Tag: queensryche

This is the follow up to the very metal album: The Warning. It was the birth of what would later be coined progressive metal. A lot of reviews were less than favourable. Some said that the band had sold out, and even called them a glam metal band. Whoever wrote that review had never listened to the album and chose to review the record by just looking at the band’s pictures on the cover. Which admittedly, were a tad glam but that was record company stupidity.

I’m not a lover of Operation Mindcrime. This is a better album, as the songs gel a lot more and it feels  as though I’m listening to a BAND. If you want to know where Dream Theater took a lot of influence from check out The Whisper and tell me how many DT songs that reminds you of.

The best tune on the record is Screaming In Digital. The band are pushing boundaries on this tune and it is as far removed from The Warning as you can get. Tate’s voice is incredible and I love the arrangement. The only gripe is that the production is so quiet and you have to really crank it to hear it fully.

An album that gave birth to a genre.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

It took me a long time to appreciate this record. I loved The Warning, and Rage For Order albums that were taking what NWOBHM gave the world and running with it. So, when this arrived I thought what the hell is going on here? I mean, go back and listen to The Warning and then play this straight after, it’s a big and bold leap for sure.

Concept albums weren’t new, but they were fairly rare in metal world. Now this album is held in high regard as one of the first Prog metal albums, and it paved the way for bands like Fates Warning and Dream Theater. How many metal bands were doing tracks at over ten minutes at the time this came out? None. Suite Sister Mary seemed to be the one song that proved, and was an inspiration to many. That and Eyes Of A Stranger are my favourite tracks.

I do however think this album became a millstone around the band’s neck, as they always had to live up to the hype around the record. Although, with Todd Le Tore now on vocals the band do seem to be reinvigorated.

This version I have is the Capitol masters audiophile pressing. It’s a lot quieter so you have to crank it somewhat, but it sound super clear. An album that you have to hear a few times for it to sink in.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

The UK rock music press are an odd bunch – they are quick to criticize bands for non-original ideas and seemingly being copycats of other bands. They forget every band is inspired by what came before. Queensryche were often written off as Iron Maiden clones – as were Dream Theater and Fates Warning – due to their first EP. I prefer to look at it as Maiden inspired them to find their sound. I mean, nobody could have predicted them serving up Operation Mindcrime, and that’s what they came up with just a couple of albums later. They took what Maiden were doing and added that progressive edge. Yes, Geoff Tates vocals are very close to what Bruce was doing in Maiden, but musically I think they were a bit more adventurous – after all, this was their debut full length record.

Warning is a great opening tune and it lets you know what the band are all about – and Tates vocal range is very impressive. En Force reminds me a lot of Judas Priest, with the riffing and the lower tone in Geoff’s voice. Deliverance’s layered harmony vocals are very impressive with a very basic riff. No Sanctuary could be the first prog metal tune, as the arrangement is pretty epic with amazing vocals – although slow in pace – it’s going places others weren’t. Remember it’s ’84 and Dream Theater were just a twinkle in Mike Portnoy‘s eye. Side 1 closes out with NM156, and this is my least favourite track on the album – it’s a tad disjointed.

Side 2 kicks off with Take Hold Of The Flame and it’s my favourite on the album. It’s a totally different vibe to anything else and has a great riff and groove, but what a monster vocal. The pedal goes straight to the metal with Before The Storm, it has a great odd beat and groove. There is a version of this on a Greatest Hits somewhere and it’s straight pedal to the metal – totally different! Tribal drums announce the arrival of Child Of Fire, and the riff is straight out of the Judas Priest songbook. Roads To Madness starts with a very evil doomy main riff – this song is full of light and shade and is the big epic of the album. This was about as metal as they got as they started to change and find their own voice after this.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.