Album review: QUEENSRYCHE – Queensryche
Century Media – [Release Date 24.06.13]
There are undoubtedly many lessons one can learn in life, but the one I believe in most is not taking anything for granted, including in music. Take Seattle Prog Metallers Queensryche, for instance: if somebody had told me fifteen years ago that one day there would be someone, other than Geoff Tate, singing in the band, at the very least, I would have laughed in their face!
Well what seemed to be the impossible has become reality as the band is about to release its latest album, simply entitled “Queensryche” (a statement perhaps?) with the help of ex-Crimson Glory frontman Todd La Torre.
With Tate having released a magnificent album in “Kings & Thieves” late last year, the remaining members of Queensryche had a big task in proving to the world that there can be ‘life after Tate’, but, and believe me when I say that I am genuinely quite surprised, they have somehow managed to pull this one through! How is this possible?
Well, apart from the fact that they come across as fired up and as dynamic as they were during the “Empire”/”Promised Land” era, in Todd La Torre they have found a frontman who may not be as flamboyant as Tate, but who is nevertheless capable of producing vocal performances of an impressive range.
Actually, I would not be at all surprised if the less-initiated among you actually were to think that Tate was still the singer of the band during the first few seconds of the opening composition “Where Dreams Go To Die” – a magnificent composition whose dark/epic opening theme and main heavy riff create a beautiful contrast with its multi-layered catchy vocal refrain.
Great openings deserve at least decent successors and the heavy-riffed three and a half minute “Spore” is certainly worthy. With “In This Light”, a song filled with wonderful guitar harmonies and intelligent background orchestral arrangements, the album has truly reached its peak moment, but that does impeach on the quality of the remaining seven compositions on offer.
“Redemption” will both surprise and impress with its intertwined vocal themes, “Vindication” finds drummer Scott Rockenfield unleashing his great skills, while the harmonies employed on the duet “A World Without” / “Open Road” are reminiscent of the band’s soul-searching exercise around the time when “Promised Land” was released (1994).
If you like your Metal to be simple and immediate then you will certainly enjoy the sing-along themes of “Don’t Look Back” and in the three minute opus “Fall Out” you will finally recognise this new version of Queensryche as a band that really knows how to play to its strengths.
I am not going to lie to you: I still find it very difficult to find these guys recording music without Geoff Tate at the helm and, deep inside, I believe that “Queensryche” would possibly have sounded even better with him performing the vocal duties. Having said that, I have to give credit to the band, in general, for coming up with a truly inspiring album under truly difficult circumstances and to La Torre, in specific, for having done a pretty good job in filling those legendary musical shoes.
Now that the founding triumvirate Rockenfield/Jackson/Wilton have made their move, what remains to be seen is how Tate’s all-star version of Queensryche will answer with their upcoming release “Frequency Unknown”. This is turning out to be a very complicated ‘game’ indeed. **** (4.0/5.0)
John Stefanis
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
Next session: Sunday 19 January
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024
In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections
Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections