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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Sweet Oblivion feat. Geoff Tate - Sweet Oblivion + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Rls Date..2020-04-02 Encoder......LAME 3.100 ║ │
│║ Genre.....Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year......2019 Khz/Bitrate..44.1 / VBR kbps ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper....Anthem Songs........10 ║ │
│║ Source....CD Covers.......Yes ║ │
│║ Url.. ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Sweet Oblivion feat. Geoff Tate ║ │
│║ Album : Sweet Oblivion ║ │
│║ Label : Frontiers ║ │
│║ Cat.No : FR CD 957 ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The phenomenon of a comeback has become a cliche concept in ║ │
│║ traditional metal circles, especially insofar as the scene ║ │
│║ on the continental United States is concerned given the ║ │
│║ scarcity of attention it has gotten in the recent past ║ │
│║ relative to much of the rest of the world. One would be ║ │
│║ remiss to gloss over the popular sentiment that the likes ║ │
│║ of Metallica and Judas Priest have seen a resurgence of ║ │
│║ quality studio output in recent years that dwarfs their ║ │
│║ contributions spanning from mid-1990s up until fairly ║ │
│║ recently, though even these seem a less auspicious affair ║ │
│║ compared to the notion of a solid heavy metal album ║ │
│║ featuring Geoff Tate's name in the band's moniker. Opinions ║ │
│║ vary as to when Queensryche began losing their way as a ║ │
│║ force in the metal world, with some pointing to their foray ║ │
│║ into post-grunge territory in 1997's Hear In The Now ║ │
│║ Frontier, others pointing to the more sleek and ║ │
│║ commercialized sound that ushered in the 90s via Empire, ║ │
│║ and a small contingent of purists might even point to the ║ │
│║ abandonment of traditional metallic fury for more ║ │
│║ prog-oriented territory that took place between The Warning ║ │
│║ and Rage For Order; but most agree that the band has ║ │
│║ rebounded following Tate's ejection. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Following a slew of monumentally lackluster to downright ║ │
│║ bizarre studio outings first under his own version of ║ │
│║ Queensryche and then under the Operation: Mindcrime name, ║ │
│║ barring a small but vocal contingent of sycophantic ║ │
│║ tag-along types who think Tate could do no wrong, the metal ║ │
│║ world saw Tate as somebody outside of metal's purview, ║ │
│║ which was obviously not helped by Tate's own defiant ║ │
│║ attitude towards his former band mates and the larger crowd ║ │
│║ that stuck with them as they rediscovered their past ║ │
│║ power/prog magic. But in similar fashion to a number of ║ │
│║ projects enjoying their support of late, Frontiers Records ║ │
│║ and guitar impresario/DGM mastermind Simone Mularoni (who ║ │
│║ brought the titan duo of Lione/Conte into the studio ║ │
│║ together with masterful results) decided to make an effort ║ │
│║ to revitalize Tate's soiled legacy with a project that has ║ │
│║ come to be known as Sweet Oblivion. It's recently unleashed ║ │
│║ eponymous debut bears a far greater resemblance to the ║ │
│║ glorious pioneering power/prog sound that marked the zenith ║ │
│║ of Queensryche's career between 1986 and 1990, ║ │
│║ reinterpreted into a more melodic, streamlined formula in ║ │
│║ keeping with a large number of Frontiers-backed projects, ║ │
│║ but also far more impressive in terms of heaviness and ║ │
│║ technical prowess. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Despite a number of rumors and a possibly fraudulent ║ │
│║ interview sourced from the Dutch-based Aardschok Magazine ║ │
│║ that features Mularoni complaining about Tate's attitude ║ │
│║ and work ethic towards the project, the end results suggest ║ │
│║ a collaboration via the internet that has struck pure ║ │
│║ metallic pay dirt. Spearheaded by a crisp, bulky production ║ │
│║ that puts needed emphasis on aggression and punch, along ║ │
│║ with a stylistic amalgam of classic late 80s Queensryche ║ │
│║ and a similar AOR-tinged melodic metal template associated ║ │
│║ with Frontiers Records fielded acts like The Ferrymen and ║ │
│║ Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall, Sweet Oblivion is the long ║ │
│║ awaited return to form that many old school Queensryche ║ │
│║ fans have been longing for out of Tate since at least the ║ │
│║ mid-90s, if not the late 80s. However, in addition to being ║ │
│║ a solid, if somewhat streamlined and radio-friendly ║ │
│║ collection of songs, it is also an album that doesn't right ║ │
│║ ignore the oddball progressive and modern rock elements ║ │
│║ that became staples of Queensryche's latter days, but ║ │
│║ rather incorporates some elements of that extremely ║ │
│║ lackluster era into something more palpable to a ║ │
│║ traditional heavy metal experience, i.e. something that ║ │
│║ doesn't meander or come off as soft and indistinct. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ In addition to the meat and potatoes of this metallic ║ │
│║ mishmash of modernity and classicism, this is also an album ║ │
│║ that does a good job of showcasing the technical prowess of ║ │
│║ all the players involved. In addition to Tate's vocals ║ │
│║ having a revitalized sense of poise and flow, the guitar ║ │
│║ and keyboard work of Mularoni and his virtuoso DGM band ║ │
│║ mate Emanuele Casali show off their chops in a series of ║ │
│║ engaging yet tasteful solo interchanges throughout the ║ │
│║ album that are highly indicative of a power metal influence ║ │
│║ via Stratovarius, occasionally touched up by references to ║ │
│║ a more eclectic array of non-metal influences that gives ║ │
│║ things a latent Dream Theater sound, most particularly ║ │
│║ during the lead segments on "A Recess From My Fate" and the ║ │
│║ infectiously catchy opener "True Colors". And despite there ║ │
│║ not being any traces of raging speed metal to be found on ║ │
│║ here, drummer Paolo Caridi (who had a brief run with ║ │
│║ Arthemis before signing on with renowned Italian prog metal ║ │
│║ act Hollow Haze) makes a pretty impressive racket on more ║ │
│║ upbeat rockers like "The Deceiver" (which occasionally ║ │
│║ sounds like a slower cousin to "The Needle Lies") and the ║ │
│║ bombastic, fist-pumping groove anthem "Behind Your Eyes", ║ │
│║ assisted by a raunchy, bottom-heavy bass performance out of ║ │
│║ Mularoni, who opts to pull double duty in the instrumental ║ │
│║ department while also producing. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Though albums that straddle the fence between old and new ║ │
│║ to any extent will have trouble satisfying everyone ║ │
│║ expecting one or the other, this is one of those albums ║ │
│║ that makes an excellent show of giving the old guard what ║ │
│║ they want while not trying to overtly relive the past. ║ │
│║ Despite the extremely souped up production bearing little ║ │
│║ resemblance to the sonic cliches of the late 80s, few ║ │
│║ Queensryche fans will be able to deny the faithful ║ │
│║ emulation of classic Mindcrime era splendor on display in ║ │
│║ such standout tracks as "Sweet Oblivion", "My Last Story" ║ │
│║ and "The Deceiver", nor will the overt allusions to early ║ │
│║ 90s progressive nuance such as "Disconnect" and "Seek The ║ │
│║ Light" escape the notice of those who want to hear more of ║ │
│║ the hi-fi rocking of Empire and Promised Land. All the ║ │
│║ same, this is an album that is very much rooted in the ║ │
│║ present, while obviously being highly aware of the past ║ │
│║ from which it flows, resulting in a fairly compact ║ │
│║ listening experience that is both heavy and catchy enough ║ │
│║ to rope in any trustee of AOR-infused power metal acts such ║ │
│║ as Masterplan, Serious Black and The Unity, alongside the ║ │
│║ large collection of naysayers who have written off Geoff ║ │
│║ Tate as a metal musician with a future. Naturally he didn't ║ │
│║ quite outdo his former band mates this time around, but if ║ │
│║ one were to call this a competition, this album is where he ║ │
│║ started pushing back. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 1. True Colors 4:49 │
│ 2. Sweet Oblivion 4:32 │
│ 3. Behind Your Eyes 4:17 │
│ 4. Hide Away 4:40 │
│ 5. My Last Story 4:50 │
│ 6. A Recess From My Fate 4:10 │
│ 7. Transition 4:32 │
│ 8. Disconnect 5:33 │
│ 9. The Deceiver 4:01 │
│ 10. Seek The Light 5:04 │
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│ Total Length : 00:46:28 │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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