- Cover of Empire
I'll just come out and say it, picking Queensrÿche's Empire (1990) over Operation Mindcrime seems like rock history heresy. I might even agree with you and your Spanish Inquisition. However, when making this list, it all came down to which albums do I like the most. Out of all of Queensrÿche's extensive catalog, I mostly play both of those two CDs. However, there's something about Empire that keeps bringing me back. When I listen to Empire I get so immersed in the album I've banned the CD from my car. Pedestrians worldwide are grateful.
Empire is eleven songs of Queensrÿche's clean progressive metal. The songs sound spacious and all track together really well. The album still impresses me. Again, Operation Mindcrime is awesome in different ways. It's nearly a tie for me. My favorite tracks from Empire are "Silent Lucidity", "Best I Can", and "Resistance".
Queensrÿche's influence on modern rock, especially progressive metal is undeniable. Queensrÿche created a template for how it's done.
Now go ahead and give me grief for picking Empire over Operation Mindcrime.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
GRIEF GRIEF GRIEF!
Empire is easy listening compared to Mindcrime. Might as well be a Toto album.
So should I remove Toto from my list of albums?
Probably.
Mindcrime rocks hard, but I agree with choosing Empire. It's soft, but highly replayable. Mindcrime is a beginning-to-end listen, but Empire is an anything goes album.
Techcommdood, that would be like picking Invisible Touch over The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway because it had more hits. Empire is a really good album; Operation:Mindcrime is a great album.
Mike: The difference between Genesis & Queensrÿche is that Queensrÿche is not played on adult light rock radio, even their later stuff.