There new record American Soldier was written by Geoff Tate and producer Jason Slater, along with drummer Scott Rockenfield, and contributors Kelly Gray and Damon Johnson. Slater returns to the Queensr�che creative process in the same capacity that worked for the band with the writing and recording of Operation: Mindcrime II, which was released in 2006 and debuted at 14 on the Billboard Top 200, selling more than 40,000 records in its first week. The album was Queensr�che�s highest chart debut since Promised Land, in 1994. Both Promised Land and Operation: Mindcrime (1988) have been certified platinum, selling more than one million albums each in America alone, and Empire (1990) has reached triple-platinum status. The band�s first three albums�their self-titled EP (1983), The Warning (1984), and Rage for Order (1986)�have all been certified gold, selling more than 500,000 copies each.