This chapter is part of a book called Tales from a Metalhead written by Metal Express Radio’s President Stig G. Nordahl. The chapters will be posted one at the time and you can find them all here. We got talking over a few beers that maybe we should get together and play. So we met in Scott’s, our drummer, basement and we’ve been there ever since! – Geoff Tate to Metal Express Radio, 1988. Progressive Metal? Thinking man’s Metal? I dunno, and who really cares. It’s freakin’ Queensrÿche! The band never liked the “thinking man’s Metal” term anyway. Like “A man goes into a store asking if they have some thinking man’s Metal albums…” Some smart reviewer probably came up with that description after listening to Rage for Order or Operation: Mindcrime. Probably the latter since the concept story makes you think a bit. You know, what happened to Mary? Ah, let’s get back to that later. These guys had that progressive touch from the start, and while some call them Progressive Metal, I think the genre was invented after they released their massive albums. But hey, it’s not about labels; it’s about the mind-blowing musical skills these guys had. Queensrÿche was simply superb and managed to create their own unique sound without ever being repetitive. We’re sort of known in some circles as a Progressive Metal band, you know? – Geoff Tate to Metal Express Radio, 1988. Man, their first albums are pure gold! Not that some of the later stuff isn’t great too, but these are the albums I will always come back to. From the headbanging Heavy Metal on the self-titled EP to the conceptual masterpiece Operation: Mindcrime, they never ceased to amaze. And let’s not forget the amazing lineup; each member played a vital role in …READ MORE
