American Soldier (album)
| American Soldier | ||||
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| Studio album by Queensrÿche | ||||
| Released | March 31, 2009 | |||
| Recorded |
El Dorado Studios, Burbank, California, London Bridge Studios, Seattle, Washington, The Office, North Andover, Massachusetts, March–December 2008 |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 60:31 | |||
| Label | ATCO/Rhino | |||
| Producer |
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| Queensrÿche chronology | ||||
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| Singles from American Soldier | ||||
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| Audio sample | ||||
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"If I Were King"
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| About.com |    |
| Allmusic | |
| antiMusic | |
| Consequence of Sound | |
| Melodic.net | |
| Record Collector | |
| Sea of Tranquility | |
| Sputnikmusic | |
American Soldier is the eleventh studio album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche; it is a concept album released on March 31, 2009. The album debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 chart. As its title suggests, American Soldier revolves around the lives and experiences of those who serve or have served in the United States armed forces.
Following the departure of Mike Stone, the album was the first to entirely be recorded by Queensrÿche as a quartet.
The lyrical contents to the songs on American Soldier tell the story of war from a firsthand perspective. The album was produced by Jason Slater, who also produced and co-wrote Queensrÿche's 2006 album Operation: Mindcrime II, and was engineered by Kelly Gray, who was Queensrÿche's guitarist and producer from 1998–2001. It was recorded in 2008 over the course of nine months.
The album includes a particularly personal duet between Geoff Tate and his daughter Emily. The song, entitled "Home Again," focuses on a father returning home to his family after having been gone an extended period. This theme reflects both the life of Tate as a touring musician and the life of one who serves in the military.
Tate spent a few years interviewing veterans from all conflicts America has been involved in from World War II to the Iraq War, including his own father and collecting their stories in order to help him write the album.
Speaking about the inspiration for the album, Tate said:
An extensive U.S. spring tour began on April at Snoqualmie Casino in the band’s hometown of Seattle. The shows are presented in three suites, with the band performing sets from American Soldier, Rage for Order, and Empire.
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