Tag Archives: Capitol

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Song Reviews

Queensrÿche – The Lady Wore Black (Song Review)

11 Comments

“And I listened, remembering all I heard”

It’s rare for a band to arrive as fully formed as Queensrÿche did on their self-titled debut EP. They sound absolutely world-beating, and in a year as strong as 1983 that was no mean feat. But, of the four songs on Queensrÿche, the one that sounds most like the ‘rÿche of the future is the closing track The Lady Wore Black. Geoff Tate’s high-flying yet melodic vocals and the tastefully restrained, emotive guitar solo are the stuff of metal legends and the gothic clean guitar and attacking, angular, textured riffing bear the hallmarks of the band’s best material yet to come. It’s hard to imagine a more attention-grabbing, anticipation-building career launchpad than The Lady Wore Black.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Song Reviews

Riot – Narita (Song Review)

14 Comments

Riot’s Narita is a great example of an instrumental that just flat out rocks. None of your mellow interludes, atmospheric intros or virtuoso shredding here, just a brilliant band knocking out a banging tune. Named after a controversial Japanese airport, the construction of which provoked heated protests and riots from farmers and activists, 1979’s Narita is the title track of the band’s second album and also one of its most exciting songs: an energising mix of 70s US rock (Montrose, The Nuge) and the kind of charging attack and duelling guitars that would become synonymous with Maidenesque 80s metal. Presumably, vocalist Guy Speranza sat this one out because he couldn’t be arsed writing a song about an airport but his superb voice isn’t missed here as the music is so dynamic and catchy. The New Yorkers would become one of rock’s mythic coulda/shoulda bands, which is a shame. As you can hear from Narita, Riot deserved to take off.