| Review: Hear in the Now Frontier | ||
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Copyright 1996 Adam Barnhart. All Rights Reserved. Fair use of this document.Chris DeGarmo once said about his band, "People are tuned into Queensryche because they know that we're predictably unpredictable." Beginning with their eponymous 1984 debut, Queensryche has been a band willing to reinvent themselves. Their breakthrough album, the stark Operation: Mindcrime was followed by the warmer and more accessible Empire, a multi-platinum phenomenon. The band, after a lengthy break, then released Promised Land, a relentlessly probing album that found the band exploring hitherto unknown soundscapes that shocked many of their longtime fans.It should come as no surprise, then, that the band's latest effort, Hear in the Now Frontier, finds them in yet another musical setting. With a newfound stripped-down sound, the Queensryche staples of solid musicianship and clever songwriting shine through. Continuing their relationship with producer Peter Collins, the band strikes a balance between exploration and hook, all presented in an impressive sonic context. Eddie Jackson and Scott Rockenfield continue as one of prog's most propulsive rhythm sections, while Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton are the chameleons of the band, moving between ethereal textual playing and beefy rhythm work. Geoff Tate's voice remains golden, sounding brilliant, even in the most demanding of melodies. The album's first single, Sign of the Times, combines driving, syncopated riffing with a sparse bridge, turning the formula for success of their grungier metropolitan cohabitants inside out. You juxtaposes Korn-like guitar riffing with a catchy vocal melody to great effect, supplying, along with the track Reach, evidence that Queensryche is fully capable of playing rhythmically active music. Hero features wonderful melodic and countermelodic musical ideas, giving bassist Jackson a chance to shine along with the DeGarmo/Wilton duo. Other experiments on the album include the surprisingly retro All I Want, featuring a DeGarmo lead vocal and Anytime/Anywhere, which wouldn't be at all out of place on a Soundgarden record. While all of these experiments provide enjoying listening, they also underscore the areas where Hear in the Now Frontier is lacking. Queensryche doesn't quite scale the heights they have on The Warning and Operation: Mindcrime as a result of their desire to make a focused statement -- the songs are just too concise and too mid-tempo to provide a complete listening experience. While the musical ideas on Hear in the Now Frontier are first-rate, the new circumscribed sound of the band is ultimately somewhat limiting.
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