American Soldier Should Have Been More Like Passiondale

I'm giving God Dethroned's Passiondale - the concept album the band released last year about the World War I Battle of Passchendaele - a second run through tonight. I'm not sure it passes muster as a keeper just yet, but regardless of what I end up thinking about the music, I can't help but compare this album with another take on modern warfare from last year: Queensryche's dismal American Soldier. The intentions of the albums might be slightly different, and God Dethroned might have the advantage in writing about in war by playing death metal, but so much of the soldier story that Queensryche wanted to tell is tied up in the horrifying experiences that pepper Passiondale's lyrics: wounds, cold, shelling, disease, and death. American Soldier, of course, missed that boat completely and then made it worse by trying to cover the remainder of the material with heavy-handed shlock. Passiondale may be relatively single-minded in its focus, but at least the band got the treatment right.

Brütal Legend Studio Head Explains Why Dio Had to Go

I pretty much want to have sex with the concept of Brütal Legend: it's basically Jack Black using heavy metal technology to recreate Bruce Campbell's role in Army of Darkness in video game form and as such combines pretty much everything I love about pop culture in one form. However, I will still take this time to call shenanigans on the explanation given by Tim Schafer, the head of the studio creating Brütal Legend, on why they replaced Dio with Tim Curry as the voice of the main bad guy, Emperor Doviculus. Tim's explanation:

"Ronnie James Dio is an amazing singer and truly one of the great figures of metal, but as the character of Doviculus evolved, we realized that Tim Curry was a better fit for the part," Schafer told GameSpot. "Anyone who has seen his amazing performance as the Lord of Darkness in the movie 'Legend' knows why we cast him in the role of Doviculus, Emperor of the Tainted Coil."

Not that Tim Curry is a bad choice - while I haven't seen Legend, I have seen The Three Musketeers and he made a kick-ass Cardinal Richelieu - but it's not like Dio lacks experience in these areas: his portrayal of Doctor X in Mindcrime II was one of the highlights of the album. I suspect the real reason for the switch is either:

• It's all about work: Touring The Devil You Know with Heaven and Hell is taking up too much time and Dio can't fully commit to the voice-over project OR
• It's all about ego: Dio can't stand working on the same project as Ozzy Osbourne, or vice-versa, and one of them had to go.

What do you think?

Queensryche at the Nokia

I've had the pleasure of seeing Queensryche four times, but somehow it took me until this past Friday night to realize that when it comes to their performances, these guys take things more seriously than a black metal musician on his farm in rural Norway.  It explains so much, really: Geoff Tate's style of presentation, which always seemed a little goofy and off putting to me, now seems like showmanship, attracting the audience's attention by projecting an image of the things - polished with professionalism, to be sure - he wants them to see, rather than baring his soul as many rock stars do, and managing to do it (perhaps by the overtly political focus of his music) without appearing phony.  To the prying eyes of the Internet generation, always searching for more to fight the jadedness they feel, it doesn't always work - for example: Tate made several song introductions so long they'd make a hardcore band blush and everyone there knew he was rambling - but it's a noble (and more importantly, unique) attempt to make a show seem like a show.  Watch this clip of "Empire" someone took during the show: when Tate talks during the bridge about the money wasted on the war on drugs, the performance and the point become one and the same.

The rest of the band follows suit, although it might be Parker Lundgren who demonstrates it best: what I first took for awkwardness (or something worse) seems to be a really serious commitment to rocking out while looking serious.  It's a bit comical because he looks so young, but it's clear he belongs because it looks like he belongs.  Turns out he can play pretty well, too.

Finally, even though American Soldier was either as mediocre, off putting, or downright awkward (off putting is having a really big dude in combat fatigues come out to the rap core lyrics of the album's first track; really off putting and somewhat creepy is having a pre-teen girl, who must have been Tate's daughter, come out to do a duet with him that no one could hear because she was too nervous to project) as I remember, the band sounded much, much better than I expected.  Tate's voice hasn't been this strong in years, the musicianship was tight, and choosing to bring a guy along to do backup vocals instead of relying on the crowd for help was an excellent choice.  The Rage for Order and Empire suites were both really strong and even though Queensryche seems to be in a bit of a rut when it comes to writing new music, they've still got the passion to make their shows a good time.

Have Dream Theater and Queensryche Buried the Hatchet?

No NYC dates for Progressive Nation just yet, which makes me sad, but I was very interested to note that Queensryche will be joining the tour for one night only in Washington, DC. It's not because I'm jealous, per se, because I'm putting myself of what very well might be an ordeal of a Queensryche-only evening in May, but...well...those two bands have a history.

Dream Theater geek that I am, I opted to buy the biography the band authorized a few years ago and learned what might be termed a metric fuckton about the group's history: how they idolized Queensryche from the beginning, had a singer that sounded a bit like them in one of the band's VERY early incarnations, were excited to tour with them in 2002...and how that tour turned to acrimony off stage because of ego size or douchery or whatever causes people to dislike each other irrationally. Most of Dream Theater had something to say about with varying degrees of frankness in the book, but the outcome was that they really didn't like Queensryche very much and weren't afraid to say so. And now they're doing a show together. Either they've buried the hatchet or this is some sort of reconciliation created through labels Roadrunner and Rhino through their parent label Warner Brothers.

American Soldier Goes From Weakness to Weakness

Thank the Internet gods for leaked albums: they let me find out that much sooner when an album is a watered down disappointment.

Remember what I didn't like about "If I Were King," the single Queensryche put out on MP3.com a few weeks ago? Unfortunately, American Soldier is full of that kind of tripe: tragic stories that make you feel for the collective archetype of suffering soldier, represented by lyrics that do nothing to dig beyond the surface of the psychological underpinnings of that archetype and music as bland as a month's worth of k-rations. Believe or not, things occasionally get worse: "Home Again," which tackles the anxiety of separation between the soldier and his family, falls flat on its face by relying on a duet between Geoff Tate and a boy to support its attempts at emotional depth. The boy's voice is unmelodious, the lyrics syrupy, the moment drowned in a flood of reverb that sounds like a cheap attempt to add lustre to a lump of coal.

There's one exception to this uninspired mess: with lyrics that don't sound like the result of a pop psychology nightmare and music that does a little more than chug along, "At 30 Thousand Ft" is the kind of song Queensryche could write when they weren't just talking about artistic statements, but making them. However, hearing that one bright spot angers me even more: "At 30 Thousand Ft" shows the band still has the talent to write good music, but couldn't be bothered to do so for more than one track. They could have taken a topic with thousands of years of philosophical, medical, and social exploration and distilled it down to a thinkpiece in the mold of their classic albums. Instead, they scratched at the surface, took the handful of loose soil that came up in their hands, and cast it out for all of us to hear with pride on their faces, leaving untold treasures behind.

Thoughts on Queensryche's Newest Track

Queensryche has put "If I Were King," one of the tracks from American Soldier, up on MP3.com, for all to check out and...enjoy?

As Blabbermouth points out in their announcement, the lyrics of American Soldier were inspired by interviews that Geoff Tate did with current and former soldiers, and - on this track at least - Queensryche does their best to remind you of their sources: audio clips from the interview that kicked off this particular track get top billing at the start and middle of the song. On top of that are some fairly mundane - by Queensryche standards, at least - lyrics about regret, being unable to change the past, and the sort of top level grief analysis that doesn't lend itself to much introspection. The accompanying music doesn't help either: it moves with really going anywhere particularly interesting, with an entirely forgettable melody that recalls this band at its most tired-sounding. It's not bad...but it's not that good, either. If the remainder of American Soldier sounds this watered down, not only are we in for some big disappointment, but for all of Geoff Tate's pride in his artistic statement, he and the rest of the band have missed a huge opportunity to make something interesting.

Parker Lundgren Joins Queensryche

Queensryche has announced their new guitarist. Parker Lundgren looks like a complete douche nozzle, he's marrying the boss's daughter - which I guess can be awkward or not depending on how the two interact, but definitely no groupies on tour - and (in addition to the Tate family connection) he's Geoff's man by coming from the Geoff Tate solo project touring band. The Blabbermouth link above includes a YouTube clip of Parker playing in Seattle, but unconveniently cuts out before we can really see what he can do.

Here's what piques my curiousity: publically, it looks like Queensryche just put themselves that much further into Geoff Tate's pocket by hiring his future son-in-law. This arrangement may make for a lack of confict, but stability doesn't always make for most exciting music. Maybe we'll see if there are any new sparks in the live set when the band comes around this spring; if not, I'll be happy to fall back on mocking that killer rose neck tattoo.

Happy Trails, Mike Stone

Well, I guess we know why Michael Wilton recorded all of the guitars on American Soldier: Mike Stone just announced he's quitting Queensryche so "he can focus on other musical endeavors." Nice words to be sure, but now I wonder: did the band cut Stone out of the recording process and he quit in disgust, or did he check out during the writing/recording process to put together Speed X and the band fired him in private? I guess we'll have to wait for the unauthorized biography to find out.

Queensryche's American Soldier

Hey, look at that: news about metal I actually care about. In an odd bit of coincidence, I was thinking about Queensryche this morning, wondering when they were going to convert the momentum from Operation: Mindcrime 2 into another slice of new material, and here they announce a new disc is on the way:

Due in April 2009 via Rhino, QUEENSRŸCHE's twelfth studio album, "American Soldier", is a concept effort which finds the band once again tackling some heavy subject matter, this time focusing on telling the story of war from a firsthand perspective.

Heavy indeed. I suspect that avoiding the step from "heavy" to "heavy-handed" will take a fresh perspective on conflict that doesn't add another echo to the American public's already thunderous cries of war weariness, but I'm excited to hear what they've put together; it seems like Queensryche does their best when they're forced to come up with a new angle. Besides, who doesn't like a good comeback?

However, I do have to ask: when Michael Wilton says he "recorded" all of the guitars on this album, does that mean he wrote them, too? Is the change to a functional one-guitar unit a shift made to get the band in motion after five years of creative silence (Wikipedia mentions that Mike Stone has an active side project), or the establishment of a new type of creative control? Either way, it's something to listen for when American Soldier makes its appearance.

Fourth Amendment (to the Concert T-Shirt Manifesto)

I think I have a new corollary to my concert t-shirt wearing manifesto. I haven't actually encountered anyone who stoops to this level of douchebaggery - maybe I should start asking more questions - but it seems like a good amendment. I do have a question, though: why in God's name is Queensryche selling t-shirts that cost $50?

More Thoughts on Death Magnetic

I'm supposed to be "reviewing" Death Magnetic for Walmart this week (which should give you an idea of its pre-orders, as I'm only offered albums on the Billboard 200), but my copy isn't here yet and I just read through the various takes on Metal Sucks. I wouldn't say this post is a reaction...more of an "inspired by."

For the record, I like Death Magnetic. I do not love it; love is a word I reserve for albums I develop addictions to, that I have to listen to once a day when I first get them and return to on a regular basis afterwards. When I fall in love with an album, it's generally the first thing that catches my eye when I'm scanning through a list of mp3s or a stack of CDs and when I see it, I get that warm fuzzy feeling that's a physiological reaction built up from all of the other times I've listened to the album and enjoyed what I've heard. I love Empire, or Rust in Peace, or Master of Puppets, or (to use a more recent example) Slania. I like Death Magnetic.

Much of the disparagement directed towards Death Magnetic focuses on disappointment, even if the reviewer doesn't come out and say so explicitly. People who don't like the album are disappointed that after all of the hype about Death Magnetic being a return to the old form, it sounds like a mix of recycled riffs from the 80's album quartet, Hetfield's blown out voice, and some garbage lyrics. I'm pretty sure anyone who espouses that view is deluding themselves for a few reasons.

First, consistency is for Slayer, who, metal gods love 'em, haven't made an album that pushed their creative boundaries since South of Heaven. Christ Illusion was fine, but that band found their niche 20 years ago and they haven't felt the need to leave it since. Metallica was special because they never copped to that game: all four of the classic period albums are different in very obvious ways. Perhaps the expectation of a "return to form" really means a return to the time when the band wasn't afraid to create the brilliant experiments that redefined the outer reaches of thrash, with the emphasis on brilliant: every Metallica album has been an experiment, but (to put it charitably) not every experiment worked. Death Magnetic may not have the brilliance of the classic period, but it's a far cry better than S & M or St. Anger and the signs of life seem to be reemerging. When Megadeth put out The World Needs a Hero, Dave Mustaine supposedly (if Wikipedia is to be believed) quipped that the album was "the first major turn of a huge ship at sea, trying to right itself and get back on course." I see Death Magnetic as fitting into the same metaphor.

Second, give up on Hetfield's voice: it's never going to sound like it did on the first four albums. Blowing out his voice during the Black Album recording sessions has to have scared him into changes; taking singing lessons during the same time period probably emphasized new habits that gave him the sound he's had since Load. It may not be pretty and it certainly isn't as powerful, but I can't see Hetfield wanting to risk more damage just to recapture a favored singing style.

Third, it's a rare Metallica lyric that's particularly deep: most of their songs have meanings that are very easy to piece together, with the simple themes that made thrash great. The lyrics were and are a simple counterpoint to what's going in the music and when the music fails to satisfy, the lyrics fall from powerfully utilitarian to simplistic.

In sum: Death Magnetic won't stand up to the classic albums, but it's the best thing we've seen Metallica put together in a long time and represents a big step in the right direction.

Iron Maiden at Madison Square Garden

What to say, what to say...well, this happened, which pretty much sums up anything I could say about how awesome this show was. Playing soccer on stage while the crew deals with a blown speaker (during "Powerslave"...the irony is gigantic) and making it fun for 20,000 people to watch does take a special talent. Hell, watching a band play the exact same set list three months apart and loving every minute of it because they managed to make their show that much bigger the second time around (Madison Square Garden: big frickin' space with decent acoustics that sounds massive) is proof positive by itself that Iron Maiden is one of rock's premiere live bands. See them live, but don't take all of the tickets because I'll be coming back for more.

Before the show, I was explaining the rules of t-shirt wearing at concerts to my brother-in-law. Many people don't understand these rules, so it's worth going over them here, if for no other reason than that I was validated for following them immediately after the show. So, here we go:

1. Do not wear a t-shirt put out by the band you're going to see. Doing so makes you look like a poseur who lacks a deeper knowledge of the subtleties of the music scene, or at least the understanding that there are other bands out there who play the same kind of music. On a corollary, don't wear a shirt put out by a fan of the band you're going to see paying homage to that band (like this shirt, for example. By the way, this picture makes me happier than I can say), for the same reasons. You'll just be That Guy, and no one wants that (although the legions of people I see buying shirts at a show and then wearing them during the show might disagree). Also, variety makes people watching far more interesting between sets.
   
   
2. Don't wear a shirt of a band that has a long-standing disagreement or feud with the band you're going to see. For example, if you're going to see Megadeth, don't wear a Metallica t-shirt; if you're going to see Iron Maiden, don't wear an Ozzy t-shirt (or a maybe just a shirt with Sharon Osbourne on it, which would be pretty lame anyway); if you're going to see Dream Theater, don't wear a Queensryche shirt, etc. Much like breaking rule one, breaking rule two makes you look like a tool who doesn't pay attention to the subculture you're invading. Chances are this means you cost some fan who really does care about the music a ticket, which means you're an evil person. It's also possible you just don't care about feuds, but then you're missing the point.
   
   
3. When picking a shirt to wear, the goal is to choose something that's either old or obscure or (preferably) both. Both factors give you credibility, and can help you strike up conversations with random people during the show. Having an old tour shirt (we're talking a piece of clothing that's a minimum of 20 years of age) can even let you break rule number one. I'm pretty sure I saw a shirt from the original Somewhere in Time tour last night, and even though it was a Maiden shirt, it was an old Maiden shirt, which made it pretty cool. People with shirts like that tend to have interesting stories.

Anyway, those are the rules. Follow those rules, last night I chose to wear a GWAR shirt I picked up during the We Kill Everything tour, and sure enough: walking back to my car, I was hailed by two guys who thought my shirt was the coolest thing they'd seen in the past half hour. Instant validation, at only pennies a day!

Playing the Tongue-in-Cheek

The Onion has it right:

The gentleman they "interviewed" for this piece on the wonderful diversity of heavy metal is spot on - I've spent today listening to Anthrax (Greater of Two Evils), Queensryche (Operation: Mindcrime II), Black Sabbath (The Mob Rules) and - my newest joy - Blind Guardian (Nightfall in Middle Earth and Somewhere Far Beyond) and feel like a better person for having done so. So hats off to you, Curt Webber of Logansport, Indiana; you're a righteous, open-minded dude in my book.

Hold that thought: you're a cretin for liking nu-metal and hating on all rap metal. Sure, a lot of that stuff was crap, but doesn't mean you need to discount Rage, you narrow-minded freak. Fred Durst is ok, but Zack De La Rocha gets no love? What a loser.