After tasting success from both their self-titled debut EP and
The Warning
,
Queensryche
lost their edge a bit on this release. The
hair metal
movement was fast approaching and this once-unique band now looked -- and for the most part, sounded -- like the average
metal
band of the day. The signature sound of
is still unmistakable, as
Geoff Tate
's voice sounds strong. The music here is simpler than on
Warning
; the lyrics are bit too heavy-handed and have not stood the test of time very well.
"Walk in the Shadows"
is a well-structured song with a good combination of
Tate
's howling and dramatic background vocals.
"I Will Remember"
was a precursor to
"Silent Lucidity"
and accentuated the power and emotion that
can evoke. The band was obviously trying to expand their approach to music with a heavy emphasis on theatrics, but the music suffered as a result. They succeeded with this approach to a certain extent on
Operation: Mindcrime
, but the band's musical limitations have always prevented them from moving beyond a classier version of
Iron Maiden
. [The 2003 reissue of
Rage for Order
included both 24-bit remastering and four bonus tracks.] ~ Robert Taylor