Queensryche Empire CD

Replaces Cap 92806

Queensryche: Geoff Tate (vocals, keyboards); Chris DeGarmo (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, keyboards, background vocals); Michael Wilton (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar); Eddie Jackson (electric bass, fretless basss, background vocals); Scott Rockenfield (drums, percussion).
Additional personnel includes: Michael Kamen (arranger).
Producer: Peter Collins.
Compilation producer: David K. Tedds.
Recorded at Vancouver Studios, Vancouver, Canada and Triad Studios, Redmond, Washington in 1990. Originally released on EMI (92806). Includes liner notes by Paul Suter.
This is part of EMI Records "Queensryche Remastered" series.
Queensryche: Geoff Tate (vocals, keyboards); Chris DeGarmo (6- & 12-string acoustic & electric guitars, keyboards, background vocals); Michael Wilton (6- & 12-string acoustic & electric guitars); Eddie Jackson (electric & fretless basses, background vocals); Scott Rockenfield (drums, percussion).
Additional personnel: Michael Kamen (strings); B.O.B. (background vocals).
Engineers: James "Jimbo" Barton, Paul Northfield.
Recorded at Vancouver Studios, Vancouver, Canada and Triad Studios, Redmond, Washington in 1990.
Digitally remastered by Steve Hoffman.
Personnel: Geoff Tate (vocals, whistling, keyboards); Chris DeGarmo (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, keyboards, 12-string bass, background vocals); Michael Wilton (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, 12-string bass, fretless bass); Eddie Jackson (electric bass, fretless bass, background vocals); Scott Rockenfield (drums, percussion).
Audio Mixer: James Barton .
Recording information: Triad Studios, Redmond, WA, Vancouver, British Columbia (1990); Vancouver Studios (1990).
Photographer: Harold Sinclair.
One of the most praised metal albums of the late '80s, Operation: Mindcrime was an extremely tough act to follow. But while Empire isn't quite on a par with that gem, it is certainly one of the most absorbing headbanger efforts of 1990. Highly conceptual and anything but redundant, Empire demonstrates beautifully just how imaginative Queensr˙che can be. If anyone has bridged the gap between the bombast of Iron Maiden and the artiness of Pink Floyd, it is Queensr˙che. But as much as one may be reminded of Floyd's The Wall on pieces like "Anybody Listening?," "Silent Lucidity," and "Resistance," Empire leaves no doubt that Queensr˙che has a rich personality all its own. ~ Alex Henderson
With the breakthrough success and worldwide respect that Queensryche gained from their conceptual masterpiece OPERATION: MINDCRIME, how could the band possibly outdo or at the least match themselves? Just two years after the release of MINDCRIME Queensryche reinvented themselves (though certainly not for the last time). While many fans were clamoring for a conceptual sequel, the band returned to a song-oriented approach that was more art rock and less metal-edged.
Now quite far removed from the fantasy and techno-paranoia lyrical themes of their earlier works, the band tackled overcoming social and physical handicaps ("Best I Can"), poverty, and regret ("Della Brown"). Focused much less on the darker side of love that was always so prevalent in their sound, the band was now brave enough to be romantic ("Another Rainy Night" and "Hand On Heart"). While Queensryche lost some diehard metal fans with EMPIRE, the mature sound and tight production of Peter Collins (Rush) saw the band break into the mainstream (and top off at #9 on the Billboard singles chart) with the Pink Floyd-inspired "Silent Lucidity."
With the breakthrough success and worldwide respect that Queensryche gained from their conceptual masterpiece OPERATION: MINDCRIME, how could the band possibly outdo or at least match themselves? Just two years after the release of MINDCRIME, Queensryche reinvented themselves (though certainly not for the last time). While manQ - 3 Stars - Good - Recommended as one of the top 5 metal albums of 1990. - "..The thinking person's rock album...which exudes craft and intelligence at will without ever sounding pretentious or forgetting mighty riffs and classic melodies.."