Queensryche going back to roots for Cedar Rapids concert

It’s never easy replacing an original vocalist from a prominent band. Brian Johnson succeeded the late Bon Scott with AC/DC and won over fans. Journey is thriving with Arnel Pineda after Steve Perry left the iconic group a quarter century ago. Craig Fuller somehow kept Little Feat alive post-Lowell George.

Add Todd La Torre to the list of singers who didn’t miss a beat while replacing a beloved frontman. After Queensryche moved on from Geoff Tate in 2012, La Torre, formerly of Crimson Glory and Rising West, made his mark as the band’s frontman.

Queensryche has been a solid entity over the past dozen years with four albums with La Torre, including its latest, 2022’s “Digital Noise Alliance.”

“We have such great chemistry,” guitarist Michael Wilton said. “Todd was a great addition to the band from the start. He’s a tremendous singer and lyricist.”

La Torre has no problem with the heavy lifting. The band is going back to its roots on “The Origin” tour, playing its eponymous 1982 EP, and its 1984 debut album, “The Warning,” in their entirety Sunday, April 7, 2024, at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in downtown Cedar Rapids.

The EP, inspired by British metal, holds up well. The release didn’t fare well in America but was embraced in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. “The Warning,” which features the anthem “Take Hold of the Flame,” turned ears in the United States and the majority of the melodic but muscular tunes remain relevant.

“It was a very different world back then,” Wilton said while calling from Oklahoma City. “You didn’t hear a lot of metal back then. Pop was all over the radio. But metal was coming out of England. I was into Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Their sound had an impact on us. We wanted to make loud music. That’s what we were into.”

Queensryche, which formed in Seattle in 1982, developed its own sound and has sustained for nearly half of a century. Part of the reason the band continued as its peers from faded away was because of the band’s evolution. The hard rockers added progressive elements and created a number of concept albums, such as 1988’s “Operation Mindcrime.” The compelling release went platinum.

That’s just one of many chapters in Queensryche’s rich history. “Empire” from 1990 is one of the band’s most ambitious albums.

The atmospheric and moody ballad “Silent Lucidity” was a smash and catapulted “Empire” to double platinum status. Thanks to MTV play, “Silent Lucidity” peaked at number five on Billboard’s U.S. singles chart.

Queensryche, which influenced such prog-rock bands as Dream Theater and Fates Warning, could play the familiar, but the group’s devoted fan base allows the band to dig into its deep canon.

“The support we get from our fans is incredible,” Wilton said. “They’re open to whatever we play.”

Queensryche, which also includes guitarist Mike Stone, bassist Eddie Jackson and drummer Casey Grillo, has never rested on its laurels. The group has particularly challenged itself since La Torre joined the band. "Condition Human,“ from 2015, features some big riffs and some tunes, with La Torre’s impressive soaring vocals.

“There’s no doubt that Todd’s energy helped the cause,” Wilton said.

La Torre’s falsetto steals the show on 2019’s “The Verdict.” Provocative lyrics, big riffs and memorable melodies help make “The Verdict” one of Queensryche’s finest albums.

“Digital Noise Alliance,” the band’s 16th and latest offering, hits listeners in the gut with a collection of accessible hard rock. Queensryche still has much to say after nearly a half-century.

“We’re not done yet,” Wilton said. “We still love to make music but we also like to look back at what we’ve done.”