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Some think Queensrÿche jumped the shark with Promised Land, which turned 15 yesterday. Some think that happened with the previous album, Empire. Some contrarians even pin that turning point on the much-loved Operation: Mindcrime. However, agreement is universal that at some point Queensrÿche went bad. Once a band plays Rocklahoma, it’s flown the white flag.
Queensrÿche – I Am ILed Zeppelin – Friends
But respect is due where respect is due. I’m in the “good until and including Promised Land” camp. That was one of the records I’ve anticipated most in my life. I loved Operation: Mindcrime and Empire, and was expecting more gleaming night driving anthems. How surprised I was to discover a ground-hugging rock band! They could still soar, though. “I Am I” was a radio favorite at the time, which blows my mind, as there’s no way it would be a “hit” today. It’s sort of like Tool gone aristocratic. But musically, it’s even more like Led Zeppelin’s “Friends” (from Led Zeppelin III), with its swooning, Middle Eastern-sounding strings. I’m a fan of flatted seconds and raised fourths, so this song is tonal heaven for me. It’s how I’ll choose to remember Queensrÿche. No one talks about Uncle Bob after he fell off the wagon; no one talks about Queensrÿche after Promised Land.
I liked Operation:Mindcrime a lot. Empire had some good songs. "Best I Can" and "Empire" are great songs. Promised Land and everything after was horrible. Anyone ever get the live boxset thingy with O:M performed live?
Empire was my favorite record when it came out. Clearly, it was no Operation Mindcrime, but the songs still had punch and were distinctive Queensryche. Still, a great progression from the third rate Maidenisms of Rage for Order. Promised Land was incredibly dull. They were gone by then.
as much as i love O:M. and Empire, and i'm the obvious minority here, i say Promised Land was a great album.
@Path_Less_Travelled: I DID get that box set with "Mindcrime" performed live (on VHS!) in about 1993. I actually split it with a friend because we couldn't afford it individually (we were 13 at the time). It was fun to watch but ultimately, I think seeing Queensryche performing the album with their Madonna microphones and all distracted a wee bit from the mystery and gravity of the studio LP. Like, oh, it's just a band playing songs–it grew over my mental images of that record which were pretty vivid.
Actually I love Promised Land, my favourite after Rage for Order. Empire is pretty bad, and Operation Mindcrime… we've talked about this before in the comments, right?
Just saying, the compositions and layered production and amazing lyrics of most of Promised Land are great and you don't have to be some strawman contrarian to not like Operation Mindcrime but still love this. People have tastes, a lot of the time they're not built in contrast to other people's tastes, they're just a honest representation of what they enjoy, just saying.
Never, ever liked anything by this band. I remember seeing the video for "Queen of the Reich" and thinking, "Wow, this band sucks." And that was it for me.
what kind of hoser is going to say they like warning and queen of the reich but not mindcrime, empire or promise land… way to make me feel old Mr. Lee…15 frigging years… I saw them on the empire and promise land tours… the promise land set was way better but they didn't do all of mindcrime… they worked some of teh empire and promise land songs into it to update the story. anyway yay old people.
Actually, you probably won't believe this, but I think that "Hear in the Now Frontier" is a GREAT album! And it's actually very close to Led Zepp from the Physical Graffiti phase…
BTW, I saw the video for "Gonna get close to you" recently for the first time and found it preeeetty disturbing. Did anyone say "sexual harassment"? No way could such a video be played on MTV today.
I had no idea that video existed – and it is indeed amazing. It's actually not that far off from the video for Dalbello's original song; the lyrics sort of require that visual treatment.
"It's actually not that far off from the video for Dalbello's original song; the lyrics sort of require that visual treatment."
True, but in Dalbello's video it is the woman (and a very pretty one, I might add
) that is doing the stalking, and in Queensrcyhe's version it is not one, but five men who are breking and entering into this poor girl's house! That is a very different sight, you'll agree.
The only video more unsettling than this one is Danzig's "Killer Wolf" which, from the contemporary perspective, looks like an advertisement for gang-rape. The 80's were definitely a different time, and I guess it didn't seem like that to them. At least I hope so.
I had never seen that video before, either. Amazing! And, yes, super-creepy. That lady didn't seem to be making much of an effort to get away, though.