Forty-one years ago, a new sound emerged from Seattle, WA when Queensryche released their debut EP with the future classic “Queen of the Ryche”. One year later, the band released their full-length debut The Warning, and never looked back. They are on the road now, with fellow metal legends Armored Saint, on The Origins Tour celebrating those two landmark releases. Scroll below for my Queensryche live photos and concert review
The night began with Los Angeles metal pioneers Armored Saint. Much like Queensryche, Armored Saint released their first EP in 1983 and full debut in 1984. It has been four years since the last studio record Punching The Sky so the band played a set that touched on all facets of its long career.
John Bush, who also spent time fronting Anthrax, sounded amazing as he led the band through material covering six of the band’s nine studio albums. The twin guitar attack of Jeff Duncan and Phil Sandoval combined with the pounding rhythm section of bassist Joey Vera and drummer Gonzo Sandoval reminded the crowd of what a force this band really is.
Armored Saint may not have achieved the levels of success as other bands, but this set shows the depth and strength of their catalog. While the old songs received the biggest ovations, I felt that the highlights of their set came with two of the later tracks, 2015’s “Win Hands Down” and 2020’s “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants” proved that after 40 years, Armored Saint is still one of the best bands in the genre.
Queensryche spent last year touring behind their phenomenal 2022 release Digital Noise Alliance, this tour, billed as The Origins Tour, sees them looking way back and playing their EP and The Warning in their entirety. Todd LaTorre is more than up to the task of handling the vocal gymnastics of the original recordings. While guitarist Michael Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson were there at the beginning, it was interesting to hear the fresh take that guitarist Mike Stone and drummer Casey Grillo brought to these classic metal songs.
I have seen the LaTorre-fronted version of the band many times and continue to be impressed by his talent and the respect he has for the classic songs. Todd sings them exactly how the fans want to hear them. While the band has played some of these songs on recent tours, hearing some of the deeper cuts and the songs in sequence is a real treat for fans of the material.
Mike Stone is a few years into his second stint with the band and has become a perfect foil for original guitarist Michael Wilton. The two frequently met at the front of the stage for the duel guitar solos that have always been the band’s trademark.
After completing The Warning, the encore begins with “The Prophecy”, a song not included on the original EP but added to later releases. Each night ends with a song from later in the band’s career, this night we got the Rage for Order classic “Walk In The Shadows”.
While some purists will always feel that a band must consist of only original members, Queensryche proves that change can be good. Todd LaTorre has established himself as the perfect choice to lead this version of Queensryche. For many fans, these early songs are sacred, they represent a period in life and the memories that go with it. Queensryche honors its legacy and its fans’ memories by bringing these songs back to life and setting the stage for much more to come.
