Vinrock666 | The most singular lyric from Queensryche’s highly ambitious endeavor “American Soldier” is from the song “The Killer” which says: “You know you can’t begin to imagine where I’ve been, until you’ve walked a while in my shoes.” This line is the most central theme of the album. The evidence is as clear as the cover art consisting of a pair of dust covered military boots. Always a forerunner of socio-political commentary, Queensryche on this venture steers clear of presenting an opinion of right and wrong on the subject of warfare. Rather, the idea here most brilliantly executed is illustrating exactly what it means to serve in the American armed forces especially during times of war, and the impact that experience has on those soldiers both during and afterwards.
Obviously, the lyrical content is the driving force of this album. The music provides an added poignancy to the theme. There are a few sound bits here and there to provide color, but the biggest embellishment on a number of songs are voice over testimonials from soldiers who have provided their points of view specifically for this project. The genius of this album; however, comes from Queensryche’s ability to mesh those spoken word segments in seamless harmony with the music. Queensryche is almost a perfect band to do this when you consider the definition of their overall musical make up: the bass providing the primary rhythm lines, slowed strumming and sequential picking at lead guitar, singer Geoff Tate’s operatic vocal command, and the layering of multiple tracks in post production. Altogether, these grandiose tones provide a perfect launch pad to blast these insights with a very clear intention that they be heard and taken in to account.
Many songs from “American Soldier” showcase that symbiotic element of testimony and music. “Unafraid” is really just Tate affirming the voice over verses with gospel like flair on the song’s refrain. “A Dead Man’s Words” owes its heightened emotional response with an ominous heart beat drumming style. A melancholy sax track speaks volumes on two songs “A Dead Man’s Words” and “Middle of Hell”, and finally, “Home Again” is basically a long distance relationship letter sung by way of duet featuring guest vocalist Emily Tate.
Overall, each song highlights a certain aspect of a soldiers experience in war and in a loose way cover the entire spectrum of that life from training (“SLiver”) to death (“The Voice”). All of them are deep and thought provoking, including best song nominee “Man Down!” It’s about the guilt soldiers face when living their Lives afterward while others have died in the same line of duty. It is also the heaviest track with great scaling phrases on that particular guitar solo.
To be sure, Queensryche did a great thing by making “American Soldier”, but intentions aside, “American Soldier” is another great concept album by the masters of American progressive metal opera. It’s definitely one of the best metal releases to come out in 2009.
2010-01-19 00:00:00
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