L.A. Empire

QUEENSRYCHE - THE BAND

The Evolution of Queensryche : continued...

A major musical transition was made on Empire. The very noticeable change from the Queensryche or "Rychean" sound was the addition of more ballads. The music overall got mellow. Less importance was given to how loud and fast the guitar riffs played. The songs on the '90 album that were considered fast couldn't compare to the heaviness of the early '80s EP tracks. Ever since, the Rychean sound has remained playing not to its former blaring, loud intensity.

It has to be noted that aside from the softening of the guitar and the decrease of the thundering drum, the voice has changed in a similar way. Tate has transformed himself from just a heavy metal singer that screeches in the microphone to a singer with great dimension. He can still scream a fast song but he can also sing especially for a ballad. His range can capture many emotions. "Violence, madness, emotion... he's gone all out to acheive the best performance possible." (DeGarmo)

Another way that the Rychean sound has expanded is the addition of other musical instruments beside the previously mentioned keyboard. The saxophone, horns, exotic drum instruments, and an orchestra of strings and woodwinds have been featured in many songs. This experimentation has allowed the band to alter themselves immensely from its early beginning. It was demonstrated well on Promised Land.

The latest album features a song called "Cuckoo's Nest". One line stands out from it that is key to understanding an extremely significant belief of the band. Tate repeats, "I won't stop trying for change." He nor the other bandmembers will not cease to redefine themselves. For this reason, Queensryche is hard to categorize in a single style of music. Are they heavy metal? Hard rock? Progressive rock? They are neither. It is safer to call them rock but most accurately they are Rychean.

So, Queensryche has transformed physically but most significantly in a lyrical sense and musically. The shift is due to a great deal of exploration and experimentation as all of the bandmembers have matured. They get their ideas for songs by delving deep within themselves and being influenced by outside surroundings. For instance, the members read avidly. They admit to being "information junkies", immersing themselves "in newspapers, books, and magazines." A major part of their beliefs are formulated by these sources. In "Cuckoo's Nest", Tate voices dissatisfaction of crimes reported in the newspaper. Queensryche experiments what the band has learned about with the song.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Rychean sound will only continue to diversify itself. After hearing the next Queensryche album, I won't be surprised if I hear a difference in lyrics or words. I've come to expect a variance for the past two albums and will for the rest of their musical career. Tate, as would the entire band, often echoes that "people would get tired of hearing the same thing over and over again from us." I'd get bored of that. Therefore, it is unmistakably certain that the five bandmembers of Queensryche won't stray away from their fundamental principle to "turn another turn".

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