Your Favorite Concept Album

[Jean-Pierre]

It took me months (if not a year) to FULLY appreciate and understand RFO (especially because when i bought it i was not an experienced listener), even though i already liked Mindcrime when i got it. I can't see the lack of critical response that you mention, since it is widely (widely = not UM, especially GMD) considered as one of most important metal albums ever and possibly the most trully progressive one. Mindcrime...was just different, another step to something new and fresh (and yes it was really new and really fresh), but definetely not a regressive one, at least on the musical quality department.

I've never seen a review putting Rage for Order anywhere near Mindcrime. Operation: Mindcrime was utterly regressive, ushering the age of Queensryche adapting to whatever trend happened to be going on.

So I don't fully understand RFO? I've been hearing it now for two years, and having heard Lisa DalBello, Kate Bush, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Killing Joke and Depeche Mode BEFORE I heard Rage For Order sort of helped me in determining the influence and bridges that were being built. It also helped that the lyrics were completely brilliant, bitter sweet melancholy mixed with obsessive yearning. The lyrics to Mindcrime were just a sledgehammer cheeseball musical. The music? An 80's rock revision of songs such as Surgical Strike, Neue Regel, London, The Whisper, NM 16 and Roads to Madness. It is simply not an essential album, not at all.

At any rate, we're not going to agree, so can we at least consent to respect each other's opinions on the matter rather than posting dancing mice?

 

[Blue_Jay]

Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

I love how that album is mostly about religion, heaven, God, hell, and the best one of all, JESUS! WOOHOOOO!! Best metal album ever made about religion.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

So I don't fully understand RFO?

Beh, where did i say this? I didn't even imply it.

An 80's rock revision of songs such as Surgical Strike, Neue Regel, London, The Whisper...

It's kinda weird that you call them "an 80s rock revision of..." because RFO had a much "lighter" sound. Mindcrime is by far more "heavy metal" than RFO in all of its aspects. By the way, it is too dark (the concept), raw and realistic to be just a... "musical".

It is simply not an essential album, not at all.

If you look it in ANY possible objective point of view, it is a quintessential music release. NOTHING is like "Operation: Mindcrime" (and yes, nothing is like RFO and "The Warning" and "Promised Land" - to complete the absolute QR masterpieces)

At any rate, we're not going to agree, so can we at least consent to respect each other's opinions on the matter rather than posting dancing mice?

Of course, my whole disagreement happens because you say such deemining (and nonexistant of course in my opinion) things about Mindcrime, instead of just saying that it's not grabing you as much as RFO does. Im suprised that you don't at least like Tate's performance in the album.

 

[Burkhard]

All of my favourite concept albums are non-metal:

Kari Bremnes - "Svarta Bjørn"
Tom Russell - "The Man From God Knows Where"
Lynni Treekrem - "Haugtussa"
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Kate Bush - The Ninth Wave (second side of Hounds of Love)