Customer Reviews

Operation: Mindcrime (2 CDs + 1 DVD)

5 star:		(273)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

We're not talking about just any album here. We're talking about Queensryche's 'tour de force', their 'magnum opus' or any other cliche that denotes sheer perfection. Yes we're talking about Operation: Mindcrime, not only Queensryche's zenith, considered by many as the apogee of concept albums and heavy metal in general. Basically we're talking about progressive metal nirvana.

There is a reason that the preponderance of reviewers give Operation: Mindcrime five stars. When it comes to concept albums, it is the standard to which all concept albums are compared, it has no peers. Heck I do it myself, stacking other very good concept albums against the incomparable Operation: Mindcrime.

What is a concept album? It is simply an album where each song revolves around a single concept or story.

In only their second album, Queensryche scored their breakthrough success with this most ambitious concept album, Operation: Mindcrime, which tells the story of an anarchist whose disillusionment with Reagan-era American society leads him to join a shadowy plot to assassinate corrupt leaders. The band plays fabulously and Geoff Tate does both a great acting and singing job and the music as indicated is quite ambitious, featuring, among others "Suite Sister Mary", a ten-minute track with orchestrations by Michael Kamen.

The band released two hit singles "Eyes of a Stranger" and "I Don't Believe In Love" from this album which is basically hard driving heavy metal except for these singles, which are both power ballads. Interspersed within the music are four suites of dialogue and several other cameos of short monologue or dialogue which help tell the story. These certainly add a nice touch in completing this great recording.

Da Story

Operation Mindcrime begins in a hospital ward where a patient named Nikki after a pain shot from a nurse who calls him a bastard, recalls the recent rash of murders he perpetrated at the request of Dr. X. Nikki, you see, was a psychotic, cynical malcontent who was recruited and brainwashed by the nefarious Dr. X, a power crazed evangelical preacher, leader of 'The Order', to be his personal assassin.

After getting Nikki addicted to drugs, brainwashed and dependent on him for his fixes, Dr. X sends Nikki first out to kill an unnamed corrupt politician, then his girlfriend Mary (an ex hooker) and the priest who got her off the streets because they are risks.

After completing his mission but not remembering it, he finds Mary murdered and realizing what he has done, Nikki goes on a drug binge and ends up in the hospital, the victim of a self induced narcotics overdose. From there the songs vacillate to a series of recriminations and rationalizations with "Breaking the Silence" "I don't Believe in Love" and "The Eyes of a Stranger".

My Favorites

It is truly a hard choice on this album but here is my list of the four best songs:

"Spreading the Disease"

For those faint of heart you may want to stay away from this song as it's just loaded with sex and deviancy. It is the sordid tale of Mary a prostitute, whom Nikki tries to save by getting a priest to take her off the streets. This emotive song is set to heavy double base drums at a medium/fast tempo with plenty of metal accompaniment.

"Suite Sister Mary"

A ten minute and forty second masterpiece, this 'piece de resistance' starts out with Dr. X ordering Nikki to go out and kill Mary and the priest after which, "Mary" starts out with a solo melodic guitar and a Choir which goes on to accompany Tate throughout the song. As on the whole album there are sound effects and dialogue thrown in such as thunder and sirens.
The music itself is again a highly emotional but variable paced number that is a wonderful confluence of rock/metal and opera.

"I don't Believe in Love"

In this song Nikki denies his love for Mary because he cannot face the fact that he murdered her. It is a sad melancholy power ballad. It is very melodic with a varied pace, the verses being slower than the chorus. This was released as a single because it is quite accessible and it was a minor hit even though taken away from the story it loses something.

"The Eyes of a Stranger"

This is my favorite song after "Mary", it is again very melodic varied tempo piece with a great guitar intro. Tate does some powerful singing here on the choruses. the song picks up speed as it goes on up to about a medium pace.
Another single and again a minor hit.

CONCLUSION

I have a confession to make. I don't put much emphasis on lyrics and seldom pay much attention to them, especially when they are hard to understand. Operation: Mindcrime is the exception. The lyrics are easily understood and tell a sad if not exciting, suspenseful story. I'm sure everyone will have their own interpretation of this monumental work, in my case I visualized definite similarities to the movie Manchurian Candidate.

In this day of terrorism and runaway fanatical religion this classic album/story gains even more importance.

There are so many nuances in the epic CD that everytime I listen to it I pick up something new. If you haven't heard Operation: Mindcrime, don't you think it's time.

Though Empire's songcraft was a notch above that on Operation: Mindcrime, it's obvious in comparing the two albums that Mindcrime was a necessary step in the evolution of the band.

After going almost cyberpunk on Rage for Order (which I would argue is Queensryche's coming of age), the Tate-Wilton-DeGarmo core headed in an ultrasleek, aggressive metal direction with this, the brashest album in the Queensryche catalogue. Thanks to producer Peter Collins (Rush), Mindcrime is the first Queensryche album not hindered by a muddy mix. Instead, guitar solos slice through the arrangements to provide emotional peaks for the songs; Tate's vocals never sounded better; and the band was clearly on a roll in terms of songwriting: From the glistening DeGarmo instrumentals "Waiting for 22" and "Anarchy-X" through carnivorous rockers such as "I Don't Believe in Love", "Speak" and "Revolution Calling", and the album's best songs, "The Mission" and "Eyes of a Stranger" -- the former one of the best incorporations of a string section into a rock song and a majestic thematic summary for the entire concept album; the latter a stunning rock masterpiece with an unforgettable guitar riff anchoring one of the band's most intense performances ever.

Operation: Mindcrime also mines the socio-political potential of the concept album farther than either Pink Floyd or The Who ever did, creating an Orwellian nightmare in which there is no redemption for a sinner, even if his acts were not his own.

For a deeper taste of the story, hunt down the Operation: LIVECrime boxed set, which includes a CD/cassette, recorded live, containing the entirety of Operation: Mindcrime as recorded on the band's Building Empires tour, plus a video of the concert itself. A worthy companion piece to this exhilarating album.

An immense pleasure I am now experiencing while listening to Queensryche's stunning "Operation: Mindcrime", coupled with the surprisingly small number of reviews here have urged me to put digit to keyboard and wax poetic about this incredibly emotive sonic masterpiece. Sadly, this masterwork may have been overshadowed on one side by the predictable poses of the popular "80's hair metal bands", and the technically brilliant yet sometimes emotionally chilly "thrash" of the late 80's; yet Queensryche nevertheless garnered much critical praise and expansion of their core following with a cohesive work that delights on many levels of lyric, melody, and emotional resonance. And today, nearly 15 years after its original release, Mindcrime continues to evoke a passionate listening experience through its well-written compositions of sheer power and emotional catharsis.

The core Queensryche "sound" finds its influence in a diverse blend of rock idioms, from the expertly performed art and progressive rock circles to the edgy and incisive sounds of punk rock rebellion. Blend in a pinch of theatrical classic rock in the vein of The Who's "Quadrophenia" and Pink Floyd's "The Wall", and the listener has transcended the run of the mill, stagnant musical forms that occupy a good deal of the record store bins and radio station playlists. Yet Queensryche manages to defy the conveniences of category, presenting an arsenal of sounds and moods that frankly put many of their contemporaries to shame. The vocals of Geoff Tate are inspired and sincere, unlocking the deepest emotional meaning in the passionate lyrics -- If Nero carelessly played his fiddle while Rome burned, Geoff Tate is employing his stunningly melodic vocal gift to inspire the fiery insurgency! And what an insurgency it is, with Mr. Tate relating how the mechanized culture of greed and media manipulation "spread the disease" during Mindcrime's socio-political themed first half, while exposing deepest torment of the soul and it's heart-wrenching sadness on the album's latter half, affording us a look through the eyes of a lost stranger who through tragedy no longer believes in love. Noteworthy songs such as "Speak", "Spreading The Disease" (with a heart-stopping middle break that positively tears asunder the greed and hypocrisy of the dominant 1980's political culture), "The Mission" and "Eyes Of A Stranger" showcase Tate's limitless vocal range and keen ability to locate the melodic heart of a lyric through his vocals.

Suffice it to say that Operation Mindcrime features brilliance not only in the technque of Geoff Tate's voice, but also in the songwriting of the "Tri-Ryche" trio of Tate and guitarists extraordinaire Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton. Virtuosos Wilton and DeGarmo unleash pummeling power chords, lilting arpeggios, and soaring solos as if their very lives depended on it, forging a sound that grips the listener and fits like a silken hand inside the velvet glove of Tate's vocals. The fullness and clarity of sound on this 22-bit remaster reveals the excellent rhythm guitar tracks that form the bedrock for technically and melodically gifted solos galore (a common complaint about 80's metal "shredders" is that they lacked in the rhythm department -- definitely not so with the 'Ryche!) The depth of the layers of melody here are cemented by a persistently rumbling bass courtesy of Eddie Jackson (brilliantly exemplified in the album's title track), an ever-audible bass that adds a rhythmic foundation to the symphony of guitars (how many 80's rock albums are marred by a nearly invisible bass? Again, not on Operation: Mindcrime!). Rounding out the rhythm section is drummer Scott Rockenfield's cymbal crashes and fiery snare work, a combined assault that not only provides a rhythmic pulse but also a melodic compliment with a fine employment of the ride and hi-hat cymbals.

Nearly 16 years after it's initial release (and about 15 since I first listened), Operation: Mindcrime continues to fascinate, perhaps more than ever on this sonically enhanced, remastered edition. Countless trends have come and gone, but art in its most sincere form is able to defy the fickle tastes of those who listen merely for the "hot new sound" or the latest fashion trend shrewdly marketed through the vehicle of a "musical" group. An album that inspires on so many levels (I find myself concurrently singing, air drumming and strumming, and dancing about in sheer abandon in my living room as I listen ... not to mention pondering the deeper lyrical meanings!), I offer the highest recommendation possible to Operation: Mindcrime, an album that any lover of music can appreciate for it's thought-provoking sound, charging forward through the centuries to bare it's fierce and fiery musical soul to all who venture to listen.

Widely regarded as the band's masterpiece, "Operation: Mindcrime" was a rather bold undertaking-- following in the footsteps of The Who's "Tommy" and Pink Floyd's "The Wall", Queensryche assembled a concept album about a disillusionment and revolution, with a healthy dose of tragic love in there for good measure. Like Pink Floyd's "The Wall", the greatest moments in Mindcrime are not when the narrative is served, but rather when the pieces take on a universal quality, when the protagonist is clearly someone whose shoes we have worn. All of us have been disgusted with big business, all of us have loved and lost. Admittedly, most of us don't end up as assassins for cult leaders, but noentheless, there's a resonance here that's hard to capture.

Musically, its really a culmination of what's come before-- "Rage For Order" clearly points the way to this one, but this time the progressive elements and the seemingly endless styles mesh much better with the base metal form the band works within. Admittedly, parts of it do sound a bit dated (the title track being the best example), but there's a real timeless quality to much of the music here.

Highlights are numerous here, certainly the opus "Suite Sister Mary", ten minutes plus of orchestral rock with chanting choirs, moody guitars, and a passion filled duet vocal became singer Geoff Tate and guest Pamela Moore is pretty central, and there's quite a bit of powerful metal pieces ("Revolution Calling", "The Mission", "The Needle Lies") that exceed the quality of similar songs on past releases, but its odd little moments on the album that really shine-- "My Empty Room" foremost on this. An odd melancholy song, haunted, horrifying, and totally bizarre and unprecedented in the band's material.

For the remaster, the sound is somewhat improved and is crisp and distinct. The album is augmented (in my opinion to its detraction-- I prefer the album as a statement unto itself) by two live tracks, a great take of "The Mission" from 1990 and a rerecording of the rearrangement of "My Empty Room" the band played on the "Promised Land" tour in 1994. The latter is definitely well worth having as it really is quite inventive and creative.

This is one of the masterpieces of the metal genre and cemented Queensryche's reputation. While I personally find "Promised Land" to be a superior album (for reasons of personal taste), this is a superb record, a great place to begin exploring the band's catalog, and essential listening.

On a whim, I picked up a copy of OM just before a 5-6 hour ride from Boston to Montreal. By the time we hit the Canadian border we had listened to the cassette 5 times! We could not take it out the cassette player. Not having been a big QR fan to that point, I was totally blown away by the the vocals and the overall tightness of the band. There is no singer that can "hold a candle" to Geoff Tate in the heavy rock genre. Though there is no weakness on this concept album, the highlights are Anarchy-X/Revolution Calling, Suite Sister Mary, Speak, The Mission and Eyes of a Stranger. If you have not heard OM before, you are going to be in for one of the most emotional, energizing and eye-opening musical experiences you've ever had.

I thought I would buy the RE-MASTERED CD and get a better Sonic quality. What I found to my Shock and Horror, is that they introduced so much digital clipping and distortion that I can not stand to listen to this version.

Don't get me wrong, I think this is one of THE GREATEST albums ever made in it's original release.

I even exchanged the cd for another thinking it was a problem with the disk, but this did not help, as they all have the hidious distortion.

I tried to contact the record company, but there is no way to get a hold of anyone to let them know someone really screwed up on this album.

There is Clipping, Sizzling, and clicks that are not in the original release.

Listen to the beginning of "I don't believe in Love" and you will hear all kinds of sizzle and crunch. This is all throughout this CD.

Whom ever Re-mastered this cd should be shot

lthough I've already reviewed this, I wanted to re-review it because I felt the last one didn't do it justice. This is album is quite possibly the best I've ever heard. Queensryche must have known when they were making this that they would never reach this height again. Anybody who has heard this album time and time again will know what I mean. Every moment - every note played, every word sung, every drum hit is just perfect.

Goeff Tate's voice is one of the best there is. He hits high notes with such passion and emotion that you feel it inside. Michael Wilton and Chris DeGarmo may not be the most technical of guitarists, but they play leads with extreme care and caution and they write some amazing music on this album. Eddie Jackson is a very solid bass player and has a promenent style that doesn't just follow the guitars and Scott Rockenfield is a great drummer.

The album is also telling a story. The main character is Nikki, who is a nobody. He gets picked up by a mad Doctor called Dr X who uses people to plan a revolution and murder Senators and hooks them on drugs. Nikki also meets Mary, who he falls in love with. I'll leave the rest for you. The story is kind of a downward spiral, and especially near the end of the album it is very emotional. What's even better is that once you know the story and what part of it the different songs are telling, images fill your head when you're listening as if I if you were imagining it as a film. No other album does that to me.

All in all there are no fillers - every song stands out. My particular favourites are Revolution Calling with an excellent chorus, Electric Requiem and Breaking The Silence for the emotion, and the closer Eyes Of A Stranger which is one of the best album closers I've ever heard. But like I said, all the songs rock. One reviewer even went as far as to say that "there is only one song - it just changes pace and tone".

Although its brilliance may not be immediately apparent, it will not take long for you to recognise how good it is. I cannot recommend it enough, and I can honestly say that it is the best album in my collection. If I was stuck on a desert island with only one CD, it would be this.

I reviewed this album before, when I first got it, but I felt I should review it again, because my previous review did not even come close to doing it justice. I was immediately impressed by the story, but for some reason the music took a bit longer to sink in. I enjoyed it right away, but it just felt like something was missing. It was good music, but I didn't see it as brilliant. Then, after many listens, it hit me. This is perhaps the most musically perfect concept album ever made.

You see, when I first got this album, I was expecting an experience along the lines of Dream Theater's "Scenes from a Memory". More heaviness, more technicality, just...more. Then I realized something: this is not that kind of album. Sure, you've got your fast solos and what not, but the technical bombast usually associated with progressive metal is nary to be found here, and really it doesn't need to be. The musicians all do a fine job, and they only do what is exactly necessary, and it works. It allows for the story to take form, without the music serving as a distraction. I recently got Pain of Salvation's "Remedy Lane", and while it is musically well-executed, I feel that there's just too much going on. There's nothing wrong with a strong degree of diversity, but when put into the context of a concept album, it can just be detrimental. Not the case here. The music suits the storyline perfectly, and enhances it, rather than overpowers it.

And, as for the story itself, well, it is nothing short of brilliant. I won't go into the specific details, because a. part of the fun of getting a concept album is figuring out the story for yourself, and b. there are plenty of reviews here that already gave it away. :) But anyway, this story is fantastic. It's got it all: Emotion, meaning, political significance, and originality. At this point, I would say that it is the greatest story ever told on CD ("The Wall" being a close second). Don't get me wrong, I love the story of SFAM, and it is my favorite album, but I would rank this story a bit higher, as it is more original. But really, I don't like comparing those two albums. Both are brilliant, but in different ways.

Let's see, what else? Oh yes, Geoff Tate. The man is just an incredible singer, and his vocals really bring the story to life. His power and range are astonishing, and when it comes to pure emotion, few can convey it like Tate. His duet with Pamela Moore ("Suite Sister Mary") is just amazing. Moore is an excellent vocalist herself, and these two singing together is quite magical. But really, this entire album is amazing. Not a weak spot to found.

So there you have it. It took me a while to figure it out, but I finally saw the light. This is one of the greatest albums ever made, and there's nothing else like it. If you enjoy well-played intelligent music, this is an album you should not be without. Buy it, love it, worship it. It will change your life.

Remember when rock music held the promise of social change? There is something about having a Bush back in the oval office that makes this album relevant in strange new ways. Originally released back in 1988, this rock opera tells the story of Nikki, a dropout of the Regan era and a heroin addict, who tries to make a difference in society by joining an underground revolutionary movement headed by Doctor X. You can feel his frustration and hope for a better future in "Speak":

Seven years of power
The corporation claw
The rich control the government, the media the law
To make some kind of difference
Then everyone must know
Eradicate the fascists, revolution will grow

The system we learn says we're equal under law
But the streets are reality, the weak and poor will fall
Let's tip the power balance and tear down their crown
Educate the masses, We'll burn the White House down

Speak to me the pain you feel
Speak the word [Revolution]
The word is all of us

Unfortunately for Nikki, he learns that even his revolution will not allow him to think for himself, he just waits for the call to learn his next target. The good doctor provides the drugs he need and the sense of purpose towards a greater good in exchange for Nikki's killing skills. The role of the doctor is played remarkably like Cancer Man from the X-files.

When Nikki goes rouge, the revolution finds a way to silence him. Operation Mindcrime is in my mind the most complex and socially meaningful rock opera in existence. Its major difference from utopian social commentary is that it shows the limitations of the people controlling a social revolution for the supposed good of the masses while still showing the responsibility of the status quo government for the revolutionary impulse. Thus, Operation Mindcrime does not provide easy solutions but exposes the basic problems of our fiscally divided society.

Despite being an inconspicuous pioneer of the progressive metal genre, Queensryche returns to the clear-cut, albeit highly sophisticated, heavy metal of their roots with Operation: Mindcrime, arguably their finest album to date. Taking their lyrical ambition several steps beyond previous works, Operation: Mindcrime is a concept album telling the story of a cynical, idealistic man named Nikki who joins a zealous left-wing organization set on assassinating political and religious deadbeats. Tragic romance, drug addiction, betrayal, and insanity are all elements of this great story. Anchored to some of the 'Ryche's best songwriting, music and story amalgamate into a truly memorable album.

Perhaps the reason O:M is such an excellent piece of work is its emotional redolence. We shouldn't feel sorry for Nikki in his situation (he's not really a nice guy, after all), but we do because of the story's closed system. Since all the characters are scumbags (especially the lowlife hypocrite of a priest), Nikki wins our sympathy just because he's trapped in a nightmare from which he cannot escape, and he's among the least vile of the characters. It also helps that vocalist Geoff Tate sings with a passion heightened by his inhuman vocal ability. His mastery of upper ranges is matched by few, if any, and he delivers the narrative lyrics with conviction and intensity. Definitely one of the greatest vocal performances ever put to a metal record.

The story's conveyances score high marks for great metal songwriting. Songs are concise, aggressive, and every one is worthwhile. The band scored some lucrative singles with "I Don't Believe In Love," lyrically cheerless but musically exhilarating, and the stunning "Eyes of a Stranger," the captivating rocker that serves as the story's terrific coda, as well as carrying overtones for a broader thematic matter. More ambitious songs also make an impression, especially with Michael Kamen's fabulous orchestrations. The timorous overture to "Suite Sister Mary" leads into a lush 10-minute track combining chanting choirs, intense guitar lines, and brilliant character interaction between Nikki (Tate) and Mary (Pamela Moore), sung of course. The only thing that would have made this song tastier is some harmonization between Tate and Moore, which would have sounded great, but let's not get picky. "The Mission" is one of the most underrated songs the band ever wrote, yet concurrently one of the best, with powerful lyrics, arrangements, and emotionally striking solos.

After this, Queensryche released Empire, an outstanding commercial hard rock album. The work that followed Empire was notably weaker, and it's doubtful that the band will ever again hit the peak of songwriting found here and on their next release. Empire and Mindcrime are both worthy additions to your collection if you want some of the best metal and hard rock out there.