QUEENSRYCHE – EYES OF A STRANGER – METAL REWIND

L to R: Geoff Tate, Scott Rockenfield, Chris DeGarmo, Eddie Jackson, Michael Wilton

Happy Friday Metalheads. In honor of Queensryche drummer Scott Rockenfield and former guitarist Chris DeGarmo’s upcoming birthdays this weekend, let’s go back to 1988 to their third album “Operation: Mindcrime” for the track “Eyes of a Stranger.”

Operation: Mindcrime is a conceptual album that follows the story of Nikki, a recovering heroin addict who became disillusioned and frustrated with contemporary society and ended up joining a secret organization dedicated to revolution. As the album unfolds, we go through Nikki’s journey and the final track on the album “Eyes of a Stranger” summarizes the story of his journey and the feeling that he is looking at a total stranger when looking at himself in the mirror now that he is clean.

This song is a fan favorite and the number 1 song in the band’s setlist. The song charted at #35 on the Billboard chart in the US and #59 on the UK singles chart and was also ranked at #67 in Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Metal Albums of all Time” in 2017.

Happy Birthday guys!!

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO FOR “EYES OF A STRANGER” BELOW

 

 

 

80’s HONORABLE MENTIONS

Happy Wednesday Metalheads, hope you’re having a great week. To finish of this month’s Top 5 lists of my favorite 80’s bands, albums and videos, I wanted to mention some of the bands, songs and videos that didn’t make the Top 5 but definitely rank right up there with my favorites. I’ll pick one artist, band, album, video and song from each category that I never get tired of and if I was stranded on a desert island I’d have to have these with me.

OZZY OSBOURNE

One of my all-time favorites, my metal collection wouldn’t be complete without the Ozzman.

DOKKEN

The first song I heard by Dokken was “Breakin’ The Chains” and I was hooked. Each album just got better and better and I never get tired of listening to them

QUEENSRYCHE – OPERATION: MINDCRIME

A perfect concept album from start to finish and no disputing definitely a classic

QUIET RIOT – METAL HEALTH

This was one of the very first metal videos I had ever seen and no matter how many times I see this video I’m still hooked

Let me know what some of your 80’s honorable mentions are in the comments below! I look forward to reading your responses!

MY TOP 5 ALBUMS FROM THE 80’s

Happy Wednesday Metalheads! Hope you’re all having a great week! Last week I wrote about my Top 5 songs of the 80’s which got to me to thinking about my favorite albums also. Below are my Top 5 albums in order from 5 to 1:

 

PEACE SELLS BUT WHO’S BUYING – MEGADETH

Released in 1986, this is the second album by former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine and his band Megadeth. From the opening track, “Wake Up Dead” to “Peace Sells..But Who’s Buying” to “The Conjuring”, Megadeth covers a range of topics from cheating boyfriends/husbands to witchcraft and devil worship to politics.

OPERATION: MINDCRIME – QUEENSRYCHE

Released in 1988, this the third album by Queensryche which tells the story of a recovering drug addict. Nikki had become disillusioned with society and got involved with a group headed by Doctor X who manipulates him into becoming a political assassin and controls his mind with the word mindcrime. The story shows the struggle the main character goes through to remember exactly what happened while he was an addict and how he struggles to deal with his internal demons and “mindcrimes.”

SHOUT AT THE DEVIL – MOTLEY CRUE

Released in 1986, Shout at the Devil is the second album by Motley Crue that really put them on the map. From the opening track, “In The Beginning”, I was instantly hooked and never tire of listening to this album.

BACK IN BLACK – AC/DC

Released in 1980, “Back In Black” is the seventh album by AC/DC and the first with new singer Brian Johnson, after the sudden passing of Bon Scott. The album’s black cover was first rejected by the record company and the band compromised and placed a grey outline around the band’s logo. Dedicated to Bon’s memory, the album is AC/DC’s biggest selling album to date.

SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE – JUDAS PRIEST

Released in 1982, “Screaming for Vengeance” is the eighth studio album by Judas Priest and my all-time favorite Priest album. The most successful track on the album, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin” was a last minute addition that pushed the album over the top.

What are your favorite Top 5 albums from the 80’s? Let me know in the comments below!