QUEENSRYCHE rage for order EYS-91171

Queensrÿche’s Futuristic Vision: ‘Rage For Order’ Promo (EYS-91171)

Today’s entry examines one of the most daring and innovative metal albums of the 1980s. We are looking at the 1986 Japanese White Label Promo pressing of Rage For Order by Queensrÿche, released on the EMI America label with the catalog number EYS-91171.

A High-Tech Transformation

Released on July 31, 1986, Rage For Order represented a massive sonic and visual shift for the band. Moving away from the traditional power metal of their debut, the band embraced a darker, more progressive sound infused with cutting-edge technology. Produced by Neil Kernon, the album utilizes the Fairlight CMI synthesizer to create a cold, dystopian atmosphere that was years ahead of its time. The tracklist is impeccable, featuring the surging opener “Walk In The Shadows,” the haunting ballad “I Dream In Infra Red,” and the complex “Screaming In Digital.” It also features a bold, gothic interpretation of Dalbello’s “Gonna Get Close To You.”

The Exclusive White Label Promo

This specific copy is a highly collectible Promo Sample. Unlike the standard commercial releases which feature the regular EMI America labels, this disc bears the clean, text-only White Labels with the Japanese characters for “Sample (Not For Sale).” These promotional copies were originally distributed to radio stations and industry critics and are highly prized by collectors for their scarcity and the potential for superior audio fidelity from early stampers. A numbered “Sample” sticker is also affixed to the back cover, certifying its non-retail provenance.

Complete Japanese Packaging

Manufactured by Toshiba EMI, the pressing quality is superb, perfectly capturing the album’s intricate, multi-layered production. The release comes complete with the original Obi strip and a lyric insert, making it a pristine document of the moment Queensrÿche began to define the progressive metal genre.