Todem

Check out the new record!!!! Incredible.

The new album is simply incredible. Best since Empire/Promised Land.....yeah it’s been that long since they had a complete album. And Digital Noise Alliance is it. Chapters Lost In Sorrow Behind The Walls Nocturnal Light Out of the Black Hold On Tormentum Are the giant slayers on this album. Not a single weak track.....not one. Everything sizzles. The playing is some of their best ever....and Casey Grillo on drums is the secret sauce. Best drumming I have ever heard on a QR record bar none. A tremendous production. The sound is fantastic. I own it on CD and it is amazing at very high volumes!!! No compression like streaming.....so damn good!!! Repeated listens....it keeps getting better and better. Todd Latorre was the best thing to happen to QR. I have been a dedicated fan since Rage For Order. I saw them open for Ozzy and was hooked. But Geoff Tate and the band went sour and south.....and it is what it is. Then Todd came along....and boom, a rebirth. There last three records with Todd have led to this masterpiece.

I am a lifelong Halloween freak. This movie was utter hot garbage. A horrendous end to what was a great trilogy. I loved Halloween 2018 and really enjoy Halloween Kills. Two outstanding sequels to the original 1978 classic. This? It was not even a freaking Halloween movie. Just Baaaaaaaaaaad.

Queensryche’s new album. Digital Noise Alliance. FANTASTIC.

Great freaking band. Saw them in 2019 with Queensryche. Great show. They really are fantastic players and have several excellent albums.

New Queensryche album Digital Noise Alliance may be their best album front to back since Empire. I am being deadly serious. I can’t stop listening to it. Casey Grillo on drums is a f***ing monster on this record. And Todd La Torre is so freaking on point. The Songwriting is fantastic. They really brought out the prog metal influences on this one (Maiden and DT in particular). Just a fantastic listen that get’s better and better each and every listen.

I sit here and hope and pray they realize how successful the new album is with their fanbase and find it in their hearts to do a full second North American Leg and come anywhere.....anywhere in Florida. Please!!!!

The tour was absolutely essential. This marked the beginning of "The Evening With” format. This was an incredible tour and setlist. And I fell like the playing on this tour was some of the very best I had ever heard to this day. Also being I had front row right smack in front of Geddy....made it special. As far as the album. I really liked it when it first hit. To this day: Test For Echo Driven Color of Right Totem Time And Motion Dog Years Rock. Those are my favorite tracks by far. The production was ok. I far preferred Counterparts production and I don’t think they ever sounded as good as that on record again. Too much layering from this point on and I much preferred Neils drumming style and approach before he worked with Freddy Gruber. They lost that true separation and creamy sound as trio after CP. And Neil forced himself to be a more “in the pocket” drummer. That to me was not what defined Neil Peart. His phrasing was what made him so unique.....and he ventured away from that starting with this album. And I get it. He felt he went as far as he could with his style and approach before deciding to re-learn how to play and approach his craft with Freddy Gruber. I commend him for that. But it does not mean it was as good or better. It’s just preference. I liked Neils form, approach and preciseness before Freddy Grubers influence on him. Alex sounded ok on the album. But nothing ever stood out for me on it. Same for Geddy. The playing was simply.....just paint by the numbers for them on T4E. Again....not bad.....just not ultra inspiring. I don’t ever say to myself I want to learn and jam any of these songs on my own guitar. It never did or does that for me when I revisit it. Not in my top 15 either......but still a solid record. Nothing they did ever sucked.......period.

Top 4 Rush album. Loved it instantly. It was also my first Rush release that I waited for with baited breath being that MP was my introduction to Rush. From the moment I dropped he needle......I was in heaven.

Top 10 Rush album for me. Criminally underrated. Bashed regularly by many Rush fans......not me. I love this record. A bold progressive record for them. And I realize there was a lot of internal tension between Alex and Geddy in terms of Alex feeling like he was being pushed out as the core part of the sound as he had been......yet some of his very finest guitar work ever came from the “synth” period of Rush (Signals thru HYF). Just dazzling solo’s and textured rhythms. He was still a core driving force in so many ways. His evolution of his sounds from the 70’s to his 80’s was brilliant and “worked” so well for the songs. Geddy’s vocals were never better than during this phase of the band. His bass playing too. Neils drums.....pinnacle of his prowess. Hands down. The band peaked here for me. 76 thru 87 was a strong step by step progression and exciting time for Rush themselves as songwriters and their fans as each album was adventurous. They defined their legacy over this 11 year period. When Presto came out.....that was my first feeling of being underwhelmed.....Still like the album and it has high moments.....but it felt like a forced regression back to the core power trio guitar driven Rush....and I am a guitarist myself....but Presto was the step back in every way in terms of songwriting and a poor mastering job which really made the album come across as soft. HYF is extremely powerful at high volumes!!! With Rush it is always about the songs. Hold Your Fire is filled with very strong songwriting. A classic Rush album for me.

2112 sounds a lot better. Like night and day to my ears sonically. Especially Neils drum sound on 2112. Far crisper. His drums on COS sound like cardboard compared to the job they did on 2112. If anything.....COS and FBN are very similar in production and sonic quality. 2112 they took it to a new level. The playing, the song writing and the sonic quality.....all AAA from that point thru T4E.....then VT happened which has been covered ad nausea.

Far away from the top 10. I like the album......but not worthy for my top 10 by a long shot. I am pretty sure 1st generation Rush fans (the fans who were on board from the debut album) have it in their top 10. It was part of their Rush “upbringing” I am a second generation Rush fan. I was 11 years of age when I was first exposed to Rush (Moving Pictures). The debut was in 1974 (I was obviously 4 years old). When I went back into their catalog after falling in love with the band in 1981.....Caress was by second least favorite album. I really enjoyed all of the albums. But this I considered one of the weakest. Permanent Waves Moving Pictures Hemispheres 2112 A Farewell To Kings Fly By Night Caress of Steel Rush That was and is how I have them from the point of my introduction in 1981.

Ahhhh the beauty of music. Different Hearts Beat On Different Strings. Completely disagree with your take. Top 4 album for me. Easily. Love In The Past Tense is probably my #1 track too......go figure. It is simply incredible.

My goodness......gotta love auto correct from Apple......not!!!

Been revisiting Dio again. Here it goes: 1. Holy Diver 2. The Last In Line 3. Dream Evil 4. Magica 5. Sacred Heart 6. Killing The Dragon 7. Master of the Moon 8. Lock Up The Wolves 9. Strange Highways 10. Angry Machines

It is a grower. After 5 full listens it all came together for me. Some tunes were immediate (Hariden for example) but a lot of songs just got better and better and better. Richard really is the unsung hero on this great album. The atmospheric tones he produces in so many tunes...his phrasing.....just wow. This is a headphone album all the way too.

Great write up. Love in the Past Tense takes me back to The Police. In fact it is heavily influenced by the last and IMO best Police Album Synchroncity. Stewart Copeland influence all over this one for Gavin and every time I listen to this song it just melts into my soul. Such a lush piece of music from all three of them and I love Steven’s falsetto vocals in spots......I just love this song big time. And it is a clear departure from the proper 8 tracks of the standard album. "Never Have" is quite Steven Wilson HCE solo feel but that album is brilliant and I can see why I was drawn to this song so quickly. The Future Bites was a massive disappointment for me. It never clicked for my taste and I simply make pretend he never produced that record. Just crappy to my ears and nothing grabbed me whatsoever. To The Bone for me was his best and most effective attempt at writing a “pop” styled record while also keeping the great chops and melody element I have come to adore from SW and PT. The bottom line for me is there is not a weak track at all on this brilliant prog record. I could not be happier they are back.....and my sincere hope is they reignited their creative juices and want to make another record of fresh material and do a far more extensive North American tour in the future. I am going to really be bummed I missed them on this go around......but no doubt there will be a Blue Ray documentation of this tour and I will be purchasing that!!!

Patty also has her own thing going on....as well as Billy etc. These guys have multiple projects. I think Rocky still is trying and doing her own thing.....but you gotta eat too. So a Rush Tribute gig can help you know....pay some bills.

Heart and soul is far more important to technical prowess in my book. Alex Lifeson anyone? Agree with the bolded 100% and why I consider him to be a damn good guitarist.

So he can talk thru his ass all day LOL. I have seen them live two times as well as Steve two times. That guy can play the guitar just fine. I have been playing 40 plus years myself.....he has written some iconic riffs and has played them live. He is a damn good guitar player regardless of words coming outta his mouth. What is coming outta his amp speaks volumes.

My favorite track from them all time. And non guitarist? Steven Wilson is certainly a very good guitarist my friend. Really?

My 4th favorite of all time from them. It get’s better and better with each and every listen. I love every single track. Not a weak song to be had. My song rankings: 1. Chimera’s Wreck 2. Harridan 3. Never Have 4. Love in the Past Tense 5. Rats Return 6. Of The New Day 7. Herd Culling 8. Dignity 9. Walk The Plank 10. Population Three Seriously amazing album.

I actually enjoy it.

It has zero to do with why it’s my favorite. It’s my favorite because it is simply a brilliant collection of dark, moody progressive rock by a band at the height of their absolute powers. A perfect album and perfect theme that was very good foreshadowing to what we as a society have turned into today and how kids are truly zoned out on their devices in todays world.

Love love love the new album. It took me 3 full spins and it all just sunk in really nicely.....some seriously amazing chops and soundscapes all over this puppy. And all three of the “bonus” tracks are outstanding. A wonderful record and my 4th favorite now behind: FOABP/Nil Recurring Deadwing In Abenstia Closure/Continuation I am bummed I am probably not going to be able to see them on this tour......maybe...just maybe I may make it to the Philly or NY show....but most likely not. I hope they go with the “Continuation” and keep it going and add more shows and expand the tour and hit Florida sometime. My son has become a huge fan over the last several years and would love to see them. I had been able to see them in 2007 and 2010 (FOABP and Incdent Tours). They are incredible live. Even better than the studio.