A Musician and a Jerk React to: Queensryche - Empire

[@mikejanow9927]

I'll take queensryche any day over dream theater. Try eyes of a stranger or another rainy night without you. Great vocals and excellent guitar work. A.not as flashey as other guitarists but very good solos

[@tedalfred9516]

Operation mindcrime is considered by many to be the best Progressive rock album of all time (1988)...15 songs that tell a captivating story from beginning to end. There are probably at least five or six official videos from the album Operation Mindcrime (or the DVD Operation Livecrime of the entire album performed live in concert) you could choose to review such as: Revolution calling Operation mindcrime Suite Sister Mary The Mission I don't believe in Love Eyes of a Stranger

[@damienthorn1849]

Queensryche rules

[@rickyesch1586]

Don't compare as they are different, totally. Instrument wise, singing, song structure, time signatures ect all different. Love them both for what they are and be done with it, that's fair. 😀

[@TheAgentAssassin]

I could live in a world without Dream Theater but not without Queensryche.

[@shanelyon15]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmm I am sorry YOU CAN NOT COMPARE DREAM THEATER AND Queensrÿche……LIKE BOTH BUT COME ON……that is like comparing Iron Maiden and Metallica to Van Halen….

[@mikehamme514]

The musicianship in this band is unreal !I I’m 65 and grew up in the 1970s, the best decade in rock period

[@HocusPocusFocus69]

Roads to Madness from Queensryche's Warning album is Geoff Tate's finest vocal performance on record IMO. Fantastic song.

[@wordragon]

No need to put IMO. It is.

[@HocusPocusFocus69]

Queensryche was the predecessor to Dream Theater. There would be no Dream Theater, as you know them, without Queensryche.

[@traceyrychewhite1874]

Queensryche is one of the best band's ever. I love everything up to Promised Land. After Chris left thing's kinda went down hill for them. They're my 2nd favorite band. Pantera is my favorite band. I don't know of a 4th prog Metal band. In fact people say the Holy trinity of Prog Metal is Queensryche, Fates Warning and Dream Theater. I would recommend something older by Queensryche off of their album, The Warning. Roads to Madness! That's a killer song.

[@haroldjones8023]

Agreed

[@patmullen7597]

The bassist, Eddie Jackson and one of the guitarists, Chris DeGarmo, both provided amazing backup vocals. Especially Chris who also had a hi octave range and also wrote most of their best material before he left the band.

[@percivalsky]

Hi There! great reaction, i heard you talk about the album operation mindcrime in the beginning, this song is actally the titletrack from the album EMPIRE. A song i recomend from operation mindcrime is "suit sister mary" and if you wanna go old school Queensryche check out "take hold of the flame"!

[@tedalfred9516]

Literally this is probably one of their worst songs on the first 6 albums even though it's the title track. Every single other song in this album is better than this.... along with every song on operation mindcrime. There's probably 40 songs in their first six albums that are better than this song, so you didn't really pick a good one to start your Queensryche journey on.... but being the title track on one of their best albums one would think it would be better than it is. It's super political in nature and it's the only song I can think of that's like that in their entire catalog up through 1998 when Chris Degarmo ( lead guitar and one of 2 main songwriters) left the band to raise his young daughter and pursue his other passion of flying 747 jumbo jets for a career... which he did!

[@kathleenandbruce]

You just heard one of the best voices in rock. Listen to Take Hold Of The Flame live in Tokyo. Jeoff Tate hits a couple E5's in this live performance and it's the 2nd to the last song of the set and they usually would play over 2 hrs. Let's see a reaction to that song, I think you will have a different reaction to it.

[@jenx4115]

Operation Mindcrime is my favorite, their best ever. I've seen other people react to Suite Sister Mary & they seem confused since it's in the middle of the story. I love Spreading the Disease, Speak and Revolution, and the title track is epic! But there's no bad song, the whole album rocks! 🔥🤘😠🤘🔥

[@tirr5915]

saw dream theater and queensryche together and it was awesome, especially the end where they got together to do comfortably numb and won't get fooled again. Tate's voice with the DT band was unbeatable

[@jenx4115]

Lmfao who said they were rivals? Queensryche were the predecessors to DT in their sound, if not inception. I'm sure someone said it already, but this is from Empire, the album following Operation Mindcrime - which is the best concept album of all time (Bruce Dickinson would agree!). Please do yourself a favor and don't miss it. Most of us would suggest the whole album at once, but "Spreading the Disease" is my favorite, but they're all amazing. Thanks for getting them out to people, I'm so excited for today's metal heads to hear them! 🔥🤘😠🤘🔥

[@terryc7142]

Best concert I ever saw was Fates Warning, Dream Theater and Queensryche. 2003. Absolutely brilliant!

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

You're spot on! They never were rivals. And Operation Mindcrime is their best record.

[@kinzei1971]

Take Hold of the Flame live in Tokyo. Geoff Tate is arguably the best clean metal vocalist ever. He has a 4 octave range and is not afraid to use it, especially on his earlier stuff.

[@purplekat5864]

You got THAT right! He's one of the most fearless singers I've seen! He doesn't hold back. No one has the tone, power, intensity, vibrato, or the sheer charisma of this man!

[@SuperDoomspoon]

Empire is the name of the Album!!!!! Operation Mindcrime is Awesome….must listen!!!👍🤘🏻🤘🏻👍👍👍🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@purplekat5864]

Thanks for listening to Queensryche, my favorite band in the universe (original line-up). It's literally impossible to assess QR by one song. They are so diverse in their abilities, you'd need to listen to at least 10 songs to really appreciate what they can do. Operation:Mindcrime is the album you mentioned that is highly regarded as one of the best, if not the best CONCEPT album of all time. It is essential listening, and will probably take a few listens to digest the nuances of the storyline and musical intricacies. There's just a lot to take in. It SHOULD be listened to in sequence for full effect, but I will include a couple of it's songs in my list of recommendations. I'll try to give you a mix of different songs to check out: 1. "TAKE HOLD OF THE FLAME" live in Tokyo 1984. (this is an early song that really shows Geoff''s vocal range and tone.) 2. "SILENT LUCIDITY" (an outlier that contrasts their heavier sound. It's about lucid dreaming and was nominated for a Grammy.) 3. "ANYBODY LISTENING?" ( the first song I ever heard by them. Totally hooked me!) 4. "SCREAMING IN DIGITAL" (computer dystopia.) 5. "THE KILLING WORDS" from MTV Unplugged 1992. (Right after the guitar solo there's a killer vocal part that they did a little differently from the studio version.) 6. "ONE MORE TIME" 7. "REAL WORLD". (written for The Last Action Hero soundtrack.) 8. "EYES OF A STRANGER". (final song from Operation:Mindcrime.) 9. "THE MISSION" (also from O:M.) 10. "SPEAK" (from O:M) 11. "WALK IN THE SHADOWS". (another earlier song about Vampires.) I'm going to stop here, there are just too many good songs to pick from. These aren't in any particular order. I hope you will do a few more songs by them! There is so much good songwriting, lyrics, vocals, intensity, and musicianship! And yes, Geoff is a bit theatrical. I love his power and intensity! Sorry this is SO long. Hard to dial it down when it comes to QR!

[@BreakingBadUniverseQandA]

Preach!

[@purplekat5864]

@@BreakingBadUniverseQandA If that was directed to me, yeah, I tend to go on way too long, and need to stop myself sooner!

[@BreakingBadUniverseQandA]

@@purplekat5864 I loved your right up!

[@purplekat5864]

@@BreakingBadUniverseQandA Oh! I guess I didn't know what "preach" meant in this context. Thought you meant I was being preachy about them. Glad I was wrong. So, THANKS! ☺️

[@Matt-yq1zn]

Facts

[@topherwhite370]

Queensryche and Dream Theater toured together. They each did a set, then they all came out and did a set. Biggest drum set ever. Their dual version of Comfortably Numb is the stuff of legend.

[@tedalfred9516]

Operation mindcrime is considered by many to be the best Progressive rock album of all time (1988)...15 songs that tell a captivating story from beginning to end. There are probably at least five or six official videos from the album Operation Mindcrime (or the DVD Operation Livecrime of the entire album performed live in concert) you could choose to review such as: Breaking the Silence Suite Sister Mary The Mission I don't believe in Love Eyes of a Stranger Revolution Calling Operation Mindcrime

[@NS1.]

Check out 'I Will Remember' from their album Rage For Order.😎👍 There is even a live version: MTV Live Unplugged, from like 1992. About 6 years after the album version.

[@PlacidDragon]

Geoff Tate is the vocalist of the band, but he does have a supremely skilled backup vocalist in Chris DeGarmo (one of the guitarists, both guitarists switch between lead and rhythm) :)

[@DHPREACTS]

gotta do more queensryche! my fav band so glad yall checked them out

[@jongibbons730]

So many compare Geoff to Bruce, the difference is Geoff sings, Bruce screams.

[@BreakingBadUniverseQandA]

Take Hold of the Flame live from Tokyo. Untouchable.

[@gandalf679]

As a long time 'Ryche Fan, and I'm 63, a former radio dj on Classic rock radio...you need to listen to the lyrics...there's deep meaning not only for when this was written, but can also easily be relevant today...Geoff has an incredible voice, powerful as well, this particular song doesn't showcase his ability as well as some of there other work, "Mindcrime" is an album that tells a complte story, but, do yourself a favor and do what we did in the 70's, we read along from the album sleeve as we listened...keep up the good work...Rock ON!!

[@versetripn6631]

"Sometimes building a better world, means tearing the old one down!" -Alexander Pierce to Steve Rogers

[@johnnyrokkit]

Someone probably mentioned this already, but this is from the album Empire. Operation:Mindcrime is another great album (a great listen start-to-finsh as it's a concept album). Try "Eyes of a Stranger".

[@Robertsmith-dy3sh]

This is Queensryce's most mainstream stuff, Operation Mindcrime is much more "prog" and is a concept album. Fate Warning is also amazing, check out the song Monument to hear the prog metal pioneers

[@draculimpaler4507]

One of the greatest shows Ive seen...dating back to the 70s in concert exp...double bill..Queensryche open for Judas Priest...was amazing Phx 05

[@trokoshea1]

Rivals enough to do a whole tour together. I was there... such a treat!

[@dangerx7697]

Kind of hard to concentrate on the music or video because one of God's Perfection just sitting next to you dude. Flawless Beauty

[@pthor6265]

Queensryche and Dream Theater is no contest. The Ryche wins hands down. Mindcrime is an absolute master work.

[@grbggaming6885]

This is off of the album Empire, which is still phenomenal. But Operation: Mindcrime takes the cake. One of the top 3 rock concept albums of all time. These guys are legendary and never get their respect.

[@calvingreen5202]

This is a hoot...and I mean the commentary 🤣. Try Silent Lucidity...maybe that will hit the mark. And...Rush was one of the pioneers of progressive rock, along with Yes.

[@logancampbell6157]

Screaming in Digital is amazing!!!!

[@mtldrmr100]

Just happened upon your channel. I always love watching people react to Queensryche for the first time. I am an avid fan since their beginning (shows my age) and also am a fan of Dream Theater. IF you want to see a REAL concept album, you must listen to Operation Mindcrime start to finish. Also, you must realize that both bands are extremely diverse in their range of composition, so one or two songs will only scratch the surface of either band. For Queensryche, you can go from "Queen of the Ryche" & "Take Hold of the Flame" to "Silent Lucidty" & "Anybody Listening". The "Operation Mindcrime" album is in a league of it's own. (IMO, Dream Theater's "Awake", is as well.) Enjoy!

[@AMusicianandaJerk]

Thanks for watching! I actually did a full reaction to Operation Mindcrime but it was blocked about a month after I uploaded it. Maybe I can do a short version that won't get blocked but the full version is on our Patreon!!

[@beckystarrski]

“Silent Lucidity” by Queensryche ..although a slow track, still so damn beautiful! New subscriber to this ch. I’ve been binge watching y’all’s “Skid Row” reactions & I LOVE them. Sebastian was mine lol & millions of girls/boys 1st ever true loves! I was just 11 when I 1st saw SR on MTV, & fell head over 👠’s with him. I was old enough to love him (& so many other hotties) but still way too young to go concerts in the awesome 80’s! Oh what a beautiful era to have been alive. I was so jealous of my brother (7yrs my sr) who did get to go to see Motley/ Queensryche / Skid Row/Metallica/ etc. Looking forward to watching your ch. ✌🏼&💙

[@RushfanDave]

Eyes of a Stranger Take Hold of the Flame Live in Tokyo Another Rainy Night Jet City Woman Anybody Listening? So many great songs from this band.

[@wordragon]

No, Queensryche influenced Dream Theater and was not a contemporary of theirs. QR came out almost 10 years earlier and were selling out arenas before Dream Theater’s first album. I love DT, but we should acknowledge the fact that QR was the pioneering progressive metal band. I think DT has acknowledged their influence.

[@mattrink2112]

While appealing to a similar audience, QR is a pretty different band from DT. Very little use of keyboards, shorter songs, and less of that classical music influence & wild instrumental passages. But, certainly deserving of the description "thinking man's metal" with more complex arrangements than typical hard rock, sophisticated song-writing, deeper lyrical concepts, killer twin guitar work, and a top 2 vocalist from the era (along with Bach) who can deliver some incredibly strong and emotional performances. You're right, the song "Empire" is more mainstream. I'd go with "Eyes of a Stranger" next. Plenty of gold to mine beyond that. .... BTW- Somewhat in the middle of DT and QR is the band you mentioned, Fates Warning. Very underrated. That band has it all -- lyrics, song-writing, guitar work, outstanding vocals, and my favorite drummer of all time ('89-'05). Their official video for "Through Different Eyes" would be a fine introduction.

[@DrewThorpe24]

Queensryche had messages in their songs that still ring true today. The US Govt. still does NOT invest anything to keep big cities safe & keep the streets safe.

[@GONEOFFSCRIPT]

The song is talking about the Drug (Crack) epidemic that jumped off in the mid 80's and when it says Eastside meets Westside Downtown they are talking about the Gangs that were divided and set off against each other as each set were Fighting against each other for control of what block or what Territory that they are trying to defend against Rival Gangs or Law Enforcement. The bottom line is that Queensryche went straight to the Streets for inspiration to make a record this song and I'm proud of them

[@randalladams7692]

I grew up on this this band is killer great singer good production been around since the '80s KZbin rock

[@JP-ec9rl]

Empire album was the promotion that the record label wanted, not the band. It was early 90s and has some good tracks despite the corporate radio hits that were promoted.

[@haroldjones8023]

The album Operation Mindcrime may be the best concept album ever released so if you listen to it start at the beginning. This song is off the album Empire Great reaction and by the way they were even better live Take a listen to take hold of the flame from live in Tokyo 1984

[@cindeepowers3073]

This is actually off the Empire album which came after Operation Mindcrime. The lyrics on this song is what’s important.

[@billwicketvogel1787]

Keep going down this rabbit hole ! Do the entire Mindcrime album ! Go with Silent lucidity next.

[@RAAZR-]

They have 3 songs worth listening to: Take hold of the flame (LIVE Tokyo 84) Eyes of a stranger (studio version) I don't believe in love (studio version)

[@damienthorn1849]

Saw this concert in the 90s ...saw geoff tate live 2 months ago

[@SuperDoomspoon]

From the actual “Operation Mindcrime album-Revolution Calling…..Speak…..I Don’t Believe in Love….Eyes of a Stranger!!!!!👍🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@sheriffbart616]

Dream Theater is more complex but Geoff's voice destroys Jim Labries!

[@ericwilliams1031]

"Take Hold Of The Flame" live in Tokyo is where you should go next with Queensryche. Then "Walk In The Shadows".

[@dmoody0403]

Queensryche are the masters of progressive metal.

[@97warlock]

this is before dream theatre. Operation Mindcrime my favorite ...SHE would like "Gonna get close to you" its a creeper song but kicks

[@christianjones4497]

Eyes of a stranger is a kick ass song!

[@stargazer2504]

LMAO takin sips of black cherry white claw.....

[@surfdeprived]

Yep. Now you have to listen to the actual Mindcrime album. Probably 'Speak" or "Suite Sister Mary" For Fates Warning do "From the Rooftops'

[@lizd85018]

Beauty and the rain man

[@trudydavidson528]

Queensryche is an awesome band....I would suggest "Jet City Woman"....cool song!!

[@TheColdrush22]

Sorry man. This was written to be a “hit single.“ I hate that shit. It’s a good song. But it’s like too produced, too concise and too clean for someone who wants something more raw. I don’t think reactors are going to “get it“ unless they listen to the whole operation Mindcrime album. Single songs won’t do it. They’re going to either question the integrity, or question the authenticity. They’re a no-win situation band for reactors. “Are they too pop? Are they too safe?“ You got to get into QR to understand them. Fly-bynight KZbin responders won’t ever get it.

[@opie1000]

There’s a video of Queensyrche and Dream Theater playing together a couple of songs… They’ve got both drummers and all guitars it’s and there singing Comfortably Numb .

[@richnorcal]

This is not from "Operation Mindcrime", it's the title song from the "Empire" album. "Operation Mindcrime" needs to be experienced, it's a story album one must listen from the beginning to the end for each song to fully make sense

[@michelleferrera6597]

Chris DeGarmo was the lead guitar. He also sang. Corny?

[@parahumanoid]

Empire is from Empire, not from Operation: Mindcrime. What's up with the title vs 0:30 ?

[@AMusicianandaJerk]

Yeah I am not sure how I messed that up! 😂

[@jeremiahmarks5529]

The empire cd was really commercial. Try Take Hold of the Flame, Queen of the Reich, Walk in The Shadows, En Force, I Dream In Infrared

[@davidcravens9955]

The whole operation mindcrime album, look at all song titles and you will notice exactly what is happening in the world today

[@bryanparker2925]

Check out “Take Hold of the Flame” live from Tokyo

[@tedalfred9516]

So many great videos and songs off of Empire or operation mindcrime.... try reviewing the official videos for "Jet City woman", "Eyes of a Stranger", Best I Can" or "Is anybody Listening"?

[@tedalfred9516]

You should listen to either best I can or is anybody listening...both off of this Empire album... both our great videos

[@kathleenandbruce]

You just heard one of the best voices in rock. You should do a reaction to Take Hold Of The Flame live in Tokyo. Jeoff Tate hits a couple of E5's in that performance and it's the 2nd to the last song in the set. And they usually do over 2hrs live. That's a song to do a reaction to and we all would enjoy that.

[@concernedcitizen-1958]

If you're not doing Operation Mindcrime in it's entirety, the best tracks are Spreading the Disease, The Mission, Suite Sister Mary, I Don't Believe In Love, Eyes of A Stranger, and The Needle Lies. Peace ✌️ 🎸🎶🎵🎼

[@terrywags982]

You should react to ERUPTION solo by EVH from the live without a net tour live..it's truly magical

[@mjm5081]

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

[@danmachado7337]

You should listen to Lady wore black, their first song they wrote.

[@fcbfirechiefbill3361]

Probably said already, but that's Empire. NOT OPERATION MINDCRIME.

[@barrydelicious9835]

Review Queensryche "TAKE HOLD OF THE FLAME"- LIVE IN Tokyo

[@thisguy4490]

fates warning parallels came out around about the same time as empire. and sounds similar.

[@koolerm4806]

Aaaaahh......Play Her LOUDNESS!!!! Either From THUNDER .....Or SOLDIER OF FORTUNE Any Track.

[@16dbuse]

You should really check out their previous albums, Empire is a good album, but it isn't Operation Mindcrime or Rage for Order.

[@MutambaBrazil]

Silent Lucidity or Take Hold The Flame live 1984.

[@สมทอง-ฐ6ฝ]

Its not Mindcrime at all. It is the following album Empire, and they were not rivals to DT. In fact, they were huge fans of each other, ans have actually played together. Dont know where u get your information from, but you need to get a better source.

[@rhondathompson6942]

What so corney about this song its about drug dealers life better then this shot today

[@SkepticShay]

This is an okay song. You still gotta check Fates Warning. They're definitely different from Dream Theater; less guitar solo (wankery). The other prog band that you were thinking of, might be King's X.

[@drewrosecrans9728]

Queensrych rule check out rage for order & the warning 💯🤘🤘🤘 been a fan since 83 I was 16 u can't go wrong with ryche 🤘🤘

[@Jester1411]

try some fates warning....one of the best prog metal band ever...also check psychotic waltz out, very underrated band.

[@bryanparker2925]

This it’s not from Operation Mindcrime

[@randalladams7692]

Some songs, is there anybody listening, jet City woman, take hold of The flame live in Tokyo 1983 hope that helps

[@michaelgrimes8326]

Anybody listening. Anything in mindcrime

[@SuperDoomspoon]

Empire is the actual album

[@randalladams7692]

Need to do operation mindcrime is a masterpiece any song from that is real good and if you want to go back to the early 1980s do the song for video queens of the right you rock

[@ernieherrera1034]

Totally paused at the wrong time

[@kennethfinnegan2978]

First time watching your channel. Which one of you is the jerk?

[@bobbybingle1662]

This is not from Operation Mindcrime lol.

[@delete.102]

Dream theater is not even close to anything Queen's wife

[@chrisp9975]

Geoff Tate’s voice is way better than James Labrie , but Dream Theater’s musicians are better, 2 different styles really, not Queensryche’s best song to introduce someone to , they have so many different sounding songs but well worth going down that rabbit hole , a few obscure ones I can recommend is “ someone else “ and “ when the rain comes “

[@mikem8563]

cult- fire woman

[@jamescotner2459]

Bad Brains is the fourth

[@nevermore5168]

You really can't match apples for apples when it comes to Dream Theater and Queensryche they are two different kinds of progressive metal. I love both bands however, Queensryche has got a little more notoriety then DT. That being said the top 4 in my eyes are Queensryche Dream Theater Fates warning and Marillion but thats me.🌹

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

Dream Theater are great musicians but their songs are not in the same league as Queensryche. At any rate, they are not rivals nor have I ever heard anyone compare them.

[@michaelgrimes8326]

Tool?

[@AMusicianandaJerk]

It's coming

Tool "sober".....hell any Tool will do.

[@garyoliver917]

They are not rivals to Dream Theater. Different ends of the Progressive Metal subgenre imo.

[@OSAAgentX]

check out okeef music foundation kids cover of 46 & 2 by Tool

[@jasonconnors8644]

Really Iron Maiden! To queensryche ! No way Maiden all the way ! Both great bands , Bruce and geoff don’t compare!

[@drewrosecrans9728]

This was 1990

[@FrankCastlesConscience]

Operation Mindcrime is MUCH better than this and is the album that precedes this. Check out “I don’t believe in love” and “Eyes of a Stranger”.