QUEENSRYCHE - Empire 20th Anniversary Edition (2010)

the 'Real' one

Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of its original release, this classic album gets remastered with 13 bonus tracks, among them 10 previously unreleased live performances recorded in 1990 at London’s Hammersmith Odeon.

“Empire” went triple platinum and spawned Top 10 Modern Rock hits as “Silent Lucidity”, “Jet City Woman” and “Another Rainy Night”, the Top 20 single “Anybody Listening?” and the Top 30 singles “Best I Can” and “Empire”.

This 'Deluxe Edition' features:

Disc 1 is the entire “Empire” album with three bonus songs; “Last Time In Paris” (one of my personal favorites), which was never included on the 1990 original full length recording, originally done for the soundtrack to the 1990 movie 'The Adventures Of Ford Fairlane', starring Andrew Dice Clay.
Also “Dirty Lil’ Secret” and the band’s cover version of Simon & Garfunkel's classic “Scarborough Fair”.

In the U.S., the album peaked at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, #10 in UK, and the album's international success led to Queensrÿche's 18-month headlining “Building Empires” world tour, the band's longest trek to date.
Disc 2 contains tracks recorded on November 15, 1990 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.
This is the real coup from this release.
Recordings of this show have surfaced before, as a bonus disc to a deluxe edition of “Operation: Mindcrime”, featuring that classic album recorded live in its entirety.
The balance of that show can be found here for the first time.

What more can I say about “Empire - Deluxe Edition” ?
If you're already a QUEENSRYCHE fan, chances are, you already own the original release.
But this 2 disc package with bonus songs and a previously unreleased Live concert, is something you'll truly enjoy. Production-wise, the high end is much more clearer and pristine.
On the other hand, if you're just discovering the band now, then this 2 CD set is a must have.


Disc 1:
01. Best I Can
02. The Thin Line
03. Jet City Woman
04. Della Brown
05. Another Rainy Night (Without You)
06. Empire
07. Resistance
08. Silent Lucidity
09. Hand On Heart
10. One And Only
11. Anybody Listening?
12. Last Time In Paris [bonus track]
13. Scarborough Fair [bonus track]
14. Dirty Lil' Secret [bonus track]


Disc 2:
Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London
November 15, 1990
01. Resistance
02. Walk In The Shadows
03. Best I Can
04. The Thin Line
05. Jet City Woman
06. Empire
07. Roads To Madness
08. Take Hold Of The Flame
09. Silent Lucidity
10. Hand On Heart


Geoff Tate: Lead vocals, Keyboards
Chris Degarmo: Guitars, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Michael Wilton: Guitars
Eddie Jackson: Bass, Backing Vocals
Scott Rockenfield: Drums, Percussion


IF YOU LIKE IT, BUY IT !