American Soldier (album)
Encyclopedia
American Soldier is the tenth studio album
by American
progressive metal
band Queensrÿche
; it is a concept album
released on March 31, 2009. The album debuted at #25 on the Billboard 200
. As its title suggests, American Soldier revolves around the lives and experiences of those who serve or have served in the United States armed forces
.
from a firsthand perspective. Jason Slater, the producer and joint songwriter of Queensrÿche's 2006 album Operation: Mindcrime II
, produced American Soldier, and Kelly Gray
(Queensrÿche guitarist and producer from 1998–2001) engineered. Singer Geoff Tate
, guitarist Michael Wilton, bassist Ed Jackson, and drummer Scott Rockenfield recorded American Soldier in 2008 over the course of nine months.
The album includes a particularly personal duet between Geoff Tate and his 10-year old daughter Emily. The song, entitled "Home Again," focuses on a father returning home to his family after having been gone an extended period. This theme reflects both the life of Tate as a touring musician and the life of one who serves in the military.
Tate spent a few years interviewing veterans from all conflicts America has been involved in from World War II
to the Iraq War, including his own father and collecting their stories in order to help him write the album.
Speaking about the inspiration for the album, Tate said:
in the band’s hometown of Seattle. The shows are presented in three suites, with the band performing sets from American Soldier, Rage for Order
, and Empire.
During the American Soldier tour in the fall of 2009, they featured a 3-song set with Lita Ford
performing "Crave", "Patriotic SOB" and "Close My Eyes Forever".
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche
thumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
; it is a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
released on March 31, 2009. The album debuted at #25 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. As its title suggests, American Soldier revolves around the lives and experiences of those who serve or have served in the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
.
Overview
American Soldier is the band's 10th full-length studio album with original material and the songs lyrical content tells the story of warWar
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
from a firsthand perspective. Jason Slater, the producer and joint songwriter of Queensrÿche's 2006 album Operation: Mindcrime II
Operation: Mindcrime II
-The Band:*Geoff Tate - vocals*Michael Wilton - guitars*Mike Stone - guitars, vocals*Eddie Jackson - bass guitar, vocals*Scott Rockenfield - drums-Story:...
, produced American Soldier, and Kelly Gray
Kelly Gray (musician)
Kelly Gray is an American record producer and musician. He started playing guitar in the late 1970s as a founding member of MYTH, a progressive rock band in the suburbs of Seattle, Wash...
(Queensrÿche guitarist and producer from 1998–2001) engineered. Singer Geoff Tate
Geoff Tate
Geoff Tate is an American singer and musician, who rose to fame in the 1980s with the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche...
, guitarist Michael Wilton, bassist Ed Jackson, and drummer Scott Rockenfield recorded American Soldier in 2008 over the course of nine months.
The album includes a particularly personal duet between Geoff Tate and his 10-year old daughter Emily. The song, entitled "Home Again," focuses on a father returning home to his family after having been gone an extended period. This theme reflects both the life of Tate as a touring musician and the life of one who serves in the military.
Tate spent a few years interviewing veterans from all conflicts America has been involved in from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to the Iraq War, including his own father and collecting their stories in order to help him write the album.
Speaking about the inspiration for the album, Tate said:
Touring
An extensive US spring tour began on April at Snoqualmie CasinoSnoqualmie (tribe)
The Snoqualmie Tribe is a tribal government of Coast Salish Native American peoples from the Snoqualmie Valley in east King and Snohomish Counties in Washington state. The Snoqualmie settled onto the Tulalip Reservation after signing the Point Elliott Treaty with the Washington Territory in 1855...
in the band’s hometown of Seattle. The shows are presented in three suites, with the band performing sets from American Soldier, Rage for Order
Rage for Order
Rage for Order is the second studio album by heavy metal band Queensrÿche, released in 1986 on EMI America Records.-Track listing:- 2003 CD reissue bonus tracks :# "Gonna Get Close to You " - 5:46...
, and Empire.
During the American Soldier tour in the fall of 2009, they featured a 3-song set with Lita Ford
Lita Ford
Lita Ford is a British-born, American rock musician and singer who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways and achieved popularity for her solo career between the 1980s and late 2000s.-Early life:...
performing "Crave", "Patriotic SOB" and "Close My Eyes Forever".
Track listing
- "Sliver" (Jason Slater/Geoff TateGeoff TateGeoff Tate is an American singer and musician, who rose to fame in the 1980s with the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche...
) (3:09) - "Unafraid" (Jason Slater/Geoff Tate) (4:47)
- "Hundred Mile Stare" (Kelly GrayKelly Gray (musician)Kelly Gray is an American record producer and musician. He started playing guitar in the late 1970s as a founding member of MYTH, a progressive rock band in the suburbs of Seattle, Wash...
/Geoff Tate) (4:31) - "At 30,000 Ft" (Jason Slater/Geoff Tate) (5:11)
- "A Dead Man's Words" (Jason Slater/Geoff Tate) (6:35)
- "The Killer" (Jason Slater/Geoff Tate) (5:26)
- "Middle of Hell" (Kelly Gray/Damon JohnsonDamon JohnsonDamon Rogers Johnson is an American born guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, best known for his work with the hard rock band Brother Cane, and as a guitarist for Alice Cooper. He is the lead guitarist and backup vocalist for country music group Whiskey Falls. He had been the guitarist of the...
/Scott RockenfieldScott RockenfieldScott Rockenfield is the drummer for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche and the band Slave to the System....
/Geoff Tate) (5:28) - "If I Were King" (Jason Slater/Geoff Tate) (5:17)
- "Man Down!" (Kelly Gray/Geoff Tate) (4:57)
- "Remember Me" (Jason Slater/Geoff Tate) (5:00)
- "Home Again" (Kelly Gray/Damon Johnson/Scott Rockenfield/Geoff Tate) (4:41)
- "The Voice" (Jason Slater/Geoff Tate) (5:29)
Line-up
- Geoff TateGeoff TateGeoff Tate is an American singer and musician, who rose to fame in the 1980s with the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche...
- Lead/Backing Vocals; Horns - Michael WiltonMichael WiltonMichael Wilton is an American guitarist for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche. Wilton attended Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle where he met future Queensrÿche drummer Scott Rockenfield and began recording in 1981...
- Lead/Rhythm/Acoustic Guitars - Eddie JacksonEddie Jackson (musician)Eddie Jackson is the bass guitarist for the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche. He has been with the group since 1981, when they were known as The Mob....
- Bass Guitars - Scott RockenfieldScott RockenfieldScott Rockenfield is the drummer for the progressive metal band Queensrÿche and the band Slave to the System....
- Drums
Additional performers
- Emily Tate - Vocals (track 11)
- Jason Ames - Vocals (1 & 8)
- A.J. Fratto - Vocals (1)
- Vincent Solano - Vocals (5)
- Kelly GrayKelly Gray (musician)Kelly Gray is an American record producer and musician. He started playing guitar in the late 1970s as a founding member of MYTH, a progressive rock band in the suburbs of Seattle, Wash...
- Additional guitars - Damon JohnsonDamon JohnsonDamon Rogers Johnson is an American born guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, best known for his work with the hard rock band Brother Cane, and as a guitarist for Alice Cooper. He is the lead guitarist and backup vocalist for country music group Whiskey Falls. He had been the guitarist of the...
- Additional guitars - Randy Gane - Keyboards