From Queensryche: Hello Queensryche Fans, Parker Lundgren, guitarist for Queensryche, has recently decided to step down to pursue other business ventures, which he has become very invested in over the past couple of years. For over a decade it has been a great pleasure watching him evolve and flourish as a guitarist, song writer, and most importantly, a wonderful human being. Parker will always be family to us and we wish him all the success in the world with his new endeavors. Take hold, Brother!
Queensryche has been entertaining the masses of the Metal Legions with renewed force over the last couple of years and we last caught them when they were direct support for the mighty Scorpions. Now, the band has lined out a brand new album and an accompanying tour. Check out the full details which we culled from their Official Facebook Page.
The Press Release:
Rock icons Queensrÿche have just announced their newest album “The Verdict” out March 1st via Century Media Records. The band’s forthcoming release was produced, mixed and mastered by Zeuss (Rob Zombie, Iced Earth, Hatebreed) at Uberbeatz in Lynwood, WA, Planet-Z in Wilbraham, MA and Watershed Studio in Seattle, WA. Pre-orders and formats will be announced soon. In the meantime, the band has a Pledge pre-order campaign currently running HERE https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/queensryche2
“I’m extremely proud of what we were able to accomplish on this record,” states Queensrÿche vocalist Todd La Torre about The Verdict. “The relentless dedication and hard work of everyone involved has been very rewarding. I am excited and looking forward to it no longer just belonging to us, but belonging to the world. We hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it!”
Michael “Whip” Wilton (guitar) adds, “The Verdict is the most metal and the most progressive record we have made in a long time. I couldn’t possibly be more excited for everyone to hear this.”
To support The Verdict, Queensrÿche have also announced their spring U.S. headline tour today with special guests Fates Warning. The Cringe will be joining both bands on select dates. The tour will kick off on March 2nd in Orlando, making stops in major markets such as New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles, and will wrap on April 3rd in Seattle. The band recently finished a run supporting SCORPIONS this past September. For more information on upcoming tour dates and to purchase tickets, visit the band’s website here: http://www.queensrycheofficial.com/tour-dates/ Continue reading Queensryche Announces Spring Headlining Tour→
Here’s a pairing of titanic Metal proportions, it seems as though Queensryche will be hitting the road once more and handling the headlining duties and bringing along those knights of Metal valor in Armored Saint as direct support. Check out the official tour press that I received a short time ago along with the poster and dates. I’ll return with some additional thoughts after that. This is going to be a good one.
The Press Release:
Internationally renowned Seattle based metal outfit QUEENSRŸCHE have announced their next headlining tour throughout the United States. The month long trek will take place this Fall, starting on November 15th in Seattle, WA and concluding on December 15th in Colorado Springs, CO. Queensryche will be joined by the iconic Armored Saint as direct support, along with Midnight Eternal on all dates for the upcoming tour. The band continues to perform across the world on the strength of their latest full length album, Condition Human, which was released in October (2015). Dates for the Fall headlining tour can be found below.
Speaking about the upcoming US tour and playing with Armored Saint, Queensryche vocalist Todd La Torre comments, “We are pleased to announce that we will be hitting the road this November with the one and only Armored Saint and Midnight Eternal. We’re looking forward to seeing all of you for this great billing of musical diversity and high energy performances! Come join the Ryche this November – December!”
Lead guitarist and founding member Michael Wilton also gave his thoughts on the band’s Fall dates, saying, “Queensryche is proud to be embarking on our Fall 2016 – Condition Human US tour with special guests Armored Saint and Midnight Eternal! We encourage our fans to come out for this one and prepare yourselves for some high energy rock shows!” Continue reading Queensryche Announces US Fall Tour w Armored Saint→
I flipped a coin when it came to commenting on this recent bit of news and it landed on the “OK dude toss your views into the mix” side so here we go. Over the last few weeks I have been reading a number of different posts about the band Queensryche and what was transpiring in their camp. One website reported in that in April the bands singer Geoff Tate assaulted two of the members of the band prior to taking the stage in Brazil when he was informed that he was being “dismissed” but since I was not there to witness the exchange, I can only imagine what led to the statement or its real deal outcome. No one ever publicly came out and said that this was happening after all, unless I missed a post on Bravewords somewhere along the line. Moving on, there was also a back and forth with Tate during the Queensryche set at the recent Rocklahoma event. As the main spokesman during a show, Tate is tasked with periodically trying to stir some response from the crowd but he was not appear to get much love back from them. So what does he do?
Well, he tells the audience that “They Suck” or “You Guys Suck” in more clear terms and while everyone was up in arms with this statement since it was captured for all eternity on YouTube, he was very clearly being sarcastic. Come on, we see shows all the time and that is what you tease an audience with when they don’t give you anything back. It’s the whole “do you hear me?”, “hey is this microphone on? Do you hear me!!!!!” kind of thing. I am hard pressed to think that after three decades that anyone in Queensryche think that their audience sucks. This next bit of news sort of surprised me and in some sense it did not. Geoff is touring as a solo artist doing some acoustic tunes that feature Queensryche numbers, solo material and tunes that he likes as a musician. I missed the show that came through NYC based on bad timing but friends went and said it was a good time. Queensryche, who are now signed to Roadrunner Records, only recently had completed their 30th Anniversary Tour and one side of my friends loved it, while the other side said it was less than exemplary. I would have given you my own thoughts on it but I was on vacation and not even in the city when they played. Sorry about that. Even the Metal Media needs a day or two off. The surprises continued when the rest of the members of Queensryche announced that they would be touring and recording with Crimson Glory’s new singer Todd LaTorre. I do have a few thoughts on this since they said the band would be playing the first five albums level of QR tunes and doing some new originals. I admit that the name doesn’t “catch me” right away but there is a saying that goes “what’s in a name” so I will leave that alone for now.
Todd joined Crimson Glory I guess a little over a year ago now and was the perfect replacement for the now deceased Midnight. He can hit all of those stratospheric notes that the former singer hit so it would be really interesting to hear him doing some Queensryche numbers as well. The guys are calling this side project “Rising West” and I will admit to some curiosity about seeing it in action since like some other fans I have found myself being a little left for want with recent Ryche sets. I admit that this is my own fault for wanting so much of the old, old stuff though because that material still floors me to this very day. Back to the point, let’s not be alarmed here. The bands publicist Jeff Albright sent out a statement to that proper industry resource Billboard Magazine and said that all was fine in the bands camp. Geoff is working on his solo material and the rest of the guys just need to keep busy and who can blame them for that. Perhaps some time away from Queensryche as a band is what everyone needs anyway. It let’s them come back fresh and armed with some hopefully killer stuff.
I am appending these thoughts because when I learned that LaTorre had uploaded a sample of him doing some Queensryche classics onto his YouTube page I knew that I had to share it with you readers without a doubt. I was already a fan of what he brought to the table with the Crimson Glory material but just wait until you hear him do this stuff. It brings you back. One has to only hope that this all gets recorded and released to the fans as we deserve to own historic moments like this. Maybe this will even reach NYC.
Now back to our regularly scheduled blogging after a word from our sponsor……..
Artist: Queensryche Venue: Nokia Theatre Times Square (New York, NY) Opener: n/a Date: 8/20/2010 Label: Rhino Entertainment
Wow, so where do I even begin with this one. I guess I will just have to begin at the beginning and hope that all of you can make a decent mental picture from the words that I am about to deliver because this managed to even throw my very open musical mind for a loop. I’ve enjoyed the band Queensryche since I first caught them as an opener for KISS’ “Animalize” tour back in 1984 and while it took me until the bands return with Iron Maiden for their “Powerslave” run I have stood by them with album after album even though at times they have left me scratching my head with the output. That brings us to 2010 and the show I am reporting on. It’s pretty safe to say that the last thing people associate with the band Queensryche is the seductive art of burlesque but despite that viewpoint, here we were at the Queensryche Cabaret concert. It was a show that had posters that broadcast its being an “Adults Only” gig that would feature Go-Go and Burlesque dancers, aerialists, contortionists, professional ballet dancers and drag queens. Yes, you did read that last one correct and I did not make a typo. Clearly we were in for something different but still something that I hoped would be entertaining. The show begins with Geoff Tate reflecting on a couch that looked like lips and during this he is flanked by a Go-Go dancer and a Drag Queen and from here he seems to be setting up the tale that will unfold over the course of the night. Continue reading Queensryche “Cabaret” @ Nokia Theatre Times Square (8/20/2010)→
