Album Rating: 4.7

--I can easily leave our Rage For Order, because I haven't listened to it yet :D Same for Promised Land. They're in my list though--



So, I'm sure you know what you need to do...

Album Rating: 4.0

Definitely check them out, they are arguably peaks of Queensryche creativity. Rage is a quirky hybrid of heavy metal and gothic rock, whereas Promised Land is the absolute "anti Empire" due to it being a brooding reflection on disillusion and mental health (somebody called it "heavy metal's Pink Floyd" and I've been referring to it as such ever since).

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

These guys crafted a niche for themselves, just like Dream Theater a few years later.



And yes, Promised Land is their Floyd album

Album Rating: 4.7

Even though there's only two original members, I'd say they're still carving a niche and they've definitely made a resurgence.

Album Rating: 5.0

i guess it's bad timing for me to come in here

Album Rating: 4.7

Ha ha. You can sense that someone on Sputnik might be giving the new line-up the benefit of the doubt, and you can't rest until that's rectified.

Album Rating: 5.0

I'm at peace with it Willie bro, I hope they all find great success

Album Rating: 4.7

I think it's probably too late for 'great success' at this point in their career. I'm pretty sure "don't have a day job" status is just fine for them these days.

Album Rating: 5.0

agreed

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Due to the tremendous respect and admiration I have for the band's golden years, I honestly wish they had ended many years ago.



I know you don't agree with me, but these days they're an ordinary band.

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah, they are an ordinary band nowadays but they are active after all those problems and they definitely have my respect. As for the "Floyd" album of Queensryche i completely disagree that Promised Land is such. Operation Mindcrime is full of Floyd references and RogerWatersness. In Empire as well, Silent Lucidity is the cousin of Comfortably Numb. In Promised Land i can only see a loose connection, most of it in the mentality of Tate's lyrics.

Album Rating: 4.7

--Due to the tremendous respect and admiration I have for the band's golden years, I honestly wish they had ended many years ago.

I know you don't agree with me, but these days they're an ordinary band.--

I don't agree with the first part, but I do agree with the second part. There's nothing they're doing that makes them stand out... except for the level they're playing at. Maybe not exceptionally, but definitely pretty great.

Album Rating: 4.0

"As for the "Floyd" album of Queensryche i completely disagree that Promised Land is such. Operation Mindcrime is full of Floyd references and RogerWatersness. In Empire as well, Silent Lucidity is the cousin of Comfortably Numb. In Promised Land i can only see a loose connection, most of it in the mentality of Tate's lyrics."

Mmmh PL seems the obvious choice to me for the Floyd-ish pick. The wandering solo that starts ~2:45 into Out of Mind comes to mind, or the sense of alienation in the title track and Disconnected with their use of synth/voice samples and sax. Not to mention the lyrics that make me think of TDotM/WYWH with the various themes (disillusion, success, mental disorders... ) throughout the album.



"There's nothing they're doing that makes them stand out... except for the level they're playing at. Maybe not exceptionally, but definitely pretty great."

Agreed. My main issue with them now is about variety, as in I am used to the golden age where the albums were all unique whereas now they've done three "return to roots(?)" in a row.

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Yeah I think that's mostly how I feel about them now as well.

Album Rating: 4.7

--Agreed. My main issue with them now is about variety, as in I am used to the golden age where the albums were all unique whereas now they've done three "return to roots(?)" in a row.--



I wouldn't call the last two return to roots. There isn't another Queensryche album that sounds like the last two releases... especially the latest one.

Album Rating: 4.0

I don't completely disagree with you, but my point is that they are three records deep into something that you could easily turn into one single album by taking only the best songs, and I just wish for something more ambitious now.



Also a malicious listener could single out every moment where they sound like an older song and say stuff like "sure Inside Out is a novelty but then the chorus is a bit of a NM 156 knock off", "Man the Machine is just Speak with Mindcrime's t/t solo section thrown in", "All There Was is just The Needle Lies 2", "Just Us is Just Silent Lucidity", etc.

Album Rating: 4.7

I don't know how much more ambitious they're capable of being with the current songwriters. Everyone knows Wilton is the metal guy, and the rest of the band seems to lean in that same direction. At best, it seems like we're going to get solid, memorable, prog-lite.



Chris Degarmo was the guy that could craft all those subtle classy melodies and songs, and (for better or worse) Geoff was the one with the ambitious ideas, and Rockenfield was the one that liked to add strings and orchestration and soundtrack elements to the songs. Without at least one of those three, standard prog rock is the order of the day... but it's still good.



I haven't noticed any of the similarities you mentioned, so I'm going to go back and check it out.

Album Rating: 3.5

could never get into this one as much as everything that came before

Album Rating: 4.5

Iiiiiiii'm all alooooone!

It's anooother rainy niiiiiiiiiiiight without you!

Album Rating: 4.7

--could never get into this one as much as everything that came before---



This is the one that introduced me to the band, so it will always have that nostalgic bonus going for it.