Over the years I have become a pretty big fan of Queensryche. Some who know me would say that's an understatement but regardless, I own all the albums except for the first EP and the most recent live album and I have seen them live about 4 times now. They are one of the bands that regardless of how good or bad their last album is, I rush out to see what they've done on their latest because the experience is always different. When they first appeared on the scene (for me that was during the Rage For Order Era) I thought they were kinda strange and I wasn't quite at the point where I could appreciate the voice of Geoff Tate. I was into bands like Poison, Van Halen and the new round of glam bands like Warrant, so Queensrych was a hard pill to swallow.
Over the years the band has released many great rock albums that just seem to sound like nothing else out there. Heavy, sometimes bizarre and intricate, their music stands between insanity and pure, focused Zen. The album Rage for Order still stands up as an amazing piece of work and the song "Screaming in Digital" is the perfect (Pre-Mindcrime) queensryche song. If you've never took the time to experience "The Ryche" check out this live version of the song which I would describe as the "definition" of what Queensryche is all about. Strange, intricate, dark and intense... metal music at it's best.
I've always thought that if I was ever stranded on a desert island and I had the choice of 10 albums to be stuck with for the rest of my life, one of those albums would be a Queensryche album. If I had to pick only one though it would be the epic rock opera Operation Mindcrime — but for me more specifically the live version (Livecrime October 28th, 1991) is the perfect hard rock album. It combines the greatness that is the Mindcrime experience and combines it with the bombastic live sound and energy that it deserves. All in all a perfect slice of hard rock history, capturing a band at the height of their fame and popularity.
Article comments
1 - Music Fan
The HOB Cleveland is a Horrible place to see a show. I was at this QR show and the place was so packed you could barely find a place to stand and forget about seeing or hearing the show in that environment. HOB Cleveland gets a THUMBS DOWN an a STAY AWAY rating from me! Save your money for a facility that has enough respect for their customers they do not OVERSELL Shows.