious "wanna-be-The Wall" delusions of grandeur.

I tend to visit Empire and the previous 4. I have given the others a spin at different times, but even at a buck used, those albums are a little pricey for my blood.

Required Fields wrote:

Actually, Empire came out in 1990. Operation: Mindcrime was the album Queensrÿche released in 1988.

Well then - THAT one. Empire and O.M. are both classics.

And if you guys can find a better concept album than Operation: Mindcrime from that year [obviously I have no idea when it came out], then tell me about it. I hate Silent Lucidity to this day, as with ever over-saturated PoS "power-ballad" of the era - but that album is still heads and toes and elbows and backfat better than anything that they did after.

I think Mindcrime is a snoozefest. My favorite is the EP. I bought HITNF when it came out and I found it to be meh.

Witchfinder wrote:

I think Mindcrime is a snoozefest. My favorite is the EP. I bought HITNF when it came out and I found it to be meh.

Compared to what came after?

Obviously they started SUPERIOR with the EP and went steadily downhill until 2012 when the big kitchens and bathrooms were not BIG enough and the aging tang took over the finances [yes - this happened well before '12 in the case of Tate]. But, Operation Mindcrime a "snoozefest"?