Metal Heads - Queensryche

[razoredge]

Well I know theres not to many metal heads here but I wanted to tell everyone I went to see Queensryche Operation Mindcrime in its new entirity Thursday night, at Albanys old Palace Theater. Not the best place acoustically for heavy music. I saw Rush and Blue Oyster Cult there twice 30 years ago and the place just boomed, resonating on a certain bass frequency in the Balcony, but they were very loud concerts. People like Santana, Robert Cray, Jean Luc Ponty, Jeff Beck/Jan Hammer and even Uriah Heep did much better acoustically.

Anyhow the Queensryche soundman did an excellent job considering and it was not stageringly loud. We abaondoned the balcony and went downstairs where the sound was excellent. Mindcrime II had a point 3/4 of the way through that seemed to get lost in a big climax for far too long but overall it was a great show. Geoff Tate gives his all and really is as good live as in studio, forgiving the sound quality lost in a live show. For an encore, they made us work for it, giving our all as we had recieved. They came back and performed killer accounts of Take Hold of the Flame followed by Jet City Woman.

A memorable night in my life, if they ever come around again I will not miss it. Heres to our progessive rock and metal music, a dying breed of lost art

[Hudson]

I saw Queensryche when they performed "Operation: Mindcrime" on the "Building Empires" tour in 1991. It was the best concert I've ever seen. So much so that when the Pittsburgh Press wrote a bad review of the show, I wrote a reply claiming that the review had not seen Queensryche at all (he mentioned the opening act, Suicidal Tendencies, in the review but never mentioned anything specific to Queensryche's performance). It was an excellent show.

I have been disappointed by "Operation: Mindcrime II" as a record, which has prevented me from buying tickets to the new tour.

[mustang84]

Never seen Queensryche in concert yet, but it's something I'd like to do if they ever come to Iowa.

I bought O:M II and it seemed decent at first, but I grew tired of it pretty quickly. I don't think I've listened to it in three months now. It's not a terrible album and it definitely has its moments, but I find myself putting Rage for Order or the original Mindcrime into the disc changer when I'm feeling like some 'ryche. I think the problem with II is that it lost the epic feel of the original.

[razoredge]

I like The Warning and Empire the best. Listen to Q2K alot too.I now have to buy Mindcrime II, I wanted to see the concert first. I know something went astray in the middle, with the recording I will understand better.

[regfootball]

i've still never heard this album. call me weird

[Hudson]

i've still never heard this album.  call me weird

212523[/snapback]

Weird.

Seriously, it needs to rank among the best rock albums of all time. I still don't know why "Operation: Mindcrime" hasn't received more acclaim.

[Cory Wolfe]

I'm more of a modern metal head. I like the older stuff like this but it doesnt stick in my mind. I can't really think of songs by Queensryche at the moment, for example. Mention SOAD or something like that, though.. and I'm right there with you.

Edited November 6, 2006 by blackviper8891

[mustang84]

Weird.

Seriously, it needs to rank among the best rock albums of all time. I still don't know why "Operation: Mindcrime" hasn't received more acclaim.

212545[/snapback]

Agreed, arguably among the best conceptual albums as well. Right up there with The Wall.

[Hudson]

I'm more of a modern metal head. I like the older stuff like this but it doesnt stick in my mind. I can't really think of songs by Queensryche at the moment, for example. Mention SOAD or something like that, though.. and I'm right there with you.

212649[/snapback]

Then you should give this disc another spin. "The Needle Lies," "I Don't Believe in Love," and "Eyes of a Stranger" are among my favorites.

[Cory Wolfe]

Give me the CD so I can spin it.

Right now, I'm listening to Metallic, though. They rank up there with SOAD on my list. They're about the oldest band I've had enough interest in to buy CDs of. Have every one up to and including the Black album.

If I had the money, I'd go out and pick up random CDs of older bands I think I'd like, like Queensryche...

[FAPTurbo]

I think it's be funny to see and hear Heavy Metal blasting out of a Mazda Millenia.

Edited November 6, 2006 by Captainbooyah

[Cory Wolfe]

I think it's be funny to see and hear Heavy Metal blasting out of a Mazda Millenia.

212679[/snapback]

Just come to Brookville if you want to find out.

SOAD, Metallica, KoRn, Marilyn Manson, Linkin Park, and Evanescense make up the 6 CD's in my CD changer. Then I have the volume cranked up. The Bose system doesn't fulfill me, though. It's stronger than the aftermarket speakers and reciever that were in my Grand Am, but my mom's Sunfire with its Monsoon system blows it away.

Edited November 6, 2006 by blackviper8891

[FAPTurbo]

Well at least you have a good sound system. The stock 4-Speaker set-up in the truck can leave me wanting.

Still, nothing says "Fun" like blasting "Hot For Teacher" or Vince Neils' "Look In Her Eyes" with the windows down!

Yo, razor? You mention Jan Hammer in your above post! That's the dude who did Miami Vice's soundtrack, right? I have some of his stuff and I have to be the only 19 year old in a square 100,000,000 kilometers to have it.

Edited November 6, 2006 by Captainbooyah

[mustang84]

Give me the CD so I can spin it.

Right now, I'm listening to Metallic, though. They rank up there with SOAD on my list. They're about the oldest band I've had enough interest in to buy CDs of. Have every one up to and including the Black album.

If I had the money, I'd go out and pick up random CDs of older bands I think I'd like, like Queensryche...

212677[/snapback]

I think you'd like Queensryche if you gave them a shot. They have a lot of deep meaning in the lyrics and the vocalist Geoff Tate is one of the best out there. If you ever get the chance to buy a CD by them or someone has a copy, start with Operation: Mindcrime. That was my first QR disc and it got me hooked.

Mustang84's quick guide to Queensryche:

Queensryche (1983) - debut album, pretty good but only has four songs unless you buy the remastered version with some live recordings. Very heavy metal...kind of the old school dungeons and dragons type of metal. Queen of the Reich, The Lady Wore Black, and Blinded are all good songs.

The Warning (1984) - This one was produced by the same guy who did Pink Floyd or Rush or someone, I can't remember who...but it's softer than the first one. The songs get longer (one is just barely under 10 minutes). NM156 is one of my favorites...kind of like a Terminator-esque theme where machines control the world. Take Hold of the Flame, En Force, and Road to Madness are great songs.

Rage for Order (1986) - The third album, they got heavier again. Some consider this their best album, while others say it's O:M. There are a lot of epic songs on here and a lot of different moods; best ones include Walk in the Shadows, I Dream in Infrared, the Killing Words, and Surgical Strike. The theme of this album led up to Operation: Mindcrime

Operation: Mindcrime (1988) - epic, revolutionary, perfect. There's no point describing this one in more detail...it's essential for any classic metal fan.

Empire (1990) - The last of the "classic" albums, this one was a mix of many styles and more mainstream tunes. Some of my favorites include Empire, Jet City Woman, Hand on Heart, and Anybody Listening?

Promised Land (1994) - Much different. The musical scene had changed and the band changed their sound to more of a darker, laid back sound without the wall of guitars. It's not a bad album, but it's a lot different...and doesn't appeal to everyone.

Don't have Hear in the Now Frontier, Q2K, or Tribe so I won't comment on them, but I've heard that Hear in the Now Frontier isn't very good.

Operation: Mindcrime II (2006) - Probably the best album since Promised Land, but it doesn't compare to the original album. Not many of the songs are very memorable, but I'm American, Hostage, and Fear City Slide are pretty decent songs.

Edited November 6, 2006 by mustang84

[ZL-1]

Give me the CD so I can spin it.

Right now, I'm listening to Metallic, though. They rank up there with SOAD on my list. They're about the oldest band I've had enough interest in to buy CDs of. Have every one up to and including the Black album.

If I had the money, I'd go out and pick up random CDs of older bands I think I'd like, like Queensryche...

212677[/snapback]

Metallica's my fav band and Master of Puppet is in my car's CD player. Do you like Megadeth/Anthrax/Slayer too?

EDIT: you should give Load a chance too.

My reaction when I bought Load was: (i) WTF?!?!?! (ii) Cool music (iii) Great album! All of this in just a couplr of listens...

Edited November 6, 2006 by ZL-1

[mustang84]

Metallica's my fav band and Master of Puppet is in my car's CD player. Do you like Megadeth/Anthrax/Slayer too?

EDIT: you should give Load a chance too.

My reaction when I bought Load was: (i) WTF?!?!?! (ii) Cool music (iii) Great album! All of this in just a couplr of listens...

212695[/snapback]

When I first got into Metallica, I bought S&M and then Reload. Then I bought Master of Puppets and it completely blew me away. Load is ok, better than Reload...but it can't hold a candle to the first four albums, IMO. I guess I'm just a fan of the older sound.

Megadeth and Anthrax are great bands, along with Testament, Warrant (Germany), Savatage, and Annihilator. I just recently got into Annihilator and they're very thrashy like Testament and Anthrax with some innovative guitar work. I never got into Slayer though.

[Cory Wolfe]

Well at least you have a good sound system.

212689[/snapback]

Eh... It's not that good.

Do you like Megadeth/Anthrax/Slayer too?

212695[/snapback]

Like Queensryche... I'd probably like them if I went out and bought their CDs.

[ZL-1]

When I first got into Metallica, I bought S&M and then Reload.  Then I bought Master of Puppets and it completely blew me away.  Load is ok, better than Reload...but it can't hold a candle to the first four albums, IMO.  I guess I'm just a fan of the older sound.

212697[/snapback]

I know what you mean. But IMO neither AJFA nor the Black album whould have happened if Cliff Burton didn't die. However I am pretty sure a Load/Reload type of album would have happened: he kinda forced the other guys to listen to Bach, Simon and Garfunkel, Creedence Clearwater Revival and other definitely-not-metal acts. But one can only imagine where Metallica would have headed with Burton.

As for Slayer, I just like to throw their name around just for fun/provocation: they've been rehashing the same "thrash-speed-satan-loving-metal" stuff for the last 10 or 15 years, and (to me at least) that's really boring.

BV: try and check those "older" bands. There's some very good stuff there!

[deftonesfan867]

Queensryche is a VERY underrated band. My love for metal began in 1994 when I first heard Symphony of Destruction by Megadeth. Been hooked since and love all forms of metal. Also love listenting to some gothic/industrial stuff also.

[Hudson]

Don't have Hear in the Now Frontier, Q2K, or Tribe so I won't comment on them, but I've heard that Hear in the Now Frontier isn't very good.

I, personally, like "Hear...," probably more than OM-II. It's a good disc, but not as good as "Operation: Mindcrime," "Empire," "Warning," or "Rage for Order."

Unfortunately, every third Queensryche CD seems to be an "Operation: Mindcrime" rehash. There was the first one, then "Livecrime" (CD/video boxset), then "Live Evolution" and now the "sequel." I prefer the first three in the list to this year's disc.

[razoredge]

In the 88-93 period, metal really peaked, all the bands really came to maturity and produced their best works. I can't see anyone into heavy music not likeing any of the below........but if you hate any form of soft stuff Dream Theater will make you complain. Metal Heads can be strangly discriminating, I like it all as long as there is some form of melody and great grooves.

Megadeth - Rust in Peace '90, Countdown to Extinction '92

Metallicas - The Black Album '91

Savatage - Gutter Ballet '89, Streets '91, Edge of Thorns '93

Dream Theater - Images and Words '92

Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime '88, Empire '90

honorable mention should go to an all too unmentioned metal band

Helloween - Keepers of the Seven Keys Pt. I '87 & Pt. II '88

I was never into Slayer or Antrax type of stuff but havent givin them much chance either, for lack of melodic reasons. Of the above named bands Metallica is my least favorite......Savatage is my favorite. I just threw away a perfectly good tape of "and justice for all" I gave it a listen again, 3 times in fact and I think it simply sucked, had no quality or dimension whatsoever. I love "The Black Album" however.

Savatage changed but the writting really didnt, the focus did but the writting trade mark remained. The second vocalist is more palatable and very strong. The main songwriter & former vocalist Jon Oliva was an aquired taste, very shrill and at times over bearing but his twisted/"degrees of sanity" nature and unique approach gave him an edge. The original founding guitarist, Jons brother Criss was killed after "Edge of Thorns" in '93 and he had a unique sound and attack but his replacements did him proud and kept some of his feel alive.

Streets '90, Dead Winters Dead '95 and The Wake of Megelan '98 are opera's of sorts, full concept albums and well worth the listen, for me, over and over and over. They do stacked choral harmonies, vocal trade off's, point/counterpoint, reference classic symphonies and tell a story while doing so.

I kinda left the serious music scene in 93/94 due to "grunge" & weird punkish or hardcore stuff, and the loss of my band, I thought metal and great guitar playing was over, little did I know many of these Prog Metal bands carried on and more started up like Symphony X. I was surprised around 2000 when we got the computer and I went on Amazon and found out these guys kept pluggin.

Long live

[razoredge]

Jan Hammer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hammer

there is a few very important works of his not mentioned for some reason in this "wikipedia"

After Mahavishnu Orchestra, he and Mahavishnu drummer Billy Cobham did an album

Billy Cobham -Spectrum, a must have if you want to know about "fusion" fusion can be very irratating to the simple minded....... . It is off the wall stuff but it has some wonderful moments. Spectrum also featured a short lived upcoming guitarist - Tommy Bolin

after Spectrum - Jeff Beck got into "fusion" and recorded Blow by Blow and Wired with Jan Hammer, these are also very important albums and more palatable

then Jan did the Miami Vice thing and fusion pretty much went away (disco ) and "smooth jazz" took over with Weather Report, Tropea, Chuck Mangione, all more palatible stuff but both "smooth jazz and disco/funk actually derieved from smoothing out the strange time signatures and key changes of fusion/funk

Jean Luc Ponty a classicly trained Violinist also came out of Mahavishnu and did some killer music in the mid 70's, not as off the wall as most fusion. Electric Violin at its best.

Then of course there is the very very best - The Dixie Dregs - "Freefall"..............

check it out, life is a horizon

[Cory Wolfe]

I was never into Slayer or Antrax type of stuff but havent givin them much chance either, for lack of melodic reasons. Of the above named bands Metallica is my least favorite......Savatage is my favorite. I just threw away a perfectly good tape of "and justice for all" I gave it a listen again, 3 times in fact and I think it simply sucked, had no quality or dimension whatsoever. I love "The Black Album" however.

212938[/snapback]

As for pre "The Black Album" stuff... "Master of Puppets" and "Ride the Lightning" are both better than "And Justice for All". If you can't enjoy those two, then you're probably just not a fan of Metallica's style. "The Black Album", while the most popular, was arguably a different... softer direction for Metallica. The faster staccato riffs during verses and throaty screaming were gone in place of a radio-friendly and commercially accessible sound. Nothing against "The Black Album" though, as it's one of my favorites. I'm more of fan of "Master of Puppets" and "Ride the Lightning"... the latter of which I'm listening to right now.

[Mr.Krinkle]

where does pantera fit into the whole scheme of things?

couldnt agree more about slayer...kind of a waste. good if you want to mow your lawn in about 5 minutes. that and the supposed pic of kur(d)t cobains shotgun

aftermath. poor guy.--never found out for sure if that was him or not.

you should also check out ministry if you have never done so. not their first. that was ...different.

land of rape and honey, mind is a terrible thing to tast. nwo. borders on industrial

and speed. also the live one in case you didnt feel like showing up. cant forget nails either.

thats pretty much that remains in the "metal" i kept, and sabath if you consider them in the same vein. zep, (some do, i defiantely dont)...then theres hendrix, cream, floyd...queen, nirvana...

primus...haha.

so much good music out there. shouldnt limit yourself

Edited November 8, 2006 by Mr.Krinkle

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Megadeth - Rust in Peace '90, Countdown to Extinction '92

Metallicas - The Black Album '91

Dream Theater - Images and Words '92

All albums listed are pretty damn solid.

Do you like Megadeth/Anthrax/Slayer too?

[Raises hand.]

Man, I've noticed you've got one hell of a taste in music.

[razoredge]

[Raises hand.]

Man, I've noticed you've got one hell of a taste in music.

213459[/snapback]

Dont any of you guys, besides Mustang, get into Savatage ?

[Sixty8panther]

As a child of the '80s I honestly can not think of a deeper

song than Silent Lucidity... although I'm sure a few songs

from the Beatles will come to mind in a minute.

[razoredge]

As a child of the '80s I honestly can not think of a deeper

song than Silent Lucidity... although I'm sure a few songs

from the Beatles will come to mind in a minute.

213626[/snapback]

It is a masterpiece. Musically, vocally, and for its message. There is no other song, ever that remotely resembles it. I think it would have made the classic masters weep... its some kind of powerful.

Geoff Tates passage in the middle of "Child of Fire", to this day still sends a chill up my spine

Let it Be and Yesterday were pretty powerful but they did not have the vocal passion of Tate.........no one does, unless you look to the Opera but thats even different, more training than raw emotion.

Edited November 9, 2006 by razoredge

[mustang84]

Few songs give me chills like Savatage's "Follow Me."

A man only sees what he wants to see

When he's in his mind

Where he is what he wants to be

Living in a world where he's safe from reality

Won't you take a chance on this night child

And follow me

Won't you follow me

Once was a broken hero

The kind that we all know

The kind that hides inside us

For we never show

The kind we say that could never be me

His whole life was written

Written there inside

The new weekly bible

His modern T.V. Guide

Stare back at the screen, yeah yeah

A man only sees want he wants to see

[ZL-1]

Man, I've noticed you've got one hell of a taste in music.

213459[/snapback]

Haha, I do like metal, but I like other stuff too: Jewel (I'm not kidding), Tom Waits, Jazz, Blues, Classical...

*beginning of rant*

Can't stand Rap though. I loved Beastie Boys, Run DMC and stuff like that when I was growing up, but nowadays I feel Rap portrays African-American men/women like pimps/hookers, and I think that is highly unfair!

*end of rant*

[Hudson]

Jan Hammer

I personally liked his work with Neil Schon. "Here to Stay" was a great album in its day.

[Hudson]

Can't stand Rap though.

While I'm not a fan, there is some rap and "rap" that I like. Quincy Jones' "Back on the Block" disc has some excellent rap in it (primarily the piece describing the jazz standard "Birdland," which immediately follows the rap piece). And my all-time favorite "rap" song is Anthrax's "I'm the Man" (with their cover of "Fight the Power" coming a close second).