queensryche

Incredibly talented progressive rock band that is often incorrectly defined as an "80s metal" band. Although they formed in the 80s, Queensryche has continually released studio albums every few years since their inception in 1983, most recently the album "Tribe", which was released in July, 2003. They are currently working on Operation Mindcrime II, a sequel to what is arguably their most popular album and also one of the first concept albums to enjoy commercial success, "Operation Mindcrime." Queensryche has remained fresh and retained their enormous, rabidly loyal fan base by continually re-inventing themselves, while, unlike many rock bands with their origins in the 80s, "selling out" to current trends, such as nu-metal. They were recently voted the "Number 8 Greatest American Rock Band" in a USA Today poll. The band is composed of all the original members (Eddie Jackson, Michael Wilton, Geoff Tate, and Scott Rockenfield), with the exception of lead guitarist Chris DeGarmo, who left the band in 1997 amid a great deal of controversy, due to a difference in artistic vision between himself and the singer, Geoff Tate. The current guitarist replacing Chris is Mike Stone.