Rising West (Queensryche)!!!

[Macke/Crystal Light]

I have not seen a post about this:

My all time favourites Queensryche (without Geoff Tate) have started playing with Todd La Torre from Crimson Glory...and the result so far is excellent. Check out this video from their debute gig this weekend:



Let´s see what will happen with Queensryche as a band, but I am happy if Rising West continues (as Rising West or Queensryche).
I will await my final judgement until they release some new material, but I would be very surprised if it was not better than the last (5 or so) Queensryche albums.

 

[Jind]

While I find it entertaining and enjoy hearing these "When Queensryche were great" era songs, I'll wait for a Rising West album before assuming that any member of Queensryche can write a few decent songs (enough for an album worth listening to) since DeGarmo left.

Until a member of Queensryche can do that one task consistently they will never overcome the years of bad albums - Geoff can just hire musicians and play old Queensryche tunes and it will be the same as the other members are doing now - essentially a cover band reliving the glory days of a band who never was able to live up to those early great songs written when they had fire in their bellies and truthfully a decent songwriter in the band.

 

[kaomao]

Even though I'm a huge fan I think even with degarmo they put out some shitty albums: hear in the now frontier, tribe
It's impressive how Todd sounds like Geoff of the golden era! I like this band

 

[Jind]

Even though I'm a huge fan I think even with degarmo they put out some shitty albums: hear in the now frontier, tribe
It's impressive how Todd sounds like Geoff of the golden era! I like this band

While perhaps I give more credit to DeGarmo for the best of Queensryche, I think it's safe to say the premise of my point was accurate that for years upon years no one in Queensryche has shown the consistent capability to write compelling, interesting songs that would make you want to purchase a full album of music from them without in the end it falling to the bottom pile of CD's you will listen to someday.

Rising West at "this" point is a band performing a greatest hits collection of a once great band - I'm sure they could make a living like many of the bands of the 80's do these days touring on past glories, but until someone in that band can step up and write memorable music (quite honestly for me it's can be formulated quasi repeats of past songs either) they will just be a QR quasi-cover band (yes they have 3 of the original 5 members but you know the feeling that it's still just not the same as it once was).

I do think it's funny that they are still toeing the corporate Queensryche line that this is a "break" from Queensryche. Now with family members arguing on the internet it does not bode well for 4 of the 5 original members getting back together anytime soon and maybe it's for the best - perhaps they will surprise me as is - it could happen I suppose.

As always, individual mileage may vary.

 

[J the TyranT]

Man the Q were one of my faves for YEARS... but like you've already mentioned their last few albums have been just awful. Even their live shows have dropped in quality a metric shit ton.

 

[Macke/Crystal Light]

I agree with you guys. They really need to release a good record before really proving that they "are back". I really hope they do!

 

[Jind]

While I find it entertaining and enjoy hearing these "When Queensryche were great" era songs, I'll wait for a Rising West album before assuming that any member of Queensryche can write a few decent songs (enough for an album worth listening to) since DeGarmo left.

Until a member of Queensryche can do that one task consistently they will never overcome the years of bad albums - Geoff can just hire musicians and play old Queensryche tunes and it will be the same as the other members are doing now - essentially a cover band reliving the glory days of a band who never was able to live up to those early great songs written when they had fire in their bellies and truthfully a decent songwriter in the band.

Reviving this thread from earlier this year to post a clip that the 'new" Queensryche (w/ Todd La Torre) have posted as a teaser for their upcoming album and from the sounds of it - my belief that not a single member of QR can write memorable songs anymore seems to be holding true as none of the teasers sound like anything better than what they have been doing for the past several years with Geoff. And, that's not saying much as his latest solo release isn't any better. QR w/ Todd La Torre simply sounds like later day Queensryche with a Geoff Tate impersonator - still writing sort of crappy material.

If this rekindles your love affair with early Queensryche than I must be missing something. Sure I'll listen to the whole thing once it's released over my streaming music service, but it's highly unlikely I'll be parting with cash to buy the disc.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNP_jR0McuU&[/ame]

 

[Jackal_Strain]

I have accepted a long time ago that they will never release anything close to operation mind crime or empire. Two of heavy metals greatest albums for sure!

 

[schwinginbatman]

I hear something far superior to everything they've done since Promised Land. It still is no Operation: Mindcrime, but it's the closest they've done in a long time.

 

[Manifesto]

I wish i could contact Geoff somehow. I'm more than capable of writing Queensrÿche's third best album.

 

[grywolf627]

Reviving this thread from earlier this year to post a clip that the 'new" Queensryche (w/ Todd La Torre) have posted as a teaser for their upcoming album and from the sounds of it - my belief that not a single member of QR can write memorable songs anymore seems to be holding true as none of the teasers sound like anything better than what they have been doing for the past several years with Geoff. And, that's not saying much as his latest solo release isn't any better. QR w/ Todd La Torre simply sounds like later day Queensryche with a Geoff Tate impersonator - still writing sort of crappy material.

If this rekindles your love affair with early Queensryche than I must be missing something. Sure I'll listen to the whole thing once it's released over my streaming music service, but it's highly unlikely I'll be parting with cash to buy the disc.

I heard this last week, and Geoff's new album as well. I'm in complete agreement with you, Jind. In my mind, I'll just have to pretend they stopped making albums after Empire (though Mindcrime was superior).

 

[Jind]

I hear something far superior to everything they've done since Promised Land. It still is no Operation: Mindcrime, but it's the closest they've done in a long time.

I'm sorry but that's not saying much. My point still stands - it's essentially sounding like a bad cover band trying to write a few originals in "the style of" classic Queensryche. If you like it - more power to you, but it pales in comparison to what most consider the great QR era albums.

Personally I think they should drop the QR name, quit pretending, and stick with the Rising West name and shoot for something original as staying with the QR name is just always going to be a starting point for the comparison.

 

[schwinginbatman]

I'm sorry but that's not saying much. My point still stands - it's essentially sounding like a bad cover band trying to write a few originals in "the style of" classic Queensryche. If you like it - more power to you, but it pales in comparison to what most consider the great QR era albums.

Personally I think they should drop the QR name, quit pretending, and stick with the Rising West name and shoot for something original as staying with the QR name is just always going to be a starting point for the comparison.

Well, to me, it seems as though it's a continuation of Empire, but it's really hard to tell, since the snippets are like two seconds each except for the last one, which was really quite good. But it sounds nothing like Dedicated to Chaos or Kings & Thieves, to me at least. It wasn't a good idea to edit such small snippets together, especially with that long-ass transition sound.

I think by asking for something totally as good, or better, than the 80's QR stuff is asking a bit much. For one, it's obvious we're never going to get another O:M, especially without DeGarmo. But this will be the best QR album in a long time, I can already tell, and I think that's better than anything Tate will come up with, who seems content to keep writing the stuff that hurts the QR name.

 

[Macke/Crystal Light]

Reviving this thread from earlier this year to post a clip that the 'new" Queensryche (w/ Todd La Torre) have posted as a teaser for their upcoming album and from the sounds of it - my belief that not a single member of QR can write memorable songs anymore seems to be holding true as none of the teasers sound like anything better than what they have been doing for the past several years with Geoff. And, that's not saying much as his latest solo release isn't any better. QR w/ Todd La Torre simply sounds like later day Queensryche with a Geoff Tate impersonator - still writing sort of crappy material.

If this rekindles your love affair with early Queensryche than I must be missing something. Sure I'll listen to the whole thing once it's released over my streaming music service, but it's highly unlikely I'll be parting with cash to buy the disc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNP_jR0McuU&

I do not agree, yes these are very short snippets, but I do really think that this will be their best album since Promised Land. I do not think it sounds like the newer QR albums at all. I am really looking forward to the release.
I do admit that I am really a huge fan of older QR material...so my judgement may be a tiny bit clouded

 

[Notuern]

Its better then the latest stuff, but its still not good.. Queensryche has been dead for a long time.
I saw them at Sweden Rock Festival in 2011, and i walked out before they even finished the first song(Thats the first time thats happened to me with a big act.).

 

[Jind]

I do not agree, yes these are very short snippets, but I do really think that this will be their best album since Promised Land. I do not think it sounds like the newer QR albums at all. I am really looking forward to the release.
I do admit that I am really a huge fan of older QR material...so my judgement may be a tiny bit clouded

Don't get me wrong - I was a huge Queensryche fan since the day I stumbled across the original 4 track EP back in 1982. The moment I heard "Queen of the Reich" I was hooked. The Warning still gets regular spins in my playlist along with the experimental Rage for Order which many fans still have problems with to this day. When Operation Mindcrime came out I simply could not get enough of Queensryche. I saw them 4 times over a period of a year split between 88 and 89, 3 times in Massachusetts and once here in Connecticut. I found something to enjoy up through Promised Land even, while not necessarily liking Tribe, still going to see them with Dream Theater that year and enjoying the show they put on.

All that said - it's time to put the history of Queensryche behind and if they, as a split-up band are going to continue making music, quit trying to haplessly created something that will remind the fans of days long past that they seem incapable of repeating. Take the talent they do have (they are clearly good musicians, just not the greatest songwriters it seems) and worry less about whether it sounds like a QR cover band and perhaps recruit someone not pretending to be someone else that can write a decent song.

I definately in the camp of let the history of QR fade - both parties should just let it go and if the three original members in Wilton, Rockenfield, and Jackson want to continue making music together do it as something else and if La Torre is to stay see if he can sound less like a Geoff Tate impersonator and let his own voice be a focal point.

As always, just my personal opinion - nothing more, nothing less. I do wish them well, but as long as the Queensryche moniker is attached I will always judge it against the good old days and unless the music is stellar it will tend to disappoint. I was that big of a fan of those early records.

 

[Jind]

OK, reviving this thread from last year to simply eat some crow

I just listened to the stream of the entire Todd La Torre fronted Queensryche album and have to give them credit for creating a pretty damned good record.

http://blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=191407

While the teaser clip above and the first track released really did little to make me think an entire album of enjoyable and listenable QR was forthcoming, I'm now sold that someone in the band can still write memorable music (after years of thinking they had completely lost that capability).

I readily admit that I had given this effort little hope and also happily admit that I'm presently surprised with the outcome. In some ways I still wish they had billed it as a new project with a new name, but I understand the name brand recognition aspect of keeping the name. I'm still going to be interested in what the happens with the name ownership litigation - I suspect it will end up being settled out of court somehow as the judge in the case said "I'm sure the market can get these things sorted out."

Will it replace some of my QR favorites in Operation Mindcrime, Rage for Order, ... probably not, but it certainly is one of those things I'm happy to admit I was wrong about and will be a first day available purchase for me.

Any thoughts from others that doubted how this would turn out?

 

[Terminus]

La Torre knows his shit man. I saw a video on blabbercunt and was impressed. Not only can he sound like Tate on his best day, he can sound like Tate circa 1988 on his best day. Probably not a purchase for me but i can see them reclaiming some of that olden days glory for sure, with this guy singing.

 

[egan.]

I had no hopes but listening now I'm pretty pleasantly surprised.

 

[~BURNY~]

Far from perfect, not comparable to the classics, but immensely superior to the "other Queensryche"