Band : Queensrÿche
Album title : American Soldier
Label : Rhino – Warner Music
Distributor : Warner Music Belgium.
Release date : 31/03/2009
Release : CD

The past ten years Queensrÿche made some nice records but the never impressed the music fans. They tried to milk the success of their 1988 success ‘Operation Mindcrime’ over and over again. Last year they did a tour and looking at the figures of the people that made the effort of checking them once more you know most of them had it. Honestly, part 1 was a master piece but ‘Mindcrime 2’, witch was released in 2006, didn’t even come close and bringing those two albums back to back live showed that in a very painful way. Now it’s time for a new record and once again they chose for a concept album. Don’t worry; it isn’t ‘Mindcrime 3’. Instead they chose a total different approach. Frontman Geoff Tate got his inspiration by interviewing lots of American veterans who fought in one of the many conflicts the US got into since World War II. Smart move because in the US lots of people really care about soldiers that served their country. Musical wise they continue to go down hill. It all starts with ‘Silver’. A powerfull track that reminds us one last time of how Queensrÿche wrote their songs when it was ‘Mindcrime’ time. After that the records chooses another path. It gets pretty moody. Especially the last couple of tracks are sugar sweet. ‘Remember Me’ is a ballade Queensrÿche style but it doesn’t even come close to ‘Silent Lucidity’ from their other smash record ‘Empire’. And as if it isn’t enough, singer Geoff Tate drags in his daughter Emily to sing a duet with him on ‘Coming Home’. Nice try but please keep this kind of stuff for family reunions and call Pamala Moore if you need clean female vocals. With ‘American Soldier’, an album title they probably got of some marketer guy, it becomes clear that Queensrÿche is going down hill. It all starts to turn against them. In the US they probably have some nice first week sells because of the patriotism that lives their. In Europe it will become another Waterloo. Of to the small clubs for all the nostalgic souls.

62/100

Stef Maes.