The years between the end of Queensr˙che's Building Empires tour and the creation of 1994's Promised Land were difficult, to say the least. While some of the band members enjoyed well earned vacations, others struggled with personal demons and a whole host of family problems. In fact, rumors circulated that the band had even broken up during this time period - with Tate even admitting later that he felt he was close to leaving the band.
Eventually, all five members of Queensr˙che got together to write and record what would become Promised Land. Instead of going into a traditional studio, the band elected to rent out a log cabin on the San Juan Islands - in effect, treating the recording process as a vacation. At first, the band found it difficult to re-adjust to one another, but eventually overcame that hurdle to record the new album with producer James "Jimbo" Barton.
As artists, difficult times usually mean a well of ideas to draw upon, and this instance was no different. The lyrics connected in a theme of self-examination, someone reaching the pinnacle of what they are told is "success" and looking at the individual they have become. Somewhat autobiographical in nature, Promised Land is a dark, brooding, but hauntingly beautiful masterpiece of music.
Once released, Promised Land eventually sold more than 1 million copies - quite a nice number, given it was the band's first album in four years, and the mainstream audience was now more interested in the grunge movement from Seattle, not the city's heavy metal icons. Unfortunately, the support from MTV also dropped, as videos for "I Am I," "Bridge," and "Dis-con-nec-ted" were aired briefly, if at-all on the network.
The touring cycle for Promised Land was shorter than the one for Empire - but no less stunning, visually and musically. Commencing in late 1994 for a few warm-up shows, the "Road to the Promised Land" tour kicked off in earnest in early 1995 in Europe, concluding in late July of that year in the United States. The entire Promised Land album was performed, along with familiar band hits and some rare cuts from the Rage for Order record. Much like the Building Empires tour, video footage enhanced the music, and dramatic scenes were performed live by the band, including a second stage made-up as a bar to perform the album's title track.
 Promised Land (1994) |
 Promised Land CD-Rom (1996) |
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(March 1995 pt.1) |
(March 1995 pt.2) |
(March 1995 pt.3) |
(March 1995 pt.4) |
(March 1995 pt.5) |
(March 1995 pt.6) |
(March 1995 pt.7) |
(March 1995 pt.8) |
(March 1995 pt.9) |
(March 1995 pt.10) |
(March 1995 pt.11) |
(March 1995 pt.12) |
(March 1995 pt.13) |
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(Feb. 1995 pt.1) |
(Feb. 1995 pt.2) |
(Feb. 1995 pt.3) |
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 Promised Land Era Promo Shot 1 |
 Promised Land Era Promo Shot 2 |
 Promised Land Era Promo Shot 3 |
 Promised Land Era Promo Shot 4 |
 Promised Land Era Promo Shot 5 |
 Promised Land Era Promo Shot 6 |
 Promised Land Era Promo Shot 6 |
 PL Era Promo Shot 7 |
 PL Era Promo Shot 8 |
 PL Era Promo Shot 9 |
 Michael Wilton PL Photo Shoot |
 Geoff Tate PL Photo Shoot |
 Chris DeGarmo PL Photo Shoot |
 Eddie Jackson PL Photo Shoot |
 Scott Rockenfield PL Photo Shoot |
 Chris DeGarmo (live, 1995) |
 Wilton & DeGarmo (PL Era) |
 Press Kit Photo 1 |
 Press Kit Photo 2 |
 PL Promo Ad |
 HMV PL Promo Ad |
 EMI PL "Out Soon" Ad |
 Ad for "I Am I" Single |
 PL Promo Kit Bio pt. 1 |
 PL Promo Kit Bio pt. 2 |
 PL UK Tour Flyer |
DATE |
LOCATION |
VENUE |
October 20, 1994 |
London, UK |
Astoria Theater |
October 21, 1994 |
Cologne, GERMANY |
Altes Presswerk |
October 25, 1994 |
Stockholm, SWEDEN |
P3 (Studio 13) |
October 28, 1994 |
Milan, ITALY |
Rock FM Studio |
November 1994 |
Hilversum, HOLLAND |
Vara Studio |
February 9, 1995 |
Glasgow, SCOTLAND |
Barrowlands |
February 10, 1995 |
Manchester, UK |
Manchester Apollo |
February 11, 1995 |
Sheffield, UK |
Sheffield City Hall |
February 13, 1995 |
Nottingham, UK |
Royal Concert Hall |
February 14, 1995 |
Wolverhampton, UK |
Civic Hall |
February 16, 1995 |
Leeds, UK |
Town & Country Club |
February 17, 1995 |
Newport, UK |
Newport Center |
February 19, 1995 |
Brussels, BELGIUM |
Forest National |
February 20, 1995 |
Paris, FRANCE |
Elysee Montmartre |
February 22, 1995 |
Neu-Isenburg, GERMANY |
Hugenottenhalle |
February 23, 1995 |
Hannover, GERMANY |
Capitol |
February 24, 1995 |
Hamburg, GERMANY |
Grosse Freiheit |
February 26, 1995 |
Stockholm, SWEDEN |
Circus |
February 27, 1995 |
Copenhagen, DENMARK |
KB Hallen |
February 28, 1995 |
Berlin, GERMANY |
Neue Welt |
March 1, 1995 |
Stuttgart, GERMANY |
Kongresszentrum B |
March 3, 1995 |
Milan, ITALY |
Palaido |
March 4, 1995 |
Zurich, SWITZERLAND |
Volkhaus |
March 5, 1995 |
Munich, GERMANY |
Terminal 1 |
March 7, 1995 |
Cologne, GERMANY |
E-Werk |
March 8, 1995 |
Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS |
Ahoy |
March 9, 1995 |
London, UK |
MTV Studios |
March 10, 1995 |
London, UK |
Royal Albert Hall |
March 16, 1995 |
Tokyo, JAPAN |
Kosei Nenkin Kaikan |
March 17, 1995 |
Osaka, JAPAN |
Kosei Nenkin Kaikan |
March 18, 1995 |
Fukuoka, JAPAN |
Sun Palace |
March 20, 1995 |
Tokyo, JAPAN |
Nakano Sun-Plaza |
March 22, 1995 |
Sendai, JAPAN |
Izumi T-21 |
March 23, 1995 |
Kawasaki, JAPAN |
Club Citta |
March 24, 1995 |
Tokyo, JAPAN |
Gotanda Kani-Hoken Hall |
April 14, 1995 |
Kalamazoo, MI |
Wings Stadium |
April 15, 1995 |
Saginaw, MI |
Wendler Arena |
April 17, 1995 |
Cleveland, Ohio |
Unknown |
April 18, 1995 |
Cleveland, Ohio |
CSU Convention Center |
April 19, 1995 |
Toledo, Ohio |
Sports Arena |
April 21, 1995 |
Indianapolis, IN |
Pepsi Coliseum |
April 22, 1995 |
Dayton, Ohio |
Irvin J. Nutter Center |
April 23, 1995 |
Peoria, IL |
Peoria Civic Center |
April 25, 1995 |
Madison, WI |
Dane County Coliseum |
April 26, 1995 |
Rosemont, IL |
Rosemont Horizon Arena |
April 28, 1995 |
Auburn Hills, MI |
The Palace |
April 29, 1995 |
Milwaukee, WI |
Mecca Auditorium |
April 30, 1995 |
St. Louis, MO |
Kiel Center |
May 1, 1995 |
Bonner Springs, KS |
Sandstone Amphitheater |
May 2, 1995 |
Omaha, NE |
Omaha CIvic Auditorium |
May 5, 1995 |
Green Bay, WI |
Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena |
May 6, 1995 |
Minneapolis, MN |
Target Center |
May 7, 1995 |
Cedar Rapids, IA |
Five Seasons Center Arena |
May 9, 1995 |
Denver, CO |
McNichols Sports Arena |
May 10, 1995 |
Salt Lake City, UT |
Delta Center |
May 11, 1995 |
Boise, ID |
Boise State University Pavilion |
May 12, 1995 |
Ogden, UT |
Dee Events Center |
May 13, 1995 |
Sacramento, Calif. |
Cal Expo |
May 14, 1995 |
Reno, NV |
Lawlor Events Center |
May 15, 1995 |
Las Vegas, NV |
Thomas & Mac Arena |
May 16, 1995 |
Tucson, AZ |
Tucson Convention Center |
May 17, 1995 |
Albuquerque, NM |
Tingley Coliseum |
May 19, 1995 |
Phoenix, AZ |
Desert Sky Pavilion |
May 20, 1995 |
Inglewood, CA |
Great Western Forum |
May 21, 1995 |
San Diego, CA |
Sports Arena |
May 23, 1995 |
Concord, CA |
Concord Pavilion |
May 24, 1995 |
San Jose, CA |
San Jose Arena |
May 26, 1995 |
George, WA |
The Gorge |
May 27, 1995 |
Portland, OR |
Portland Coliseum |
June 9, 1995 |
Odessa, Texas |
Ector County Coliseum |
June 10, 1995 |
San Antonio, Texas |
Freeman Coliseum |
June 11, 1995 |
Houston, Texas |
Woodlands Pavilion |
June 13, 1995 |
Dallas, Texas |
Starplex Amphitheater |
June 14, 1995 |
Oklahoma City, OK |
Zoo Amphitheater |
June 16, 1995 |
Wichita, KS |
Britt Brown Arena |
June 17, 1995 |
Little Rock, AK |
Barton Coliseum |
June 18, 1995 |
New Orleans, LA |
Lakefront Arena |
June 20, 1995 |
Birmingham, AL |
Unknown |
June 21, 1995 |
Nashville, TN |
Starwood Amphitheater |
June 23, 1995 |
Pensacola, FL |
Pensacola Civic Center |
June 24, 1995 |
Orlando, FL |
Orlando Arena |
June 25, 1995 |
Miami, FL |
Miami Arena |
June 27, 1995 |
Tampa, FL |
Expo Arena |
June 28, 1995 |
Atlanta, GA |
Lakewood Amphitheater |
June 30, 1995 |
Raleigh, NC |
Walnut Creek Amphitheater |
July 1, 1995 |
Charlotte, NC |
Blockbuster Pavilion |
July 2, 1995 |
Hampton, VA |
Hampton Coliseum |
July 4, 1995 |
Manassas, VA |
Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge |
July 5, 1995 |
Pittsburgh, PA |
Star Lake Amphitheater |
July 7, 1995 |
Louisville, KY |
Louisville Gardens |
July 8, 1995 |
Fort Wayne, IN |
Fort Wayne Coliseum |
July 9, 1995 |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
Cincinnati Gardens |
July 11, 1995 |
Evansville, IN |
Roberts Stadium |
July 12, 1995 |
Columbus, Ohio |
Polaris Amphitheater |
July 14, 1995 |
Scranton, PA |
Montage Mountain |
July 15, 1995 |
Buffalo, NY |
Darien Lake Amphitheater |
July 16, 1995 |
Boston, MA |
Great Woods |
July 18, 1995 |
Wantagh, Long Island, NY |
Jones Beach Ampitheater |
July 19, 1995 |
Camden, NJ |
Blockbuster-Sony Entertainment Center |
July 21, 1995 |
Albany, NY |
Knickerbocker Arena |
July 22, 1995 |
Hartford, CT |
Meadows Music Theater |
July 24, 1995 |
Holmdel, NJ |
Garden State Arts Center |
July 25, 1995 |
Middletown, NY |
Orange County Fairgrounds |
July 26, 1995 |
Weedsport, NY |
Cayuga Fair |
July 27, 1995 |
Toronto, Ont., CANADA |
Molson Amphitheater |