Favorite Queensryche album

[ElectricWiz]

Concerning Mindcrime II, the one fault, as I see it, is the lack of "peaks and valleys" musically. To my ears, the album is a bit too "linear"...not sure how else to describe this.

The original had a true midpoint, or even a turning point, in "Suite Sister Mary". This albums doesn't really offer such a dramatic 'event' which would help to raise the gravity of a concept album.

With that said, it's still a very strong record, the songs are awesome and the feeling of the original is there.

Well, two listens in and I really like it alot. It's much better than I expected, even with the reviews. I definately see your point Soundmaster. Still, I think as a "third act," it works exceptionally well. That is, taken as one piece of music (I and II back to back) it fits just fine, and lacks not for variety (under that specific circumstance). I think, if nothing else, I'm impressed that they didn't make a kind of carbon copy of the first. Also, the mood of the music really fits the kind of "lived and lost," mood of the lyrics. It's a lament if you will. That was more brave than had they just cranked up the volume knobs. Oh, and the Dio thing is waaaaaay better than I expected. Very theatric, interesting, and well written.

I give it a thumbs up for sure, and even would go so far as to say it was a more than worthy successor of the first. This taking into account though that it is Queensryche where they are now, and they were just as true to that as they were the past in the writing and recording of this album.

I like it a lot. It works.

 

[Nemesis_lxix]

here's a very original selection
Operation Mindcrime

 

[Wheezer]

Basically in order:

O:M
Rage
Warning
Promised Land
EP
Empire


The rest...

 

[TheWhisper]

Exactly. I was there, I know. I bought the EP due to recommendations from Hit Parader magazine, and I can later remember visiting my local record store every Tuesday to see if the new Queenryche album had come out yet. That album was The Warning. They were like a mix of Priest and Maiden which suited me just fine, but the songwriting was so fresh and Tate's vocals were Godly. When Rage for Order came out, I hated it. "What's this stupid technocrap?", I screamed. "And where did the metal go?". I did eventually learn to enjoy the album for it's excellent songwriting, and now that I'm getting old and gray around the edges, I absolutely love hearing it.

One fact that gets overlooked these days (except here on UMOS), Rage for Order sounded like NOTHING ELSE in 1986. It was totally unique. I just wish I'd been more open-minded so I could enjoy it at the time like I did the EP and Warning.

NP: Astral Doors - Raiders of the Ark

My intro to QR is very similar. I bought the E.P. on a blind buy and loved it immediately. At the time the Warning came out, I worked at my local mall, in the maintenance dept., so I knew the guys in the record store very well. I was constantly bugging them about the release date. I fell in love with the Warning right away, as well.

The thing about RFO, I had an expectation of what it would sound like, so I was a bit put off at first. A couple of listens and it hadn't grabbed me yet, so I put it away. Now, QR had become my absolute favorite band by the time the Warning had hit my ears. I was disappointed that Rage hadn't hit me yet. About a week later I went back to it, and BAM...all of a sudden I heard it. I was in awe. After that day, RFO didn't leave my, at the time, cassette player in my car for months. The production on that album was flawless. I also remember an interview with Tate, around that time, in which he said something like, "RFO is not an easy listen."

I learned a couple of lessons from that whole experience with RFO.
One: don't go into any more albums with preconceived notions of how it should sound.
Two: If an album doesn't immediately hit me, put it away, give it some time, then go back and give another listen.
Both of those things I've tried to remember each new listening experience since.

RFO is probably my #1 album of all time...just look at my user name.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I learned a couple of lessons from that whole experience with RFO.
One: don't go into any more albums with preconceived notions of how it should sound.
Two: If an album doesn't immediately hit me, put it away, give it some time, then go back and give another listen.
Both of those things I've tried to remember each new listening experience since.

Exactly! I learned those very same lessons and I use them to this day, not only in music, but life in general.

 

[Wheezer]

Exactly! I learned those very same lessons and I use them to this day, not only in music, but life in general.

Wow! Me too. How cool is that?

 

[Dee Snarl]

1. Rage For Order - awesome album, so underrated, but starting to get its due. One of my fave albums of all time.

2. Operation Mindcrime

3. Queensryche EP

4. Warning

And then I guess they made some other stuff????

 

[Break Zero]

Rage For Order. This is the first time I've ever heard a majority stating RFO as their best album. Walk In The Shadows, The Killing Words, Sergical Strike, I Dream in Infrared, Neue Regel, London... CLASSICS in my opinion.

Operation: Mindcrime followings. Then probably the EP and Warning tie.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Wow! Me too. How cool is that?

It's very cool, Wheez. Methinks we're birds of a feather, you and I. Same additude, same experiences, same taste. If you ever make it back to Phoenix during the cooler months (Oct-April), make sure we get hooked up in person. I bet we'd have a blast just hanging out, jammin the tunes and reminiscing.

NP: Rage - Unity

 

[TheWhisper]

Rage For Order. This is the first time I've ever heard a majority stating RFO as their best album. Walk In The Shadows, The Killing Words, Sergical Strike, I Dream in Infrared, Neue Regel, London... CLASSICS in my opinion.

Operation: Mindcrime followings. Then probably the EP and Warning tie.

That's because we're cool as f%&k here. Oh yeah, you forgot to mention the best song on RFO...Screaming In Digital...oh, and The Whisper

 

[KMADD]

Operation Mindcrime was my fave then The Warning.

 

[Consuming Impulse]

Operation Mindcrime I.
I thought Mindcrime II sucked though. The best song off of mindcrime 2 was the intro while mindcrime 1 had plenty of good songs.

 

[The Apparition]

It took me a long time to choose between Mindcrime and Rage but i'll have to go with Rage. Incredibly original and amazing album. London is probably my favourite track.

 

[Andrei]

Rage For Order or Empire, not decided yet, even after all these years

Rage for Order stands strong even today and sounds so up-to-date.

 

[Wheezer]

It's very cool, Wheez. Methinks we're birds of a feather, you and I. Same additude, same experiences, same taste. If you ever make it back to Phoenix during the cooler months (Oct-April), make sure we get hooked up in person. I bet we'd have a blast just hanging out, jammin the tunes and reminiscing.

There's a very good chance that I'll be there for a weekend in December. Some of my Broncs net buddies are meeting there for the game @ the Cardinals. I don't get to make my annual trip to the KC game because it's on Thanksgiving day so I'm substituting the @ Arizona game. We'll see how it turns out.

 

[SickBoy]

Mindcrime, the EP and Empire.

What he said...
I'm not very fond of OM2, I must say.

 

[Platinum Maze]

Hard for me to decide...The Warning, Rage For Order, and O: M could be my top 3 albums ever, let alone QR albums. Gun to my head though, I have to also go with Rage For Order. For all the reasons you guys mentioned, and more. Expectations aside, it is so true about the preconceived thoughts about the album, which were, IMO, solely based on the clothes they wore on the back cover! We all thought, "What the F are they wearing?!?" Anyway, it was released about a month after I graduated high school. We played the shit out of it all summer, and into college, and beyond....

PS - The remastered versions of Rage and Mindcrime are incredible, as are most of their remasters.....

This would be my ranking:

Rage for Order
The Warning
O:M
Promised Land
Empire
HITNF
EP
O:M2
Q2k
Tribe

 

[Break Zero]

Only songs that have actually stood out for me on O:M2 are Re-arrange You and The Chase. And even The Chase had the potential to have been much, much better (2 of the best voices in Metal for godsakes! You coulda made an epic!)

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

There's a very good chance that I'll be there for a weekend in December. Some of my Broncs net buddies are meeting there for the game @ the Cardinals. I don't get to make my annual trip to the KC game because it's on Thanksgiving day so I'm substituting the @ Arizona game. We'll see how it turns out.

But, will you have extra time to venture outside your football plans or are you limited to a pre-planned hectic weekend? I don't exactly live in Phoenix. I'm about 50 miles south of Chandler, surrounded by saguaros and ironwoods. You might think about coming in a day or two early. I've got a spare bedroom. Wouldn't cost you anything other than vacation time.

Keep it in mind. Touch base at the time.

NP: Orphaned Land - Mabool

 

[Wheezer]

But, will you have extra time to venture outside your football plans or are you limited to a pre-planned hectic weekend? I don't exactly live in Phoenix. I'm about 50 miles south of Chandler, surrounded by saguaros and ironwoods. You might think about coming in a day or two early. I've got a spare bedroom. Wouldn't cost you anything other than vacation time.

Keep it in mind. Touch base at the time.

That would be cool! An extra day or two would be just the ticket. We'll see how it works out when the time comes.