In the midst of the 1980s heavy metal explosion, Seattle progressive rockers Queensrÿche emerged with a well-defined sound that was different from their American peers. While possessing the heaviness of the European bands, they also drew inspiration from the progressive complexity and songwriting sophistication of groups like Rush and Pink Floyd. This kinetic combo made them stand out from the pack and once they released their famed 1988 concept album Operation: Mindcrime, they secured their place in heavy metal history.
Queensrÿche’s signature approach was to mix tempos, rhythmic ideas, and dynamics, along with a variety of unique intros, to songs that were not easy to categorize yet all sounded like Queensrÿche. This came from a combination of Michael Wilton and Chris DeGarmo’s multifaceted axework, Eddie Jackson’s robust bass work, Scott Rockenfield’s superlative drumming, and the stirring singing and glass-shattering screams of Geoff Tate.
The first two Queensrÿche albums and their original EP have a lot of those elements and experimented with a number of different sounds and styles. Even after the huge success of the more upbeat Empire in 1990, the group kept trying different approaches. The following deep cuts represent some of the interesting and unusual twists from early in their career. One thing is for sure: They weren’t taking happy pills when they composed this material. That’s OK, they were a stimulating counterweight to the decade’s glam band hedonism.
“Blinded” from Queensrÿche EP (1983)
Queensrÿche’s original EP (actually their demo) was a heavy slab of Euro-metal aggression mixed with fantasy-oriented themes. It’s the only time in their history they sounded like this, but the energy was palpable. The band actually wrote and recorded the songs before Tate had officially joined. He was simply a guest here, although he later left his band Myth once this collection got released and gained a buzz. This song only has two verses, then an extended solo and coda section with ominous riffs, tribal toms, and sinister chants conjuring compellingly dark vibes.
“The Lady Wore Black” from Queensrÿche EP (1983)
The group’s first ballad didn’t exploit drippy romantic sentiments, as foreshadowed by the foreboding wind sounds wafting in at the start. The one song on the EP with lyrics from Tate, it’s about a chance encounter with a haunting, tragic figure—perhaps a future mirror of the man meeting her—who leaves an indelible mark on him. This somber electric elegy has aged well because it avoids the power ballad clichés that would dominate the decade.
The words she spoke were of forgotten lives
And of all knowledge gained
Memories I had but didn’t know why
With a smile she explained
I should’ve listened to the wind’s cold warning
And walked the other way
I touched her soul and now I bear her sentence
But for her love, I’ll gladly pay
“En Force” from The Warming (1984)
A bit of the fantastical aspects of their EP crop up on this song, which begins with dramatic bells chiming along with the opening riffs. The track is about a fight against tyranny and the trepidation of heading into a dangerous conflict. The somber, mellow outro with militaristic snare work is a rather tranquil way to close out this dramatic song, hinting that oppressive forces may have won. The Warning album explores different conflicts—including a man/machine dystopia in “NM 156”—and searching for hope in a darkened world.
“Roads to Madness” from The Warning (1984)
It’s bold to release a 10-minute cinematic epic at the close of your major label debut, especially one with this title. It’s a melancholy tale of someone reaching a transition in their life—to a new phase? the afterlife?—and contemplating the heavy price they have paid to obtain something that remains out of their reach. This album marked the band’s first collaboration with film composer Michael Kamen, who arranged and conducted the strings in this song’s mid-section. He would later collaborate with them on Operation: Mindcrime and the Grammy Award-nominated ballad “Silent Lucidity.” The Kamen connection came through their producer James Guthrie, who previously worked with the composer on Pink Floyd’s The Wall.
“Neue Regel” from Rage for Order (1986)
Is this a clarion call for a utopian society? Or is it cult-ish fervor from a leader eager to remake things in their image? Listening to the machine-gun fire bursting through the outro of the song, one has to wonder, especially in contrast to the acoustic guitar and sci-fi synths launching the track. “Neue Regel” deeply resonates today, at a time when the quest for truth and desire for many to move forward (and others backward) has put us at odds. Like many Queensrÿche songs, it makes us ponder the questions it raises.
“Chemical Youth (We Are Rebellion)” from Rage for Order (1986)
This rowdy, aggressive anthem calling for unified rebellion against higher authority walks the line between inspiration and trepidation.
If we don’t stand together
We stand to lose the future
Peace won’t last forever
who will be the martyr you or me?
We can be the future
You and I the leaders, Help me!
If we don’t stand together
We stand to lose the future
We are the last hope…but there’s danger
It feels like something ominous is lurking beneath the surface here. For some reason, when listening to these ferocious choruses, this writer ended up thinking of Alex and his droogs from A Clockwork Orange. Misdirected insurgency can be dangerous.
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