Rough Edge: Queensryche CD Reviews

"Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensryche" (Capitol; 2007)
(Deluxe Edition)
(Standard Edition)

Greatest hits packages are usually easy to review. "Sign of the Times" is no exception.

With 17 tracks and over 80 minutes of music, "Sign of the Times" is a strong representation of the long and successful career of one of hard rock's most respected and, sometimes most frustrating (see Mr. Kelter's review of "Q2K" below), bands.

Beginning with "Queen of the Reich," from the band's self-titled EP and ending with "All the Promises," from "Operation Mindcrime II" (the brilliant sequel to the band's biggest album), "Sign of the Times" rocks solidly from beginning to end and gives the listener a strong feeling for the band's growth and history.

The CD is available in two versions and, although both are recommended, the Special Edition gets higher marks for containing a second CD featuring 15 "rare tracks," including live versions, demos and a new track entitled "Justified." Both versions contain a sixteen-page booklet, a discography and track notes from the band's Geoff Tate.

The usual "Greatest Hits" caveats apply: 1) You don't need to buy the standard edition of this disc if you have the band's entire catalog on CD already (many of the tracks here first appeared as bonus tracks elsewhere) and 2) No "Greatest Hits" package can please everyone. You know there are tracks here that one fan will think don't belong that other fans will find essential.

Again, the single disc edition is plenty for the casual Queensryche fan. Those looking for a little more should spend the extra dough and pick up the Special Edition version.

1988 – 2006. From the end of the story in "Operation Mindcrime," (which left the unanswered question, "Who Killed Mary?") Queensryche picks up as though they never intended to leave that question unanswered. They just waited eighteen years to release "Operation Mindcrime II." Even though they’ve released five CDs since the original and "II" they go back and create the same music as before. They even tuned back to A so that it wouldn’t sound outdated, but rather updated, to go along with the story.

I remember the original, classic "Operation MIndcrime" and I was always hopeful they would do a sequel. "Operation Mindcrime" was almost an hour long and so is "II." I recommend playing these discs back to back with nobody interrupting the audio story. It will be two hours well spent. The bridge between both discs is seamless. After listening, you might think they recorded them back to back and didn't actually wait through a couple of Presidential elections to release them to the public.

The voice of Sister Mary is again played by Pamela Moore, but Dr. X is played by Ronnie James Dio. Geoff Tate is currently in negotiations to turn "Operation Mindcrime I" and "II" into a movie. I don't know about you but that gets me wiggling in my chair with anticipation. I don’t want to go too much into the story of "Mindcrime II" because I’m not the spoiler type of person. I will tell you that Nicky gets his revenge but, as always, it's bittersweet and ... well, the rest is to be figured out by you.

Queensryche: Geoff Tate – vocals; Michael Wilton – guitars; Mike Stone – guitars, vocals; Eddie Jackson – bass, vocals; Scott Rockenfield – drums.

This DVD contains the same live performance as you get with the CD below but, of course, the differences are obvious: 1) You get to see the band perform this show as well as hear them; 2) The bonus features. Included on the DVD are an interesting interview with Geoff Tate, an explanation of the whole "MindCrime" phenomenon (a featurette entitled "The Live Crime Story") and more.

This DVD contains pretty much the same footage the original VHS did ten years ago but the picture looks great and the sound quality is awesome. The performance isn't exactly incendiary but it's strong enough. The bonus material alone, however, is nearly worth the price of purchase.

Bottom line: Queensryche fans will want this improved video version in their collection.

I've never been much of a Queensryche fan. I mean, I like the band's music just fine - I have most of their CDs in my collection - but I never really got to know the music or to follow the band's history. I saw them a couple of times live (both times as an opening act) and was impressed with their performance. Basically, I just never went out of my way for Queensryche.

Which is why "Operation: LIVECrime," which was originally released years ago as part of a video/CD package and is now available separately, was such a pleasant surprise. Not only does this CD showcase Queensryche's musical ability and live charisma, but it's a fine example of their extraordinary songwriting ability.

Of course, "Operation: LIVECrime" is simply a live performance of the band's "Operation Mindcrime" studio CD, their best-selling and probably most enduring. In fact, tracks 1 - 15 of this CD are identical to the studio version, albeit live. Track 16 and 17 are "previously unreleased" live tracks recorded in Madison, WI on May 10, 1991. Frankly, these tracks aren't bad, but they add little to the original recording (although fans of the band will no doubt find them worth the purchase price alone).

What does add considerably to this edition of "LIVECrime" is the brilliant remastering. This CD sounds great. The recording is clear and sharp and the music sounds great. It's as if it were recorded last month rather than ten years ago. It's truly remarkable.

Queensryche recently released a double-live CD from their most recent tour but this classic is a must for those who want to hear the band at their prime.

Queensryche: Geoff Tate - vocals; Chris DeGarmo - guitar; Michael Wilton - guitar; Eddie Jackson - bass; Scott Rockenfield - drums.

The sad demise of Queensryche continues. That crashing sound you just heard was the crushed hopes of Queensryche fans everywhere.

I was hoping the departure of Chris DeGarmo might return the band to glorious, dynamic hard rock dueling guitars. Alas, there isn't as much as one might hope for. Most tracks, while not outright bad, are simply flat and lifeless. The bottom line is that nothing really reaches out and demands attention.

There are some interesting moments such as the give-and-take solos of Wilton and Gray on "Falling Down, " the bluesy slide guitar break in the otherwise ordinary "One Life," and "Liquid Sky" is one of the few songs where both the music and the vocals combine into a unique track.

"Beside You" is a jumbled mess, "Breakdown" is a straight-ahead rocker that is no threat to their previous work, and "Burning Man" is aimless.

As always, Queensryche offer an avant-garde excursion into uncharted territory with their last track. "The Right Side Of My Mind" combines the somber nature of "Someone Else?" (from "Promised Land") with the twisted meandering of "sp00l" (from "Hear In The Now Frontier"). Does this track redeem Queensryche? Not quite, but it helps form the disc being a complete loss.

I was ready to give this album only one and a half chainsaws, but I must give credit where credit is due - Geoff Tate saves this disc and thus his performance alone makes it worthy of two chainsaws. Tate shines on nearly every track, but "Sacred Ground," "When The Rain Comes," and "The Right Side Of My Mind" really stand out.

This album is for Queensryche fans only. There are plenty of reasons to listen to the disc on headphones to fully appreciate the ear candy that are placed throughout. Nearly every track has ample studio manipulations and trickery to give the songs some dynamic depth. However, listening to this disc through normal speakers is a big disappointment.

Queensryche is Geoff Tate on vocals, Michael Wilton and Kelly Grey on guitars, Eddie Jackson on bass, and Scott Rockenfield on drums. Queensryche produced "Q2K."

For more information visit the band's official website at http://www.queensryche.com/ and learn more about their recent efforts.

For a line-up that never changes, "Hear In The Now Frontier" displays a variety of sounds. It's even more remarkable that it sounds as good as it does since - at this point - Queensryche is merely a front for Chris DeGarmo's songs. Hardly anyone else in the band is contributing any longer and therein lies much of the disappointment of "Hear In The Now Frontier."

Much of the metal foundation from the early days of "Queen Of The Ryche" and "Rage For Order" is gone in favor of a sound based in hard rock. Admittedly, the disc starts off with a great song. "Sign Of The Times" is a classic Queensryche tune that uses chaotic modern living as the source for its inspiration. "Reach," the only song that offers Michael Wilton's songwriting, again is forged in a hard rock style, yet Wilton's unique stamp is all over this song. "Saved" is another decent tune that shows the band experimenting with overlaid lead vocals and backing vocals to great effect.

Many of the progressive elements that Queensryche are known for are quite evident and add quirky touches and angles to the band's songs. "Hero" and "spOOL" are the two songs that bring the progressive sound to the forefront; as can be expected, I enjoyed the freak-out, non-standard structure of "spOOL" as it is the most adventurous song on the disc.

Basically "Hear In The Now Frontier" is for fans of Queensryche that simply must have the band's entire catalog. Then again, if you enjoy hard rock with metallic influences and progressive angles, then "Hear In The Now Frontier" could offer something worth liking - hell, there are fourteen songs so there should be something for everyone.

Queensryche is Geoff Tate on vocals, Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton on guitars, Eddie Jackson on bass, and Scott Rockenfield on drums and percussion.