Queensryche & Geoff Tate

The production is there. The old sound is there. The playing is there. The singing is there. What is NOT there, for the most part, is memorable songs.
 
I'm not the most well versed in the works of Queensryche, but I've been wondering why exactly they always used to be compared to Dream Theater.

Maybe I haven't heard enough of or the right songs from their catalogue, but Queensryche sounds to me like they should be considered more Traditional Metal, like Maiden and Priest, instead of progressive metal like DT.

Why exactly were/are they compared to Dream Theater? And how would you classify newer Queensryche? How would you classify the Geoff Tate solo albums/FU?
 
Operation: Mindcrime is kinda proggy and is generally considered one of the best prog metal albums. Dream Theater is generally considered one of the best prog metal bands. That's the connection :P They are very different IMO.

QR is a heavy metal band up until Empire, afterwards it's hard rock or more accurately shit rock until Geoff Tate left, then it's heavy again :D Geoff Tate solo stuff is just shit.
 
My song-by-song review of Condition Hüman:

Arrow Of Time - Solid. Melodies are very Maidenish and chorus is fun.
Guardian - This one is awesome, I don't even mind the blatant "Revolution Calling" ripoff in the chorus :D Could've done without the weird ending.
Hellfire - Mostly meh, but final chorus is good.
Toxic Remedy - Noticing a trend here... choruses are OK, but not much else is memorable.
Selfish Lives - This song has some interesting darker parts and a good solo.
Eye9 - Another OK song. Cool chorus again. Hope there's some faster stuff later on, 4 slower songs in a row already.
Bulletproof - Great ballad! Amazing chorus & vocals by Todd.
Hourglass - Solid chorus as usual, but nothing else is memorable, also, faster stuff please.
Just Us - This one is just weak, nothing good about it. FASTER SONGS!!!!!
All There Was - FINALLY something faster! OK song.
The Aftermath - Why is this a separate song?
Condition Hüman - Expected a bit more from the longest song on the album and the title track, but a solid song nonetheless.
Espiritu Muerto - OK for a bonus song.

Overall: Solid, enjoyable album. Will definitely go back to it, most songs sound like growers. It's way better than the first Toddrÿche album which in retrospect sounds like a demo compared to this album. Production is their best since like... forever.
 
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Night Prowler said:
Operation: Mindcrime is kinda proggy and is generally considered one of the best prog metal albums. Dream Theater is generally considered one of the best prog metal bands. That's the connection :p They are very different IMO.

QR is a heavy metal band up until Empire, afterwards it's hard rock or more accurately shit rock until Geoff Tate left, then it's heavy again :D Geoff Tate solo stuff is just shit.
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Ive been listening to a bit here and there online recently and I've observed some interesting things.

Operation Mindcrime 2 sounds totally different then part one. It sounds much more modern, like alternative metal or rock. I wonder who the main songwriter was. Do they write together like Maiden or Dream Theater, or separately and compile their songs together like, say, Helloween?

I listened to the Geoff Tate-led FU album and was surprised to hear the most commercial, modern sounding rock from a classic band like Queensryche. I'm interested if the recent Tate/Mindcrime solo release sounds anything like it.

And what I've heard of Condition Human sounds quite good. I'll definitely listen more. Definitely sounds like a classic metal band. So ultimately I will classify Queensryche in the same category as Priest and Maiden. Just classic, traditional Metal. No subgenres here.
 
NotePad said:
Operation Mindcrime 2 sounds totally different then part one. It sounds much more modern, like alternative metal or rock. I wonder who the main songwriter was. Do they write together like Maiden or Dream Theater, or separately and compile their songs together like, say, Helloween?
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First album was a collaborative effort, DeGarmo and Tate wrote most of it with some input from Wilton and Rockenfiled. Second one was mostly Geoff Tate + producers he brought in that weren't in the band.

NotePad said:
I listened to the Geoff Tate-led FU album and was surprised to hear the most commercial, modern sounding rock from a classic band like Queensryche. I'm interested if the recent Tate/Mindcrime solo release sounds anything like it.
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A bit more metal with some cringey nu-metal/groove crap thrown in, all spiced up with horrible vocals. Avoid.

Anyway, heard Condition Hüman few more times and I'm getting a strong Alter Bridge vibe from it, more accurately their album Fortress. Similar production, riffs and solos, and Todd sometimes sounds very similar to Myles Kennedy. (This is all a good thing because I like Alter Bridge too :D.)
 
CH does have to grow on you a bit. And as far as you wanting faster songs, QR has never been about a lot of speed in their music. I don't like the fact that they did 3 slower songs in a row in the middle of the album though. The could have spread those apart. However, Just Us is the new Silent Lucidity for me and I absolutely love it and would love for the band to replace SL with it.
 
Night Prowler said:
First album was a collaborative effort, DeGarmo and Tate wrote most of it with some input from Wilton and Rockenfiled. Second one was mostly Geoff Tate + producers he brought in that weren't in the band.


A bit more metal with some cringey nu-metal/groove crap thrown in, all spiced up with horrible vocals. Avoid.

Anyway, heard Condition Hüman few more times and I'm getting a strong Alter Bridge vibe from it, more accurately their album Fortress. Similar production, riffs and solos, and Todd sometimes sounds very similar to Myles Kennedy. (This is all a good thing because I like Alter Bridge too :D.)
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I was looking through wikipedia at their albums to see the writing credits. It appears that at some point the songwriting became mostly Tate and some random people who weren't in the band? What's up with that? Because you'd think that the other band members just woiuldnt put up with that, unless of course they just didn't care and willing let it happen.

And the Alter Bridge comparison is very interesting. I definitely see that. What I've heard so far sounds really great.
 
A full headling tour has been announced.

Jan. 7 @ Rockbar - San Jose, CA
Jan. 8 @ House of Blues - Anaheim, CA
Jan. 9 @ Hard Rock Live - Las Vegas, NV
Jan. 10 @ Rialto Theatre - Tucson, AZ
Jan. 12 @ Marquee Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
Jan. 14 @ Alamo City Music Hall - San Antonio, TX
Jan. 15 @ Trees - Dallas, TX
Jan. 16 @ Scout Bar - Houston, TX
Jan. 17 @ Brewster Street Ice House - Corpus Christi, TX
Jan. 21 @ Theatre of Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA
Jan. 22 @ Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
Jan. 23 @ The Palladium - Boston, MA
Jan. 24 @ Chameleon Club - Lancaster, PA
Jan. 25 @ 9:30 Club - Washington D.C.
Jan. 27 @ Bogart's - Cincinnati, OH
Jan. 28 @ Limelight - Peoria, IL
Jan. 29 @ St. Croix Casino - Turtle Lake, WI
Jan. 30 @ The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
Jan. 31 @ Concord Music Hall - Chicago, IL
Feb. 2 @ Knuckleheads - Kansas City, MO
Feb. 3 @ Summit Music Hall - Denver, CO
Feb. 4 @ In The Venue - Salt Lake City, UT
Feb. 5 @ Knitting Factory - Reno, NV
 
Finally, a bit of renewal in the setlist as the tour has just started :) :
QR SETLIST - OPENING NIGHT in SAN JOSE, CA (07/01/16)

Guardian
Operation Mindcrime
Best I Can
Damaged
The killing Words (with the real chorus!)
The Mission
In This Light
Empire
Anybody Listening?
Bulletproof
Queen of the Reich
Jet City Woman
Take Hold of the Flame
---encore---
Screaming in Digital
Eyes of a Stranger

 
Great show Wednesday night... pretty much the same setlist that Black Bart posted.. And, I enjoyed the openers- Halcyon Way were good, and Meytal were good too, wow I think I'm in love with Meytal Cohen:bigsmile:<3<3 I met her after their set and got a picture and she signed my poster.. and I met some members of Halcyon Way too, nice guys
 
Upcoming Queensryche tour will have Armored Saint opening, but the first band to go on each night will be Midnight Eternal. Was not familiar with them. Debut CD released few months ago. Rave reviews. Symphonic metal with female vocals. I like the music, but the vocals sound too friendly, almost popish. Comments?

 
I sent an email to Midnight Eternal asking 1. for a setlist (since I could not find one online) and 2. if Raine does anything special or different while on tour to preserve her voice. A week later, she responded! Said they might post a setlist closer to the tour. Also said to help her voice she never smokes, talks less on the road, stays hydrated, and warms up prior to show.
 
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