Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime II

If you are like me, then there are music albums that define certain periods in your life. One chord from any song off those albums will flood your mind with memories, both pleasant and strained. Queensryche’s groundbreaking Operation: Mindcrime is one such album for me. Operation: Mindcrime represents the time in my life in which my world was changing, both figuratively and literally. My mother had accepted a job in Houston, Texas I was about to live outside of Iowa for the first time in my life. Throw in the fact I was corn-fed Iowa boy about to endure his teen years in a big city and music became the perfect escape.

Queensryche’s opus was also one of first metal albums I owned and definitely the first concept album I owned. I grew up on the Beatles, Skynyrd, Bob Seger, Journey and Van Halen, but the progressive metal band from Seattle started my evolution to harder music. Granted I would take unfortunate backslides in my musical tastes throughout my teen years [I hate you Def Leppard for stealing hours of my life with Hysteria], but there was always one constant: Mindcrime. The idea that a band would weave a story through an entire album had me hooked.

Mindcrime had it all: a young street urchin turned political assassin, a doctor using drugs to manipulate people’s minds, a hooker turned nun, and a corrupt TV evangelist who helped funnel money throughout the doctor’s crime syndicate. All of these characters play out a murder-mystery story that caused me to go through no less than two cassette tapes and two CDs. I have no doubt that Mindcrime is the album I have listened to most in my lifetime.

Where am I going with story? Well, last year Queensryche announced they were planning a sequel to arguably the best rock concept album of all time and this Tuesday marks the official release date for Operation: Mindcrime II. Through the magic of the Internet I have already had the chance to hear the entire album about 6-7 times through.

I while I am looking forward to picking up the official copy of the album for the lyrics and liner notes, I can honestly say after listening to the album a few times it is a worthy follow up to the original. However, my initial impression of the album remains; it feels “over” produced. The songs on the original Mindcrime were able to stand on their own apart from plotlines on rest of the album. You could listen to “I Don’t Believe In Love” without knowing that it was a link in a string of songs telling a story.

Mindcrime II is more of a musical than a hard rock album. Queensryche’s singer, Geoff Tate, is joined by Pamela Moore as the voice of Mary [the dead prostate/nun] and Ronnie James Dio as the voice of Dr. X. I suppose that is what separates Mindcrime II right away from the first album is amount of duet songs. On Mindcrime Geoff Tate handled all the vocals, save Mary’s lines in the song “Suite Sister Mary.” If I want show tunes, I’ll listen to Phantom of the Opera, but when I put in a Queensryche CD, I want Geoff handling the bulk of the vocals.

Don’t get me wrong; the duet songs are typically well done. However, they weren’t what I was expecting, so it took awhile to get used to them. So, far the stand out songs in my opinion are: “I’m American,” “Hostage,” “The Hands,” “The Chase,” and “Re-Arrange Me.” My initial understanding of Mindcrime II’s storyline revolves around Nikki [the street urchin] getting released from prison and setting out to confront Dr. X and some other demons from his past.

If you are a fan of progressive metal, I can safely recommend Queensryche’s Operation: Mindcrime II. Of course, it doesn’t completely live up to the original album, however it is worthy of its’ own praise.

Now if you will allow me a moment to play the role of a frou-frou blog for a moment, I would like to know what albums, throughout your lifetime, have influenced you the most? Heed this warning though; I will make fun of the first person that lists Huey Lewis and the News or Michael Bolton.