"Rage for Order" is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Queensrÿche, released on June 27, 1986. This album marked a departure from the group's previous traditional heavy metal sound and the beginning of their evolution towards a more artful direction. It laid the groundwork for what would later become a distinct progressive metal sound that established Queensrÿche as one of the leading progressive metal bands in the world.
The album unveiled a sleeker, more processed sound featuring keyboards and a layered production that presented a sophisticated complex musical tapestry. While it features much heavier reliance on synthesizers and multitrack recording than its predecessor, it's also where the band's progressive ideal started to shine, incorporating new sonics into their heavy metal palette—melodic elements, unusual song structures, and a sense of drama embodied by Geoff Tate's emotive vocal delivery.
"Rage for Order" introduced a much more polished look and feel for Queensrÿche while taking the group towards a more mainstream sound. The band's image also underwent a transformation, debuting a visual style influenced by the glam metal movement. Nonetheless, beneath the stylized production and fashion, "Rage for Order" was a collection of social commentaries and warnings about a dystopian future. However, the band wasn't always easy to understand due to the abstract nature of their lyrics on this album.
The album was met with mixed initial reviews but has gained in some esteem over the years. Though it didn’t make a massive commercial impact at the time of release, it played a crucial role in defining the band's evolving sound and has since become a cult favorite among the band's fans.
