Queensryche is best known for creating thinking man's progressive rock on early concept albums such as 1988's Operation: Mindcrime and its one blockbuster hit, 1990's Silent Lucidity. (As if that song didn't teach millions of teenage metal heads a new word!)
The Seattle band got its start way back in 1981, and though it never quite exploded into popularity after that tune, it has maintained a loyal cult following. The band's sound got stripped down with 1997's Hear in the New Frontier. Gone were the prog-rock flourishes and stately compositions. Gone, too, was founding guitarist Chris DeGarmo after the album's negative reviews.
Hard-core fans know about the recently released Revolution Calling box set, which contains pretty much all the Queensryche you could ever want.
The band tours with Dream Theater, which consists of a bunch of a virtuoso players, including guitar hero Jon Petrucci, who met at the Berklee School of Music.
Queensryche performs with Dream Theater and Fates Warning at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. $34-$44. (813) 229-7827.
