Maximum Metal Rating Legend
5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.

The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.
Band
Queensryche
Title
Condition Hüman
Type
LP/EP
Company
Century Media
YOR
2015
Style
Progressive
11/6/2015 - Review by: Frank Hill
There are echoes running throughout Condition Hüman that any Queensr˙che connoisseur will pick up on--guitar tones, drum patterns, vocal intonations, etc. They are recognizable and comforting. All of that is somewhat expected since three of the five originals are current members, but for about a decade now, Queensr˙che hasn't felt like Queensr˙che. What many of us have pined for was the older band from the 80s to about Promised Land (some of us even pre-Empire) and we've felt that went astray with the tepid new millennium releases.

Then came the drama--out went one singer and in came another similar one. Court cases were held. Temporary band names were created and abandoned. If you're still not over the separation of vocalists, then you may as well move on because the evolution has been calling and Todd La Torre fits the 'R˙che sound.

For those unfamiliar, the band is a mix of heavy metal with some progressive elements and quirky moments. We did get a few sparks from the old circuitry with the self-titled Queensr˙che ('13), but Condition Hüman has real electricity powering the guitar riffs of openers "Arrow of Time" and "Guardian". "Just Us" has the sleepy reminiscence of "Silent Lucidity" and the title track is a breathable almost-eight minutes. Is there a hinted lyrical connection to Nikki and Mary within the stand-out power ballad "Bulletproof"?

Condition Hüman isn't as heavy as Operation: Mindcrime, nor is it as obtuse as The Warning ('84) and Rage for Order ('86), but it does have a fair amount of memorable choruses and hooks. All-in-all, Condition Hüman fits comfortably as one of the better releases of their catalog.

Drummer Scott Rockenfield has said: "Our fans love metal, and we've been pretty good at doing metal in our past, so [we thought], 'Let's have fun with some of that again. Let's do it and see what it means for us.'"

Some of that metal return may have come from producer, Chris Harris, aka Zeuss, who is rumored to be a big fan of the first six albums. It's similar to the resurgence of Accept that came from having Andy Sneap at their helm. They should hire Chris for the next release as well because THAT'S what we've been wanting. That umlaut "U" in the title could be a smiley face from the band or even a reflection of our own returned pleasure.

The future is but past forgotten.
  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    4 :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: QUEENSRYCHE
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
Condition Hüman
2015
Century Media
Frank Hill11/6/2015
4
EP (remaster)
2003
EMI
Greg Watson8/28/2003
4.5
Live Evolution DVD
2001
EMI
Frank Hill9/30/2003
4
Queensryche
2013
Century Media
Greg Watson6/29/2013
3.5
Rage For Order
1986
EMI
Frank Hill4/14/2003
5
Rage for Order (remaster)
2003
EMI
Greg Watson8/28/2003
5
The Art of Live
2004
Sanctuary Records
Frank Hill6/25/2004
3
The Verdict
2019
Century Media
Greg Watson3/12/2019
5

ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: QUEENSRYCHE
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE
Eddie JacksonFrank Hill, Greg Watson3/14/2019"Legacy, Lyrics, and Longevity"


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