Queensryche
American Solider
I’ve had a chance over the last week or so to listen to the new Queensryche album American Solider, which is a concept album about soldiers on the frontline. Lead singer Geoff Tate interviewed serviceman who were in various wars to make sure that the album would be truly representative of the their stories. He did a stellar job...
...as American Solider is one of the best hard rock albums I’ve heard in years. The songs are solid all the way through, with highlights for me including "The Killer" and "Home Again", which finds Tate’s young daughter Emily singing along in a duet about a soldier and his daughter. This is less a metal release and more of a hard rock album, one that flows for 60 minutes and is never boring.
A couple of years ago Queensryche released Operation: Mindcrime II, which was a decent album but I have to say that American Soldier is a superior release. The songs are stronger, the production is solid, and the band’s ambitions are noble. If you’ve only ever heard Empire or Operation: Mindscrime or "Silent Lucidity", or you should totally give Queensryche’s latest a try. 4 months into 2009 and it stands as the best hard rock album of the year so far.
Reviewed By - Andrew Burns
