Comment from Carl Gibbons
Time: April 7, 2009, 10:21 pm

Totally disagree. I think it’s the best record they have done in a long time. Although Queensryche are not the type of band you can absorb in just one or two spins. The more I listen to this record the more it grows on me and I don’t think there is one weak track on it. Even Rage took awhile to grow on me but now it’s one of my favorites. If you were talking about Rush’s latest release I would agree with you. Rush are my favorite prog band but I think they have forgotten that they are at their best when they are an all out prog band and not a straight ahead rock band. Snakes and Arrows has its moments but overall I was a little let down.

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Time: April 14, 2009, 12:26 am

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Comment from Stephen
Time: April 14, 2009, 10:43 am

this is completely wrong. this is an AMAZING!!!! album.
and i really dont see why people talk band about OM2
that was just as amazing
for a little while i liked it even more than the first one (go ahead call me retarded)

Comment from Brainiac72
Time: April 18, 2009, 11:46 pm

I still can’t deny i call Queensryche my favorite all-time band, but… this album is terrible. It sounded like a great idea, and it was, it’s just that the execution is pathetic. Notice the lack of song writing credits by any guitarist or bassist and it shows. This may even top Q2K in the boredom factor. Where are the riffs? Where is the energy? Where is… anything? Tate sounds half asleep when they lyrics are intense and have exclamtion marks at the end of them, making it seem totally disjointed. The only recognizable riff in the album is muted has a soldier’s spoken word on top. Other than being a disaster, not much else to say other than this is the last time I give this band the benefit of the doubt and purchase their music without hearing it first.

Comment from Aveent
Time: April 19, 2009, 5:25 pm

QR is my favorite band, and I’ve been critical about some of their last albums, but I think OM2 and American Soldier are their best albums for a long time ago. American Soldier is a great album for me. It’s full of details worth of listening. I’ll just say that. I hope people listen to this album without perjudices. Perhaps then, they’ll discover a fine QR album.
Excuse me for my english. Thank you.
Un saludo.
Daniel. Spain.

Comment from Jimbo
Time: April 22, 2009, 1:08 am

I think too many of you compare any any QR albums to OMC and Empire. No QR album is good unless it sounds like these two album. If you would take these two out of the equation and compare it to albums from Promise land through OMC II, it is clearly this is the best album they made. How anybody say that these are boring songs. Promise land maybe had 3 heavy soung and rest were laid back. QR has never made the same record twice. They been doing this for 20 or more years. Put away your old QR CDs and focus on the New CD in front of you. It sounds like most you play OMC and Empire right before you listen to american soldier.

Comment from cody
Time: April 22, 2009, 12:12 pm

Jimbo – Comparisons aside, I wouldn’t like this album regardless of the band’s history. I just don’t think its interesting. I compare it with other albums because of my interest in their other albums, it really has nothing to do with heaviness or an album’s name, its just a peak moment in the band’s history that can’t be avoided.

Comment from JohnHMII
Time: April 23, 2009, 10:00 pm

I ABSOLUTELY HATED THIS ALBUM! The first time I listened to it, I thought, that’s it! I will never purchase, listen to or express interest in anything QR creates again. And I’ve been a huge fan from the start. I listened to the album a second time, trying to find anything at all of redeeming value. For certain, at 30,000 feet would be the only track I could salvage for my money. Another listen and Hundred Mile Stare would reverberate through my cluttered mind. Rinse and repeat for nearly every song on this album. The lone exception would be Sliver. In retrospect I realized that the intro’s. to these songs were the source of my disappointment. Once I got beyond them and really listened to the songs I began to find more and more appeal in them. I have to say that American Soldier isn’t nearly as heavy as I would have liked, (Rage for Order) but I am very happy with this album. Thanks for the ear candy!

Comment from Tom Kuziora
Time: April 25, 2009, 4:49 am

First of all, I just got back from seeing Queensryche at the House Of Blues In Hollywood. Literally, I just got home from the show.

It absolutely ROCKED!!!!

For those of you who don’t know what they are doing on this tour… I’ll fill you in. They basically decided to take “Rage For Order”, “American Soldier”, and “Empire” and take all the songs and scramble them all into two seperate set lists. So, if you see them two nights in a row, then you will literally see and hear all three CD’s in their entirety.

Tonight’s show was by far the best I’ve seen them in years!!! Trust me… DeGarmo is kicking himself in the ass right now.

They basically play half of the “Rage” album, then half of “American Soldier”, and then half of “Empire”.

The show is beautifully constructed so that you get your old “Rage” on, but when they drop into “American Soldier”… the place just melts. These songs ROCK, but the audience is crying throughout the set!!!! Each song has meaning to everyone, and I’ve never been at a “metal” show where grown men are wiping tears from their eyes. This is the best Queensryche show in a long time. Then when everyone’s done crying… they finish the night with stuff from “Empire”.

All I can say is… do not walk, but RUN, to see this show!!!!

It’s THE BEST QUEENSRYCHE EXPERIENCE in years!!!!

If you are a Queensryche fan, then go see this show. YOU WILL BE BLOWN AWAY!!!!

No. I don’t work for the band. I’m just a fan who saw the show tonight, and it is so amazing… you will not be disappointed. You will actually come on here and pretty much post the same thing.

GO SEE THIS SHOW LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Queensryche is back, and better than ever!!!!

Trust me! On this tour… you do not miss DeGarmo, and the show they put on will make you smile, and race home to post something like this!!!

GO SEE THE SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment from Fred Flintstone
Time: April 26, 2009, 3:15 pm

I liked this album more than I thought I orignally would. The theme of the U.S. military and milking the military service man audience always kind of stood out in my mind but listening to the album it seems the Ryche, or least Geoff Tate, was sincere in the concept and execution. 75% of the songs are collaborations between Tate and Producer Jason Slater while the remainder are engineer Kelly Gray’s compositions with the occassional nod to drummer Scott Rockenfield and guest guitarist Damon Johnson. Gray stepped into the void and somewhat replaced former guitarist Mike Stone’s songwriting on Mindcrime 2, although Stone had written the majority of that album’s music with Slater. Needless to say, this really isn’t a Queensryche album persay but more or less Geoff Tate’s vision as members Eddie Jackson and Michael Wilton contributed almost no songs on the album. What this means for the future of Queensryche is anyone’s guess, but Tate clearly is the man steering the ship. It sounds like a somewhat of a swan song as well given the tone of the album and the emotional link to Tate’s family, most notably his father, a career military man, and also his 10-year old daughter Emily who songs on the track “Home Again.” The family linkeages don’t stop there however, as Tate choose his future son-in-law Parker Lundgren to step-in as “touring guitarist” for the album’s 2009 tour. This ultimately means that Lundgren will become a full-time member and join them in the studio for the next album as he is family and Tate probably would not slam the door on his own blood unlike Mike Stone who was a hired gun.

Comment from QR north of 49
Time: April 30, 2009, 12:57 am

QR had been my favourite band from The Warning through to about HITHF. Call it a coincidence that when DeGarmo left, QR lost more than a guitar player. They lost the guy that gave their songs an edge and a hook that kept me wanting more. Ever since, there is little that resonates in my head upon multiple listens. For the previous poster that mentioned fans that listen to Mindcrime and Empire his point is not lost, because those albums were fantastic. While there have been a few decent songs since 1997, mostly I find the music now repetitive and devoid of melody. Sure, I have aged but bands with supposedly less of a melodic sound like Metallica have recently created albums that I will listen to again because the songwriting is solid. I love the concept idea of American Soldier, just not the songs. For that matter Mindcrime 2 was a disapointment as well. Sorry fans, but for me, QR has lost the plot and the waning fan base is evidence of that.

Comment from Steve
Time: May 9, 2009, 12:44 pm

QR is one of the most talented bands ever. American Soldier is a great album if you understand English and have at least half a brain. It definitely has some old QR spark to it. The guy that reviewed this album is a complete asshole…..grow up!

Comment from cody
Time: May 9, 2009, 2:21 pm

*tear* Why am I an asshole? Steve, you ruined my day with your hate speak. I will never be the same.

Comment from Tom
Time: May 14, 2009, 6:08 pm

Give it a second or third listen, it’s probably the best album since Promised Land, so it can’t be that bad. You’re probably right on the dynamics, though, but most bands have problems with that when recording layered sound. What I don’t like about the review is that you mix Progressive Rock and Metal – this isn’t Metal, maybe once it was, but now it isn’t. And Dream Theather isn’t a band that plays good music (they do every once in a while), they are just awful musicians. That doesn’t guarantee good music, though. The last time they cared about music was Scenes from a Memory. I much prefer QR’s latest album. Just my opinion.

Comment from cody
Time: May 14, 2009, 8:09 pm

Tom – You lost me at the point where you said Dream Theater were awful musicians. Boring or pretentious I have heard them called before, and that’s a valid opinion, but awful musicians? You can’t even compare the abilities of the two bands. Compare “I Don’t Believe in Love” to ummm….any Dream Theater song, and there you have it. QR has made some great music in their career, but they have never been the most technically proficient band in the world.

Comment from Tom
Time: May 14, 2009, 8:35 pm

What I meant was “awesome”, sorry! That should make more sense…

Comment from BRETT T
Time: June 2, 2009, 12:00 am

Like many others this album is growing on me. It takes some time to digest or absorb some of the textures here.

As a long time fan I have been checking out the releases QR has put out since Chris Degarmo left the band. In most instances I found the music lacking the complexity that Chris seemed to bring to songs. Perhaps this was by design as the band tried to move away from the earlier sounds. Perhaps it was the production and engineering budgets that dissapeared when their record label went under.

This is perhaps their best effort since those days. Its starting to draw on those epic qualities that made OMC, Empire and Promised Land so rich and deep.

Give this one some extra time…throw on the headphones and just listen. I think it will grow on you.

Comment from Dude
Time: June 20, 2009, 12:28 am

I’m a QR fan, but this album is really nothing more than the same old formula they’ve been using forever. Also, the band’s sound really suffers when Chris DeGarmo is not with them.

Comment from Mustangmama
Time: August 16, 2009, 2:15 pm

We just saw Queensryche last night at Sky Metal 2009! WOW! Geoff Tate’s voice is still spot on. The show was awesome. Parker is a fantastic guitar player. It doesn’t matter that he’s Geoff’s son-in-law. He has the skills to play with the big boys and boy is he fun to look at! We got to take pictures with the band and Parker stood and talked with us for 10 minutes even though he was sick. What a nice group of guys. Queensryche has been on my top 5 for 20 years and I think they just got bumped up a few notches! I love them!

Comment from Rich
Time: September 24, 2009, 2:06 pm

I am a huge fan but the latest album is just terrible. Worst QR album I have ever heard. I was tempted to see the Rage portion of the show, walk out and come back for the Empire section. I would rather hear songs off Operation Mindcrime which was a masterpiece. I can’t listen ot the new album without wanting to toss it out a window!

Comment from Steve
Time: November 8, 2009, 4:19 am

I might be in the minority here but this is the first Queensryche album I have liked since HEAR IN THE NOW FRONTIER (1997). The old Queensryche we knew is gone and they aren’t returning to that sound, the Queensryche of today has changed their sound but there are still good elements to the songs. I think the concept of AMERICAN SOLDIER is great, much better than continuing OPERATION: MINDCRIME, and relevant to our current world history. The songs are more progressive rock/modern rock…..dark, brooding, mellow, ambient…..it’s definitely a different side of the band that has been around since 1999! If you take this album and just play it without picking it apart looking for the next ‘Quuen Of The Reich’ or ‘Take Hold Of The Flame’, then you might like it. It’s definitely a grower…..it may not be the band’s best but it’s certainly not their worst. I would rate this higher than Q2K, TRIBE, and MINDCRIME II easily.

Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction

Comment from Philip
Time: December 29, 2009, 11:00 am

Not as a measure of credentials but of fact, I’ve been with Queensryche long enough to remember my excitement over the release of ‘The Warning’ on vinyl and wearing the grooves out. The common thread from the EP through OM2 was every note, both music and vocal, had purpose. Be it Michael Kamen’s orchestration on ‘Roads to Madness’ or the keyboard hits in ‘The Whisper’, intensity was woven through every note. Tate sang with conviction. Rockenfield went after every note as if to punish the drum. They made you feel that intensity to your core, raising hairs on your arm.

Queensryche was mysterious, regal, above the hair bands of the 80s, on par with Maiden and Priest. They were the ‘thinking man’s’ band, a mix of digestible metal while still progressive … a more melodic Rush, if not quite as gifteds musicians.

The fall from grace came with the departure of DeGarmo. HITNF? What was that? How could song writing, melody and production abandon a band simultaneously? If defies the laws of physics. That surely must have been the last straw of DeGarmo who went to pursue a career in aviation. And with him went any chance getting even a decent song out of the band.

Why would I spend a moment of time trying to find a hook, a decent lyric…..a cool run, when so many other bands are out making good music that has exceptional production value from bands who still have ‘fire in the belly?’

I don’t say this as a knock against anyone who finds inspiration or value in their music because that’s a personal thing. I say it to vent for years of frustration with this band who was without a doubt my #1 for a decade … followed closely by Metallica (who’ve had similar struggles) and Maiden, who still do what they do best.

Unfortunately for me, the band has been reduced to peddlers of alcoholic beverages, drum wraps and t-shirts. They pull out the oldies to attract an audience to the shows but, without a decent buzz (probably why they play so many HOBs), they barely sound better than good tribute band. Even live there is no conviction in the music. Just going through the motions.

I’m sad for them but sad for me, too … I would buy good music. But for the last decade, I wouldn’t even take the time to download a single song free from Limewire, let alone part with a thin dime.

There is no need to ‘review’ American Soldier. It’s the same song and dance as has been for years … wandering melodies incoherently strung together, drums who sound no better than the days they used to drop a mic in the middle of the room and played as if to just get through the track … and guitarists who sound more like studio musicians playing notes written by a 14 year old, scribbling out his first riffs. No dynamics. No melodies…worse, anti-melodies, if there is such a thing. Nothing memorable except to get to the end so you can get up and walk away and wonder how you could voluntarily waste an hour of time.

For a band that could have been the next Pink Floyd on the backs of just the albums from the 80s, they sullied their legacy by wandering in the desert. Let’s only hope it won’t be for 40 years.