DIGITAL NOISE ALLIANCE

I have to begin my comments on this album by saying that I stopped listening to this band back in the early 90's when grunge took the world of music by storm, so right out of the gate Todd's presence is a new one for me. So' 30 years after I last made contact with the band, an incredible reinvigorated Queensr'che releases their 17th studio album, and there's only a twelve album run that I just missed and the content of those records remains unknown to me. From the times of Empire we still have founder member Michael Wilton on guitars and long time bass player Eddie Jackson, accompanying them are Todd La Torre on vocals, Mike Stone on guitars, and Casey Grillo on drums. There are two main aspects of this album that immediately showed me its greatness and started de pull-me back process of nonstop listens, those are the outstanding and catchy guitar work, and the high quality on the vocals, both melodies and harmonies, plus the immense range Mr. La Torre has.

Besides that, the production on the rhythmic section is absurdly good, the album sounds heavy, clear and powerful, memorable from start to finish' before Rebel Yell'

The best way to describe what I'm listening to when I drop the needle here is a mix of late period (actual) Iron Maiden with the more technical early Queensr'che era, and a side of extra melodies and twin guitar work. Progressive metal with just the right virtuosity and complexity, never overwhelming and always hooky, all songs can be sing-a-long songs without abandoning the darkness and redness of the music, formidable formula!

The album kicks off with the intense opener In Extremis, and from that moment on it will just start climbing higher and higher in quality, reaching its pinnacle with the hypnotic Behind Walls, a future live anthem for sure. There's a moment on doubt in my mind with the softy Forest, something in the vocals perhaps, not the mood or musical content, I just find something off, very minuscule, but is there somewhere' however it still is a very strong song, perhaps the band just needed to provide a break before the final climb to the summit, trying to accomplish the hight they invested almost 30 minutes to reach, now they only have slightly over 12 minutes to get there again, and they do, eventually. Chapters, Lost in Sorrow, Sicdeth, Nocturnal Light, Out of the Black, Realms, Hold On, and Tormentum round up an exquisite setlist of songs, a very solid record. Highly recommended for any metal music lover, no matter the sub genre, perhaps the best in Progressive metal so far in 2022' just perhaps. Cheers'

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