A deep Dive into Queensryche's Q2K Release on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 445 - Q2K Breakdown

On September 14, 1999 Queensryche released their seventh studio effort Q2K. This was the first album by the band without Chris DeGarmo and the only one to feature guitarist/producer Kelly Gray. This week, Richie and Brian Heaton take a deep dive into the inner working of the band at this time and also do a track by track rundown of the album.

Want more Queensryche insight? Head to Brian's excellent Queensryche site AnybodyListening.net You’ll be glad you did.

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always
Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

10 Years of Queensryche's American Soldier This Week on Focus on Metal

Episode 432 - 10 Years of American Soldier

On March 31, 2009 Queensryche released their eleventh studio album “American Soldier”. Producer and co-writer of the album Jason Slater, our guest once again this week talked in depth with Brian J Heaton about the entire album and we are privileged to bring that chat to you. 

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

Hey did we mention that we got named to Feedspot.com's 

Top 20 Metal Music Audio Podcasts & Radio You Must Subscribe and Listen to in 2019

Check out the entire esteemed list of shows on that list as well as all the rest that Feedspot has to offer at: blog.feedspot.com/metal_music_podcasts/

And as always

Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Ron Keel Guests on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 427 - Fight Like A Band

This week we welcome vocalist Ron Keel to the show. The Ron Keel Band just released “Fight Like A Band” an album with a mix of all of Ron’s many influences. It’s safe to say the metal cowboy is on full display on this one. This week Ron sits down with Richie to discuss the backstory on the album as well as discuss some Keel history.

Want more RKB info; Head to RonKeelBand.com

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always

Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Producer Jason Slater Returns on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 376 - SlaterRyche II

Producer Jason Slater (jason-slater.com) returns this week to wrap up the discussion of his years working for Queensryche. We also get an extra bit of talk about working with Dio.

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, EarPeeler.com or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always

Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Producer Jason Slater on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 375 - SlaterRyche

Jason Slater (jason-slater.com) was the bassist for Third Eye Blind and Snake River Conspiracy but he is probably best known as a record producer and in particular the producer for Queensryche’s output from 2005  to 2013.

Jason had a massive two sessions of talk with Richie about those years and this week we bring the first hour of that dialog.

Also this week we run the rare "Shred Chronicle" as we bring you a listen to "Tomb of The Gods" a  track from "Conspiracy" the latest release from Ethan Brosh.

Here's another track from that release

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, EarPeeler.com or subscribe on iTunes.

You can hear us every Tuesday night on Pure Rock Radio
and each Wednesday afternoon on Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always

Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Madame Mayhem & Michael Wilton on This Weeks Focus on Metal

Episode 257 - Whip & Mayhem

So this week we have two great guests on tap. First up is Madame Mayhem, a great metal vocalist from NYC. She just released her first album "Now You Know" helped by some stellar folks including Billy Sheehan, Russ Parrish and Ray Luzier. Check out her story at http://madamemayhem.com/. 

Next up is returning guest Michael Wilton. Whip checked in to talk all about the new one from Queensryche, "Condition Human". He also talks about the Scorpions tour and the upcoming headlining tour which kicked off Nov 6th. Keep up with the Ryche at http://queensrycheofficial.com/

Track of the week is from Heaven & Hell Records artist Dogbane. This one is from their second release "When Karma Comes Calling". Get that one and all your Dogbane needs at http://www.dogbaneband.com/

Here's a great track off their prior release "Residual Alcatraz"

In case ya missed it Focus on Metal is now part of a new network The Blast Syndicate. So point your browser to http://www.blastsyndicate.com/ and Get Blasted!

Get the this episode from the Focus on Metal Site, The Focus on Metal RSS feed, or on iTunes.

You can hear us Tuesdays on Platinum Rock Radio and be sure to check their schedule because we usually get a repeat run during the week.

You can hear us every Wednesday on these great stations:
Pure Rock Radio & Metal World Radio

Visit http://focusonmetal.net/ for information on all the past episodes and to find the links to all our other social media sites.

And as always Focus On Metal…Everything Else is Insignificant.

Review - Queensryche- Queensryche (Century Media Records)

   The whole Queensryche break-up thing is just sad. After Chris Degarmo left the other four soldiered on releasing new albums at a brisk rate followed by heavy stints of touring. Not every release hit the spot with the die-hards. The band wanted to grow, the fans wanted old school. The cabaret thing was a mistake and then Geoff Tate lost the plot.

   So now we have two Queensryche's for the moment anyway until the judge rules in November. Tate was first out of the box with the underwhelming Frequency Unknown. Rushed, poorly recorded with a cast of thousands. A band indeed.

   A couple of months later and the Wilton, Rockenfield, Jackson, Lundgren band release their self-titled and rebooted version with Todd La Torre having big shoes to fill. They have taken the more dignified route waiting for the music to hopefully do the talking. They already have 2 strikes against them:

   Strike 1: a new singer is often the end of the band.

   Strike 2: the perception since Degarmo left was Tate steering the ship.

   I wasn't expecting much from this but damn am I impressed. Let's face facts, Degarmo was the principal songwriter for their biggest selling albums. What the band have done is try to recapture that classic sound and for the most part they have succeeded. Tracks like the opener Where Dreams Go To Die and Redemption could be taken from Rage or Promised Land. That's a good thing. After listening to this I'm just glad they tried. Best track for me is A World Without but there's not a duff track on this. Solid songs, well written, well performed and sounds great as in classic Queensryche great.

   Todd La Torre does a great job here and does sound uncannily like Geoff Tate at times. Lets call a spade a spade and say he's a better singer now. He is well able to sing the really old stuff from The Warning.

   It is a little too short though, there are only 9 tracks as 2 listed are short instrumentals. So where are the accumulated tracks that never made it onto the last couple of Tate led albums? It is only a small gripe though.

   So there you have it, I had high hopes for Tate and no hope for these guys. I was wrong.

Richie.

http://www.queensrycheofficial.com/intro.cfm

SAVAGE MESSIAH CONFIRM SHOW WITH QUEENSRYCHE IN THE NETHERLANDS

British shred-heavy melodic metallers SAVAGE MESSIAH have confirmed a show with American progressive heavy metal legends QUEENSRYCHE in the Netherlands.

SAVAGE MESSIAH will be supporting the TODD LA TORRE-fronted QUEENSRYCHE at De Effenaar in Eindhoven on April 26th.  Also performing are Swedish rockers MOTHER MISERY.

SAVAGE MESSIAH lead guitarist JOFF BAILEY comments:

"We're thrilled to announce that we will be opening for Queensrÿche on April 26th in Eindhoven!  Queensrÿche have been a big influence on us and it's awesome to be chosen to go and play a show with them!  We had some killer shows in Holland last year and are really looking forward to going back and thrashing out with all the Savages we met over there!"

Tickets for the show are available now at http://www.effenaar.nl/agenda/7466

SAVAGE MESSIAH have also been confirmed as headliners for the Metal Gods festival at the Intake Club in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire on May 26th.

Keep your eyes peeled for more up-to-date news and announcements at http://www.facebook.com/SavageMessiahMetal

SAVAGE MESSIAH's latest album, PLAGUE OF CONSCIENCE is available now on CD and limited edition coloured vinyl LP.  Get the album in Europe at http://bit.ly/A9ClhQ

PLAGUE OF CONSCIENCE is also available on iTunes, with an exclusive bonus track, at http://bit.ly/zqbuz3

Watch SAVAGE MESSIAH's music video for the track, "All Seeing I", at http://youtu.be/H65BFopVO_0

Get more SAVAGE MESSIAH news and info at:

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SavageMessiahMetal
MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/savagemessiahmetal
Twitter - http://twitter.com/savagemessiah

Two Tribes Go To War

  I got an e-mail this morning offering meet and greets for the upcoming Queensryche shows. All well and good you'd say but my first question was which band? For those living under a rock there are now 2 versions of the band, one fronted by Geoff Tate and the other with the remaining members and Todd La Torre on vocals.

   They might say otherwise but both bands are in competition with one another. Studio sessions are a go as both try to win the race for who puts out new stuff first. Instead of looking forward both bands are searching for their classic sound. Tate will celebrate Operation Mindcrime by playing it in it's entirety and the La Torre led group will try to come up with something new resembling it.

   So what do I make of all this? I think it's a farce. A lose lose situation for all. Let's look at the Tate led band first. His original line up had Bobby Blotzer on the drum stool, sure he's a solid player but you wouldn't call Ratt a thinking mans metal band. That hire to me was a head scratcher. Now he has Rudy Sarzo and Simon Wright both recent members of Dio and now Dio Disciples. Again great players but saying they are members of Queensryche is a stretch. Then there's Kelly Gray who played on Q2K and produced the last 2 cds. Not a lot of fans out there for those releases. Oh and he replaced Chris De Garmo who wrote a large chunk of the classic stuff.

   Now the Tateless band. Haven't heard much of Todd La Torre but he has big shoes to fill. Geoff Tate is a fantastic singer with a very identifiable voice. Looking at the songwriting credits from Q2K on it is also clear that he wrote the lions share of material saying in recent interviews that the other guys didn't bring much to the table. Well now they have their opportunity but to be honest I'm not expecting much.

   Some people say the band has been dead since Degarmo left and I see their point. However I got something from their recent releases and loved Dedicated To Chaos. Now I think we will get to see the band die...........twice.

   Oh and the meet and greet was for the Tate version. Maybe Geoff will get the message when fans start asking him why he is doing this and Rudy and Simon only get asked about Ronnie.

Richie.