and opened up your eyes,
Did you notice the tear stains
lining your face were mine?"
One Word Review: Visionary
Rage For Order was released back in 1986 and finds Queensrÿche at their creative peak. Of all their albums, Rage For Order is my favorite along with Operation: Mindcrime. Which one I prefer depends on my mood. This is their most experimental work to date and it will take some time to get used to the songs and the somewhat convoluted production, which in turn helps give the album its enchanting feel. This is one of those rare albums that manages to carve a niche for itself by being completely unique.
A very captivating atmosphere pervades the entire album. From the opening rocker Walk in the shadows to the beautiful I will remember, a red line runs through the album, that gives it a great flow and connects the songs. The music is a mix of Rock and Metal with many keyboard elements, brilliant melodies, vocal harmonies and a great drive in all the songs. Geoff Tate's voice has a very intense edge, almost menacing in some songs (Gonna get close to you comes to mind), and you're never quite sure what to expect next. There is this kind of excitement in every song and when listening closely there are tons of little details to discover.
Every song ranges from excellent to genius and best of all, each song is unique in its own way.
I find it very hard describing each song in detail with this album, so I'll just draw forward a few of my personal highlights.
· The chilling start to The killing words and the way the song builds with the touching lyrics is really fantastic. Especially the way the screaming guitar complements the lyrics.
· The fast and furious Surgical Strike, with a brilliant chorus, sung in a way that is pure Geoff Tate.
· Neue regel. This is such a weird, yet wonderful song and the way that vocal effects are used is very powerful. The harmonies in the chorus of this song are excellent. I remember back when I first discovered the album, I was astonished when I reached this song. I loved it and listened to it again and again and today, it is a trip down memory lane.
· The beautiful lyrics to London.
· The way Geoff Tate sings I will remember gets me every time. The line "And we wonder how machines, can steal each others dreams" is my favorite line of the entire album.
· I dream in infrared has a fantastic atmosphere and the way Geoff sings the emotional lyrics reaches for the heart.
· The album's only cover song, Gonna get close to you (original by Dal Bello) brilliantly captures an intense atmosphere and keeps it for an entire song.
· The incredibly cool build-up that happens in The Whisper where commanding vocals, sly effects and a groove-infected rhythm all bring an intense and powerful feeling to the song, making it impossible to sit still while it is playing.
The lyrics are as always with Queensrÿche of high quality. Some songs are very thought provoking and every song has a strong message. Ranging from society and technology critical, to songs about inner feelings and love, a lot of different aspects are touched upon.
To say that Geoff Tate sings good would be the understatement of the year. His voice is completely amazing and must have been an inspiration for many of today's singers. He commands a huge range that goes from a normal voice with a deep ring, to an incredibly high pitched wail. No matter where his voice is in the scale of sound it always has his trademark emotional edge.
The other instruments work perfectly together. The album is filled with emotional guitar solos and outstanding drum work, while the bass is roaming around in the back.
I can't say enough good things about the production of this album. The mix is a perfect mesh of layers, bringing with it a feeling of wonderment. Producer Neil Kernon has done a job that has become something other bands strive to capture. The feeling is sadly killed on the remastered edition, released in 2003 where the album has been mastered much louder and has lost its dynamic sound, resulting in some of the magic being stripped away. This is a shame and I urge everyone to hunt down the original release of the album where the sound is intact.
The Queensrÿche releases up until, and including, Promised Land, are all unique in their own way, but Rage for Order is the "most unique" album they have ever done. It is the one which intrigues me the most, due to its captivating atmosphere and the feeling that even after 26 years, something is still hiding in these classic tracks.
Written By Steen
Online: Thursday, August 30, 2012
Updated: Wednesday, October 30, 2012 - Added videos, Making of Rage For Order and unreleased demo recording