Album Review — Queensryche
Queensryche — The Verdict
Queensryche is one of a growing list of bands that has replaced their longtime singer. I almost always prefer that bands stay together but in this case the change might have been for the best. I loved the band with Geoff Tate but clearly he had a different vision for the band. So Queensryche moved on with new singer Todd La Torre and have now released their third record. It seems as if drummer Scott Rockenfeld has also moved on as La Torre has taken over drum duties on The Verdict as well. So that leaves the band with only two original members. That being said, those two original members are integral to the band and have every right to the legacy of Queensryche.
It is incredibly difficult for me to listen to this version of Queensryche without comparing it to the Tate-led version. La Torre has a similar voice and inflections as Tate and the band still sounds very much like Queensryche musically. I would compare the sound of the new record to the band’s first four records. The band embraces their past without duplicating it, which is hard to do. The Verdict isn’t a rehash of old Queensryche but I think it does a good job of paying homage of where the band has been.
And I need to get this out of the way. Operation:Mindcrime is one of my top 5 albums of all time. It would be unfair to compare The Verdict or any other Queensryche album to it. In my mind, Mindcrime is a masterpiece and can never be duplicated, as Operation:Mindcrime 2 proved.
So in light of all of that, here’s what I think of the The Verdict, track by track.
“Blood of the Levant” kicks things off and it’s a strong opening track. It’s heavy and sounds like it could be off the first record. La Torre shows off his higher register throughout the track. There’s a cool bridge that reminds me of something off Mindcrime. Good track to start things off.
“Man The Machine” is next. The guitar parts and La Torre’s delivery are reminiscent of “Speak” off of Mindcrime. One of the bigger choruses on the record. I could see how someone would say La Torre is copying Tate, but the counter would be he’s fitting into what Queensryche is. The result is a very strong song and one of the best on the record.
“Light-Years” is up next and has a slightly more modern sounding guitar riff. There are elements on this one that are reminiscent of older Queensryche, but to me this one sounds more like “new” Queensryche. The chorus is a little more pronounced here than most of the tracks.
“Inside Out” provides a short reprieve with the guitar intro but kicks in fairly quickly. Similar to “Light-Years”, this one sounds more “new” to me. There’s not really a traditional chorus but a decent song.
“Propaganda Fashion” jumps right in and rocks from the start. The chorus is one of the few parts of the record that reminds me of something off “Empire”. I really like that the band combines familiar elements in these new songs. It’s definitely Queensryche but also something new. Interesting song.
“Dark Reverie” scales the rock back a bit. La Torre sings in a lower register here. At times he sounds so similar to Tate, especially when singing in lower registers. I really like this one. La Torre can really sing and as the song advances he shows off his range. Just a well written and performed song.
“Bent” has a very Mindcrime opening with the dual guitars but La Torre takes it somewhere new as he pushes his vocal range. I’m not sure how to describe it, but the songs have a very Queensryche feel to them. Kind of dark and angsty. It’s not a concept record but that theme does run through the record which I really like. I like all six minutes of this one.
“Inner Unrest” continues the combining of familiar with the new. I’d argue that this record may have been the record I wanted to hear after Mindcrime. “Empire” was so different it almost felt like a different band. It feels as if this record would fit nicely between them. This song, in particular, feels like it belongs there. The feel of Mindcrime with the more radio friendly sound of Empire.
“Lauder The Conscience” is next. I have absolutely no idea what that means but I like the song. This one is heavier in the verses but a little more melodic in the chorus. If I have any issue with the record it’s that I’m not exactly sure what the songs are about. I definitely get a lot of mood and angst, but I don’t really know what’s going on. That may come with more listens. I like what I’m hearing but I like to connect to what the band is singing about, and that’s not really happening for me.
“Portrait” closes out the record and it starts off a little more laid back. Again, there are elements here of the Queensryche I know, but this one is more “new” than anything else. The Verdict is a heavy record but I like how the band ends the record in a more melancholy way. I haven’t said much about the guitar work on the record, but it’s very good. I like hearing something a little different from the band here and that includes the guitars.
Reviewing a record after few listens can be misleading. Many times a record grows on you over many listens while other times a record can get stale and uninteresting after a few spins. But my early impressions of the record are very positive. It’s definitely a Queensryche record that pays homage to its past but isn’t stuck there. If I have any complaint it’s that I haven’t connected with the songs a lot yet and that’s an important aspect of music for me. Maybe that will come with time but at this moment it keeps this record from being a total win. But I like it and if you like Queensryche, especially the first four records, I think you’ll like this one.
90 out of 100
Track Listing
01. Blood of the Levant *
02. Man the Machine *
03. Light-Years
04. Inside Out
05. Propaganda Fashion
06. Dark Reverie *
07. Bent *
08. Inner Unrest
09. Launder the Conscience
10. Portrait
Best Songs *