Keith Watanabe * NET 2.0

I heard these guys were playing with Judas Priest and recently came to town. Man, listening to their Operation Mind Crime album with songs like Speak, Spreading the Disease and Revolution Calling, you have to realize how far ahead of their time they were....or were they? Some people are talking about the return of heavy metal. And there are critics who say people were saying that for a while. But all the reunion tours (outside of refueling these bands' coke supplies again) indicate some movement. With Queensryche though their criticism in their lyrics was of the structure of America. The politicians, lawyers, drug dealers, clergy, and media all playing in a game of dividing the nation into two simple categories: the rich and poor. Some of their messages were more than descriptions and science fiction imo. They were powerful political agendas. Listening to Speak, there's one group which got me: The system we learn says we're equal under law But the streets are reality, the weak and poor will fall Let's tip the power balance and tear down their crown Educate the masses, We'll burn the White House down holy fuck! this was produced in 1988! look around us. has things changed? or has it returned to the same feeling when the Republicans were controlling the country and world back then? it's amazing that such nostalgia isn't really just that but really a reiteration of history and a need to avoid such mistakes. but check these guys out. their best stuff might be behind them, but they have universal messages in what they write. that's a sign of a powerful group.