Queensryche [EP]

Queensryche [EP]

Track Listings

1. Queen of the Reich

2. Nightrider

3. Blinded

4. Lady Wore Black

5. Prophecy [*]

Tracks:

I Remember Now [Disc 1]
Anarchy-X [Disc 1]
Revolution Calling [Disc 1]
Operation Mindcrime [Disc 1]
Speak [Disc 1]
Spreading The Disease [Disc 1]
The Mission [Disc 1]
Sutie Sister Mary [Disc 1]
The Needle Lies [Disc 1]
Electric Requiem [Disc 1]
Breaking The Silence [Disc 1]
I Don't Believe In Love [Disc 1]
Waiting For 22 [Disc 1]
My Empty Room [Disc 1]
Eyes Of A Stranger[Disc 1]

Tracks:

Freiheit Ouverture [Disc 2]
Convict [Disc 2]
I'm American [Disc 2]
One Foot In Hell [Disc 2]
Hostage [Disc 2]
The Hands [Disc 2]
Speed Of Light [Disc 2]
Signs Say Go [Disc 2]
Re-Arrange You [Disc 2]
The Chase [Disc 2]
Murderer? [Disc 2]
Circles [Disc 2]
If I Could Change It All [Disc 2]
An Intentional Confrontation [Disc 2]
A Junkie's Blues [Disc 2]
Fear City Slide [Disc 2]
All The Promises [Disc 2]
Walk In The Shadows (Encore) [Disc 2]
Jet City Woman (Encore) [Disc 2]

Album Description

The theatrical production of Operation: Mindcrime and Operation: Mindcrime II, an epic tale of rock, revenge and redemption, is captured here in a 2-CD set. Ensuring maximum velocity fervor from both the band and fans, this performance at Seattle's Moore Theater is a spectacle not to be missed.

Album Description

Queensryche brought the group's acclaimed Operation: mindcrime albums to the stage last year performing the original and its 2006 sequel in their entirety during the group's successful North American tour. The marathon shows included a full theatrical production complete with surround sound, video imagery and actors portraying the concept albums' characters onstage with the band. Rhino captures Queensryche's epic performance in front of the quintet's hometown crowd at the Moore Theater in Seattle with MINDCRIME AT THE MOORE. Warner. 2007.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-07-25

I was disappointed in this cd, especially since I was really looking forward to it. Queensryche is one of my favorite bands, even though most of their quality stuff is in the 80's and the rest is...lackluster. When I heard that they were going to be releasing a live cd of both Mindcrime albums, I was really pumped, especially since Mindcrime 2 is their best album since Promised Land. However, the sound is terrible. There is no energy. The Mindcrime performance on Operation:Livecrime is much better. Better sound, better production and much more interesting to listen to. Geoff Tate's voice is not as strong as it used to be and there is a lot of straining heard here. I am glad I did not pay full price for this cd. You should not, either.

Brilliant Live renditions of OM 1 & 2!.......2007-07-18

This wil be short and sweet:
If you enjoyed OM 1 & 2...this is a perfect live recording for you.
If you ONLY liked OM 1...1/2 of this cd will be the same ol same ol.
If you ONLY liked OM 2...then the songe here are heavier and sound blistering on here.
And if you are like me, A QR fans since 1984...this is more of the same brilliant music QR has given us for over 2 decades...with more to come.

A good soundtrack to a phemonal film.......2007-07-16

This is the soundtrack to the theatrical production of the DVD release of Mindcrime At The Moore. The sound quality is decent. The reason why I only give this album 2 stars is because there are parts of this recording that only makes sense if you are watching the DVD. People who own the DVD know what I'm talking about.

Only buy this album if you want to complete your Operation Mindcrime collection (just as I did) or if your a die hard Queensryche fan (which I'm not.)

Why, Queensryche? WHY?.......2007-07-07

Oh, the horror. I cannot accurately describe just how bad this album is. Geoff Tate's voice sounds strained and off-key at times. Even the background singers sound old and tired. Tate even appears to have trouble remembering the words to the songs on OM:I, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt....he could just be ad-libbing or something due to having sung those songs over and over for the last 10 years. Chris DeGarmo is not on this album, and it shows. Kelly Gray was a poor replacement for him, but Mike Stone is just abominable. Operation: Mindcrime is one of the best albums *ever* made, and I'll be damned if I want some talentless idiot taking "creative license" with the lead guitar parts. In addition, the mixing of this album is just abominable. I am a huge, huge Queensryche fan, and listening to this disaster really hurts.

Energetic live show, but not without its flaws........2007-07-06

Let me offer up a disclaimer for continuing with this review-- I am not one for retro acts-- the recent trend that seems to be emerging of acts touring behind 20-30 year old catalogs or playing old records start to finish and either not bothering to put out any new material or ignoring it completely has been one that's been difficult for me. And while I thought Queensryche's "Tribe" was a reasonably good record, I really disliked "Operation: Mindcrime II", feeling it was an attempt to capitalize not only on prior successes but abandoning progress in exchange for trying to capture a previous sound. I waffled back and forth as to whether or not I should pick up "Mindcrime at the Moore" but in the end my long standing love of the band won over. Nonetheless, my review is clearly tempered by my feelings about the band's decision to release a sequel album and this sort of performance.

One thing that's immediately obvious to me is a mixing oddity-- it seems one of the guitarists (Mike Stone) is mixed way too low. The clearest illustration of this is on "Suite Sister Mary"-- the piece opens with the gentle arpeggios before a blast of distorted guitar kicks in. Well on this recording, that blast has significantly less effect because it's buried in the mix. Even Stone's solo at the end of that piece seems subdued compared to Michael Wilton's rhythm guitar performance. Further accentuating that is the fact that the rest of the record is mixed fantastically-- there's a nice balance and everything sounds great except that one guitar. This sonic oddity aside, the band sounds pretty good-- they're clearly into what they're doing and as much as I dig out retro accusations, they've made a good attempt (moreso than on "Operation: Mindcrime II" in the studio) to really modernize the sound of the record-- gone are many of the few details that made the original record sound a bit dated these days-- some of the goofy backing vocals, the harmonized guitar leads, etc. All of this is really to the benefit of the sound. And while vocalist Geoff Tate has lost a bit of his high end since the band's heydey (and should stay away from trying to reach it-- he sounds awful when he tries the shrieked vocal just prior to the guitar solo on "The Needle Lies"), his voice is still a fantastic instrument.

But the bottom line on the first disc is that it works out pretty well and the band's played with the material enough to keep it interesting even to an anti-retro type like me, whether it's fantastic performances ("Speak" is positively on fire) or great rearrangements (the extended ballad portion of "The Mission" accentuates the mood and feel of the piece). And while some of the theatrical elements that probably come off better on the DVD end up being a bit goofy on audio only (Mary and Dr. X's interaction prior to "Electric Requiem"), by and large, it's a good performance.

The second disc is, well, it's "Operation: Mindcrime II", an album I just still can't get my head around. The performance stays a lot truer to the material than the first disc, no doubt as it was recently recorded, and as on the record, the theatrical sound of the piece tends to sit badly with me ("One Foot in Hell", "Speed of Light") and in fact, these pieces, designed seemingly with a stage show in mind, feel completely lacking on record (which was pretty much my problem with the studio record). Having said that, it proves to be a really energetic performance, and if you liked the album, you'll probably love this (the only song from "Operation: Mindcrime II" I really love, "I'm American", practically leaps off the recording). The show closes up with a brief encore of two old hits-- "Walk in the Shadows" from "Rage for Order" and "Jet City Woman" from "Empire". Both have been played by the band so many times they can't help but get great readings.

In the end, this is a decent performance, but mixing oddities and questionable material keeps me from rating it too high. Further, I find I prefer the "Operation: Livecrime" take of the first volume of 'Mindcrime'. This is probably worthwhile for diehards and anyone who really enjoyed the last record, everyone else can probably skip it.

Average customer rating:

Commercially Their Best
Now THIS is how a rock album is put together and engineered!!
A cleaner Queensryche
Good Ol' Days
Great music

Empire
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Operation: Mindcrime
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ASIN: B00009L1UP
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

Best I Can
The Thin Line
Jet City Woman
Della Brown
Another Rainy Night (Without You)
Empire
Resistance
Silent Lucidity
Hand On Heart
One And Only
Anybody Listening?
Last Time In Paris
Scarborough Fair
Dirty Lil Secret

Amazon.com

Exploring the uncharted territory between heavy metal and progressive rock, Queensryche has always been difficult to categorize. While Operation: Mindcrime is their most highly-praised album, Empire remains their most accessible, with a somewhat more commercial approach that has no negative impact on the quality of the material. Empire produced a string of hit singles, including "Best I Can," the title track, "Jet City Woman," and "Silent Lucidity" (probably their best-known song, and ironically unlike most of their other work). At times sounding a great deal like Pink Floyd, Empire is an impressive collection that is all substance, no filler. "Anybody Listening?", which closes the album, is probably the best perspective on a life lived on stage since Rush's "Limelight". Highly recommended. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

Commercially Their Best.......2007-07-31

With this cd Queensryche proved that they could make a killer album and still market to radio. I really don't think that there's a bad song here and as some reviewers have pointed out that 'One and Only' and 'Hand on Heart' seem to be filler I will disagree on that point. Taken as a whole these songs do fit in and everything works here. The song writing, the instruments and the backing vocals which, for me, are a highlight because after this they just never seem to capture that essence. This may be DeGarmo's best here and Queensryche at their pinnacle of success as evidenced in the coming years. This is one of those albums that you just never seem to get tired of. Of course, the die-hard fans from their first albums might cry foul here, but you always need to rate each album on its own and not compare it to others. Which, of course, is sometimes a difficult thing to do. If you haven't already gotten this, then I strongly recommend the remastered version. Not just for the bonus tracks but because it is remastered and kills the original version sound wise. I have the original and it doesn't compare to the remastered version.

Now THIS is how a rock album is put together and engineered!!.......2007-06-18

One of the BEST rock albums of ALL time. Empire is an excellently performed and engineered album. Everthing fits together perfectly on this album, the music, the vocals, the engineering. This truly is a rock masterpiece of an album. I think EVERY fan of rock should have EMPIRE! An EXCELLENT album!

A cleaner Queensryche.......2007-03-20

Taking a break from their Mindcrime-ish sound and completely removing themselves from their past works, Empire is a very clean, highly polished rock album. The album contains the 90's hits "Silent Lucidity", "Jet City Woman", and "Empire", along with various other radio-friendly songs.
Honestly, my only complaint with the album is how "One and Only" seems to drag on forever at the end.

Good Ol' Days.......2007-02-10

Man this album brings back some great times. Saw these guys at Giant Stadium in NJ for this tour (Empire) terrific show.
Enjoy good 90's rock, get this album.

Great music.......2007-01-20

I thought maybe one or two songs would be good on this album. I found at least five of the songs are great. Don't usually find that in an album.

Average customer rating:

Nice introduction to Seattle's Queensryche
Just buy all of their CDs - you can thank me later
Queensryche
QUEENSRYCHE'S BEST,COULD HAVE BEEN WAY BETTER....
i love Queensryche

Queensryche - Greatest Hits
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Very Best of Dokken
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Empire
Operation: Mindcrime
Time's Makin' Changes - The Best of Tesla

ASIN: B00004TJYG
Release Date: 2007-06-25

Tracks:

Queen Of The Reich
The Lady Wore Black
Warning
Take Hold Of The Flame
Walk In The Shadows
I Dream In Infrared
I Don't Believe In Love
Eyes Of A Stranger
Jet City Woman
Empire
Silent Lucidity
I Am I
Bridge
Sign Of The Times
Chasing Blue Sky
Someone Else?

Amazon.com

It doesn't take very many fingers to enumerate the number of American heavy-metal bands who traversed the treacherously shifting musical tastes of the 1980s and '90s intact and prosperous. And though their multiplatinum days peaked well before contemporaries like Metallica, Queensryche soldiered on, their sound evolving and maturing in remarkably similar fashion; one might argue they lead the way in that regard. Greatest-hits collections are suspect affairs, but this one presents a taut history lesson, documenting the evolution of one of America's most consistently underrated metal outfits from the Judas Priest-clone days of their self-released debut to the heights of Operation: Mindcrime and Empire, and into their equally rewarding '90s output. Along the way, the band managed to pick up an often artsy social conscience as well as an impressive musical range (the quiet dynamics of "Silent Lucidity" being light-years away from singer Geoff Tate's original Halford-esque howl) and a catchy pop sensibility ("Jet City Woman," "Sign of the Times"). Fans will also welcome two bonus tracks, the bluesy "Chasing Blue Sky" and an alternate, full-band version of "Someone Else?" --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Nice introduction to Seattle's Queensryche.......2007-05-22

THE BAND: Geoff Tate (vocals), Chris DeGarmo (guitar), Michael Wilton (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass), Scott Rockenfield (drums & percussion).

THE DISC: (2000) 16 tracks clocking in at approximately 77 minutes. Included with the disc is a 10-page booklet containing song titles/credits/times, a 3-page intro to the band, 1 band photo, previous album(s) cover art, and what songs came from which albums. All tracks 24-bit digitally remastered. This compilation follows the band from 1983-97. Label - EMI / Virgin Records.

ALBUM REPRESENTATION: Queensryche EP (2 songs), The Warning (2), Rage For Order (2), Operation Mindcrime (2), Empire (3), Promised Land (2), Hear In The Now Frontier (1), bonus tracks taken from Japanese releases only (2).

COMMENTS: This "Greatest Hits" serves as a very warm intro to Seattle's (technically Bellevue, WA) Queensryche. Full of soaring vocals, ripping guitars, intricate drumming. Not to mention some wonderful gothic costumes, make-up and hair back in the early-to-mid 80's (some rock band's felt they needed a gimmick years ago - and early photos of Tate & Co were pure hair & glam metal cheese). Back when Queensryche was starting out, I was sitting on the fence about their music. Then came "Operation Mindcrime" (1988) and I was forever a fan. "Empire" (1990) came next - a great follow-up though leaning to the commercial side of arena rock. "Promised Land" (1994) rounded at the triple threat, though I truly felt this album was a bit sub par (compared to its 2 predecessors) and more importantly it took way too long to come out (4 years). Grunge had moved into the rock scene and rock/metal was taking a back seat for a while... and so the band goes. THE GOOD: Most of the staples are here in glorious 24-bit digitally remastered sound - "Queen Of The Reich", "The Lady Wore Black", "Take Hold The Flame", "I Dream In Infrared", "Eyes Of A Stranger", "I Don't Believe In Love", "Jet City Woman", "Silent Lucidity", "I Am I", "Bridge", "Sign Of The Times", etc. The songs are in chronological order so you can hear the band change/mature over the years. The liner notes could have been more extensive (only 1 band photo - and it's a bad one at that), but the necessary information is there regarding the songs and catalog. THE NOT SO GOOD: This is an EMI release, so nothing from labels Atlantic, Sanctuary or Rhino are here (all from 1999 - present). No representation from the albums: "Q2K", "Tribe", "Operation Mindcrime II", or any of their live albums. Granted, several of these albums came out after this "Greatest Hits" was released in '00. Here's hoping the "Gold" or "Essential" series will step up to the plate and make an all-inclusive 2-disc edition of the band's work. Only 2 songs from "Operation Mindcrime" is criminal. Also worth noting are the significant song omissions - "Spreading The Disease" and "Revolution Calling", as well as other gems - "Suite Sister Mary", "Best I Can", "Another Rainy Night", "I Will Remember", "Chemical Youth", "Out Of Mind", "Damaged", and "Nightrider". Get rid of the average (2) bonus tracks, and include 2 or 3 of the abandoned songs, and you'd have a 5-star disc. Looking for a studio album or two - readers must start with "Operation Mindcrime", followed by "Empire". Overall - this "Greatest Hits" package is excellent for the novice who wants to discover the band. For the long time fan, it's nice to have so many classic Queensryche songs all in one place (4+ stars).

Just buy all of their CDs - you can thank me later.......2006-09-24

I had to laugh. How could Queensryche make a Greatest Hits CD? A real Queensryche fan would know better. A better idea would be to offer a boxed set of all of their original releases. I guess if you don't have any of their CDs, having the Greatest Hits would be better than nothing, but you would not be getting the true Queensryche experience. You need to get the following CDs: "The Warning", "Rage for Order", "Operation: Mindcrime", "Empire", "Promised Land", "Hear in the Now Frontier", "Q2K", "Tribe", and "Operation: Mindcrime II". You owe it to yourself to hear why Queensryche is the best metal/progressive rock band EVER. Period.

Queensryche.......2006-08-14

Great service thank you. Queensryche -Greatest hits music was ok .If you heard one you heard them all But over all it was good

QUEENSRYCHE'S BEST,COULD HAVE BEEN WAY BETTER...........2006-04-16

THIS IS CD IS MISSING KEY SONGS SUCH AS PROMISED LAND,ENFORCER,THE THIN LINE,SCREAMING IN DIGITAL, THE NEEDLE LIES,SPREADING THE DISEASE, MISSION,ROADS TO MADNESS, CHILD OF FIRE,BEST I CAN,YOU KNOW ALL THE SONGS THAT MADE QUEENSYCHE WHO THEY ARE TODAY..

i love Queensryche.......2006-03-27

Queensryche is a good band and out of all the C.Ds the Greatest Hits is the best& you get all the hit songs right on the C.D. I enjoy rockin' to the C.D!!!

Average customer rating:

One of my all time Favorites!!
Dated but very good
One of the Greatest Albums EVER
Classic Album!
Ignore MTV rocks....

Operation: Mindcrime
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000931QA
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

Remember Now
Anarchy-X
Revolution Calling
Operation: Mindcrime
Speak
Spreading The Disease
The Mission
Suite Sister Mary
The Needle Lies
Electric Requiem
Breaking The Silence
I Don't Believe In Love
Waiting For 22
My Empty Room
Eyes Of A Stranger
The Mission (Live)
My Empty Room (Live)

Amazon.com

Long dubbed "the thinking man's metal band," Queensryche have always been difficult to classify; somewhere between Iron Maiden and Pink Floyd. Mindcrime was their breakthrough album, garnering the band commercial and critical success. Arguably their best release, this is a complex, ambitious effort, with top-notch music and a complicated storyline (a disillusioned fortune hunter of the Reagan era joins an underground movement to assassinate political scumbags) that flows smoothly from start to finish. The combination of experimental, progressive music with shorter, more radio-friendly songs works well, and enabled the band to release singles from the album while keeping the story intact. These shorter songs provide the album's most exciting moments; "Revolution Calling," "Eyes of a Stranger," and "I Don't Believe in Love" are some of the best metal songs out there. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

One of my all time Favorites!!.......2007-03-29

It's always fascinated me when "stuffy" rock journalists criticize Concept albums. In my opinion a good Concept album is even more difficult to create than a "normal" album simply because it requires a coherent story line. And a good concept album is closer to pure art than a normal album because it can be readily turned into a book, play or even a movie (think of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" or The Who's "Tommy").

And I think "Operation Mindcrime" is one of the best, not quite up there with "The Wall" but I personally like it even more than "Tommy" simply because it's more "my kind of music". Tommy, after all, is really rock Opera and I don't really like Opera!!! In fact I don't like a lot of sides 3 & 4 of The Wall either, for the same reason. Mindcrime is not just pure rock, it's really good progressive influenced Heavy Metal!!!

And many of the songs also stand alone just fine, "Eyes of a Stranger" is my personal favorite and one of my all time favorite songs period. "Revolution Calling", the title track, "The Needle Lies", "I Don't Believe In Love" and the center piece; "Suite Sister Mary" are also standouts.

In fact, this was turned into a "movie" which was really more of a collection of MTV styled videos, which, unfortunately, is missing some songs (guess they had a limited budget and decided to spend it on quality rather than make videos for every single song) but the story still flows well. This came out on VHS before the "Operation Livecrime" box set, a couple of the videos were shown on MTV at the time and I have never seen a DVD of it, though they did release "Livecrime" on DVD.

As for the band, I have always thought Scott Rockenfield is one of THE great overlooked drummers and Chris DeGarmo is sadly missed and his absence (especially his compositional skills) had a very apparent effect on the band as a whole. And Geoff Tate has one of THE great voices in rock PERIOD.

The band also released a companion follow-up, "Operation Mindcrime II" in 2006 and I have seen a lot of criticism of it because it's not as good. Well, come on folks, how could it be?!? I personally feel it IS a worthy companion to this original. Even if it's not as good as the original, it's still better than a lot of the stuff out there masquerading as prog-metal!! So I would tell anyone who does like this original to shell out a few $$ for a used version of the new one.

Bottom line, if you like rock at all, in any form, you should already own this album!!!

Dated but very good.......2007-03-28

A friend recommended this to me and it was surprisingly better than I had expected. This is certainly no "Scenes From a Memory" by Dream Theater or "Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floydd (two of my favorite concept albums), but the fact that it is not the best concept album I've heard doesn't mean it is not worth checking out for the great music. It sounds a bit dated, but the story line is interesting (if somewhat convoluted and lacking in originality) and the guitar work delivers when it is needed. Overall, I imagine when this first came out, I would have given it five stars, but it just doesn't stand up as well to the test of time compared to DT or PF concept albums (or even Symphony X or Rush).

One of the Greatest Albums EVER.......2007-03-28

When I first bought this on cassette (dating myself) there was a sticker on the front that equated this album with "The Wall" and "Tommy". Pretty high praise, indeed. And it lives up to it in every way. Interestingly enough, the political circumstances that seem to have inspired this concept album have reared their ugly head again (how odd that this was recorded with a Bush in the White House), and that makes this album just as relevant today as it was when it was first released. If you're a fan of progressive metal, concept albums, or simply mind blowing, blazing metal with an IQ above 50 then this is the perfect disc for you.

Classic Album!.......2007-03-11

Top notch job from Tate, deGarmo and the crew. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from here. If you want a great example of what a concept album should be, pick this up!

Ignore MTV rocks...........2007-03-01

Anyone who says led zepplin 2, master of puppets, megadeth greatist hits, and iron maiden suck should even get our attention. put lindsay lohan at 5, and avril what's her face too. just because it's not on the radio doesnt mean it's not good. Are we posers? not even close. posers are defined by only following what is popular.

-Peace

Average customer rating:

Not Empire Strikes Back but more like Ghostbusters2
A comeback- Sort of.
QUEENSRYCHE rocks NOW, as THEN!!
excellent
If you like progressive, then progress!!

Operation: Mindcrime II
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000E1ZBHM
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Tracks:

Freiheit Ouverture
Convict
I'm American
One Foot in Hell
Hostage
Hands
Speed of Light
Signs Say Go
Re-Arrange You
Chase
Murderer?
Circles
If I Could Change It All
An Intentional Confrontation
Junkie's Blues
Fear City Slide
All The Promises

Amazon.com

Queensrÿche's sequel to the classic 1998 concept piece Operation: Mindcrime is not as good as the original. Mindcrime II lacks the sense of sweeping cinematic awe found on the original and although the quintet has managed to create an album that's equal to or above any studio outing it's done in recent years, there's nothing here that will bolster the band back to its former glory. A distinct lack of standout songs is perhaps the greatest problem. "Revolution Calling," "I Don't Believe In Love," and "Speak" became Queensrÿche classics not because they were part of the grand concept found on O:M, but because they could be drawn out and held up as fine examples of writing that probed the corrupt spirit of the age. O:M bled heavy truths from its deepest grooves.

Those familiar with the concept from the first album should note that this second installment focuses on protagonist Nikki and his desire to exact revenge on the corrupt Doctor X, making for a more insular narrative. That's a problem because one of the great thrills of the original Mindcrime was the scope of its scorn; here, the band never reaches beyond the confines of the world it created for this updated fantasy. The urgency that emanated from the earlier affair hasn't become muted, it has simply faded.

Yet, this new record's better than you might first believe and proves difficult to fully dismiss. In the 18 years since the original installment the band has become leaner, often more exacting, possessing a confidence that was less pronounced on earlier recordings. Scott Rockenfield's drumming has grown more interesting with time and the years have done little to lessen vocalist Geoff Tate's multi-octave expertise. The dual guitar attack of Michael Wilton and Mike Stone lacks the depth that the classic Wilton/Chris DeGarmo pairing had, but it proves enamoring on tracks such as "The Chase" (featuring a surprisingly pallid-sounding Ronnie James Dio), the swaggering "Junkie's Blues," and the near return-to-form "Fear City Slide."

No matter its strengths, O:M II ultimately reinforces the idea that while Queensrÿche's greatest moments may still lie ahead, the prospects of that being true become increasingly scant with each passing record. A decent enough stab at rekindling old glory that fails with admirable flair. --Jedd Beaudoin

Album Description

Seattle quintet Queensryche has always stood apart from other heavy metal bands through their artful progressive bent and intense observations on the world around them. With their third album, 1988's Grammy-nominated and critically acclaimed Operation: Mindcrime-a concept opus born out of Reagan-era disilllusionment-Queensryche transcended the metal label and sealed their reputation for cerebral musci and heady lyrical vision. Set 20 years later, and awash in "rock, revenge, and redemption," this brilliant new sequel was inspired by current political and social climates.

Customer Reviews:

Not Empire Strikes Back but more like Ghostbusters2.......2007-08-02

Most of the reviews I've read seem to correlate to my feelings on this album. Yes, this is the best Queensryche album since Promised Land, but that's not really saying much. No, it's not the same band that brought us the original masterpiece Operation Mindcrime, but I am not a Queensryche purist either. The word that keeps coming to my mind when I think about this album is the word "lacking", as in lacking in focus, lacking in emotion, lacking in anything memorable and finally my lack of interest when the album finally reaches its conclusion.

Now, granted that trying create a sequel to one of, if not THE greatest concept album of all time is quite a massive undertaking, but I figured that if anybody could pull it off, it was Queensryche...well I was wrong. I loved the opening premise of our anti-hero finally being released from prison and the frantic energy of "I'm American", but unfortunately after that the songs begin to sound the same..."I'm so angry...bla bla bla, sing a duet with sister mary...I'm so angry bla bla bla...I'm addicted to drugs...bla bla bla...sing a duet with Dr X...time to sing about the corrupt hypocracy of society...sing another duet with sister Mary...did I mention that I'm angry...bla bla bla". This isn't really the follow up I was hoping for when I heard a sequel to Mindcrime was in the works, whereas the original was a laserbeam of focused anger and emotion, and followed the aforementioned formula(no duet with Dr X though), it seemed more honest and had a more visceral feel and pissed-off energy. This effort seems unfocused and goes all over the place and I just can't summon the emotions I still feel when I listen to the original for the umpteenth time. At a time when the original Mindcrime seems more relevant than ever, I was disappointed with this effort at a sequel. Just listen to the original and pretend that it was written just yesterday and tell me you don't feel the same way.

So, yes it is interesting to see how the Mindcrime story finally does come to its conclusion(I rather enjoyed the fact that Dr X was the CEO of a Phamacutical company in this outing), and hearing the guys from Queensryche finally trying to shake off the cobwebs from previous efforts was like hearing from an old friend, this sequel, despite its shortcomings has found a permanent home in my music collection. Not as good as the original, but then again, few things are...3 stars.

A comeback- Sort of........2007-06-19

I have to admit that this album is growing on me when I listen to it more and more. At first I thought "blasphemy!", or "how could they do this"?
However, as I thought about it more and more, and read over interviews and years and years of discussion, studied Queensryche's history (one of my favorite bands at this moment), I began to see the reasons why the band chose to tackle this task. Its an enormous task, to be certain, because following up an album that is such a classic etched in time is not easy feat. On one level, OMCII is a very shallow sequel storywise. In fact, the story seems almost unnecessary when one looks at the album. Nikki gets revenge, then dies. I think it sums up most of the album's storyline, I feel that its a bit dissapointing in that regard. But the real motivation I believe for the band to do it, is not for a return to previous financial glory, but to PROVE TO THEMSELVES that they could do such an album without the input of one Chris Degarmo.
Its apparent that since his depature, the band has fumbled in the dark creatively (and critically, considering the scorn critics have lashed at their two previous releases) and the band wanted SOMETHING, ANYTHING to give them the motivation to do a good album again. So the results (this is only one persons opinion of course) are that the band chose to do Operation Mindcrime II.

Did they succeed? Yes and no. As previously stated, the storyline doesn't have that much depth. Sure it goes into Nikki's mind (in my opinion not enough), and his conscience, but I don't know if the story does anything but give an overview of a tortured soul.

Musically, however, Operation Mindcrime II is definitely back to where Queensryche were years ago.

Some "alternative" trappings remain (despite some previous statements to the contrary, there are some dropped d tuned songs on the record, more beatlesque or Zepelinish parts), and this is mixed with a mid period dual guitar format that QR used to explore on such records as Rage for Order or the original Mindcrime. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Its not that they totally abandoned the more alternative (or 70's rock based) sound of albums Promised Land onwards, but its not a one hundred percent trip back to the Eighties sound either.

The songs are there. Songs such as "the Hands" and "I'm American" are the best Queensryche have sounded in years. The album gets a little long winded in the second half, but thats ok, because the music is still more impassioned and epic then they've been for many years. Tate's singing is the best its been in years as well.

All is not great however. I don't feel the emotion is present that was on the original, even though it could have been.

Overall though, I think this is a step in the "Ryche" direction (couldn't resist the pun)!
I think that they have solidified the new lineup, and while Degarmo is not with the band anymore, they have proved that they are not creatively bankrupt with regards to writing music. The problem I see with it, is that they're halfway up to their previous glory, and its going to take more than a sequel to their best loved album to get there. I would have given this album four or five stars if the album was shorter, and it wasn't a sequel to Mindcrime (and the production was less muddy at times). It would have been still cool to have as a concept album, but by all means they could have come up with a different story and make that one more dramatic and convincing. By the way, rumor has it that the next album is being written, and that it will be a concept album, not at all related to the Mindcrime opus.

QUEENSRYCHE rocks NOW, as THEN!!.......2007-06-18

Everyone gets older, even those complaining about rock stars aging and "losing their pipes." I don't care if Geoff's pipes seem a little worn out. The fact of the matter is that Queensryche is a great rock band overall, with or without Chris DeGarmo. From what I've seen and heard, apparently it sounds like sour grapes on Chris DeGarmo's part, as he really is being inconsiderate to the fans of Queensryche while he was in the group. By abandoning Queensrych, he's abandoning Queensryche fans. Perhaps he think he's better than the other members of Queensryche. If that's the case, I don't care if he EVER comes back to Queensryche. There's nothing more I hate than a STUCK UP MUSICIAN! There will ALWAYS be someone better, including someone BETTER than you, Chris DeGarmo. Of course, he added his 2 cents to the band, as did the other members and all members' contributions are critical. I really enjoy Queensryche's song "Open" on the Tribe album. This, in fact, could have very well been a track on Empire. I will always be a Queensryche follower/fan. Just remember: All musicians are gifted and there is no room for conceit among the multitude of talented musicians.

excellent .......2007-06-10

If your a Q fan than yes this release has some great moments and is worth picking up!It took me awhile to buy it only because of the name they used for a title. Anytime you see a part 2 you have be on artist cashing in alert if you know what I mean. But this cd could have been called anything else and is still very good!! This cd is more of a rocker than tribe. The only thing that I would of liked to see is a free bonus dvd with this release it probably would of helped the sales of this effort of a band that was on top in the early 90s.

If you like progressive, then progress!!.......2007-05-11

Dictionary definition: "Pro-gres-sive a: characterized by progress b: interested in new ideas c: moving forward or onward : ADVANCING Antonyms: dormant, lazy, sluggish, static, conventional, mainstream." What part of this don't we understand?

Why listen to "Operation: Mindcrime II" if you already have "Operation: Mindcrime"? Well, why listen to "Wish You Were Here" or "The Wall" if you already have "Dark Side of the Moon"? Why listen to "Red" if you already have "In the Court of the Crimson King"? Why listen to "Thick As A Brick" if you already have "Aqualung"? Why listen to "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" if you already have "Images and Words"? Why listen to "10,000 Days" if you already have "Lateralus"?

"Hello? McFly!?" It's "progressive" music. It progresses. It presents new ideas (musically and lyrically). It moves forward and onward. It advances. It is not dormant, lazy (sticking with the "same old same old"), sluggish, static, conventional, and definitely NOT mainstream.

No Queenryche, much like Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Dream Theater, or Tool are not "starving for popularity." ("Middle age will do that to you"?!?!! Please!! If progressive artists were interested in popularity they would do the same things over and over that brought them to popularity at periods of their careers. If anything, middle age has made these artists some of the finest musicians in the world and able to do what they want to do. After all, do you want an intern operating on you or a seasoned surgeon?) Whew!! Glad I got all that out of the way, aren't you?

Fellow fans of progressive music, please do us all a favor. UNITE!! DON'T PAY HEED TO THE THREE-STAR REVIEWS!! "Operation: Mindcrime II" is an excellent album and it deserves the attention of progressive music fans everywhere. And the sheer fact that it came along some 18 years after the original and is still coherent and excellent is even more astonishing.

We often hear of the "big four" bands of grunge music, those being Soundgarden, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam. (Love `em all, by the way.) I believe we can also speak of the big three bands of progressive metal, those being Tool, Dream Theater, and, yes, Queensryche.

The music on "Operation: Mindcrime II" is impeccable, as we have come to expect from Queensryche, and Geoff Tate's vocals are definitely not middle-aged sounding. This guy has one he** of a set of lungs. The unique lyrical rhyming is present as well. I defy the other (emphasis on "other") armchair critics here to produce something that is a fraction, a miniscule fraction, as creative and interesting.

While "Operation: Mindcrime II" might not be as memorable as the original, it is still more than worth owning and will make hard core progressive music/concept album fans happier than a kid in a candy store.

I conclude by explaining my 5-star rating. I feel that this album deserves four stars but I am so annoyed by the average three-and-a-half rating that I feel compelled to do what I can to raise the average. GO TEAM PROGRESSIVE!! RAH! RAH! RAH!

Average customer rating:

Classic album, beginning of prog metal and perhaps something more
for me the best cd of queensryche
Rock Solid
Queensryche's One True Masterpiece
BEST ALBUM EVER !!!

Rage for Order
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Arena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Warning
Queensrÿche
Empire
Operation: Mindcrime
Promised Land

ASIN: B0000931Q7
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

Walk In The Shadows
I Dream In Infrared
The Whisper
Gonna Get Close To You
The Killing Words
Surgical Strike
Neue Regel
Chemical Youth (We Are Rebellion)
London
Screaming In Digital
I Will Remember
Gonna Get Close To You (12 Inch Version)
The Killing Words (Live)
I Dream In Infrared (1991 Acoustic Remix)
Walk In The Shadows (Live)

Customer Reviews:

Classic album, beginning of prog metal and perhaps something more.......2007-06-13

Rage for Order was the album that put Queensryche in the top tier of metal bands, and was also an early release of something that came to be called, progressive metal.

The album features enough all out metal to make any hesher raise their horns in excitement, but also features a cerebral side that would mean so much more in this style of music.

Also Neil Kernon's production, along with Dave "the Rave" Oglivie's mixing and assorted engineering gives this album an almost industrial feel at times, with sythesizers and sampling littered subtly throughout the album.

As the story goes, the band were frequenting goth clubs in Vancouver with Kernon during the making, and listening to bands as wide ranging as Rick Springfield, to, yes Dave the Rave's main gig; Skinny Puppy. The music is a somber mix of the traditional metal that the first album and ep have, with a newfound progressive sensibility (the occasional odd timing and exotic chord progressions) with a subtle Industrial touch, and the subjects range from love in a cyberpunk fashion to vampires.

In other words, the album is ahead of its time, and if you're still reading this review, you should be ashamed if you aren't listening to this already.

And also, this definitely features the best and most impassioned singing of Geoff Tate's entire career, if not in nearly all of metal.

The band's imagery confused people at the time, it was a nearly a cross between "hair metal" and "Victorian gothic" wear that the band was wearing. Surely the annoying image does not at all reflect the greatness of the music.

for me the best cd of queensryche.......2007-03-29

Raffinatissimo Metal, quì la band dimostra quanto sia geniale.
Este cd merece de ser ouvido!

Rock Solid.......2007-01-26

Not as groundbreaking as "Operation Mindcrime", or polished like "Empire", but "Rage for Order" is rock solid and a must have for fans. The first three songs grab your attention and blast you with clever synchronized guitar work and a tight rhythm section. Whenever I hear "I Dream in Infrared", the chorus won't leave my brain for days. The disc finds balance with the outstanding ballad "The Killing Words" and the progressive "Surgical Strike". It took me awhile to warm up to Geoff Tate's vocals - his pitch is fine but the vibrato and screechy tones can get to me, however, this never detracts from the music.

The remaster sounds thick and full and the four bonus tracks are worth listening to (not always the case with bonus tracks). Also, the liner notes include an article describing the record, and photos of the band, in long black leather capes looking way to serious with poofy 80's hair!

Queensryche's One True Masterpiece.......2007-01-24

As much as I hear time and again that "Mindcrime" was the Seattle quintet's finest, I always have to argue that this 1986 gem is the pinnacle of their career. While I was a big fan of Mindcrime and it's predecessor "The Warning", Rage For Order is QR's most consistent release and is mezmerising from start to finish. In a word.."perfect".
So few bands can boast having made a perfect album. I can think only of The Beatles (Sgt. Pepper & Revolver to name a few), Pink Floyd (The Wall, Dark Side), Dream Theater (Images & Awake), and Boston (Debut). Rage is an album to be listened to and appreciated. Released in the hey-day of "hair metal", this album has not one single song that lends itself to the tag. None of the songs, while very image provoking, could be easily made into an MTV hit. Although "Gonna Get Close To You" aired on MTV (rarely I might add) it didn't even scratch the surface of this album's potential.
Overall, the performances of each member outshine anything before, or since. DeGarmo and Wilton trade licks masterfully. Rockenfield and Jackson keep a very tight bottom end. Tate...well...Tate was THE metal singer at that time and this was his finest performance.
While the mix was somewhat lacking, the production was incredible. Each song blends into each other perfectly. This was metal that was unique and completely original. I think the term "thinking man's metal" was coined at the time. That said, I can think of no other release at the time to which that term could be applied. Unlike most of their metal contemporaries at the time, Rage was athmospheric, intellectual, and surreal. Rage succeeded where Priest's "Turbo" failed abysmally. It was a stark vision of the future and the metal was more futuristic than we'd ever heard before. It was like listening to a whole new machine. It still holds it's own 20 year later, seeming as fresh and "now" as anything in progressive metal.

BEST ALBUM EVER !!!.......2007-01-12

Usually when you listen to an album , it takes about 3- 5 listens until it grows on you. Back in 86, the first time I heard this album, it hit me like a ton of bricks. And to this day, it is still my favorite album by anyone. The melodies on this record are amazing. Also the harmonies. And the prodution was ahead of it's time. I still have never heard anything that sounds like this. Also Geoff Tate was in his prime vocally.
Out of the 11 songs, 9 of them are perfect 10's. Chemical Youth and
I Will Remember are a little behind the rest. If you like melodic Metal, this is the Masterpiece!!!

Sign of the Times - The Best Of Queensryche (Deluxe Edition)

Average customer rating:

Sign of the Times - The Best Of Queensryche (Deluxe Edition)
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Mindcrime at the Moore
Queensrÿche: Mindcrime at the Moore
Real to Reel
The Dio Years
Snakes & Arrows

ASIN: B000T2PRJ8
Release Date: 2007-08-28

Tracks:

Queen Of The Reich
Warning
Walk In The Shadows
Take Hold Of The Flame
The Lady Wore Black
I Don't Believe In Love
Eyes Of A Stranger
Silent Lucidity
Bridge
Jet Set Woman
Another Rainy Night (Without You)
Sign Of The Times
I Am I
Real World
Some People Fly
Until There Was You
All The Promises

Tracks:

Take Hold Of The Flame - Myth Previously unreleased "Myth" demo
Walk In The Shadow - Myth Previously unreleased "Myth" demo
Before The Storm - Myth Previously unreleased "Myth" demo
Waiting For The Kill Previously unreleased demo
No Sanctuary Previously unreleased demo
Prophecy Previously unreleased demo
I Dream In Infrared 1991 Acoustic Remix
Dirty Lil Secret
Last Time In Paris
Scarborough Fair
Della Brown MTV Unplugged - Recorded at MTV Studios - New York, NY 4/27/92
Someone Else?
Silent Lucidity (Live) Recorded at The Astoria Theatre, London, England 10/20/94
Chasing Blue Sky
Justified New Track

Album Description

This is the Definitive Queensryche Collection featuring 17 Hits and Classic tracks including 7 Mainstream Rock Top 10 Chart Hits.

Tracks:

Queen Of The Reich
Nightrider
Blinded
The Lady Wore Black
Nightrider
Prophecy
Deliverance
Child Of Fire
En Force
Blinded
The Lady Wore Black
Warning
Take Hold Of The Flame
Queen Of The Reich

Customer Reviews:

A glimpse at what was to come.......2007-03-28

This disc is an amazing debut. The original was only 4 songs long, but it put them on a par with Judas Priest and Iron Maiden istantly. If you like Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, you'll like this too.

A remarkable beginning;.......2006-11-28

After discovering 'Prophesy' was supposed to be on this album, I bought it at the first opportunity. Before, I knew I liked 'Queen of the Reich', 'Lady wore Black', and then I discovered 'Prophesy.' Those are three out of five original songs on this album(back then, they were these large black plastic 'albums'!LoL) that rock the hell out of most bands even before Queensryche's later stuff. But, then I gave blinded and nightrider third chances; i had already determined they were at least worth listening to if you were 'in the mood.' But now, I'm just amazed at those songs as much as the 'big' three! This album just on those songs is equal if not better than anything from any other rock band; this album is better than anything metallica has ever put together!

The Warning in my opinion outside of the obvious two songs 'Take Hold of the Flame(one of the great songs of our times and important to any queensryche fan), and 'Roads to Madness', is the band trying to find another way of playing this music they found in a new way. Warning has some moments of hope for the 'Warning' album, but the rest of the songs continue to fall short(I've been listening to queensryche since getting 'Operation Mindcrime' on cassette; yes, I still have it on cassette); the band didn't figure out how to take their musical sound to another level till 'Rage for Order.' Some people consider 'Warning' a continuation of this first effort of theirs, but like I explain, they were really trying to find their way out of it; good thing they did, because as I've just listened to 'Tribe' and 'Hear in the Now Frontier' after listening to 'Operation Mindcrime 11', Queensryche is probably my favorite band for 'intelligent' music; deep music that requires a musical sense and some concentration to like it.

Great raw debut. Every classic metal fan needs this!.......2006-04-12

This is Queensryche's debut. Too bad there is only 4 songs here but on the remastered version theres 10 songs performed live from 1984 on it! Anyway this is the most raw release from Queensryche. If they put 4 or 5 more songs on this album in this style than it might have been one of the best albums ever.

1.Queen of the Reich- 10/10 One of Queensryche's best songs ever! This classic opens up with a great high pitched scream which Geoff Tate holds for over 10 seconds! The riff is great too. The song is in the style of early 80's power metal such as Iron Maiden and Dio. Geoff Tate hits a ton of high notes in this song aswell as some very low notes! The solo is great and the harmony is excellent. The part of the solo where just Degarmo plays reminds me of Vivian Campbell and Dave Murray. The chorus is excellent aswell. The lyrics are cool as hell too! Incredible vocals and just overall an awesome song. I can't say enough about this song.

2.Nightrider- 10/10 Another great classic power metal song. The intro gives this song a nice build up. Another excellent riff. Tate's first scream is cool as hell too. This song turns into an excellent fast song. Tate's vocals are amazing too. Another awesome chorus too. The guitar solo is excellent too. Another classic Queensryche song. A ton of great screams by Geoff Tate on this song

3.Blinded- 10/10 Another great song. Geoff Tate's vocals are amazing once again. This sounds quite a bit like Iron Maiden. Another great guitar solo and more excellent screams from Geoff Tate.

4.The Lady Wore Black- 10/10 An amazing epic song! This reminds me a bit of Take Hold Of The Flame. The song starts off soft and stays that way for a bit. Geoff Tate's vocals are incredible on this song. Geoff Tate takes his singing to another level on this song. The heavy part is excellent too. The lyrics are great on this song too. The song switches between the soft and heavy part a few times and that makes the song seem more epic. Another amazing solo too! I can't say enough about this amazing song.

The songs on this E.P. are masterpeices. Queen Of The Reich and The Lady Wore Black are 2 of the best songs ever recorded! Geoff Tate has never sounded better than on this album and the riffs and solos are excellent too. The music is very similar to Dio and Iron Maiden.

Geoff Tate- Vocals
Chris Degarmo- Guitar
Michael Wilton- Guitar
Scott Rockenfield- Drums
Eddie Jackson- Bass

There is no escape...........2005-10-08

In 1983, Queensryche exploded onto the metal scene with this EP. A little known band from Bellevue, WA, it was by pure chance that KERRANG! Magazine got their hands on this EP and wrote an article heralding it as the future of metal. The world would never be the same.

22 years later, this EP has aged extremely well. The music takes hold of you once you hear Geoff Tate's amazing scream in the beginning of the title track, and it never lets you go. If someone were to hear this music for the first time in the present day, they may not think much of it, but for 1983, it was a groundbreaking release. Backing up Tate are the band's two most important songwriters, lead guitarists Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton, as well as Eddie Jackson (bass) and Scott Rockenfield (drums). This lineup would remain the same for the next fifteen years. Geoff Tate, in my opinion, is the greatest rock/metal vocalist of all time. I have seen this band live many times, and his range and power are just as perfect in person, even in the year 2005.

The title track, 'Nightrider,' 'Blinded,' and 'The Lady Wore Black' are all metal classics that can be listened to thousands of times. In addition to Tate's vocals, both DeGarmo and Wilton were already writing and playing some of the most well constructed and creative solos on this record. They were in their late teens/early 20's, but their solos were totally flawless. When this album was re-released in 1986, the bonus track 'Prophecy' was added. I have always felt this track was a hidden gem in the Queensryche catalog and I would even say it's better than the rest of the tracks on this EP. The solos are full of tremolo action, finger tapping, hammer-on's, pull-off's, and arpeggios. One of my favorite aspects of DeGarmo's and Wilton's solos is there's always a healthy balance between technique and feeling. I always felt this was missing in most other metal from the early 80's.

If you're new to Queensryche, I would buy this EP along with THE WARNING and RAGE FOR ORDER. After you listen to all three albums about one hundred times, and you start to believe the music just couldn't get any better, go out and buy OPERATION MINDCRIME to be truly blown away!!!

A beginning........2005-06-15

In the early 80s, before Seattle emerged as a viable option on the musical map, there was a band called Queensryche that recorded and independently released an EP (foreshadowing the path chosen by many local bands years later). This is that EP.

The truth of the matter is, there's little on here to separate this from dozens of other metal releases of the era-- admittedly, the performance is good, but the material itself is fairly week. The first three pieces were written before vocalist Geoff Tate became involved and are pretty much straightforward metal-- well executed, but not terribly interesting. "The Lady Wore Black", written by Tate and guitarist Chris DeGarmo, shows a bit more promise. Its a somewhat better song, with a quiet verse-loud chorus structure that hints at what would come to Seattle a decade later, and it shows a marked improvement over the other tracks. But in the end, the value of this is for historical purposes, not merit, the band would go on to so much more in the future, and this recording sounds an awful lot like any number of other early '80s metal acts.

On this reissue, the record has been remastered-- it sounds crisp and clean, with no traces of its age in the recording fidelity (not the music!). Further, the EP is augmented by ten tracks originally from the "Live in Japan" video. Recorded in 1984, this is the real value of the disc, the early show illustrates where the band's reputation was made, they were clearly hungry and perform quite powerfully-- the entire EP gets a reading as does five tracks from the then soon-to-be-released "The Warning" and "Prophecy". While musically this all falls short of what was to come, the performance is superb, particularly on standouts "Prophecy" and "Take Hold of the Flame", and the evolution that band was undergoing was astonishing-- the newer material was far more advanced from the EP.

If you're interested in Queensryche, start with their middle period material-- "Operation: Mindcrime" if you're a metal fan, "Empire" if you're AOR, "Promised Land" if you're a bit weird. Save this one for later. Its a nice package, but only for fans.

Average customer rating:

IF ONLY
i can't believe it took me so long to get into this album!
E A S I L Y
Thank God for Queensyche
Warning

The Warning
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Rage for Order
Queensrÿche
Empire
Promised Land
Operation: Mindcrime

ASIN: B0000931Q3
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

Warning
En Force
Deliverance
No Sanctuary
N M 156
Take Hold Of The Flame
Before The Storm
Child Of Fire
Roads To Madness
Prophecy
The Lady Wore Black (Live)
Take Hold Of The Flame (Live)

Customer Reviews:

IF ONLY.......2007-03-13

this is one cd that is a must in every metal heads collection. from the beginning to the end of the cd there is no compromising. ultra high pitch vocals and classic heavy metal riffs blaze through the entire album. VERY FEW BANDS in metal history have come close or have topped this gem. if only they pursued this genre, it really is a pity they wimped out after this. for those who own this and are longing for a sequel to warning i highly recommend crimson glory's first two cds and lethal's programmed album.

i can't believe it took me so long to get into this album!.......2006-12-04

I've always loved 'Take hold of the flame', a song a second cousin of mine from Wisconson who came down to San Diego for awhile introduced to me when in junior high or there-abouts. I knew and had operation mindcrime then, but I never got around to getting this or any other previous album. Enough of me, how about the album!

I got into their first album, and the new remastered cd has some live versions of this albums songs; at first, I didn't make out much of those songs(i discovered a dirty little secret! Play these remastered albums loud! Make sure you have the stereo turned the right way and all! Don't be cheap about listening to this or any other Queensryche album; it helps! All those other albums I give the same recommendation!

Back to the album - I noted 'Warning' had a few moments on the live versions from the new remastered first Queensryche album, and then, I tried 'Deliverence', and that was it, I had to buy the album; how many bands can put out an album with at least half the songs being pretty good? Not many! That is my measure of when to buy an album! Once I got the album and got a chance to play it loud and not sleeping behind my little blaster, I found just about all the songs were great! I still think Child of Fire isn't so great.

One thing is for sure, Queensryche music is brain food; my definition of whether music is brain food is if it takes some musical growth on your part to get into rythm and harmony; and if you don't play Queensryche loudly, it'll only take you longer to get into it!

E A S I L Y .......2006-08-31

The Ryches best. Before the storm, Child of fire... They never got near the energy of this cd again.. Great disc that holds some good memories for me. Must have.

Thank God for Queensyche.......2006-07-21

What can I say it's Queensryche in their early years [which just happens to be when they were the best]. I'm just gonna keep it short in simple and say that this is one of their finest moments and they rock throught the entire thing!!!

[I really cant speak for the extra tracks on this cd because I borrow my dads older version of this disc] seeya!!

Warning.......2006-04-07

Excellent album. I like the dark and gothic theme of the album. Tate's vocals soar on this work. This is what QR is all about. This is one of the strongest albums in their catalouge.

Average customer rating:

wrong re-egalisation.
they should have stopped with Mindcrime
Very good and intelligent rock cd
Another classic release I didn't get at the time.
Great But Not There Best

Empire
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Operation: Mindcrime
Rage for Order
Hear in the Now Frontier
Q2K
Promised Land

ASIN: B000002UV9
Release Date: 1990-08-20

Tracks:

Best I Can
The Thin Line
Jet City Woman
Della Brown
Another Rainy Night (Without You)
Empire
Resistance
Silent Lucidity
Hand On Heart
One And Only
Anybody Listening?

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

wrong re-egalisation........2007-08-01

Empire was probably re mixed by the musicians with ther damaged earing, so the midband and hi frequency are on the brighter side of reality and became verry agressive at high volume. Silent lucidity is a good example with is harsh trebble.
The cd format sound much more analog than the 24/96 dvd audio but the midband frequency is more darker (and much more listenable).
The old cd format is more pleasing to lisen to and much well recorded than the new dvd audio mix.
The problem was (i think) the re-egalisation of all the songs, not the dvd audio format.

sebastrophile

they should have stopped with Mindcrime.......2007-06-28

I first encountered these guys in high school with Operation:Mindcrime and immediately picked up their previous releases. Empire is an attempt to create a successful record that sounds like the popular (and worst song of the Mindcrime album) "I Don't Believe in Love." While they succeeded in scoring a big hit with the Empire album, they also lost what made them distinctive during their rise in the 80s. Too bad.

Very good and intelligent rock cd.......2007-06-23

Very good rock album, played by great musicians and with the incredible voice of Goeff Tate. Great sound and highly recommanded for any rock music fan. No filler, just good tracks on this one. Their second best album, my first choice goes to "Operation Mindcryme"

Another classic release I didn't get at the time. .......2007-06-13

With this album, Queensryche truly went for broke. Gone were the concepts and fantasy themes of previous releases, but also gone was the more pointed social commentary of previous album, Operation Mindcrime, for a more subtle topical exploration, still political but more nuanced (as on the song "Resistance").

Now to digress, at the time I disliked the album. I thought it was Queensryche's equivalent to the more refined approach of such albums as Metallica's "Black Album" or Megadeth's "Countdown to Extinction".

17 years on (!) I have realized that the album not only succeeds on all the levels the Ryche's previous albums had, but perhaps more.

Musically, the album seems almost to be a "lost album" between RFO and Mindcrime, the reason saying this is that in between the progressive strains of Rage but also the more refined approach from the more "accessible" songs on Mindcrime ("I Don't Believe in Love, etc).

The album starts on a high note (Best I Can) and doesn't let up.

Anybody Listening is another highlight, but the whole album is full of killer hooks, great solos, and excellent progressive strains only rivalled by those of a band such as Rush.

The airey Floyd influence of main songwriter Chris Degarmo can be felt on many of the better tracks, including the overplayed but still excellent "Silent Lucidity".

In conclusion, me realizing with age that the band didn't set out to make an overtly commercial release but just happened to stumble upon the commercial success, doing what they did best before this one. There are no songs that wouldn't neccesarily be on previous releases, its just that the band hit paydirt with Silent Lucidity and Jet City Woman (etc), and there were moments of more commercial potential on every album before this.

Great But Not There Best.......2006-08-22

This record is great but as the title says, not there best, some songs are a little too slow which is my only problem but the lyrics are once again amazing. Well Worth Getting Though Fopr Tracks LIke Empire, Della Brown, Jet City Women And Anybody Listing?, Another Rainy nite without you

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