Queensryche's Promised Land vs. Fates Warning's A Pleasant Shade of Gray

[Grappler]

A Pleasant Shade of Gray

10+ years ago, I would have said Promised Land, but I've become more of a Fates Warning fan in the last handful of years and spend more time listening to those records.  Some of APSOG doesn't work for me, but like another comment above, after Promised Land, the album falls apart for me.  Disconnected is a stupid song and other than My Global Mind and Someone Else, I really dislike the second half of the album.

[Dublagent66]

APSOG is easily their crown jewel.

[WilliamMunny]

It’s gonna be APSOG by a ‘thin’ margin for me as well.

Both albums are great and came out when I was a teenager (so there’s a nostalgic connection), but I routinely revisit Fates, and sadly, my interest in QR (mostly due to the circus surrounding Tate’s split) really waned.

PL has amazing moments, but I will echo others here when I say the second half drags for me.

Other that Lady Jane and One More Time, there’s little for me past the title track.

Oh, and I ne ver n ee d to hea r Dis con nec ted a gain.

[HOF]

It’s gonna be APSOG by a ‘thin’ margin for me as well.

Both albums are great and came out when I was a teenager (so there’s a nostalgic connection), but I routinely revisit Fates, and sadly, my interest in QR (mostly due to the circus surrounding Tate’s split) really waned.

PL has amazing moments, but I will echo others here when I say the second half drags for me.

Other that Lady Jane and One More Time, there’s little for me past the title track.

Oh, and I ne ver n ee d to hea r Dis con nec ted a gain.

I can see not liking Disconnected I guess. I always liked the bass/drum groove though. Also, do people not like My Global Mind? I always liked that one quite a bit. Also, Somewhere Else is awesome.

[pg1067]

The two most overrated albums of the 90's.

Not possible for a decade in which Nevermind was released.

I voted APSOG. I think it's an overrated album, but it has 4 songs I really like:
Pt. 6 (We're Not Children Anymore)
Pt. 8 (Instrumental)
Pt. 9 (Where You Are, I Am)
Pt. 11 (Do You Think That I?)

as opposed to just one song that I really like on PL: Damaged.

VIII through end is is just magical.  The way the guitar part on XII slowly adds little bits is incredible.  Listening to APSOG is like watching a movie with an incredible ending.  It just builds and builds and then lets you have it.

The two songs I like on Promised Land are Damaged and I Am I.  Everything else blows.

[WilliamMunny]

It’s gonna be APSOG by a ‘thin’ margin for me as well.

Both albums are great and came out when I was a teenager (so there’s a nostalgic connection), but I routinely revisit Fates, and sadly, my interest in QR (mostly due to the circus surrounding Tate’s split) really waned.

PL has amazing moments, but I will echo others here when I say the second half drags for me.

Other that Lady Jane and One More Time, there’s little for me past the title track.

Oh, and I ne ver n ee d to hea r Dis con nec ted a gain.

I can see not liking Disconnected I guess. I always liked the bass/drum groove though. Also, do people not like My Global Mind? I always liked that one quite a bit. Also, Somewhere Else is awesome.

 I mean, they're fine, but they hardly hold a flame to 'Damaged' or 'I Am I' (in my opinion)

Also, I think the 'full band' version 'Someone Else' slays the album version—had that been swapped, I might be a bit more into the second half.

[HOF]

Oops, yeah, Someone Else (Marillion mixup I guess). That full band version is pretty great, but I think the piano and voice approach was really powerful as well.

[hefdaddy42]

Pretty sure I've never listened to either one of these.

[Fritzinger]

A Pleasant Shade Of Grey for me.

I discovered both albums when I got into prog around 14 years back and like but don't love both. I still feel the same way. Promised Land contains two of QR's best songs (Someone Else - also like the band version - and Bridge). But as a whole, I think Pleasant Shade is just a more interesting album to me.

[LudwigVan]

Easily APSOG for me. 

As for Promised Land, the album feels like an extension or 'sister' album to Rage For Order, which I much prefer. 

[Setlist Scotty]

Unlike many others, I LOVE Disconnected - was one of my favorites from that album early on, along with Damaged. The song I don't get all the love for is I Am I - that one never did anything for me.

That said, when compared to APSoG, had to go with APSoG. For me it's a more consistent album.

[SoundscapeMN]

favorite record from both bands, but APSOG is a perfect 5-stars.

[T-ski]

Unlike many others, I LOVE Disconnected - was one of my favorites from that album early on, along with Damaged. The song I don't get all the love for is I Am I - that one never did anything for me.

That said, when compared to APSoG, had to go with APSoG. For me it's a more consistent album.

I too like Disconnected. I feel if you didn’t know it was QR more people would think differently about it.

[bosk1]

IMO Promisedland is the most underrated release in the QR catalog and a prog metal masterpiece. It's dark and forbidding yet also accessible due to melody. Also think it might Geoff Tate's best performance.  After that it was all down hill for QR.

APSOG SHOULD be something I really enjoy but it's never quite clicked with me. I enjoy it, but it's not a classic for me.

Agreed.  Granted, he wasn't up in the rafters much like he was in the 80's, but higher singing does not always equal best singing.  The control he had over his voice and the things he did with it on Promised Land are amazing.

Yeah, I agree too.  I see TAC's point about the cracks beginning to show.  But I think both can be true.  He didn't do what he showed he was capable of from the EP through Mindcrime.  But he showed a different kind of power, and captured a ton more emotion on PL than perhaps any other album. 

Unlike many others, I LOVE Disconnected - was one of my favorites from that album early on, along with Damaged.

Me too.  It has always been a favorite.  People should listen to Scotty more often.

The song I don't get all the love for is I Am I - that one never did anything for me.

Yeah, um...please disregard everything I said about you a moment ago.

[HOF]

I actually think there are a lot of similarities between Promised Land and Falling Into Infinity. Both seem to be moving away from a pure metal sound and incorporating more alternative and contemporary rock production approaches. The point bout Tate’s voice showing some cracks is another similarity. I think both Tate and JLB pulled back a bit vocally on those albums (James’ problems around that era being well documented), but I think both ended up turning in strong, somewhat warmer vocal performances. Lady Jane and Anna Lee seem to be cut from the same cloth as well. I actually got into both albums around the same time, so maybe that’s why I associate them somewhat.

[Samsara]

Glad this stirred up some good commentary. Except for TAC, I already knew what he'd say. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I didn't cast a vote. If forced, which, hey, its my poll and I don't have to vote, lol, I would probably go for Promised Land because I think accessibility is an important aspect of music, and the songs, as standalone pieces, are stronger on PL than on APSOG. APSOG works perfectly as intended - one song listened to in one sitting. But I feel PL is both more accessible and more diverse as a record.

And taking a look at the current poll results, it's pretty obvious most people agree it is splitting hairs. Both are outstanding (despite TAC's old fogey commentary). 

re: I Am I -- add me to the group that doesn't see what the big deal is. it's not a bad song, it's not one of my favorites either. For my money, Promised Land's gem cuts are Damaged, the title track, Bridge and One More Time. (and while I know it's not part of the album proper, I love the snark in b-side Dirty Lil Secret. Had they gone a more Empire direction, it would have worked nicely.)

re: Someone Else -- I really wish they would have come up with the live version of the song first, and put that hybrid of piano/full band on the album. I think the full band version is cool, but overdone. And I think the piano version is oversung (because it is the vocals of the full band version, they never recut them) by Tate. But the live version in 95 on the PL tour was absolutely stunning.

re: on PL being like a cousin to Rage for Order -- totally agree. Lady Jane in particular has that vibe to my ears.

p.s. Fingers crossed Fates pulls out APSOG in its entirety in 2022 for a tour. It'll be the album's 25th anniversary. Maybe play the record, and then play four or five tracks from Long Day Goodnight and a couple of the old standards.

[wolfking]

One More Time is where it's at.

[WilliamMunny]

One More Time is where it's at.

Agreed, it's a very-good song. The only thing I wish is that there was a little more lyrical variety with the chorus...like, just something other than 'one more time around, is all I ask for now...'

The song gets a little into Iron Maiden territory (Blood Brothers anyone?) with the repetitiveness of the chorus.

Reading over my previous comments, I feel like it sounds like I'm a bit down on PL, and I'm not at all...it's a top 3 QR album for me (behind RFO and OM), it's this whole 'comparing it to what I consider one of the best concept albums of all time' thing that has me critically evaluating it a bit more thoroughly than I normally would.

Great idea for a thread...I've totally listened to both of these today!

[bl5150]

One More Time is where it's at.

Yep - that's the one song from that album that I played over and over.

[pg1067]

p.s. Fingers crossed Fates pulls out APSOG in its entirety in 2022 for a tour. It'll be the album's 25th anniversary. Maybe play the record, and then play four or five tracks from Long Day Goodnight and a couple of the old standards.

Yes, please!  The APSOG tour happened during that nebulous period in my life when I attended very few concerts, so seeing the whole thing would be an amazing treat.

[wolfking]

One More Time is where it's at.

Yep - that's the one song from that album that I played over and over.

Same mate.  One of the bands best and most underrated.

[KevShmev]

More like, the entire Promised Land album is where it's at. 

[The Realm]

One More Time is where it's at.

Yep - that's the one song from that album that I played over and over.

Same mate.  One of the bands best and most underrated.

Yes, same here. Love that song. Maybe because it is buried late in the album it doesn't get enough kudos? Definitely one of the best songs on the album.

[Samsara]

One More Time is where it's at.

Damn, how did I forget that one. I am going back to add it. 

[ZirconBlue]

One More Time is where it's at.

Agreed, it's a very-good song. The only thing I wish is that there was a little more lyrical variety with the chorus...like, just something other than 'one more time around, is all I ask for now...'

The song gets a little into Iron Maiden territory (Blood Brothers anyone?) with the repetitiveness of the chorus.

 

One more time around
Is all I ask for now,
A star to seek by, wind to
Take me home again.

[WilliamMunny]

One More Time is where it's at.

Agreed, it's a very-good song. The only thing I wish is that there was a little more lyrical variety with the chorus...like, just something other than 'one more time around, is all I ask for now...'

The song gets a little into Iron Maiden territory (Blood Brothers anyone?) with the repetitiveness of the chorus.

 

One more time around
Is all I ask for now,
A star to seek by, wind to
Take me home again.

Repeated like 12 times...but all hyperbole aside, I LIKE the song:)

[Cintus Supremus]

More interestingly, which Promised Land vs. APSOG thread do you prefer and why? This one?

Or this one? https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=52007

[Samsara]

More interestingly, which Promised Land vs. APSOG thread do you prefer and why? This one?

Or this one? https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=52007

 

Oops!

Well, it still, three years later, gets people talking. Funny.

I didn't even think to search on something so specific.

 

[HOF]

More interestingly, which Promised Land vs. APSOG thread do you prefer and why? This one?

Or this one? https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=52007

Results pretty similar, though APSOG appears to be pulling away a bit.

[pg1067]

More interestingly, which Promised Land vs. APSOG thread do you prefer and why? This one?

Or this one? https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=52007

Results pretty similar, though APSOG appears to be pulling away a bit.

 

APSOG's superiority is better demonstrated by this poll/thread, so I'll have to say that I prefer this one.

[jjrock88]

PL for me.

[ShadowWalker]

Definitely Promised Land. APSOG never really clicked with me the way a lot of other albums in Fate's catalog has, whereas I consider Promised Land the best thing Queensryche has released.

[kirksnosehair]

APSOG Theories of Flight is easily their crown jewel.

FTFY