Queensrÿche

Released in 2013, this self-titled effort marked a pivotal moment in Queensrÿche history, being the first album to feature vocalist Todd La Torre following a highly publicized split with original singer Geoff Tate. Produced by James 'Jimbo' Barton - who also worked on the band's magnum opus Operation: Mindcrime - the record was intentionally designed to recapture the 'classic' Queensrÿche sound of the early 1980s. Critics and fans alike noted the return of the dual-guitar harmonies between Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren, and La Torre's ability to hit the operatic high notes that had been absent from the band's recent output. The album is notably concise, clocking in at just under 35 minutes of new material (excluding bonus tracks), which many saw as a 'lean and mean' correction to the bloated concepts of their previous decade. It successfully bridged the gap between the raw energy of their 1983 debut EP and the sophisticated arrangements of their late-80s peak.