Empire

Artist: Queensrÿche
Label: Capitol
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 077779280629
EAN: 0077779280629
ASIN: B000002UV9

Release Date: 1990-08-20

Related Categories:

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

General

| Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock

| Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)

| Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock

| Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal

| Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Hard Rock

| Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Listmania:

Queensryche Ranked
My favorite songs, #76-100
My Top 25 Albums
25 greatest cd's in my collection
Favourite albums 27/11 2005
The Best Albums of All Time
The best progressive metal.
Favorite Albums (in Alpha. Order) part 1 of 2
My Music Collection - Part 23
1990-1992-The end of a HARD ROCK era!--Hello Grunge!?!?

Tracks:

Best I Can
The Thin Line
Jet City Woman
Della Brown
Another Rainy Night (Without You)
Empire
Resistance
Silent Lucidity
Hand On Heart
One And Only
Anybody Listening?

Similar Items:

Operation: Mindcrime
Promised Land
Rage for Order
Hear in the Now Frontier
Stick It to Ya

Customer Reviews:

Great But Not There Best.......2006-08-21

This record is great but as the title says, not there best, some songs are a little too slow which is my only problem but the lyrics are once again amazing. Well Worth Getting Though Fopr Tracks LIke Empire, Della Brown, Jet City Women And Anybody Listing?, Another Rainy nite without you

Empire.......2006-04-07

After the masterpiece that was Operation Mindcrime, I wasn't expecting much on the next release. I was sorely proven wrong. This is yet another QR CD you can listen to front to back. No filler here. A fine demonstration of musicianship. Unfortunatly, everything put out after this CD was utter crap. Their saving grace came a few days ago with the release of Mindcrime 2. It seems the rut is over!

Bon Jovi? Van Halen? Ratt? no, it's the Ryche..............2004-12-25

unbelievable? not at all... but somewhat disappointing

the whole album is a pop album well arranged to look like a metal one...

the songs are complex enough to be worth a listen, anyway

Has certainly stood the test of time.......2004-12-03

i obviously totally disagree with the reviewer who accused this album of not standing the test of time as he put it. What a ridiculous statement that was. With this album Queensryche took their brand of progressive/80s rock metal to new heights. Mixing the epic prog of their earilier efforts with a more commericial but certainly not sell out type of material. See newer Metallica for an example of sell out. As always every song is enjoyable and no filler is present on the album. Many standout tracks that were popular when the album debuted still have that charming and instantly catchy feeling today. One reviewer noted that the songs are all so catchy its almost as if the lifted them off of an epic soundtrack. Degarmo and TAte unite obvious talent to make this their last truly remarkable album. After this album The Ryche started to crumble. This may not be their very best work, Operation:mindcrime is not only their best but probably the best concept album of all time. Empire still holds alot of weight in both the prog rock genre and the hard rock/metal genre. Loved by headbangers and fans of tight prog rock bands like Pink Floyd and Rush, Queensryche will always be remembered as one of the few modern bands who carried this form of music to commericial acceptance.

Hasn't stood the test of time.......2004-05-17

I liked this record a lot when it came out, but put it away in the early 90's and hadn't listened to it in ages. After recently hearing it again, I now know why. Queensryche's signature sound, though accomplished and distinct, simply doesn't wear well over the long haul. Dated sounds, borrowed riffs, Geoff Tate's operatic vocals, and production values that make Phil Spector look like a minimalist, all conspire to consign "Empire" to its rightful place in the cutout bin.

My main problem with Queensryche has always been Tate. Sure, he can hit the high notes, but does he actually sing? His range is astonishing and his delivery is unparalleled, but he manages to deliver every line with a minimum of emotion. He's clearly trying to impress, and consistently fails to inspire.

The one exception is "Silent Lucidity," which Tate delivers with taste, restraint, and feeling. The song - unfairly but accurately described as a Pink Floyd rip-off - remains a guilty pleasure of classic stature, as chill-inducing as it was back in 1990.

The rest of the record is a bit of the hodge-podge; there are more Floydian gestures ("Anybody Listening?"), nods towards groove rock ("Della Brown") and "Mindcrime"-style omens of doom (the title track). Individual moments impress, but almost every song contains a cringe-inducing hook or riff that instantly dates the material.

Nobody can question Queensryche's musicianship, but their effort to fuse progressive rock riffs with heavy metal sensibilities falls short of the standard established by bands like Rush. Fans of the band or of prog metal will still like it, but modern listeners should stick to the far superior "Operation Mindcrime" for their Queensryche fix.

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

A's, B's & EP's ~ The Seekers

Soldiers of Rock: The Anthology ~ Three Man Army

Cryptic ~ Edge of Sanity

Live and Dangerous ~ Thin Lizzy

Mama ~ Heint-Je

TV Kodomonouta Mahosentai Magi ~ Various Artists

Engage ~ Stretch Arm Strong

1990 ~ Daniel Johnston

Class Action (1991 Film) ~ James Horner

Ministry of Sound: Power - Best of Snap ~ Various Artists