Queensryche- American Soldier (2009)

Overview:

After spending their first decade producing nothing but quality albums, among them the best concept album ever in 1988 gem Operation: Mindcrime, Seattle-based rock legends Queensryche seemingly ran out of steam. 1994's Promised Land was released to good sales, but did not approach the huge sales totals of its predecessor, 1990's triple-platinum behemoth Empire. After that, things only went downhill for the next decade, as various reasons led to the departure of lead guitarist Chris DeGarmo and the band released a number of experimental, uneven albums, none of which met with any real success. Many wrote the band off for dead- a 1980's rock dinosaur that would be best suited to either hang it up or only go on the occasional greatest-hits tour.

Queensryche, however, stayed the course and was able to regain a measure of respect as a vital entity with a sequel to their best work- 2006 release Operation: Mindcrime II. It was a solid effort, if not an earth-shaker, that stood far superior to anything the band had put out since Promised Land. Reinvigorated, the 'Ryche began work on a new album, releasing covers collection Take Cover in 2007 both to take advantage of their new lease on life and to keep their momentum going until the new album could be put together. In 2008, it was released that the new album would be an exploration of military life and the experiences of war through the eyes of the men on the front lines, titled American Soldier.

Released in March of 2009, American Soldier is Queensryche's tenth album, and while stylistically different from Operation: Mindcrime II, continues their return to producing quality albums. Ignoring the political themes that mark much of Queensryche's work, the album stays admirably true to its purpose, sticking to the experiences and emotions of the men who have served their country in the armed forces. Not as heavy as many of the band's releases, the songs on American Soldier tend to be mid-tempo numbers, relying more on their emotionally-charged nature than uncontrolled guitar solos and pounding riffs. The album still rocks, just more in an alternative rock way than heavy metal. Interview clips taken from singer Geoff Tate's interviews with real soldiers conducted before the writing of the album are interspersed amongst the songs, reinforcing the band's commitment to authenticity and reminding the listener that the songs are often about real people, not just the band's idle imagining of what a soldier is and what he experiences. When the listener keeps this in mind, several of the tracks deliver a strong emotional punch vastly different from that of even good conventional songs. Though not without its weaknesses, American Soldier is a worthy work, signalling Queensryche's return to relevance.

Track-by-Track:

"Sliver": The album's opener, about the experience of boot camp, is a good, mid-tempo number made better by solid backing vocals and almost ruined by the insertion of clips of an awkward drill-sergeant guest vocal that sound harsh against Tate's more melodic style. Michael Wilton provides a quality guitar solo that helps save it from being recommended for a skip every time through.

Song Rating: C-

"Unafraid": Interview clips with two soldiers serve in place of lyrics here, with Geoff Tate only singing the song's strong chorus. Solid bass and drum work from Eddie Jackson and Scott Rockenfield drive the track, and Wilton adds another good solo.

Song Rating: B+

"Hundred Mile Stare": A good mid-tempo groove powered by Geoff Tate's vocals. Age certainly hasn't robbed him of his ability to stand as a compelling vocalist.

Song Rating: B

"At 30,000 Feet": Opening with an interview clip with a pilot, this track focuses on the often-ignored experience of the airman in combat. The loneliness and detachment broken with moments of intensity that characterize the experience of pilots in combat come through well, with the soft verses punctuated by heavier choruses. Tate is again the strongest point here, voice conveying emotional conflict quite well.

Song Rating: B+

"Dead Man's Words": The compelling story of a wounded soldier and the rescue mission to recover him is played out with Tate singing the part of the wounded and a guest vocalist contributing as one of the men volunteering for the mission to retrieve him. Tate and the other vocalist's voices compliment each other's well, and the rest of the band provides a subtle, Middle Eastern undercurrent to the song that drive it along almost subconsciously.

Song Rating: B+

"The Killer": Another mid-tempo number that isn't bad, but suffers from following up on better songs in the same style on the album. A relatively weak chorus also hurts the song, but quality backing vocals (A Queensryche staple) help out.

Song Rating: C

"The Middle of Hell": A mid-tempo, almost hypnotic song about a soldier's letter home to his father driven by Tate and the backing vocals.

Song Rating: B

"If I Were King": The album's first single- opening with a heart-rending interview clip of a soldier relating experiencing the death of one of his friends in combat. Ballad-esque, with a swelling chorus, Tate's voice is not in its finest form here, though not unlistenable. A rather pedestrian track, overall, if not for the emotion surrounding it- this is one point where the band falls somewhat short of the pressures of writing a song that conveys the emotions of the soldiers. The second audio clip about two-thirds of the way through followed by a short guitar solo is the closest to reaching the true emotion that the song reaches for.

Song Rating: C

"Man Down": Starts off fairly heavy, dropping back into an almost upbeat tone before raising to it's emotional pre-chorus, this song is about a soldier who's war experiences follow him back home. This track is lyrically strong, but the vocal style doesn't quite match the message except during the pre-chorus. The solo is of good quality, but this one falls quite a bit short of its potential.

Song Rating: C

"Remember Me": An out-and-out ballad, starting and interspersed with an interview with a soldier relating the stresses that being in the military puts on the families of soldiers who are away from home, this is one of the best songs on the album. Solid lyrics, execution, and backing vocals make "Remember Me" a heart-rending high point.

Song Rating:A

"Home Again": Another song about being overseas away from family, this time in the form of a father exchanging letters with his daughter back home. Tate's daughter sings the part of the daughter, and the exchange between the two of them- with so much risk of coming off as pure cheese- instead absolutely rips your heart out. The best song on the album, although hard to listen to sometimes due to emotional impact.

Song Rating: A+

"The Voice": Not a bad song, but definitely a let down after "Remember Me" and "Home Again." Opening with an interview with Tate's father himself, it is about being seriously wounded in combat and the thoughts that go through one's mind in the situation. Everyone performs well on the track, and it might have been served better being placed differently on the album.

Song Rating: C


Overall Album Rating: B+