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Seattle's finest are back with a concept album called American Soldier. The foursome wanted to present a soldier's story from recruitment to his death, telling the story from the soldier's point of view. When Geoff Tate started preparing the album he talked to his father - who served in Korea and Vietnam - and many other soldiers. He listened to the stories of their lives and developed the story of American Soldier based on what he heard. Geoff Tate wrote the album together with producer Jason Slater who also produced this album while former Ryche guitarist Kelly Grey engineered it.
The opener is called Sliver and shows them with a modern touch and full of anger, but also the song has the typical Queensrÿche trademarks. Bassist Eddie Jackson is very present here, but it also seems that guitarist Michael Wilton is freed. No track you easily gets you into this concept album. You hear copters passing by, spoken words and slowly they head into Unafraid. Using excerpts from the one-on-one interviews with the soldiers make it sound very authentic. Listening to the words is somehow disturbing, but then the chorus is hooking you up. Sure, some songs need time to grow on you, but it's worth spending time listening - not just in honor of the people in the military services! Very touching is At 30,000 Ft., Geoff Tate's vocals are very intense. Not a catchy one, but moving! A heavy, but catchy one is The Killer! One of my favorites is Middle Of Hell which is a mid-paced track where you can feel the sadness which seems to cumlinate in the saxophone part. Spoken words lead into If I Were King and slowly the song develops from a balladesque beginning to a heavy, riff-based rocker - and back again. Great lead guitar part! Again spoken words, but this time the song is based on a heavy groove and somehow Man Down! seems to carry a spark of hope. The samples from the interviews are used again at Remember Me, a melancholy tune. You can feel the longing of the soldier Geoff Tate is speaking for, to get back home to his family and to get remembered. And I think he really knows this feeling, even if from a different experience. Balladesque and with a symphonic touch they present Home Again. At this one you also hear Tate's daughter Emily sing, her vocals can't transport the emotions well... It feels like she had give up hope, but at the other hand its quite authentic, coz a child in that kind of situation is often incapable to show feelings. Its not that the kids of soldiers don't have feelings, but they keep them hidden. The Voice is the closer and shows Queensrÿche heavy again, Geoff Tate adds emotional vocals and if this one don't get you, then you turned numb already!
For me the best Queensrÿche album since Empire! In my opinion the album has the special something, coz it's a story Geoff Tate was longing to tell - and because Michael Wilton wasn't limited and could express himself playing guitars without another guitarist at his side. The songs need time to grow, so give them a few spins! Take your headphones and listen to the words, let the emotions get at you. The album is dark, melancholy and intense. I highly recommend this album to all fans of the old Queensrÿche!
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