Originally published by L.S. Media. May 7th 2009.

Queensryche have long been held up as one of the best examples of the heavy metal/progressive rock genre, and after the critically poor showing of Operation Mindcrime Two, it is good to welcome back the band as they show off their brand new release American Soldier.

In common with previous offerings by the band, it is packaged and presented as a concept album; the theme this time round is war as seen through the eyes of different soldiers. It is also quite unabashed in its salute to these men who go to fight in troubled areas of the world. Whether it is for right or wrong is a personal thought and not the question in mind for the album, but is worth considering that vocalist Geoff Barton has long toured with a leather jacket emblazoned with the word “Liar” above a picture of former president George Bush and has also been vocal in the war against drugs rather than on other countries.

The album itself has many highs, and it is hard to find just one track to talk about as the band seem to have gelled once more as a cohesive unit and have produced quite a few excellent songs for the album.

There are though, as with any album, some tracks that just blow your mind, on this one you have to include the heavy sound of Unafraid, which benefits from the superb vocal range that Geoff Barton has but also for the superb drumming provided by Scott Rockenfield and the bass work of Ed Jackson.

Two other tracks worth more than a mention are the chilling repose that is The Killer and haunting and yet stunning which has the added vocal talent of Emily Tate playing the daughter of a serviceman away from home and only able to keep in touch with the family via mail.

This is an album that deserves to be listened to and then listened to again, not just because of the immensity of the subject matter but the realisation that Queensryche are back to their best and the music scene is better off for it!

Ian D. Hall