Following several poorly-received albums and the acrimonious ousting of frontman Geoff Tate, the rebooted Queensrÿche returned to the fan-pleasing style of their classic era with this eponymous 2013 album. The twin guitars, hefty bass, percussive drumming and the uncanny Tate-alike vocals of new member Todd La Torre all sound the part, bringing to mind albums like Rage For Order and Empire. But this is progressive metal in sound rather than form: straightforward verse/chorus songcraft with little of the state-of-the-art sophistication of old. No thought-provoking lyrics here either, unless “take a look around in the lost and found” strikes you as high-concept. But, as modern mainstream metal goes, it’s tight and focused with great hooks. The up-tempo Don’t Look Back and Fallout are especially potent and songs like A World Without and Open Road have plenty of heart. Queensrÿche played it too safe to count as a true return-to-form but it was good enough to return much needed credibility to the beleaguered band.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
With a few years’ hindsight: it plays well all the way through, but I don’t particularly remember the songs.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yeah that goes for me too. I liked it at the time but couldn’t remember much about it years on. Think it was probably just a bit too rushed. Enjoyed going back to it more than I thought I would though. The second half is pretty strong.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s a little rushed, but not as much as F.U. was!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Only ever heard a song or two from that.
LikeLike
The production on QR doesn’t sound rushed but the songs are a bit slight. Could have been fleshed out a bit more.
LikeLike
Enjoyed the vocab in this one HMO, particularly acrimonious & beleaguered!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah I don’t know about the Wolfman dude singing here. Good singer but I just can’t wrap my head around another band changing singers…
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least this QR only changed the singer. Geoff Tate’s QR changed the whole band!
LikeLiked by 1 person
True. Its still goofy all this old dude drama blah blah blah.
Having said that Promised Land is one brilliant piece of vinyl..wow man..
LikeLiked by 1 person
They’ve never been as good as that since then. DeGarmo leaving gutted the band. Like with Lep and Clark.
LikeLiked by 1 person
With Lepp the riffs went to heaven with Clark.
With DeGarmo the riffs stayed in his studio…
LikeLiked by 1 person
All I know is that I definitely must go to Bloodstock on the Sunday so I can see these guys.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Saw their recent set list, looked pretty good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does, especially with the Scorpions headlining and Dee Snider on the bill.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are you up for my new band Killer Queensryche – where we cover ‘ryche songs but in the style of Freddie & Co? I’ve got an awesome versions of ‘I Don’t Believe In a Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ and ‘(Bring Back, Bring Back, Bring Back That) Della brown’, all primed and ready to go.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Och, that’s amazing. Wish I’d thought of that before I wasted all those years touring as Queensryght Said Fred.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ha! Fools! They said it would never work!!
‘Anarchy – (I’m too se) X (y)’, or is that a bit contrived?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not at all. It’s… beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not sure about this. Needs more guitar, if you ask me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah pretty much. It’s all very symphonic and orchestrated sounding. Good tunes but the presentation is all wrong.
LikeLiked by 1 person