Official Queensryche thread: Kickstart the next album

[Mladen]

That might be a reason I thought their previous album was decent - they worked hard on the melodies. I hope the new one will be even better.

[TAC]

The next album and tour will show us if the band has anything left in the tank, or if they are just content to be another Styx, playing mostly really old songs with a singer who sounds just like the one from their heyday.  The next album needs to be good and it needs to be good enough to have much of it played live on the tour, not just throwing a token song or two from it into the set list. I am pessimistic, yet hopeful.

This is how I feel. While everyone was going gaga over their last album, it was still quite mediocre. Just because it didn't suck does not make it a great album.

[Mister Gold]

The next album and tour will show us if the band has anything left in the tank, or if they are just content to be another Styx, playing mostly really old songs with a singer who sounds just like the one from their heyday.  The next album needs to be good and it needs to be good enough to have much of it played live on the tour, not just throwing a token song or two from it into the set list. I am pessimistic, yet hopeful.

This is how I feel. While everyone was going gaga over their last album, it was still quite mediocre. Just because it didn't suck does not make it a great album.

It wasn't the greatest album the band ever did, but I do rank it over Empire easily.

I do think this next album will be an improvement over the s/t album though. I kept getting the feeling that the s/t album was really the band learning how to be Queensryche again; Whip, Ed and Scott had to get back into the groove, while Todd and Parker needed more experience on their belts.

It sounds like they want to be a bit more daring on this next album, so we'll see how that goes. They might end up pulling an Iron Maiden and not really 'knock it out of the park' until their third album together (ala A Matter of Life and Death).

[TAC]

The next album and tour will show us if the band has anything left in the tank, or if they are just content to be another Styx, playing mostly really old songs with a singer who sounds just like the one from their heyday.  The next album needs to be good and it needs to be good enough to have much of it played live on the tour, not just throwing a token song or two from it into the set list. I am pessimistic, yet hopeful.

This is how I feel. While everyone was going gaga over their last album, it was still quite mediocre. Just because it didn't suck does not make it a great album.

It wasn't the greatest album the band ever did, but I do rank it over Empire easily.

I do think this next album will be an improvement over the s/t album though. I kept getting the feeling that the s/t album was really the band learning how to be Queensryche again; Whip, Ed and Scott had to get back into the groove, while Todd and Parker needed more experience on their belts.

It sounds like they want to be a bit more daring on this next album, so we'll see how that goes. They might end up pulling an Iron Maiden and not really 'knock it out of the park' until their third album together (ala A Matter of Life and Death).

Lots of interesting points in this post Mr. G.

To which I would say:
1. While my eyebrows were definitely raised along with my suspicions about their direction when Empire came out, I do think it's still pretty solid and their last album isn't really in its league. But that's a matter of opinion, I guess.

2. Learning to be Queensryche again? I'm not willing to give the band a mulligan on this. Yeah, the vocals were terrible in Queensryche for the last decade or so, but you know what? The music sucked too! I find it inexcusable that these apparently accomplished musicians cannot write and play some decent music.

3. Love your hopes of an AMOLAD moment for these guys, and I would love for you to be right, but I just don't think they have it in them. Their first album with Todd is nowhere near the level that Maiden put out with Brave New World.

[Mister Gold]

Lots of interesting points in this post Mr. G.

Thanks!

To which I would say:
1. While my eyebrows were definitely raised along with my suspicions about their direction when Empire came out, I do think it's still pretty solid and their last album isn't really in its league. But that's a matter of opinion, I guess.

Yeah, I guess that comes to personal taste. Empire has its moments, but I find it to be rather inconsistent. I guess that's probably why I'm also not a big fan of Fates Warning's Parallels album.

2. Learning to be Queensryche again? I'm not willing to give the band a mulligan on this. Yeah, the vocals were terrible in Queensryche for the last decade or so, but you know what? The music sucked too! I find it inexcusable that these apparently accomplished musicians cannot write and play some decent music.

Fair enough, but the impression I've gotten from the band's reports were that Tate increasingly rejected input from the rest of the band and turned more to outside songwriters, which makes me think that what songs the band members did get to write in that time were the result of them having to conform to Tate's demands.

Listening to the s/t album, to me, proved that the guys are more than capable of writing decent music.

3. Love your hopes of an AMOLAD moment for these guys, and I would love for you to be right, but I just don't think they have it in them. Their first album with Todd is nowhere near the level that Maiden put out with Brave New World.

See, that's the thing: I think Brave New World is overrated. It's not bad, by any means, but I think a lot of the love for that album comes from the circumstances surrounding that album. The return of Bruce and Adrian into the band, its status as being one of, if not the first old school metal albums to be a success since the early 90's. There's an emotional attachment that surrounds the album.

While I think BNW is a more consistent album than Dance of Death, the latter has several really terrific knock-out songs that I feel surpass anything on BNW. The band then took that to the next step with AMOLAD by making an album that was not only consistent, but contains a lot of terrific songs.

While the s/t album isn't the strongest Queensryche album ever, I do think that it has several great songs (one of which has gone on to become my personal favorite by the band; Open Road) and it's also pretty consistent in quality. The issue is that the band ultimately played it too safe with the album and the production was botched up by the mastering.

Granted, even if the band does put out a knock-out release with this lineup, I don't think they'll ever have as successful a rebound as Iron Maiden has had.

[Deathless]

I'm in agreement with you guys in regards to the band being too "nostalgic" at this point. I know fans want to hear Todd singing all the classics in their proper key etc, but with the S/T running time being what it is, they can easily fit 4-5 songs in each night with no problem.

To not have played "In This Light" (a GREAT track), "Open Road", or "Don't Look Back" after a year is a little disheartening.

I'm very excited to hear about the new album though. They've mentioned quite a few times needing to let the songs "breathe more" and Whip has said he and Todd are working on a 8-9 minute epic as well. 

[Mister Gold]

I'm in agreement with you guys in regards to the band being too "nostalgic" at this point. I know fans want to hear Todd singing all the classics in their proper key etc, but with the S/T running time being what it is, they can easily fit 4-5 songs in each night with no problem.

To not have played "In This Light" (a GREAT track), "Open Road", or "Don't Look Back" after a year is a little disheartening.

I'm very excited to hear about the new album though. They've mentioned quite a few times needing to let the songs "breathe more" and Whip has said he and Todd are working on a 8-9 minute epic as well. 

Exactly. Another problem I have with the band focusing so heavily on the classics over the s/t songs is that it really does paint Todd more as a 'Tate clone,' which he really isn't. He's influenced by Tate, certainly, but the guy has an incredible set of pipes that are all his own and I think letting Todd sing more of the material that he actually sang on would help make a distinction between him and Tate.

Hell, I'd also like to see them let Todd do more of his own thing on the new album too. I don't know if he always does this, but I've seen at least one live video on YouTube of the band playing Where Dreams Go To Die and Todd added in this really killer black metal scream early in the song that reminded me of Bruce Dickinson's scream in "Infinite Dreams." It was the perfect touch to the song and I wish it had been on the album.

[TAC]

Yeah, I guess that comes to personal taste. Empire has its moments, but I find it to be rather inconsistent. I guess that's probably why I'm also not a big fan of Fates Warning's Parallels album.

Empire is inconsistent. Like I said, I was suspicious of their direction on the first listen. But Parallels is easily FW's most consistent and focused album.

Fair enough, but the impression I've gotten from the band's reports were that Tate increasingly rejected input from the rest of the band and turned more to outside songwriters, which makes me think that what songs the band members did get to write in that time were the result of them having to conform to Tate's demands.

Yeah, I understand this and also believe it to be true. Makes me even have less respect for them actually. By doing so, they actually helped to tarnish their OWN legacy. I realize that being in Queensryche was their meal ticket, so I'm not going to hold it against them on a personal level. It's not my place. But theoretically, they only have themselves to blame for their plight.

The return of Bruce and Adrian into the band, its status as being one of, if not the first old school metal albums to be a success since the early 90's. 

This is a great point. It's like they led the way AGAIN for all of these 80's bands to enjoy a 2000's renaissance.

[Mister Gold]

Empire is inconsistent. Like I said, I was suspicious of their direction on the first listen. But Parallels is easily FW's most consistent and focused album.

We'll just agree to disagree there.

Yeah, I understand this and also believe it to be true. Makes me even have less respect for them actually. By doing so, they actually helped to tarnish their OWN legacy. I realize that being in Queensryche was their meal ticket, so I'm not going to hold it against them on a personal level. It's not my place. But theoretically, they only have themselves to blame for their plight.

Oh believe me, I completely agree with you. In all honesty, they should have kicked Tate out years ago and part of why they will never be able to rebound as well as Iron Maiden did was because they let the band go to hell for so long.

My only point there is that I think we've yet to really see if the veteran band members are unable to really bring it with their songwriting capabilities anymore. It could easily be that they just need to get used to the swing of things again, while Todd and Parker are both gaining experience over time themselves.

This is a great point. It's like they led the way AGAIN for all of these 80's bands to enjoy a 2000's renaissance.

Very true! That said, I still regret that Bruce had to give up his solo band for the reunion. It would have been interesting to see where he would have gone with that lineup after The Chemical Wedding.

[TAC]

I agree on the Bruce point. His solo career is incredible, and to me, it was all gravy because I did NOT expect any of that when he left Maiden. But on the first listen to Balls To Picasso, I knew we were in store for something special. It sounded so fresh and inspired.

And as far as Queensryche goes, I was a huge fan when the only thing they had out was the EP.  But after Empire, they are a band that has consistently let me down, and I'm always waiting for their next album thinking, "maybe this is going to be the one", but invariably, it's another let down.

I would've rather had them pick the 4 or 5 best songs from the s/t and simply made an EP. Because in album form, I just didn't feel it was a strong enough statement. But again, maybe their NEXT album is going to be "the one". See.. It's like being trapped in a Rycheavarium. 

[Deathless]

I agree on the Bruce point. His solo career is incredible, and to me, it was all gravy because I did NOT expect any of that when he left Maiden. But on the first listen to Balls To Picasso, I knew we were in store for something special. It sounded so fresh and inspired.

And as far as Queensryche goes, I was a huge fan when the only thing they had out was the EP.  But after Empire, they are a band that has consistently let me down, and I'm always waiting for their next album thinking, "maybe this is going to be the one", but invariably, it's another let down.

I would've rather had them pick the 4 or 5 best songs from the s/t and simply made an EP. Because in album form, I just didn't feel it was a strong enough statement. But again, maybe their NEXT album is going to be "the one". See.. It's like being trapped in a Rycheavarium. 

Your last point is interesting, because Michael said they considered doing 5 or 6 songs for an EP, and Century Media told them to go ahead and make a full album. That,  and they were in the middle of a tour when that all happened. 

I think (and hope) you'll enjoy their next album. If they can carry the momentum they have from the S/T + their live show, with some better production, they can make a very good album.

[emtee]

Been on board the QR train since the release of the EP and I think Empire is stunning. Sonic perfection, compositions that get
inside your head for days and most importantly it has stood the test of time very well for me.

Add to that when my daughter was tiny I would hold her and listen to Silent Lucidity to put her to sleep.

Empire is a 10/10 album for me.

[KevShmev]

Empire is pretty great, so I don't know what some of you are talking about.  There are only one or two songs I don't really care for; everything else is at least good, and the majority of songs are fantastic:

Anybody Listening?
The Thin Line
Della Brown
Silent Lucidity
Best I Can
Empire

All of those songs are dynamite.

[KevShmev]

Oh, and hell yeah to emtee's comment about its sound; Empire sounds awesome.

And to make a direct comparison, listen to anything from Empire and then go listen to anything from Hear in the Now Frontier: the difference is massive.  Empire sounds alive and crisp, while HTNF sounds dull and lifeless, sonically.

[bl5150]

Promised Land sounds great too - shame about the songs.  The only song I come back to , and one of my all time faves from them , is One More Time.

[KevShmev]

Well, Promised Land is not only their best record ever, IMO, but one of the best records ever by anybody.  It's a perfect record, on all levels.

[bl5150]

  

Promised Land is an amazingly divisive record amongst some pretty diehard fans  - for many it's their last great album and for just as many (me included) it's the start of the rot.  Either way it gave no idea of how rotten the rot would be 

[Deathless]

Promised Land sounds great too - shame about the songs.  The only song I come back to , and one of my all time faves from them , is One More Time.

Interesting. Have you listened to the album straight through? It's really, just damn powerful.

It's a damn shame that they didn't continue on that path... HITNF was just, bleh. Then once Chris left everything spiraled out of control, as we all saw.

[bl5150]

Interesting. Have you listened to the album straight through? It's really, just damn powerful.

Umm...yeah    They were close enough to my favourite band back then and I rushed out and bought it on release day and played it repeatedly trying to like it , but it just never did much at all for me.  Great production on it though and , like I said , One More Time is a ripper.

I wouldn't have listened to it for over a decade - I'll give it another spin soonish but don't think my taste has changed all that much tbh.

[TAC]

The band that made Promised Land simply could not be the same band I fell in live with a dozen years earlier.

Listened to Empire on the way to work today. Yes, it sounds amazing! Nice album.

[Deathless]

The band that made Promised Land simply could not be the same band I fell in live with a dozen years earlier.

Listened to Empire on the way to work today. Yes, it sounds amazing! Nice album.

What do you mean? They were certainly a different band for sure... but with all of the internal drama and issues going on at the time, I don't think they could have made any other album.

I've read a lot of places people wanted them to make "Empire II", but the band probably would have imploded if that happened.

[Lowdz]

Oh, and hell yeah to emtee's comment about its sound; Empire sounds awesome.

And to make a direct comparison, listen to anything from Empire and then go listen to anything from Hear in the Now Frontier: the difference is massive.  Empire sounds alive and crisp, while HTNF sounds dull and lifeless, sonically.

The songs weren't there on HITNF either, but yeah, it sounded as you describe. It was Chris' album too by all accounts.
Empire is one of the best produced albums I've heard along  with the similar sounding Saraya album, When The Blackbird Sings, both produced by Peter Collins and would have made my top 50 but I had a 2 album per band rule and OM and RFO took the spots.

[jammindude]

The production on Empire is amazing. But put me in the group that finds the album inconsistent,  but decent. Promised Land is far superior to my ears. I've always called it "Rage for Order with a budget."

[jjrock88]

I enjoy Promised Land more than Empire too.  I dont think many will argue about the downward spiral that starts with HITNF.

I also expect the next release to far exceed the S/T.  I'm hoping for more progressive/heavy elements to be put in, and I'm pretty sure that will be the case.

[King Postwhore]

As much as I like Promised Land it will never surpass Empire.  That album was a tour de force.

[Mister Gold]

The production on Empire is amazing. But put me in the group that finds the album inconsistent,  but decent. Promised Land is far superior to my ears. I've always called it "Rage for Order with a budget."

God yes. Promised Land is like the highest quality porn out there, as far as album productions go. It all sounds so huge, without actually sounding all that loud. Plus all the soundscapes that are in there. It's just absolutely incredible.

I enjoy Promised Land more than Empire too.  I dont think many will argue about the downward spiral that starts with HITNF.

I also expect the next release to far exceed the S/T.  I'm hoping for more progressive/heavy elements to be put in, and I'm pretty sure that will be the case.

I tend to prefer Promised Land over Operation: Mindcrime too, for that matter. Though lately, I've started to finally appreciate that album again for the first time since the whole mess with Tate went down. It's definitely a classic release and for very good reason.

I'm really interested in seeing where they go with that. I'd love to see the band do more stuff like Spore, Don't Look Back or A World Without. Darker, heavier and more proggy. Generic request from a fan, I guess, but those three songs were the highlights of the album for me (aside from Open Road, which is just one of those magical songs that speaks to me personally).

Basically, I'd like to see the band look less to Empire for inspiration and more towards the other classic albums like the riffs of The Warning, the complexity of Rage for Order, the heaviness and intensity of Operation: Mindcrime and the atmosphere of Promised Land.

[jingle.boy]

Their intentions sound absolutely spot on for my taste - just a matter of execution now.  fingers crossed.

Agree wholeheartedly

The next album and tour will show us if the band has anything left in the tank, or if they are just content to be another Styx, playing mostly really old songs with a singer who sounds just like the one from their heyday.  The next album needs to be good and it needs to be good enough to have much of it played live on the tour, not just throwing a token song or two from it into the set list. I am pessimistic, yet hopeful.

I prefer to hope and believe they are/will be more like Journey, not Styx.

I dont think many will argue about the downward spiral that starts with HITNF.

Word.

I rank Empire above PL, but it's close.  After that, nothing they've done comes close.  You couldn't even take the best 10 songs from the albums in HITNF to DTC and make a good album.

[King Postwhore]

I'm one of the rare few who like HITNF.  Tribe is also a good album.

[jammindude]

Hear looks like pure genius compared to what came after.

However, I have to give props to one track. Right Side of My Mind is STILL the greatest post-PL track they've ever recorded. No matter how bad the rest of Q2Krap is, they will always be able to hang their hat on that one. I actually hope they bring they bring that one back.

[Skeever]

Ugh... "Promised Land"... what a stinker.

I remember the first time I heard Promised Land, I realized just how much Tate was a fraud of a singer. Musically, Promised Land is really interesting and conceptually too, but Tate's awful singing ruins it. Over metal Tate was OK, but over prog rock he sounded horrible, his singing a cross between LaBrie on a bad day, the guy from Creed, and the odor of spoiled milk spilled onto a carpet. In retrospect I wish Tate would have gotten the boot back then instead of dragging the band through the mud for the next 15 years.

I would LOVE to hear that album with someone else on vocals. But I can't listen to it because even thinking of Tate scream I AM I makes my blood run cold.

[jingle.boy]

I'm one of the rare few who like HITNF.  Tribe is also a good album.

[Nick]

Tribe is the best album they have done post Promise Land.

Edit: Except for possibly the new album.

[jingle.boy]

Tribe is the best album they have done post Promise Land.

That may be the case, but it still sounds like 10 pounds of shit in a 5 pound bag.

[jammindude]

Actually, Tribe is pretty underrated. DeGarmo's presence is felt, and it does make a difference. It's definitely the last time they attempted actual collaboration...the results are mixed, but several tracks are much better than they get credit for.

I think that more history will reveal Tribe to be a sortof  "lost classic" album.

[KevShmev]

I agree that Right Side of My Mind is good (sounds like classic 'Ryche), and HINTF does have a few songs I still enjoy to some extent, but those were the exceptions on those two albums.  The vast majority of songs on both of those records were extremely forgettable.