Queensrÿche
Warning

THE REVIEW

We are in 1984, after the 1983 mini-album (EP) bearing the same name as the band "Queensryche," which took them on a year-long world tour; here comes the historic Progressive metal Band from Seattle, producing what I consider one of the best albums of the genre and certainly the best of the band itself.

Aggressive, Combative, Pure... are all adjectives that perfectly suit it, the best the band has ever done as I mentioned, the work in question goes by the name of "The Warning". This album takes inspiration from Orwell's famous novel "1984," so it's quite futuristic in concept and themes, as reinforced in tracks like "NM 156", which talks about possible issues that we still discuss and question over 20 years later, such as the installation of microchips in the human body; but that's another story, let's not digress too much, even if this album certainly wouldn't lack the "material" to do so. It's as if Geoff Tate and his bandmates projected themselves with their imagination into a possible not too distant future, interpreting it best with their lyrics and music.

As I was saying, "The Warning," aside from being a great work by Queensryche, is the quintessential album that gives life to progressive metal... a warrior and engaging album with a raw sound, if you will, the opening track "Warning" is a cornerstone, a song with an imperious rhythm and a crescendo finale... Degarmo's solo is beautiful, followed by "en force"... a true Metal ride like we haven't heard in what feels like forever now. Imposing and fast rhythms just like the following track, "Deliverance".

The album, as already mentioned, was recorded after the EP, hence it is the band's first real work. It turned out to be a great success, also achieving a good commercial milestone in terms of sales. The slow piece par excellence of the album is "Take hold the flame", a highly controversial and dark song in its even syncopated sounds, but like the rest of the album... full of curious points and counterpoints. The song in question was very successful in Japan, as a single... even the video is set in Japan on the streets of Tokyo, the album is also very raw but at the same time brilliant, with sounds never before reproduced by any other group. Indeed, together with Fates Warning, Queensryche can be considered the architects of Progressive metal. Another very suggestive slow piece is undoubtedly "No Sanctuary", very mystical if one also reads the meanings of the words in the text.

I believe it is a shame not to have this album for anyone interested in this particular musical genre, "The Warning" is one of the very few examples of Progressive metal and Heavy metal DONE WELL that can exist in this sick world.

P.S. I disagree with those who label "Operation: Mindcrime" as the best album which, while undoubtedly addressing important social themes, is musically far inferior.