Biography
An American rock singer whose voice delivers a precise, powerful span across four octaves, Todd La Torre previously fronted Crimson Glory before taking the lead role with prog-metallers Queensrÿche in 2012. Frequently sought for session and live work, he has appeared and recorded alongside Michael Sweet, Dark Matter, and Metal Church. His first solo album, Rejoice in the Suffering, arrived on Rat Pack in 2021.
Born in Florida in 1974 to parents who favored jazz and regularly brought him to concerts, La Torre first attempted drumming at age seven on a toy set before switching to classical guitar lessons at ten. His father purchased a professional drum kit when La Torre turned 13; one year later the teenager was performing regularly in his high school jazz ensemble while also playing hundreds of shows with area rock groups on either drums or guitar. During those same adolescent years he acquired basic four-track recording skills and began making song demos on which he sang and handled both guitar and drums.
Following high school, La Torre kept performing with local hard rock and heavy metal outfits, occasionally accepting lounge and wedding gigs to sharpen his technique. Although music remained his primary focus, he launched and successfully operated an upholstery business for nearly eighteen years. Throughout his twenties and thirties he continued working as a drummer and occasional guitarist with numerous regional musicians; while assured in his backing vocal abilities, he had no intention of fronting a band and instead planned a professional drumming career.
La Torre briefly explored the idea of assembling an Iron Maiden tribute act in 2009, yet those plans shifted after Circle II Circle guitarist Matt LaPorte recommended him to Crimson Glory guitarist Jon Drenning for the group’s open vocal position. Following rehearsals and a debut appearance at ProgPower X that autumn, La Torre joined Crimson Glory as lead singer. He toured with the band, but aside from the demo for “Garden of Shadows” never entered the studio with them. Between 2010 and 2012 he traveled with Crimson Glory while also contributing guest performances to recordings by Jon Oliva’s Pain, Craig Blackwell, Kelly Nunn, and Tommy Vitaly.
At a 2012 industry event La Torre met Queensrÿche guitarist Michael Wilton; the two spoke for more than an hour and found extensive common ground. Wilton soon asked La Torre to record vocals over four unreleased demos, and within three days La Torre supplied lyrics and a melody for one track. Meanwhile Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate was occupied with his own solo album, leaving Wilton, bassist Eddie Jackson, and drummer Scott Rockenfield free to pursue a side project under the name Rising West, drawn from a lyric on the album The Warning. Needing a singer, Wilton again approached La Torre. When queried about his familiarity with Queensrÿche material, the longtime admirer sang through the band’s first six albums. After the musicians rehearsed nearly twenty songs together, they were sufficiently impressed to hire La Torre for Rising West. The set, built largely around Queensrÿche songs, sold out multiple June dates; that same month the band dismissed Tate. La Torre had been unaware of any internal conflict. After Tate’s firing became official, La Torre weighed the invitation for several days before accepting. The group simultaneously announced Tate’s exit and La Torre’s arrival.
Following nearly a year of preparation and during an extended legal dispute in which Tate unsuccessfully claimed rights to the Queensrÿche name, the band entered the studio with La Torre. He contributed lyrics, multiple melodies, and portions of the guitar and drum arrangements for the self-titled album released later that year, which earned strong reviews despite the ongoing litigation; the subsequent world tour drew comparable praise.
While preparing the next Queensrÿche record in 2014, La Torre teamed with former Megadeth guitarist Glen Drover for the single “Discordia.” Early in 2015 the band launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance its fourteenth album, Condition Hüman, issued in October on Century Media. The release reached number five on the Top Rock Albums chart. Immediately afterward Queensrÿche supported the Scorpions across the United States and Germany, then spent the following two years headlining their own tours through the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Asia.
La Torre added guest vocals to Dark Matter’s debut album Encipher and to Metal Church’s track “Fake Healer” in 2017. That March, Queensrÿche announced that drummer Scott Rockenfield would take a leave after the birth of his son, with Kamelot’s Casey Grillo filling in temporarily. Rockenfield never returned, so when the band reconvened in the studio La Torre handled both drumming and vocal duties. The Verdict, released March 1, 2019 on Century Media and followed by a tour featuring Grillo on drums, peaked at number six on the Hard Rock Albums chart. In a November interview Wilton stated the band intended to use Grillo on its next studio album. Also that year La Torre recorded with Stryper guitarist Michael Sweet for the latter’s forthcoming release Ten.
Unable to tour in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, La Torre joined guitarist Mike Holtzman’s supergroup Bad Penny, whose lineup included former Journey singer Steve Augeri, ex-Queen and current Blue Öyster Cult bassist Danny Miranda, and Blue Öyster Cult drummer Jules Radino. The project issued its first single, “Voices in My Head,” in August. Throughout the same period La Torre worked on his solo debut with longtime collaborator guitarist Craig Blackwell and producer Chris “Zeuss” Harris; the completed album Rejoice in the Suffering appeared on Rat Pack in February 2021.
Born in Florida in 1974 to parents who favored jazz and regularly brought him to concerts, La Torre first attempted drumming at age seven on a toy set before switching to classical guitar lessons at ten. His father purchased a professional drum kit when La Torre turned 13; one year later the teenager was performing regularly in his high school jazz ensemble while also playing hundreds of shows with area rock groups on either drums or guitar. During those same adolescent years he acquired basic four-track recording skills and began making song demos on which he sang and handled both guitar and drums.
Following high school, La Torre kept performing with local hard rock and heavy metal outfits, occasionally accepting lounge and wedding gigs to sharpen his technique. Although music remained his primary focus, he launched and successfully operated an upholstery business for nearly eighteen years. Throughout his twenties and thirties he continued working as a drummer and occasional guitarist with numerous regional musicians; while assured in his backing vocal abilities, he had no intention of fronting a band and instead planned a professional drumming career.
La Torre briefly explored the idea of assembling an Iron Maiden tribute act in 2009, yet those plans shifted after Circle II Circle guitarist Matt LaPorte recommended him to Crimson Glory guitarist Jon Drenning for the group’s open vocal position. Following rehearsals and a debut appearance at ProgPower X that autumn, La Torre joined Crimson Glory as lead singer. He toured with the band, but aside from the demo for “Garden of Shadows” never entered the studio with them. Between 2010 and 2012 he traveled with Crimson Glory while also contributing guest performances to recordings by Jon Oliva’s Pain, Craig Blackwell, Kelly Nunn, and Tommy Vitaly.
At a 2012 industry event La Torre met Queensrÿche guitarist Michael Wilton; the two spoke for more than an hour and found extensive common ground. Wilton soon asked La Torre to record vocals over four unreleased demos, and within three days La Torre supplied lyrics and a melody for one track. Meanwhile Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate was occupied with his own solo album, leaving Wilton, bassist Eddie Jackson, and drummer Scott Rockenfield free to pursue a side project under the name Rising West, drawn from a lyric on the album The Warning. Needing a singer, Wilton again approached La Torre. When queried about his familiarity with Queensrÿche material, the longtime admirer sang through the band’s first six albums. After the musicians rehearsed nearly twenty songs together, they were sufficiently impressed to hire La Torre for Rising West. The set, built largely around Queensrÿche songs, sold out multiple June dates; that same month the band dismissed Tate. La Torre had been unaware of any internal conflict. After Tate’s firing became official, La Torre weighed the invitation for several days before accepting. The group simultaneously announced Tate’s exit and La Torre’s arrival.
Following nearly a year of preparation and during an extended legal dispute in which Tate unsuccessfully claimed rights to the Queensrÿche name, the band entered the studio with La Torre. He contributed lyrics, multiple melodies, and portions of the guitar and drum arrangements for the self-titled album released later that year, which earned strong reviews despite the ongoing litigation; the subsequent world tour drew comparable praise.
While preparing the next Queensrÿche record in 2014, La Torre teamed with former Megadeth guitarist Glen Drover for the single “Discordia.” Early in 2015 the band launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance its fourteenth album, Condition Hüman, issued in October on Century Media. The release reached number five on the Top Rock Albums chart. Immediately afterward Queensrÿche supported the Scorpions across the United States and Germany, then spent the following two years headlining their own tours through the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Asia.
La Torre added guest vocals to Dark Matter’s debut album Encipher and to Metal Church’s track “Fake Healer” in 2017. That March, Queensrÿche announced that drummer Scott Rockenfield would take a leave after the birth of his son, with Kamelot’s Casey Grillo filling in temporarily. Rockenfield never returned, so when the band reconvened in the studio La Torre handled both drumming and vocal duties. The Verdict, released March 1, 2019 on Century Media and followed by a tour featuring Grillo on drums, peaked at number six on the Hard Rock Albums chart. In a November interview Wilton stated the band intended to use Grillo on its next studio album. Also that year La Torre recorded with Stryper guitarist Michael Sweet for the latter’s forthcoming release Ten.
Unable to tour in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, La Torre joined guitarist Mike Holtzman’s supergroup Bad Penny, whose lineup included former Journey singer Steve Augeri, ex-Queen and current Blue Öyster Cult bassist Danny Miranda, and Blue Öyster Cult drummer Jules Radino. The project issued its first single, “Voices in My Head,” in August. Throughout the same period La Torre worked on his solo debut with longtime collaborator guitarist Craig Blackwell and producer Chris “Zeuss” Harris; the completed album Rejoice in the Suffering appeared on Rat Pack in February 2021.
Albums
Singles
