Queensryche- Promised Land- Chris DeGarmo, Geoff Tate

While the mainstream rock music world in the second half of the Eighties was enamored with  U2, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, and a plethora of Pop Metal bands, the Seattle-area band Queensryche was fusing the best elements of hard rock with progressive rock, so that by the time of their  third release, 1988’s Operation Mindcrime , their fanbase had outgrown cult status and the rock writers were taking note.

Then came Empire, an album apparently only Queensryche themselves knew they could make, a virtually flawless rock album that a Rush fan, a Pink Floyd fan, and a freaking Journey fan could all love. In Fall 1994 patient Queensryche fans were rewarded after four long years with the spectacularly successful Empire‘s  followup, Promised Land, containing “I Am I” and the tender-yet-tough farewell song “The Bridge”, which founding guitarist Chris DeGarmo penned to his dad who died during the recording. Promised Land  became Queensryche’s fastest seller ever and moved over a million units. We will also include the stunning “Real World” soundtrack-only song as former members DeGarmo and lead singer Geoff Tate host here. – Redbeard