Queensrÿche: Kelly Gray, Mike Stone (guitar); Chris DeGarmo, Michael Wilton (acoustic guitar); Geoff Tate (keyboards); Eddie Jackson , Scott Rockenfield (background vocals).
Seattle found its geographic relevance magnified a thousand-fold with the grunge movement of the early 1990s. Long before the onslaught of plaid shirts and shoegazers, a number of seminal bands were equally proud to call it home, among them Queensryche. For over 25 years, the group has continued to define and redefine progressive rock/metal music. With this latest best-of collection, the band's vast discography is well represented, with one bonus track, a holdover from the Q2K sessions. SIGN OF THE TIMES is the definitive collection for new fans as well as devoted Ryche 'n' Rollers.
Sign of the Times: The Very Best of Queensrÿche comes in two different editions, single and double disc. The single-disc version is pretty much the one folks need if they dug either or both versions of Operation: Mindcrime, or were passionate about the rest of the band's material. It contains 17 cuts covering the gamut, even including "Queen of the Reich" and "The Lady Wore Black" from the band's debut EP (in beautifully remastered stereo), as well as the title cut and "Take Hold of the Flame" from The Warning. A pair of cuts from Operation: Mindcrime, "Eyes of a Stranger" and "I Don't Believe in Love," and "All the Promises" from Operation: Mindcrime II are also here. "Real World" comes courtesy of the soundtrack to the flick The Last Action Hero, and was included as a bonus track on the remaster of Promised Land, which also boasts "Bridge" and "I Am I." Of course, "Silent Lucidity" is present (the band's biggest hit), and the awesome for different reasons "Jet City Woman," and "Another Rainy Night (Without You)," all from Empire (let's face it, the band could write slow and midtempo power ballads). A couple of cuts come from Hear in the New Frontier, and one from Q2K as well. That sums it up: pretty much everything you'd want in a hits package, though fans are sure to quibble over a cut or two. Of course, any true fan of this band has everything already, and the curious are heading straight for the Mindcrime records. However, for anyone who has missed out on the band, this might be a way in; Queensrÿche are among the most underappreciated hard rock bands from the '80s and '90s, and are among the most consistent as well. ~ Thom Jurek minimize