Promised Land (album)

Album infobox |
Name = Promised Land
Type = Album
Artist = Queensrÿche


Background = orange
Released = October 18, 1994
Recorded = Summer 1992 – Spring 1994
Genre = Progressive metal
Length = 48:26
Label = EMI America
Producer = Queensrÿche and James Barton
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:66xsa9tgu23k link]
*"Q" Rating|4|5 12/94, p.142
*"Entertainment Weekly" [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,304144,00.html 10/21/94] |
Last album = "" (1991)
This album = "Promised Land" (1994)
Next album = "Hear in the Now Frontier" (1997)

"Promised Land" was the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Queensrÿche and their highest charting record to date. It was released by EMI on 18 October 1994, 4 years after their successful Empire album. Although not a concept album, the songs are tied together firmly by the theme of success and how to deal with it, and reflections on American society and how that shapes our goals in life.

The album opens with a piece of musique concrete, "9.28 a.m.", put together by drummer Scott Rockenfield, which by the sound of a crying baby floats into "I Am I". This is a typical Queensryche song driven by a heavy riff and Tate's landmark vocals to a background of percussion instruments. Chris DeGarmo performs cello and sitar parts on this song as well as the guitar solo. After almost four minutes it merges into "Damaged", a more straightforward heavy rocker.

"Out of Mind" and the subsequent "Bridge" are more quiet acoustic pieces, both of whose lyrics were written by Chris DeGarmo. The last one deals with the relationship with his father, who died during the Promised Land sessions.

The eight-minute title track is the first track in the Queensryche catalogue to be credited to the entire group. It is a rather dark piece, full of Rockenfield tape effects, DeGarmo/Wilton twin guitar work and it marks Tate's first appearance as a saxophonist. On this track the theme of the album is most present, as it deals with the drawbacks of success. It ends in a bar scene of people talking and drinking (slightly reminiscent of the ending of "Welcome to the Machine" on Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here, which deals with a similar subject matter). These sound effects merge into "Disconnected," a rather alienating piece dealing with the American consumerist society. It features Tate on sax again.

The subsequent "Lady Jane" deals with the similar theme of the influence of commercials. It is a heavy ballad featuring DeGarmo on piano and another twin solo.

"My Global Mind" is another more straightforward rock song dealing with globalisation. After that, "One More Time" is an acoustic rocker, with lyrics much in the vein of the title track.

The albums final track, "Someone Else", features just Tate on vocals and DeGarmo on piano, and this stripped down approach makes for a highly emotional closure to this very introspective album.

Track listing

#"9:28 a.m." (Scott Rockenfield) – 1:43
#"I Am I" (Chris DeGarmo, Geoff Tate) – 3:56
#"Damaged" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 3:55
#"Out of Mind" (DeGarmo) – 4:34
#"Bridge" (DeGarmo) – 3:27
#"Promised Land" (DeGarmo, Eddie Jackson, Rockenfield, Tate, Michael Wilton) – 8:25
#"Disconnected" (Rockenfield, Tate) – 4:48
#"Lady Jane" (DeGarmo) – 4:23
#"My Global Mind" (DeGarmo, Rockenfield, Tate, Wilton) – 4:20
#"One More Time" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 4:17
#"Someone Else?" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 4:38

2003 Remaster Bonus Tracks

#"9:28 a.m." (Scott Rockenfield) – 1:43
#"I Am I" (Chris DeGarmo, Geoff Tate) – 3:56
#"Damaged" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 3:55
#"Out of Mind" (DeGarmo) – 4:34
#"Bridge" (DeGarmo) – 3:27
#"Promised Land" (DeGarmo, Eddie Jackson, Rockenfield, Tate, Michael Wilton) – 8:25
#"Disconnected" (Rockenfield, Tate) – 4:48
#"Lady Jane" (DeGarmo) – 4:23
#"My Global Mind" (DeGarmo, Rockenfield, Tate, Wilton) – 4:20
#"One More Time" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 4:17
#"Someone Else?" (DeGarmo, Tate) – 4:38
#"Real World" [From Last Action Hero Soundtrack] - 4:23
#"Someone Else?" [Full Band] - 7:13
#"Damaged" [Live] - 4:00
#"Real World" [Live] - 3:45

Personnel

*Geoff Tate – vocals, saxophone, keyboards
*Chris DeGarmo – guitar, piano, cello, sitar
*Michael Wilton – guitar
*Eddie Jackson – bass guitar
*Scott Rockenfield – drums, percussion, tape effects

Album credits

* Produced by Queensrÿche and James Barton
* Assisted by Phil Brown
* Recorded at home, in the Dungeon, at Triad and at Big Log Studio from summer of 1992 through spring of 1994
* Recorded by James Barton, Tom Hall and Queensrÿche
* Additional recording at Music Grinder, assisted by Eric Fischer
* Digital editing by Don Tyler
* Mixed by James Barton and Queensrÿche at Bad Animals, Seattle, Washington
* Assisted by Matt Gruber
* Mastered by Steve Marcussen at Precision Lacquer, Hollywood, California

Chart positions

Album

ingles

Billboard (North America)

External links

* [http://www.queensryche.com/releases/promised-land/index.html "Promised Land" info on queensryche.com]