Location:
USA, WA

Category:
Rock / Metal

Try if you like:
Blue Oyster Cult, Coheed And Cambria, Def Leppard, Dream Theater, Skid Row

I'm going to reveal my age with this review but I think Empire is one album that a lot of younger members of Music Emissions might appreciate. Queensryche is a progressive metal band from Seattle that had a surprise hit with their rock opera Operation: Mindcrime, an equally impressive album released in 1988. How do you follow up an album like that. Well, Empire comes as close as anyone could have hoped. It is one of my favorite rock/metal albums of the 90s. Each song of the 11 hits your ears differently.

The album starts out with synth-heavy "Best I Can", one of the more powerful songs here. You'll probably get a kick out of thinking that Queensryche are classed as metal. They aren't near as heavy as 3/4 of the metal out there. While no one can deny the lush arrangements of the entire band, it is the vocals of Geoff Tate that set Queensryche apart from their contemporaries. The group ended up with a huge hit in "Silent Lucidity", the quietest song of the groups entire catalog. They did pretty well with the rocker "Jet City Woman". 

Don't fear Queensryche. This band is very accessible and should be heard by all.  You may not get into it but I think you will find at least one song on Empire that you will enjoy. Give it a shot.