Queensrÿche - Dedicated To Chaos review
| Band: | Queensrÿche |
| Album: | Dedicated To Chaos |
| Style: | Progressive heavy metal |
| Release date: | June 28, 2011 |
| Guest review by: | Slayer666 |
01. Get Started
02. Hot Spot Junkie
03. Got It Bad
04. Around The World
05. Higher
06. Retail Therapy
07. At The Edge
08. Broken
09. Hard Times
10. Drive
11. I Believe
12. Luvnu
13. Wot We Do
14. I Take You
15. The Lie
16. Big Noize
2011 is truly a fine year, that I will not deny. But then again, we've had quite a number of releases that reach such abysmal depths of quality that they somehow even manage to outshine and draw more attention to themselves than the stellar records much more deserving of attention. While Dedicated To Chaos doesn't exactly hit the absolute and complete rock-bottom like some 2011 albums we've been blessed with, calling it total shit mostly hits the mark.
I'm no fan of Queensryche, but I've always managed to find pleasurable songs on almost every album of theirs. Dedicated To Chaos, on the other hand, is not only not a pleasure to listen to, but getting through about 70 (yes, seven-fucking-ty) minutes is a serious challenge even for the most patient of listeners. So what's it sound like? Confused would be the word most appropriate to describe it. The opener "Get Started" is basically a classic rock tune, and a rather neuter, bland and uninspired one at that. What follows after is a rather heterogeneous mix of classic rock, a splash of prog and I'll be damned if there isn't some funk in there as well. The problems start as soon as the various contrasting elements start intertwining: there is no logical reason why an album like this shouldn't work theoretically, but Queensryche have completely failed to properly execute what might have been quite a fine idea.
For an album that aims to be catchy, Dedicated To Chaos commits the worst possible crimes: being bland, unmemorable and totally lacking hooks that really sink in and stay in your melon for days, if not longer. Furthermore, the gigantic length does a great disservice to it. It took me a lot of time to properly distinguish one track from another, as too many of them sound way too much alike, which is especially evident once the incredibly samey "drown the uninspired instrumentation in vocals by singing louder" choruses kick in. Lyrics are something I pay almost no attention to unless they're downright brilliant, but here they really managed to make me roll my eyes and thank fate I mostly listen to music where lyrics are being growled/shrieked, and thus are incomprehensible. Typical radio-rock trite taken to the maximum.
While I wouldn't exactly call Dedicated To Chaos a complete abortion, like some other 2011 offerings I could think of, it's nowhere near the realm of even decent, let alone good. To be completely honest, there are a few enjoyable moments and riffs, even some very nice saxophone passages, but those are about as common as penguins in Africa. This album could probably appeal to non-metal fans, and I could definitely see some tracks featured as popular singles among the classic rock crowd. Unfortunately, those folks aren't frequenting this site, I imagine. Avoid like a murder-crazed, plague ridden lion armed with a tactical nuke, unless you consider you'd fit into the group mentioned above.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 7 |
| Songwriting: | 4 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written by Slayer666 | 07.11.2011
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Rating:
4.5
4.5
|
Rating: 4.5 |
Dedicated To Chaos was a very expected album, at least, by me. After the so well acclaimed 2009 album, American Soldier, I was "jumping with excitement" knowing that they would release a new album in so short notice. The newest release by one of the most influential bands in progressive rock history, was for me a complete disappointment after listening to the entire album. It came to me as a surprise seeing the band perform in such low profile. The only good track in this album is "Broken", that is definitely one of the most dramatic and sad songs in rock history. The track brings the best of the band, the voice of Geoff Tate is filled with so much feeling and emotion that it makes my eyes become filled with tears. The instrumental arrangement is not amazing but it's perfect for the song required and the voice expressed by Geoff. Unfortunately, the good vibes and great songs ended with the song mentioned above. This album is completely uninspired, looking like a band that should stop for a while with their activities, each member should try some side projects, something alternative so that when they returned, the band would make a triumphant comeback. It's sad to me that a band like Queensrÿche with so much history, with so many amazing releases such as Operation: Mindcrime or Empire, would dare to make an album that is so different from the rest of the things the band as ever made, but also so alternative and so bad as this album is. Maybe the band should have continued with the American Soldier album, if they wanted to do something so different, they should have continued with a very sentimental and sad style, like the "Broken" track or the 2009 album, that puts in the table the best of the band in a different context from the progressive style. Read more ›› |
Comments
| JohnDoe Account deleted |
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675  |
I wasn't really disappointed with the album, as Queensryche have only made one decent album since Chris De Garmo left. ("Operation Mindcrime 2") But even I was taken aback at just how awful the album is. I also agree with JohnDoe that it definitely couldn't be considered classic rock. I like some classic rock, and "Dedicated To Chaos" is far off from being a decent rock album, let alone classic rock. It's almost always a bad sign when most or all of the songs on an album are written by people outside of the core band, and the fact Michael Wilton had no hand in writing any of the 16 songs is understandable, as the album is so out of touch with their earlier material, it almost makes "Load" sound like "Kill Em All" in comparison. The album is dull, tedious, and as the review states, very much a trial to listen to in it's entirety. "Retail Therapy" I remember being a half decent song, but just about everything else, is completely terrible. Probably the worst album I've heard all year. 
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| Interrobang Chief Sturgeon Posts: 26  |
"...there are a few enjoyable moments and riffs, even some very nice saxophone passages, but those are about as common as penguins in Africa" I was going to point out the existence of the African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus), but apparently this is an endangered species, so you are quite correct.  Enjoyed the review. 
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| CobiWan1993 Secundum Filium Posts: 1365  |
Great review! This album is a steaming load of crap.
---- Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe (Lao Tzu).
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