Queensrÿche
Encyclopedia
Queensrÿche is an American
progressive
heavy metal
band formed in 1981 in Bellevue, Washington
. The band has released eleven studio albums and several EP
s and DVD
s and continues to tour and record.
Queensrÿche has been successful in the progressive scene, having sold over 20 million albums worldwide including over 6 million albums in the United States
.
and drummer Scott Rockenfield
were members of a band called Cross+Fire, who covered songs from popular heavy metal
bands such as Iron Maiden
and Judas Priest
. Before long Cross+Fire added guitarist Chris DeGarmo
and bassist Eddie Jackson
to their lineup, and changed their name to The Mob. The Mob, who were without a singer, recruited Geoff Tate
to sing for them at a local rock festival. At the time, Tate was already in a band called Babylon. After Babylon broke up Tate performed a few shows with The Mob, but left because he was not interested in performing heavy metal.
In 1981, The Mob put together sufficient funds to record a demo
tape. Once again, Tate was enlisted to help. The group recorded four songs - "Queen of the Reich," "Nightrider," "Blinded" and "The Lady Wore Black." The group brought their demo to various labels and were rejected by all of them. Tate also was still committed to staying in his then-current band, Myth.
At the urging of their new manager, The Mob changed their name to Queensrÿche (reportedly inspired by the first song on their demo). As they later joked: "The umlaut over the 'y' has haunted us for years. We spent eleven years trying to explain how to pronounce it."
The demo tape was widely circulated and received a glowing review in Kerrang!
Magazine. On the strength of the growing buzz surrounding them, Queensrÿche released the demo tape as a self-titled EP
on their own 206 Records label in 1982. Based on the success of the EP, Tate agreed to leave Myth and become Queensrÿche's permanent lead singer. In 1983, the band signed to EMI
who re-released the EP, Queensrÿche
, to moderate success, peaking at #81 on the Billboard charts. They had never played together live before the band was signed. When this EP was eventually released on CD several years later, a 5th track, titled "Prophecy", was added to the tracklist; this was a song performed live by the band circa 1983 (and was included on the 1984 "Live in Tokyo" home video), and in 2003 was included on the remastered edition of The Warning as a bonus track. The track appearing on the CD release of the EP was recorded during the Rage For Order sessions (and is not the same version of the song which appears on the soundtrack for the movie, The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years).
to record their first full-length album. The band worked with producer James Guthrie
, who had worked with Pink Floyd
and Judas Priest
. Released in September 1984, The Warning
featured more progressive
elements than the band's debut. It peaked at #61 on the Billboard album chart, a moderate commercial success. While none of the singles released from The Warning charted domestically, "Take Hold of the Flame" was a hit for the band outside the US (particularly in Japan
). The band's first full-scale U.S. tour (in support of this album) was as the opening act for Kiss
on their Animalize tour.
Rage for Order
, released in 1986, introduced a much more polished look and sound for Queensrÿche. The album featured keyboards
as prominently as guitars, and the group adopted an image more closely associated with glam rock
or glam metal
than with heavy metal (of which glam metal was a subgenre). A video was filmed for the song "Gonna Get Close to You", originally recorded in 1984 by Dalbello
. A song titled "Rage For Order" was written and demoed for the album, but it was not included on the final release. The main riff from this song was worked into an instrumental piece played during some shows on the tour in support of this album and eventually morphed into the track "Anarchy-X" on the "Operation: Mindcrime" album.
, a narrative concept album
that proved a massive critical and commercial success. The album's story revolved around a junkie who is brainwashed into performing assassinations for an underground movement; the junkie ("Nikki") is torn over his misplaced loyalty
to the cause and his love of a reformed hooker-turned-nun ("Mary," vocals by Pamela Moore
) who gets in the way. "Mindcrime" has often been mentioned by critics alongside other notable concept albums like Pink Floyd
's The Wall
, Dream Theater
's Scenes From a Memory
and The Who
's Tommy
. The band toured through much of 1988 and 1989 with several bands, including Def Leppard
, Guns N' Roses
and Metallica
.
The release of Empire (1990) brought Queensrÿche to the height of their commercial popularity. It peaked at #7 and sold more than three million copies in the United States, more than their previous four releases combined (it was also certified silver in the UK). The power ballad "Silent Lucidity
", which featured an orchestra
, became the band's first Top 10 single. While the band retained its socially conscious lyrics (touching on topics such as gun control
and the environment
), the arrangements on Empire were more straightforward than the band's previous efforts.
The subsequent "Building Empires" tour was the first full-fledged tour to feature Queensrÿche as a headlining act (the band had previously headlined a tour in Japan in support of "Operation: Mindcrime" and had headlined a handful of club and theater shows in the United States between 1984 and 1988). The group used its headlining status to perform Operation: Mindcrime in its entirety, as well as songs from Empire. The tour lasted 18 months, longer than any tour the band had undertaken before or has since. The tour also included an MTV Unplugged
appearance at Warner Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles on April 27, 1992.
After taking time off to deal with the tour's resulting burnout and other personal issues, the band released Promised Land in October 1994 (a companion CD-ROM
, featuring a Promised Land-themed game and other interactive features, was released in March 1996). It was a dark and intensely personal album, reflecting the mental state of the band at the time. Although the album debuted at #3 and was eventually certified platinum, it was clearly not the commercial success Empire had been. As with many other heavy metal and hard rock acts, Queensrÿche's commercial fortunes waned as grunge
(which coincidentally got its start in Seattle, of which Bellevue—where the band was formed—is a suburb) and alternative rock
surged in popularity.
, in March 1997, to mixed critical and fan reception. The album debuted at #19 but quickly vanished from the charts. The musical sound and style of the album was more basic and stripped down than anything the band had released to date, and some fans and critics pointed to the grunge
musical style as being a major influence on the record. Despite the reaction, the singles "Sign of the Times" and "You" received substantial airplay.
Compounding the disappointing sales of the album were issues that plagued the band on the subsequent tour. Less than one month into the Hear in the Now Frontier tour, Geoff Tate became seriously ill and the band was forced to cancel concert dates for the first time. In an even bigger blow, the band's longtime label, EMI America Records
, went bankrupt during the same period. Queensrÿche was forced to use its own money to finance the remainder of the tour, which ended in August after only two months. The band played a handful of December shows in South America
due to contractual obligations, and it was during this time that founding member Chris DeGarmo announced he was leaving Queensrÿche.
Although the official reasons for DeGarmo's departure have not been made public, members of the band have cited burnout and a desire to pursue interests outside of Queensrÿche as reasons for his departure. After he left Queensrÿche, DeGarmo recorded and performed with Jerry Cantrell
and was in a short-lived band called Spys4Darwin
, which released one EP in 2001. DeGarmo is now a business jet
pilot.
. Gray's connections with Queensrÿche went back to the early '80s, when he was the guitarist for Myth, Geoff Tate's previous band. Gray had also previously worked as a producer for bands such as Dokken
and Candlebox
. Queensrÿche's first album with Gray was 1999's Q2K
. It was also the first album for their new label, Atlantic Records
. Musically, Q2K bore little resemblance to the progressive metal of the band's past, and also displayed stripped-down sound similar to Hear in the Now Frontier. Q2K has been called a continuation of the experimentation of Hear in the Now Frontier by Geoff Tate. Declining popularity forced the band to tour in clubs and theaters, rather than larger arenas and outdoor amphitheaters.
After the release of a greatest hits collection in 2000, Queensrÿche embarked on another tour, this time in support of Iron Maiden
. This enabled the band to play Madison Square Garden
for the first time. Unhappy with the lack of support they felt they received from Atlantic, Queensrÿche moved to Sanctuary Records
in 2001. In July of that year, the band performed a handful of dates at the Moore Theater in Seattle, Washington. The shows were recorded and released in September 2001 as Live Evolution
, the band's second live album. Gray departed Queensrÿche soon after.
. DeGarmo, who played on and co-wrote four songs, neither officially rejoined the band nor took part in the supporting tour.
Gray's replacement turned out to be Mike Stone
, who accompanied the band on the Tribe tour as second guitarist to Michael Wilton's lead, though never was a full member of the band. In June 2003, Queensrÿche launched a co-headlining tour featuring another progressive metal band, Dream Theater
. The two bands alternated the opening and closing spots, and ended the shows by playing a handful of songs together. Fates Warning
was the special guest for the tour. A live album and DVD were recorded during this tour - The Art of Live
- including two covers performed with Dream Theater.
. To generate fan interest in the upcoming album, the band hit the road in the fall of 2004 with the "An Evening With Queensrÿche" tour. The tour opened with a shortened greatest hits set followed by a revised production of Operation: Mindcrime with live actors and video; Pamela Moore
reprised her role as Sister Mary. The band played a pre-recorded version of "Hostage," a track from the upcoming album, through the PA as an encore after the end of their set. The second leg of the tour began in early 2005. Before embarking on a third leg in the fall of 2005, Queensrÿche toured with Judas Priest
across North America
, playing an hour-long set consisting mostly of the band's older works and one song from the soon-to-be released sequel, entitled "I'm American."
Operation: Mindcrime II
was released internationally on March 31, 2006. The album was Queensrÿche's first for their new label, Rhino Entertainment
, to which it signed in 2005. Ronnie James Dio
provided the vocals for Dr. X, the villain. It marks the first appearance of Jason Slater as a songwriter with Queensrÿche. Operation: Mindcrime II debuted at #14, the highest chart position for a Queensrÿche album since 1997. The group embarked on a headlining tour in support of the album, joined by Pamela Moore in her role as Sister Mary. The tour featured performances of both Mindcrime albums in their entirety. Dio appeared at the Gibson Amphitheatre show in Universal City, California
to perform his vocals as Dr. X on "The Chase", and was shown on a video screen at the other shows. Dio's appearance was recorded, and included as an extra on the 2007 DVD release Mindcrime at the Moore
.
album, entitled Sign of the Times
. The album was released on August 28, 2007, and a special collector's edition featured a bonus disc including various demos and a new song, "Justified," featuring Chris DeGarmo on guitar.
On November 13, 2007, the band released an album of covers entitled Take Cover. The album contains covers of songs by Queen
, U2
, The Police
, Black Sabbath
and Pink Floyd
, and was the band's second release for Rhino Records.
On February 3, 2009, Stone announced the end of his association with Queensrÿche to focus on his side-project Speed-X
. Wilton recorded both lead and rhythm guitar on the band's next release. Parker Lundgren (formerly The Nihilists and Sledgeback
), who played for Tate (and is also his son-in-law) during his solo tour, replaced Stone on the 2009 tour.
On March 31, 2009, the band's eleventh studio album was released, titled American Soldier
, a concept album
about war from the perspective of those on the front lines of American wars from World War II
through the present.
As of late 2009 and early 2010, the band were on tour as part of The Queensrÿche Cabaret
.
In November 2010, Queensrÿche were present during a bomb attack on a U.S. Military position in Iraq. They were in the country to play and entertain the soldiers and personnel positioned there, when explosive shells began falling on the base. Contrary to some news reports that some band members were injured, lead singer Geoff Tate has said in several interviews that he was misquoted and none of the band members suffered any injuries.
On March 28, 2011, it was announced that the band's new album was entitled Dedicated to Chaos
. The album was released on June 28, 2011.
As of June 2011, according to frontman Geoff Tate
, Queensrÿche is already writing new material for a follow-up to Dedicated to Chaos.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
progressive
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band formed in 1981 in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
. The band has released eleven studio albums and several EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s and continues to tour and record.
Queensrÿche has been successful in the progressive scene, having sold over 20 million albums worldwide including over 6 million albums in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
From The Mob to Queensrÿche (early 1980s)
The foundations for Queensrÿche began in the early 1980s. Guitarist Michael WiltonMichael Wilton
Michael Wilton is an American guitarist for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche. Wilton attended Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle where he met future Queensrÿche drummer Scott Rockenfield and began recording in 1981...
and drummer Scott Rockenfield
Scott Rockenfield
Scott Rockenfield is the drummer for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche and the band Slave to the System....
were members of a band called Cross+Fire, who covered songs from popular heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
bands such as Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
and Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
. Before long Cross+Fire added guitarist Chris DeGarmo
Chris DeGarmo
Chris DeGarmo is an American heavy metal and hard rock guitarist. He co-founded Queensrÿche in 1981 and played with the group during their most commercially successful period. Since departing from the band, DeGarmo has continued his involvement in the music business in a much smaller capacity...
and bassist Eddie Jackson
Eddie Jackson (musician)
Eddie Jackson is the bass guitarist for the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche. He has been with the group since 1981, when they were known as The Mob....
to their lineup, and changed their name to The Mob. The Mob, who were without a singer, recruited Geoff Tate
Geoff Tate
Geoff Tate is an American singer and musician, who rose to fame in the 1980s with the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche...
to sing for them at a local rock festival. At the time, Tate was already in a band called Babylon. After Babylon broke up Tate performed a few shows with The Mob, but left because he was not interested in performing heavy metal.
In 1981, The Mob put together sufficient funds to record a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
tape. Once again, Tate was enlisted to help. The group recorded four songs - "Queen of the Reich," "Nightrider," "Blinded" and "The Lady Wore Black." The group brought their demo to various labels and were rejected by all of them. Tate also was still committed to staying in his then-current band, Myth.
At the urging of their new manager, The Mob changed their name to Queensrÿche (reportedly inspired by the first song on their demo). As they later joked: "The umlaut over the 'y' has haunted us for years. We spent eleven years trying to explain how to pronounce it."
The demo tape was widely circulated and received a glowing review in Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
Magazine. On the strength of the growing buzz surrounding them, Queensrÿche released the demo tape as a self-titled EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
on their own 206 Records label in 1982. Based on the success of the EP, Tate agreed to leave Myth and become Queensrÿche's permanent lead singer. In 1983, the band signed to EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
who re-released the EP, Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche (album)
Queensrÿche is an EP by the American progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released in 1982 and again one year later. It was originally released independently by 206 Records . Based on the success of the EP, the band was signed to a recording contract by EMI...
, to moderate success, peaking at #81 on the Billboard charts. They had never played together live before the band was signed. When this EP was eventually released on CD several years later, a 5th track, titled "Prophecy", was added to the tracklist; this was a song performed live by the band circa 1983 (and was included on the 1984 "Live in Tokyo" home video), and in 2003 was included on the remastered edition of The Warning as a bonus track. The track appearing on the CD release of the EP was recorded during the Rage For Order sessions (and is not the same version of the song which appears on the soundtrack for the movie, The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years).
The Warning and Rage for Order (1984–1987)
After the EP tour, Queensrÿche travelled to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to record their first full-length album. The band worked with producer James Guthrie
James Guthrie (record producer)
James K.A. Guthrie is a British recording engineer and record producer best known for his work with the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, having served as a producer and engineer for the band since 1978...
, who had worked with Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
and Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
. Released in September 1984, The Warning
The Warning (Queensrÿche album)
The Warning is the first full-length album by Queensrÿche, released on 7 September 1984 .The original tracklisting for the album was changed by mix engineer Val Garay under orders from EMI America against the wishes of the band...
featured more progressive
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
elements than the band's debut. It peaked at #61 on the Billboard album chart, a moderate commercial success. While none of the singles released from The Warning charted domestically, "Take Hold of the Flame" was a hit for the band outside the US (particularly in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
). The band's first full-scale U.S. tour (in support of this album) was as the opening act for Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
on their Animalize tour.
Rage for Order
Rage for Order
Rage for Order is the second studio album by heavy metal band Queensrÿche, released in 1986 on EMI America Records.-Track listing:- 2003 CD reissue bonus tracks :# "Gonna Get Close to You " - 5:46...
, released in 1986, introduced a much more polished look and sound for Queensrÿche. The album featured keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
as prominently as guitars, and the group adopted an image more closely associated with glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
or glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
than with heavy metal (of which glam metal was a subgenre). A video was filmed for the song "Gonna Get Close to You", originally recorded in 1984 by Dalbello
Lisa Dalbello
Dalbello is a Canadian recording artist, songwriter, and voice actress. She released three albums in the pop and pop/rock genre in her late teens, from 1977 through 1981 under her full name...
. A song titled "Rage For Order" was written and demoed for the album, but it was not included on the final release. The main riff from this song was worked into an instrumental piece played during some shows on the tour in support of this album and eventually morphed into the track "Anarchy-X" on the "Operation: Mindcrime" album.
Operation: Mindcrime and success (1988–1996)
In 1988, Queensrÿche released Operation: MindcrimeOperation: Mindcrime
Operation: Mindcrime is a concept album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. Released on May 3, 1988, it is the band's third full-length album. A rock opera, its story follows a man who becomes disillusioned with the society of the time and reluctantly becomes involved with a...
, a narrative concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
that proved a massive critical and commercial success. The album's story revolved around a junkie who is brainwashed into performing assassinations for an underground movement; the junkie ("Nikki") is torn over his misplaced loyalty
Misplaced loyalty
Misplaced loyalty is loyalty placed in other persons or organisations where that loyalty is not acknowledged or respected; is betrayed or taken advantage of...
to the cause and his love of a reformed hooker-turned-nun ("Mary," vocals by Pamela Moore
Pamela Moore
Pamela Moore is an American singer and songwriter, mixing hard rock, pop and electronica. She currently resides in Seattle, Washington in the United States.-History:...
) who gets in the way. "Mindcrime" has often been mentioned by critics alongside other notable concept albums like Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's The Wall
The Wall
The Wall is the eleventh studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. Released as a double album on 30 November 1979, it was subsequently performed live with elaborate theatrical effects, and adapted into a feature film, Pink Floyd—The Wall.As with the band's previous three...
, Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
's Scenes From a Memory
Scenes from a Memory
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory is the fifth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released in 1999. It is a concept album that deals with the story of a man named Nicholas and the discovery of his past life, which involves love, murder, and infidelity as Victoria Page...
and The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's Tommy
Tommy (rock opera)
Tommy is the fourth album by English rock band The Who, released by Track Records and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Decca Records/MCA in the United States. A double album telling a loose story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, Tommy was...
. The band toured through much of 1988 and 1989 with several bands, including Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
and Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
.
The release of Empire (1990) brought Queensrÿche to the height of their commercial popularity. It peaked at #7 and sold more than three million copies in the United States, more than their previous four releases combined (it was also certified silver in the UK). The power ballad "Silent Lucidity
Silent Lucidity
"Silent Lucidity" is a single by the American progressive metal band Queensrÿche from the 1990 album Empire. The song peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at #1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. The song was composed by lead guitarist Chris DeGarmo...
", which featured an orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, became the band's first Top 10 single. While the band retained its socially conscious lyrics (touching on topics such as gun control
Gun politics
Gun politics addresses safety issues and ideologies related to firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, and distribution of firearms.-National sovereignty:...
and the environment
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
), the arrangements on Empire were more straightforward than the band's previous efforts.
The subsequent "Building Empires" tour was the first full-fledged tour to feature Queensrÿche as a headlining act (the band had previously headlined a tour in Japan in support of "Operation: Mindcrime" and had headlined a handful of club and theater shows in the United States between 1984 and 1988). The group used its headlining status to perform Operation: Mindcrime in its entirety, as well as songs from Empire. The tour lasted 18 months, longer than any tour the band had undertaken before or has since. The tour also included an MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
appearance at Warner Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles on April 27, 1992.
After taking time off to deal with the tour's resulting burnout and other personal issues, the band released Promised Land in October 1994 (a companion CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
, featuring a Promised Land-themed game and other interactive features, was released in March 1996). It was a dark and intensely personal album, reflecting the mental state of the band at the time. Although the album debuted at #3 and was eventually certified platinum, it was clearly not the commercial success Empire had been. As with many other heavy metal and hard rock acts, Queensrÿche's commercial fortunes waned as grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
(which coincidentally got its start in Seattle, of which Bellevue—where the band was formed—is a suburb) and alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
surged in popularity.
Major changes (1997–1998)
Queensrÿche released their sixth full-length studio album, Hear in the Now FrontierHear in the Now Frontier
Hear in the Now Frontier is the sixth studio album by progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released in 1997. It was partly recorded at Studio Litho in Seattle, the home studio of Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard, and was engineered and mixed by Toby Wright, who had recently worked with Alice In...
, in March 1997, to mixed critical and fan reception. The album debuted at #19 but quickly vanished from the charts. The musical sound and style of the album was more basic and stripped down than anything the band had released to date, and some fans and critics pointed to the grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
musical style as being a major influence on the record. Despite the reaction, the singles "Sign of the Times" and "You" received substantial airplay.
Compounding the disappointing sales of the album were issues that plagued the band on the subsequent tour. Less than one month into the Hear in the Now Frontier tour, Geoff Tate became seriously ill and the band was forced to cancel concert dates for the first time. In an even bigger blow, the band's longtime label, EMI America Records
EMI America Records
EMI America Records was started in 1978 by EMI as a second US label next to Capitol Records. It absorbed Liberty Records in 1984. In the late 1980s EMI America was consolidated with Manhattan Records to form EMI Manhattan Records, which later became known simply as EMI in 1990, then part of EMI...
, went bankrupt during the same period. Queensrÿche was forced to use its own money to finance the remainder of the tour, which ended in August after only two months. The band played a handful of December shows in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
due to contractual obligations, and it was during this time that founding member Chris DeGarmo announced he was leaving Queensrÿche.
Although the official reasons for DeGarmo's departure have not been made public, members of the band have cited burnout and a desire to pursue interests outside of Queensrÿche as reasons for his departure. After he left Queensrÿche, DeGarmo recorded and performed with Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
and was in a short-lived band called Spys4Darwin
Spys4Darwin
-Post-Spys4Darwin:In 2002, the members of Spys4Darwin had begun to move on to different projects. April 2002 saw the death of Layne Staley, a longtime band mate to both Kinney and Inez. This put Alice in Chains into official hiatus with Inez rumored to replace Metallica's Jason Newsted later that...
, which released one EP in 2001. DeGarmo is now a business jet
Business jet
Business jet, private jet or, colloquially, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of smaller size, designed for transporting groups of up to 19 business people or wealthy individuals...
pilot.
Continued experimentation (1998–2001)
DeGarmo was replaced by guitarist and producer Kelly GrayKelly Gray (musician)
Kelly Gray is an American record producer and musician. He started playing guitar in the late 1970s as a founding member of MYTH, a progressive rock band in the suburbs of Seattle, Wash...
. Gray's connections with Queensrÿche went back to the early '80s, when he was the guitarist for Myth, Geoff Tate's previous band. Gray had also previously worked as a producer for bands such as Dokken
Dokken
Dokken is an American heavy metal and hard rock band formed in 1978. They split up in 1989 but reformed four years later. The group accumulated numerous charting singles and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide...
and Candlebox
Candlebox
Candlebox is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since their debut, the group has released four studio albums, which have achieved multi-platinum and gold certification, as well as numerous charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD....
. Queensrÿche's first album with Gray was 1999's Q2K
Q2K
Q2K is the seventh studio album by progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released on 14 September 1999. It was the only Queensrÿche studio album to feature guitarist Kelly Gray, who, in the early 1980s, was in a band called Myth with vocalist Geoff Tate...
. It was also the first album for their new label, Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. Musically, Q2K bore little resemblance to the progressive metal of the band's past, and also displayed stripped-down sound similar to Hear in the Now Frontier. Q2K has been called a continuation of the experimentation of Hear in the Now Frontier by Geoff Tate. Declining popularity forced the band to tour in clubs and theaters, rather than larger arenas and outdoor amphitheaters.
After the release of a greatest hits collection in 2000, Queensrÿche embarked on another tour, this time in support of Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
. This enabled the band to play Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
for the first time. Unhappy with the lack of support they felt they received from Atlantic, Queensrÿche moved to Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
in 2001. In July of that year, the band performed a handful of dates at the Moore Theater in Seattle, Washington. The shows were recorded and released in September 2001 as Live Evolution
Live Evolution
Live Evolution is a 2001 live album from American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. It was recorded over two nights at the Moore Theatre in Seattle, Washington.-Disc One:#"NM 156" - 3:56#"Walk in the Shadows" - 3:37...
, the band's second live album. Gray departed Queensrÿche soon after.
The Tribe years (2001–2004)
The band entered the studio as a quartet in the spring of 2003 to record their eighth full-length album. In April, they announced they had been joined by Chris DeGarmo, although his future status with the band was uncertain. In July, Queensrÿche released its first and only album of new material on the Sanctuary label, TribeTribe (Queensrÿche album)
-Personnel:*Geoff Tate - Vocals*Chris DeGarmo - Guitar*Michael Wilton - Guitar*Mike Stone - Guitar*Eddie Jackson - Bass*Scott Rockenfield - Drums...
. DeGarmo, who played on and co-wrote four songs, neither officially rejoined the band nor took part in the supporting tour.
Gray's replacement turned out to be Mike Stone
Mike Stone (musician)
Mike Stone is an American heavy metal guitarist, best known for his previous involvement in the progressive metal band Queensrÿche. He joined Queensrÿche for their 2003 Tribe tour, and made his first appearance on the 2003 album Tribe, with writing credits for the song "Losing Myself"...
, who accompanied the band on the Tribe tour as second guitarist to Michael Wilton's lead, though never was a full member of the band. In June 2003, Queensrÿche launched a co-headlining tour featuring another progressive metal band, Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
. The two bands alternated the opening and closing spots, and ended the shows by playing a handful of songs together. Fates Warning
Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman in Hartford, Connecticut. Fates Warning has experienced numerous line-up changes...
was the special guest for the tour. A live album and DVD were recorded during this tour - The Art of Live
The Art of Live
The Art of Live is both a live album and DVD by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. Both the DVD and CD were recorded during the group's 2003 co-headlining tour in support of Tribe...
- including two covers performed with Dream Theater.
Mindcrime II (2004–2007)
In July 2004, Queensrÿche announced its plans to record a follow-up to 1988's Operation: MindcrimeOperation: Mindcrime
Operation: Mindcrime is a concept album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. Released on May 3, 1988, it is the band's third full-length album. A rock opera, its story follows a man who becomes disillusioned with the society of the time and reluctantly becomes involved with a...
. To generate fan interest in the upcoming album, the band hit the road in the fall of 2004 with the "An Evening With Queensrÿche" tour. The tour opened with a shortened greatest hits set followed by a revised production of Operation: Mindcrime with live actors and video; Pamela Moore
Pamela Moore
Pamela Moore is an American singer and songwriter, mixing hard rock, pop and electronica. She currently resides in Seattle, Washington in the United States.-History:...
reprised her role as Sister Mary. The band played a pre-recorded version of "Hostage," a track from the upcoming album, through the PA as an encore after the end of their set. The second leg of the tour began in early 2005. Before embarking on a third leg in the fall of 2005, Queensrÿche toured with Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
across North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, playing an hour-long set consisting mostly of the band's older works and one song from the soon-to-be released sequel, entitled "I'm American."
Operation: Mindcrime II
Operation: Mindcrime II
-The Band:*Geoff Tate - vocals*Michael Wilton - guitars*Mike Stone - guitars, vocals*Eddie Jackson - bass guitar, vocals*Scott Rockenfield - drums-Story:...
was released internationally on March 31, 2006. The album was Queensrÿche's first for their new label, Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
, to which it signed in 2005. Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
provided the vocals for Dr. X, the villain. It marks the first appearance of Jason Slater as a songwriter with Queensrÿche. Operation: Mindcrime II debuted at #14, the highest chart position for a Queensrÿche album since 1997. The group embarked on a headlining tour in support of the album, joined by Pamela Moore in her role as Sister Mary. The tour featured performances of both Mindcrime albums in their entirety. Dio appeared at the Gibson Amphitheatre show in Universal City, California
Universal City, California
Universal City is a community in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, that encompasses the 415 acre property of Universal Studios...
to perform his vocals as Dr. X on "The Chase", and was shown on a video screen at the other shows. Dio's appearance was recorded, and included as an extra on the 2007 DVD release Mindcrime at the Moore
Mindcrime at the Moore
Mindcrime at the Moore is a live album and DVD by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche, that was released on July 3, 2007. The album and DVD were announced in an April 4 press release on the band's website....
.
Take Cover and American Soldier (2007–2010)
On August 9, 2007, the band announced that it would release a new greatest hitsGreatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album, entitled Sign of the Times
Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensrÿche
Sign of the Times is a compilation album by Seattle-based progressive metal band Queensrÿche. It contains a selection of their most notable songs and was released on August 28, 2007...
. The album was released on August 28, 2007, and a special collector's edition featured a bonus disc including various demos and a new song, "Justified," featuring Chris DeGarmo on guitar.
On November 13, 2007, the band released an album of covers entitled Take Cover. The album contains covers of songs by Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, and was the band's second release for Rhino Records.
On February 3, 2009, Stone announced the end of his association with Queensrÿche to focus on his side-project Speed-X
Speed-X
SPEED X is the new band featuring ex-Queensryche guitarist Mike Stone on guitar, Black Label Society guitarist Nick Catanese, Doubledrive drummer Mike Froedge and former Doubledrive bassist Joshua Sattler, and the latest addition Jason Fowler on vocals....
. Wilton recorded both lead and rhythm guitar on the band's next release. Parker Lundgren (formerly The Nihilists and Sledgeback
Sledgeback
Sledgeback is a Seattle, Washington punk rock band formed in early 2004, with Hungarian born American guitarist Gábor Szakácsi as the front man...
), who played for Tate (and is also his son-in-law) during his solo tour, replaced Stone on the 2009 tour.
On March 31, 2009, the band's eleventh studio album was released, titled American Soldier
American Soldier (album)
American Soldier is the tenth studio album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche; it is a concept album released on March 31, 2009. The album debuted at #25 on the Billboard 200...
, a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
about war from the perspective of those on the front lines of American wars from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
through the present.
As of late 2009 and early 2010, the band were on tour as part of The Queensrÿche Cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
.
In November 2010, Queensrÿche were present during a bomb attack on a U.S. Military position in Iraq. They were in the country to play and entertain the soldiers and personnel positioned there, when explosive shells began falling on the base. Contrary to some news reports that some band members were injured, lead singer Geoff Tate has said in several interviews that he was misquoted and none of the band members suffered any injuries.
Dedicated to Chaos and future follow-up album (2011–present)
As of August 25, 2010 Queensrÿche signed with Roadrunner/Loud & Proud Records tentatively for a spring 2011 album release. It is the band's twelfth studio album.On March 28, 2011, it was announced that the band's new album was entitled Dedicated to Chaos
Dedicated to Chaos
Dedicated to Chaos is the twelfth studio album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. The album was released first in Japan on June 21, 2011, and a week later in the USA on June 28, 2011, and is the band's first album for Roadrunner Records' Loud & Proud label.-Background:The album was...
. The album was released on June 28, 2011.
As of June 2011, according to frontman Geoff Tate
Geoff Tate
Geoff Tate is an American singer and musician, who rose to fame in the 1980s with the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche...
, Queensrÿche is already writing new material for a follow-up to Dedicated to Chaos.
Current members
- Geoff TateGeoff TateGeoff Tate is an American singer and musician, who rose to fame in the 1980s with the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche...
– lead vocals, keyboards, saxophone (1981–present) - Michael WiltonMichael WiltonMichael Wilton is an American guitarist for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche. Wilton attended Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle where he met future Queensrÿche drummer Scott Rockenfield and began recording in 1981...
– lead, rhythm & acoustic guitars, backing vocals (1981–present) - Eddie JacksonEddie Jackson (musician)Eddie Jackson is the bass guitarist for the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche. He has been with the group since 1981, when they were known as The Mob....
– bass, backing vocals (1981–present) - Scott RockenfieldScott RockenfieldScott Rockenfield is the drummer for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche and the band Slave to the System....
– drums, percussion, keyboards (1981–present) - Parker LundgrenParker LundgrenParker Lundgren is an American guitarist.He worked with Geoff Tate and later joined Queensrÿche. He is a former member of Seattle punk group Sledgeback. He was married to Tate's step-daughter Miranda Tate. He is a graduate of Port Townsend High School and the son of Julie Clouse and Scott...
– lead, rhythm & acoustic guitars, backing vocals (2009–present)
Former members
- Chris DeGarmoChris DeGarmoChris DeGarmo is an American heavy metal and hard rock guitarist. He co-founded Queensrÿche in 1981 and played with the group during their most commercially successful period. Since departing from the band, DeGarmo has continued his involvement in the music business in a much smaller capacity...
– lead, rhythm & acoustic guitars, backing vocals (1981–1998, 2003, 2007) - Kelly GrayKelly Gray (musician)Kelly Gray is an American record producer and musician. He started playing guitar in the late 1970s as a founding member of MYTH, a progressive rock band in the suburbs of Seattle, Wash...
– lead, rhythm & acoustic guitars, backing vocals (1998–2001) - Mike StoneMike Stone (musician)Mike Stone is an American heavy metal guitarist, best known for his previous involvement in the progressive metal band Queensrÿche. He joined Queensrÿche for their 2003 Tribe tour, and made his first appearance on the 2003 album Tribe, with writing credits for the song "Losing Myself"...
- lead, rhythm & acoustic guitars, backing vocals (2002–2009)
Associated musicians
- Pamela MoorePamela MoorePamela Moore is an American singer and songwriter, mixing hard rock, pop and electronica. She currently resides in Seattle, Washington in the United States.-History:...
– vocals (1988–1992, 2006–2007) - Ronnie James DioRonnie James DioRonald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
– vocals (2006) - Jason Ames – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals (2009)
- Anthony "Kenny" Bender – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals (2009)
- AJ Fratto – vocals as "The American Soldier" (2009)
- Michael KamenMichael KamenMichael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
– composer
Discography
- QueensrÿcheQueensrÿche (album)Queensrÿche is an EP by the American progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released in 1982 and again one year later. It was originally released independently by 206 Records . Based on the success of the EP, the band was signed to a recording contract by EMI...
(1982, reissued by EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in 1983) - The WarningThe Warning (Queensrÿche album)The Warning is the first full-length album by Queensrÿche, released on 7 September 1984 .The original tracklisting for the album was changed by mix engineer Val Garay under orders from EMI America against the wishes of the band...
(1984) - Rage for OrderRage for OrderRage for Order is the second studio album by heavy metal band Queensrÿche, released in 1986 on EMI America Records.-Track listing:- 2003 CD reissue bonus tracks :# "Gonna Get Close to You " - 5:46...
(1986) - Operation: MindcrimeOperation: MindcrimeOperation: Mindcrime is a concept album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. Released on May 3, 1988, it is the band's third full-length album. A rock opera, its story follows a man who becomes disillusioned with the society of the time and reluctantly becomes involved with a...
(1988) - Empire (1990)
- Promised Land (1994)
- Hear in the Now FrontierHear in the Now FrontierHear in the Now Frontier is the sixth studio album by progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released in 1997. It was partly recorded at Studio Litho in Seattle, the home studio of Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard, and was engineered and mixed by Toby Wright, who had recently worked with Alice In...
(1997) - Q2KQ2KQ2K is the seventh studio album by progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released on 14 September 1999. It was the only Queensrÿche studio album to feature guitarist Kelly Gray, who, in the early 1980s, was in a band called Myth with vocalist Geoff Tate...
(1999) - TribeTribe (Queensrÿche album)-Personnel:*Geoff Tate - Vocals*Chris DeGarmo - Guitar*Michael Wilton - Guitar*Mike Stone - Guitar*Eddie Jackson - Bass*Scott Rockenfield - Drums...
(2003) - Operation: Mindcrime IIOperation: Mindcrime II-The Band:*Geoff Tate - vocals*Michael Wilton - guitars*Mike Stone - guitars, vocals*Eddie Jackson - bass guitar, vocals*Scott Rockenfield - drums-Story:...
(2006) - Take CoverTake Cover (album)Take Cover is a cover album by Seattle-based progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released on November 13, 2007. Its release was announced by the band on August 28, 2007. After its first week of release the album entered the Billboard Top 200 chart at No. 173, with sales of 5,500 copies...
(2007) - American SoldierAmerican Soldier (album)American Soldier is the tenth studio album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche; it is a concept album released on March 31, 2009. The album debuted at #25 on the Billboard 200...
(2009) - Dedicated to ChaosDedicated to ChaosDedicated to Chaos is the twelfth studio album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. The album was released first in Japan on June 21, 2011, and a week later in the USA on June 28, 2011, and is the band's first album for Roadrunner Records' Loud & Proud label.-Background:The album was...
(2011)