Queensryche The Verdict (Marbled) vinyl is the edition to own of what stands as the most focused and commanding album the band has delivered since their classic run, pressed here by Alone Records (catalog ARLPMAR 117) on marbled vinyl and giving the record a physical presence that matches the weight of the music inside.
Queensryche in 2019: A Band Fully Reclaimed
Queensryche spent years navigating an ugly and public split before this lineup, anchored by vocalist Todd La Torre, began the work of rebuilding credibility album by album. The Verdict, released in 2019 via Century Media Records and produced by Chris “Zeuss” Harris, is widely regarded as the strongest output of the La Torre era. Ten tracks, including “Blood of the Levant,” “Man the Machine,” “Propaganda Fashion,” and “Launder the Conscience,” move through themes of social unrest, inner conflict, and resilience with the kind of structural intelligence and melodic density that defined the band’s early reputation. The twin-guitar interplay is sharp and purposeful. The arrangements breathe and coil. Nothing is filler.
Todd La Torre and the Making of Queensryche The Verdict (Marbled) Vinyl
One of the more remarkable details of this record is that La Torre pulled double duty throughout the sessions, handling lead vocals and also playing drums in place of Scott Rockenfield, who was absent during recording. That kind of performance, across two of the most demanding roles in a band like this, could have felt like a workaround. Instead it sounds like a statement. Zeuss brings a production style that is modern and clean without scrubbing out the dynamics, and the result is a mix where the layered guitar harmonies land with real impact and La Torre’s vocals, technically precise and emotionally direct, sit right where they need to be. The material holds together as an album, from opener to closer, with a coherence that rewards full-side listening.
The Pressing: Format and Label Details
This is an LP pressing from Alone Records on marbled vinyl. Catalog number ARLPMAR 117. Alone Records has built a strong track record with colored and specialty pressings of rock and metal titles, and this marbled variant is a deliberate collector piece rather than a standard reissue. If you have been following this band’s post-split catalog and want The Verdict on wax, particularly in a format that distinguishes itself from the standard black pressing, this is the one. It rewards the investment in both sound and shelf presence.
Tracklist
1. BLOOD OF THE LEVANT 2. MAN THE MACHINE 3. LIGHT-YEARS 4. INSIDE OUT 5. PROPAGANDA FASHION 6. DARK REVERIE 7. BENT 8. INNER UNREST 9. LAUNDER THE CONSCIENCE 10. PORTRAIT
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