As the follow-up to Operation: Mindcrime, Empire is a clutch collection that put the group over the top. Where Mindcrime depended on a grand concept to carry all the tunes to their fullest potential, Empire crafts each song to stand on its own. “Silent Lucidity” was the standout single, but merely the tip of a great album. “Best I Can,” “The Thin Line” and “Jet City Woman” are a snarling, raging opening trio of hammer-down riffs from guys determined to keep metal heavy but also plenty accessible. Queenryche take Iron Maiden epics into further prog-rock territory. This 20th Anniversary Edition includes the bonus cuts, “Dirty Lil Secret” and a trippy cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair.” The live tracks from London, 1990, add extra firepower to the band’s approach. This was a studio band who knew how to take it to the stage flawlessly. “Resistance” comes out firing and the intricate “Roads to Madness” and “Hand On Heart” are equally perfected. Queensryche were one of their era’s most important heavy-metal performers.