Live Review: Queensrÿche - Academy 2, Manchester
11th February 2025
Words: Dan Barnes
Photos: Rich Price
There was once a time when Queensrÿche went from being a fresh new talent emerging out of the Seattle metal scene, to taking on the world. That time was when the band released their third – and most celebrated – album: 1988’s Operation: Mindcrime.
The follow up, Empire, a couple of years later cemented the band’s growing reputation as one of the genre’s leading lights, finding success and breaking into the mainstream charts with the 1990 global hit, Silent Lucidity.
Sadly, Queensrÿche’s flame burned so very brightly during that time that come Empire’s successor, The Promised Land, in 1994 the music scene had experienced a seismic shift – ironically coming out of Seattle – leading to a steady decline in fortunes and the splintering of the band.
Frontman Geoff Tate left and acrimony ensued after the Dedicated to Chaos album in 2011; the band recruited former Crimson Glory vocalist, Todd La Torre for the self-titled record in 2013 who, four albums later, still fronts Queensrÿche.
Michael Wilton and Eddie Jackson have kept their faith and remain from the band’s inception in 1982, and this tour is a celebration of the origins of Queensrÿche, going right back to where it all began and playing their first couple of releases back-to-back.
It’s a simple stage, backed only by the band’s original logo and, it being the first CD I ever bought, the cover of the self-titled debut EP
There’s something of a youthful naivety about the Queensrÿche EP, the introductory narration, straight off a cheesy B-movie trailer, gives way to Queen of the Reich’s opening riff and Todd’s scream hitting the high note early on. Close your eyes and you could be whisked back to those early days with Geoff at the mic and Chris DeGarmo on lead guitar.
This new line-up needn’t take the risk they are tonight; it would surely have been easier for them to celebrate the most recent material, rather than put their heads about the parapet to be shot at by us old school fans.
Nightrider is still vast, and former Kamelot drummer, Casey Grillo, takes over from Scott Rockenfield with barely a notice in the change of service. Blinded finds Michael shredding like a demon and The Lady Wore Black’s jangly opening is where the trademark Queensrÿche came to be established, the juxtaposition of light and shade foreshadowing the great things this band had in their future. Now, I’m too old to start changing things – and my CD copy of this record contains Prophecy as a bonus track – so was a bit discombobulated when the familiar strains of Warning’s opening riff flooded from the PA.
Only took a moment to regain the composure as, controversially, The Warning is my favourite Queensrÿche record. The choral vocals during the chorus generate chills and the crowd continues in their great voice. En Force pulses with an unstoppable beat from Eddie’s ever-present bass, choppy riffs bring about Deliverance’s rebellious fervour, and No Sanctuary acts as a sort of overture to the album’s finale of Road to Madness.
A snappy, edgy NM156 addresses themes the band would return to over again and the interplay between Wilton and long-time guitar partner, Mike Stone, is note perfect. Into side two and Take Hold of the Flame can do no wrong, Casey’s hits finding the same import as the album version; Before the Storm is The Warning’s sleeping giant and gives the band a change to
harmonise their vocals, while still revelling in the bombastic restraint at the core of this song. Child of Fire should well have found success as a single had it been selected for one, giving, as it does, the whole band chance to demonstrate their wares in a snappy four and half minutes.
Of the eighteen songs on offer tonight none was more anticipated by your humble reviewer than the album closer, Road to Madness; those opening strings, accompanying the vocals, leading into the swelling, emotionally-wrought vocals, made battling through the Tuesday traffic into town worth the effort (City are playing Real Madrid at Eastlands tonight), and the version given to the Academy 2 was even worth having to put up with the not-indicating fool in the Fiat nearly taking the front bumper off on the ring road.
The only Todd-era tune played tonight is the opening encore of Behind the Wall, from 2022’s competent, but not earth-shattering, Digital Noise Alliance. It’s big and brash and is built around all the Queensrÿche motifs.
Walk in the Shadows and Screaming in Digital come from Rage for Order, Empire’s title track is greeted like the classic it is, allowing Todd to sit back as the crowd take over the vocals, and the finale of Mindcrime, Eyes of a Stranger, becomes the last act of tonight’s show.
I’ve now been fortunate enough to having seen Queensrÿche’s first five releases performed in their entirety and, although my love of the band comes from their early days, Todd, Mike and Casey did not feel like replacements tonight.
I could close my eyes and be whisked back to a time when the stars aligned for this special band, when the word on all metalhead’s lips was “mindcrime”, and when great songs, performed expertly, were all that mattered.
Hopefully Queensrÿche will be back with a new record later this year, and back with another tour soon.
Photo Credits: Rich Price Photography
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