Queensrÿche - Queensrÿche [Marble]

Queensrÿche hit the reset button on their 2013 self-titled album, the first with singer Todd La Torre, pressed here on marble vinyl.

It arrived during a turbulent chapter, with two rival versions of the band operating at once, the other led by former singer Geoff Tate, who gave up his claim to the name in a settlement the following year. The band wrote the songs collaboratively, with no outside writers, and brought in producer James "Jimbo" Barton, who had engineered and mixed Operation: Mindcrime and Empire. The intention was clear from the start: get back to the sound that made them matter in the first place.

"Where Dreams Go to Die" lands with a dark, crunching groove, and "Redemption" shows off La Torre's soaring range in a way that recalls the band's 1980s heyday. "Vindication" brings twin-guitar fire and a chorus made for a packed theatre, while "Fallout" keeps the pressure on with tight, punchy riffing. The songs are concise and purposeful, with not a minute wasted.

Even the cover keeps things simple, showing just the band name and the Tri-Ryche logo. For longtime fans, it sounds like a band rediscovering itself and clearly enjoying the process of getting back to work.