Michael Wilton of Queensryche: From chaos to 'miraculous' rebirth

10/07/15 • 28 min

The Seattle band Queensryche defined smart, progressive metal for a generation of fans during the 1980s and 90s. But after the band's main creative force left the band and music altogether, Queensryche foundered through a series of tepid albums, culminating in a long, contentious split with vocalist Geoff Tate. Behind new singer Todd LaTorre, Queensryche has found a creative and energetic rebirth. In this interview, recorded backstage during the band's Sept. 23 appearance in Cleveland, founding guitarist Michael Wilton reflects on the band's past, discusses the transition to making music and performing with LaTorre and the creative process behind Queensryche's inspired new album, "Condition Human."

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Travis Levrier of Scale the Summit

All-instrumental prog-metal quartet Scale the Summit are releasing the least metal album of their career ("V" is due Sept. 18 on Prosthetic Records). Co-founding guitarist Travis Levrier talks about this, the band’s creative process and his musical relationship with the band’s co-founding guitarist, Chris Letchford.

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Michael Romeo brings us into the Symphony X 'Underworld'

While bands such as Queensryche and Dream Theater have enjoyed more popular success, the New Jersey band Symphony X has been right behind them, helping to define progressive metal for more than 20 years. Guitarist Michael Romeo has been the heart of the band, both as the key songwriter and as a jaw-dropping soloist. In this interview, from the band's tour bus during a September 2015 stop in Cleveland, Romeo details the creative process behind the band's newest disc, "Underworld," and talks about the challenges of earning a living in the era of Spotify and pirated music.