Queensryche today released a teaser trailer for its upcoming album — its first with new singer Todd LaTorre — that is expected to arrive next year.
The Seattle quintet, which has been together for 30-plus years, is famed for albums like 1988’s hard rock concept piece “Operation: Mindcrime” and 1990’s more radio-accessible “Empire.” While the nearly 90-second trailer encourages listeners to “Remember how it started” (a reference to lyrics from “Mindcrime”), the musical snippets indicate the quintet dove headlong into a fast-paced, modern metal sound that bears no similarity to its previous albums. Drummer Scott Rockenfield’s movie scoring talents are apparent, as are the sounds of European symphonic metal and LaTorre’s skyscraper vocal range. James “Jimbo” Barton, who engineered the “Mindcrime” and “Empire” records, is producing the new album.
Queensryche also features guitarists Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren, and bassist Eddie Jackson. The band endured a massive shakeup earlier this year when it fired longtime singer Geoff Tate, resulting in Tate and former Queensryche manager Susan Tate filing a lawsuit against the band that’s currently ongoing. Tate announced in September that he intends to tour with his own version of Queensryche that includes bassist Rudy Sarzo, drummer Bobby Blotzer, guitarists Glen Drover and Kelly Gray, and keyboardist Randy Gane.
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Tate released his second solo album, “Kings & Thieves,” on InsideOut Music on Nov. 6. The record sounds quite similar to the last album he released with Queensryche, 2011’s “Dedicated to Chaos,” which contained mid-tempo, moody rock numbers. It has sold 2,000 units to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan.