Queensryche – 2015

I am by all rights a Queensryche purist.  I define the word “purist” as truly appreciating the pure essence of that which is QR to me.  The tone each album sets.  The journey they so artfully take us on with each early release.  Maintaining such a vertical trajectory in the music industry is nearly impossible.  The seeming immortality of the first several releases seemed to fly in the face of such impossible odds, and then…the plateau and steady decent began with “Hear in the Now Frontier” and continued until 2013.  Fans ultimately become critics when a bands need for growth and change dissect with the needs of what we as fans want to hear.  Historically, some (very few) bands continue to change with little to no regard to what fans want to hear with any degree of success; yet many try.  This has to be extremely difficult for the egos of bands to accept.  Artists take great pride in their new forays and when presented to the masses it gets rejected by the rants from the audience to play older material, it has to be frustrating.  So much so that some bands just can’t handle it.  Other bands such as “Journey” and many of the ’80s bands just settle in to this seeming rut because they understand that is what the fans want to hear.  There is a place for these and I am a fan of many of them.  Queensryche however, is not having it.  Thankfully.

The newest iteration of Queensryche will not go silently into that goodnight.  Original members Michael Wilton on lead guitar, Eddie Jackson on bass and drummer Scott Rockenfield along with new members Parker Lundgren on guitar and Todd La Torre at lead vocals are poised to shatter the historical norm.  I will forgo comparisons of the phoenix rising from the ashes here but what I saw recently at the House of Blues was clearly a new era for both Queensryche and their fans.  Those fans by the way, young and old alike, sang along with every word.  The placement of front man Todd La Torre is nothing less than cosmic intervention.  La Torre clearly commands the material with respect to the past but most importantly, respect for the future.  I spoke with Todd recently and found him as many of his fans both humble and confident.  These two traits rarely exist in the rock genre.  His candor about the weight of burden he feels to honor the past material is omnipresent as well as his rock solid commitment to join his band mates in ushering in a new era of equally solid music.  You have to understand how difficult and brave of an undertaking this is.  As this band took the stage, they all look to the packed house of rabid fans and hope that they are accepted.  Furthermore, they have to convey to them that they are committed to bringing new material to them that will not only not disappoint their very high expectations but also exceed them.

The band is currently in the studio wrapping up what will be said new era.  The stakes are high and everyone in the band knows it.  After what we all saw last night, everyone in that band is supremely confident in that delivery.  I first saw them live in 1986.  Almost 30 years later, after witnessing a nasty decline, I left that venue with a huge smile.  I saw many of those smiles.

The rugged history is that which is classic Rock fodder.  Bad splits between band mates, poor album sales, crew changes.  Things that typically destroy bands.  I am resolved to not really give a shit about what was, but choose to focus on what is and what will be.  I like what I see.  I love what I hear.  For the nay-sayers; you always have F U.  For me, I believe the frequency is in fact…known.

Tazz  –  Audiomorpheus.com