Queensryche "Condition Human"

Downloaded the latest Queensryche album "Condition Human" and I must say it's quite good.  For those who are unaware, original vocalist Geoff Tate hasn't been with band since 2012 and has been replaced by vocalist Todd La Torre.  There's more to the story regarding Tate's departure but it's pretty easy to find online if you so wish.

Condition Human harks back to Queensryche's progressive metal style of the 80's and 90's which is a good thing as their material throughout the 00's was not my cup of tea.  I have Q2K and Operation Mindcrime 2, and have heard selections from Tribe, American Soldier, and Dedicated to Chaos, and while they all seem experimental and different then their older material (which could be a good thing), I find that the songs themselves aren't very good.  For me, you can experiment, add newer textures all you want, but if the melody, chord progression, and structure doesn't move me, no amount of arrangement will make up for that.
The thing which I am undecided on is the vocal stylings of La Torre.  His style is an exact match for Tate.  While his range seems like a match (which it would need to be to sing older material), it's also puzzling that his tone and phrasing are an exact match for Tate.  Perhaps that's always been his style, perhaps he felt that he needed or wanted to match the style, or perhaps the band wanted him to be a Tate clone.  So while his singing is fantastic and does match the music and style of Queensryche, it would've been interesting to hear a slightly different vocal style with their music.

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