RISING WEST - the new band featuring Queensrÿche members Michael Wilton (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass), Scott Rockenfield (drums) and Parker Lundgren (guitar) along with CRIMSON GLORY singer vocalist Todd La Torre - are gearing up for their live debut tonight (Friday, June 8th) and tomorrow (Saturday, June 9th) at the Hard Rock Café in Seattle WA.

La Torre is stoked: "Heading to rehearsal soon, then time to get ready for metal history, as for the first time in history, the QR musicians will be fronted by another vocalist in 30 years. I couldn't be more proud, happy, and hungry to unleash the metal fury tonight!!! My range is at its best. Bring your earplugs cuz they just might bleed."

Rising West will be performing rare and classic hits from the first five Queensrÿche albums and plan on hitting the studio sometime early summer to begin recording their debut release.

"I'm super excited to be involved in Rising West," La Torre told BraveWords.com recently. "We're going to be covering the first EP all the way up to Empire with a high energy show for the fans. I met Michael Wilton at NAMM earlier this and we hit it off. No one else has performed these songs with the the band so it's a huge honour for me. Geoff Tate is doing his solo stuff and that's great. Everyone has to branch out. But this is a personal thing for me. Queensrÿche has been my favourite band since I was 15."

When asked about the current status of Queensrÿche he says: "I don't know the dynamics within the band."

But La Torre is quick to stress that it's business as usual in Crimson Glory. "Nothing has diminished. I'm still writing new material and we're rehearsing."

When asked about Tate's vocals being big shoes to fill he adds: "A lot of guys can sing the notes, but it's about the tone, texture. I will deliver to the best of my ability. I was asked by Queensrÿche to sing the standard tuning so it's very challenging. Geoff Tate is one of the best and created a style of singing … him and Bruce Dickinson (IRON MAIDEN). I'm capable of performing these classic songs like the record. But I'm human; it's live and there's no second takes."

Check out Todd La Torre singing some Queensrÿche classics below - original tracks using a karaoke filter in an effort to remove original vocals.