The contrast between The Warning and Rage For Order is like the difference between the Sopwith Camel and the Harrier Jump Jet. Queensryche are not alone in going stratospheric between albums. Metallica, arguably, achieved the same leap with Ride The Lightning, Megadeth with Peace Sells and, say, Slayer with Hell Awaits, to name but a few. The closest comparison would be comparing Priest's Rocka Rolla to Sad Wings. Like this transformation, the genetics are all there in the earlier work (but not in the right order) and there are glimpses of the sheer brilliance to come, notably in the stabbing NM156, the uplifting call to arms of the single Take Hold Of the Flame and the sprawling Roads to Madness. NM156 is almost the blue print for Rage - layered guitars, keyboards, infills, angst ridden vocals and a futuristic theme. These three tracks' strength is reflected in their reworking on recent tours and are worth the price of the cd alone. The rest isn't bad, but the gloopy production bogs down the undeniable technicality of the songs, leaving them sounding disjointed and a bit awkward. However, like Rock a Rolla it is a vital part of the band's history and like Priest's Ram it Down, there is far worse in the recent past to put this album up on a small pedestal in comparison (pick from Tribe, Take Cover or Hear In The Now Frontier). So I would buy this before you buy Rage, as the contrast will highlight what a huge achievement Rage for Order actually is.