Following on from 2019’s impressive The Verdict, Queensryche are back with new drummer Casey Grillo (Kamelot) in tow and Mike Stone returning to replace Parker Lundgren, who departed in 2021. Stone, who first joined the band during the Tribe period, is an old hand at this sort of thing, and his familiarity with the band’s classic material undoubtedly helped piece together an album that frequently casts its eyes in that direction. And, perhaps remarkably, given the turbulence the band has experienced in recent years, Digital Noise Alliance sounds incredibly coherent. It may not scale the giddy heights of Operation Mindcrime (then again, few things could), but it still offers a compelling overview of the band’s glory days, while tipping an occasional nod to the future.
Kicking off with the surprisingly punchy In Extremis, Queensryche immediately summon the spirit of both Mindcrime and Empire. It’s a solid opener and it provides a strong statement of intent for the album.According to the accompanying blurb,Michael Wilton (perhaps going a touch stir crazy in lockdown) dusted down his amp collection from the classic period, and the results are frequently impressive, especially in the first half of the record. With the album off to a flying start, both Chapters and Lost in Sorrow see Queensryche dip into the layered harmonies and mid-tempo riffing typical of Empire and, as Todd does his best Tate impression, a surprising wave of nostalgia is triggered in the long-term fan. Things get darker with Sicdeth, a song that harks even further back – to Rage for Order – and Todd excels here, the twists and turns of the music providing a powerful canvas for his impressive vocal range. The album hits a further peak with Behind the Walls, a menacing track with huge, palm-muted riffs and another powerhouse vocal from La Torre. Although it successfully maintains the classic vibe of the opening tracks, there’s a dark energy here, bolstered exponentially by the crisp production. Then there’s the menacing Nocturnal Light, a tougher piece that steps out from the shadow of the past to embrace the crunchy dynamic of The Verdict, producer Zeuss allowing some subtle electronic elements to creep into the mix, which add to the atmosphere.
The second half of the album kicks off with Out Of The Black, a track that aspires to the soaring balladry of Empire, only to get derailed by a radio friendly chorus that sits just on the wrong side of cheesy. It’s a rare misstep, but the band pick it up with the slow-paced Forest, a track that incorporates the quasi-orchestral sounds of the mellotron, and an atmosphere that harks back to Bridge. The harmonised guitars return on the satisfyingly crunchy Realms, a mid-paced piece which bridges the gap between Mindcrime and the more alt-friendly sounds of Tribe. Equally impressive, the stabbing drama of Hold On reminds the youngsters who the prog-metal masters are, before Tormentum sees the album out on a high, the eerie synths of the intro giving way to a punchy finale. The band aren’t quite done, however, and purchasers of the digipack edition also get a bonus cover of Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell. It’s not terrible, but it is unmistakably the sound of a talented band letting loose in the studio – the sort of thing that would have made a cheeky b side back in the days of physical singles – and it adds little to the album itself. It’s a shame because, while bonuses are usually appreciated, it’s better when they don’t unpick a powerful ending – an all-too-common issue, with labels tacking additional tracks onto albums in an attempt to drive physical sales.
Overall, Digital Noise Alliance is another fine album from the reinvigorated Queensryche. Like any band that has engaged with incredible success, the band have occasionally found themselves competing with their shadow. Here, however, there is the sense that the various members are comfortable embracing their past, even having a little fun in the process, and the album is all the better for it. While the album as a whole is arguably a couple of tracks over its fighting weight (both Out Of The Black and Rebel Yell could comfortably be excised from the running order), Digital Noise Alliance is a solid album that frequently evokes the band’s classic period without feeling overly derivative. 8/10
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