Customer Reviews

Operation: Mindcrime II

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3 star:		(57)
2 star:		(40)
1 star:		(46)

 

 

The reviews on here are just as predicted. Some loyal to the old Ryche and some loyal to the entire career of this band (start to ....finish). As one who tries to commit to the latter, yet is truly moved only by material up to - and INCLUDING! - Promised Land, allow me to offer a heart-felt attempt at a reality-based review; one that reports mixed results.

No, it's not the same band. There's no Chris. And really, there's no epics. Nothing truly memorable. And the intensity of the legitimacy of the PURPOSE! ...???????
But as some of you have pointed out, it still IS Queensryche, in some form. Which will always be aweseome on some level. There's still an addictive quality to the music.

Without doing another play by play, here's the real scoop on the album. The music is the best since Promised Land, but doesn't match that or any prior effort. Why? Primarily because it is weighed down by the band's terrible identity crisis about what sort of PRODUCTION their music needs. For a band who prides themselves on not following trends, that spirit is starting to get real paper thin. The music is compressed to holy hell, just like everything else out there, which squashes the mix and in turn it's hard to hear a palatable stereo image. It's just unpleasurable grain in the guitar distortion and the usual "2000's" vocal treatment - up-front, without character or dynamic, and such that one can't really hear any subtle nuance in the soundscape. So I blame the production team first. The music is never given a chance to breathe (unlike OMC I , if drowned in reverb ).

The other problem - going back to the music itself - is the songs don't get real good till the end. Too little too late. Where "Suite Sister Mary" was on I, we have Ronnie James Dio on II. Only in one of many go-nowhere 3 minute increments, the album doesn't pace its way to anything. Before you know it, Pamela Moore is beginning a sweet duet with Geoff right as the record ends. No climax and no payoff.

I follow the liner notes but as someone else put it, it takes a lot of effort just to CARE about the fact that there's a literary thematic story going on. Unlike DT's Metropolis 2, if the music isn't highly intriguing, the story loses its credibility.

One of the major saving graces is the song "Fear City Slide" - classic Ryche which erases the blemishes of recent years' releases, and tries so hard to move the band forward, to once again try to evolve...

The heartbreak is, despite all the marks against it, it really had the makings of something with potential. And it falls somewhere in between. I'll probably listen to it over and over, never really forget about it, but I'll probably never really remember it, either. For every admirable harmonized guitar lick on this album, there's the same run on another album with more conviction and direction. I enjoy this album, but I fear for its test-of-time -ness

I hesitated to write this review for fear that it really doesn't go anywhere, but all in all, my infatuation with the mighty Ryche will always call me back...and I think that says a lot.

Of Queensr?che's eight studio releases, my best guess is that 1% (give or take a percent) would select any of their last three albums (Hear in the Now Frontier, Q2K, Tribe) as their best. For the majority of fans, their 1988 release, Operation: Mindcrime, will forever be the highlight of their career. It was no surprise how high the anticipation was when the boys from Seattle announced in 2005 that they would be recording Operation: Mindcrime II. (For those unfamiliar with the original Mindcrime - released in 1988 and certified Platinum, I'll just briefly say that it was one of the most talked about, widely respected, and critically acclaimed albums of its time.)

"Why now?" some may ask. Lead vocalist Geoff Tate provides a frank answer in a recent interview: "I think we're in even worse shape as a society than when we wrote the original. It's something I couldn't ignore. We've lost the capacity to know the truth because everything is spin." True that.

With every member (except newcomer Mike Stone) now over the age of 40, I personally held little hope of R?che ever coming close to the brilliance of the original Mindcrime (which they recorded while all still in their passionate twenties), but I did hope the new album would surpass their last three (because, quite frankly, I was about to stop buying any of their new albums). Without key member Chris DeGarmo on board though, my hopes were slim, to say the least.

It was startling how anxious I was right before listening to this album. I wondered nervously if the old (intense) feelings that the original aroused in me would come back. Would R?che be able to work their black magic and draw people into another tormented alternate reality again? I won't answer that question, but I will gladly say that Operation: Mindcrime II is far and away the best of their last three (now four) albums.

I considered summarizing the story and plot, but then decided I didn't want to spoil it for anyone, because that's half the fun of great concept albums - figuring it out. I will tell you the bare essentials: the story takes place 18-20 years after the original; Nikki has been doing time in prison while Dr. X has grown rich and powerful; after Nikki is released from prison, he's hell bent on revenge against Dr. X. If you want to know more (including the identity of Mary's killer), buy the album.

Musically, Mindcrime II is an intriguing mix of contemporary Metal and the early Progressive Metal (with lots of guitar solos and duets) that Queensr?che pioneered. It manages to sound both fresh and familiar at the same time. And most importantly, the spirit of the new album feels the same as the original.

The album explores several themes, with two of the most interesting and prevalent being the roles revenge and forgiveness play in our lives. How well does revenge work as a means to an end? Is forgiveness an alternative strategy? Lead vocalist Geoff Tate states in an interview that the whole album is really a study in revenge and what it does to a person.

Two other themes the album deals with are the ability to change and the impact love can have, as epitomized in the songs "If I Could Change It All," "A Junkie's Blues," and the last track, "All the Promises."

I believe any fan of the first Mindcrime will delight in this follow-up. It's diverse, thought-provoking, and emotional. What I'm not sure of is if it will appeal to many new fans. Compared to most Progressive Metal bands these days, it's not the heaviest music around, and not only is it musically (and story-wise) a mix of the old and the new, it is meant to be listened to as a whole. All 17 songs are arranged so that they flow into each other. As Tate says in an interview, "I'm proud of the fact that this album doesn't make any compromises - it's really an anomaly in an age where people have short attention spans and don't listen to albums. The songs are strong enough to stand on their own, but the album was written to be played from start to finish - to be experienced as a whole - not shuffled around randomly."

The album starts with a moody instrumental lead in, then there's a short piece where we learn that Nikki is being released from prison, and then we get to the first song: "I'm American." Right away, you know that R?che's long absent cultural acrimony is back, this time lashing out at the culture of entitlement. The song, with its hardcore and punk-rock influences, is very different from any other song R?che has ever done. Admittedly, I didn't like it when I first heard it, but it's grown on me and I'm actually fond of it now.

The album proceeds from there much like the first Mindcrime - the story unravels and the songs and interludes vary from hard and aggressive to soft and mournful. There are repeating musical motifs throughout, and you'll hear bits a pieces of melodies from the original Mindcrime - just enough to let you know this is the continuation of that album/story. Geoff Tate's singing fits the album well. His vocals are older and deeper, reflecting perfectly Nikki, who is himself around 40 years old now. It may sound like there's less passion at times, but that's how it is growing older - you're a little wiser, a little more even. There is a welcome return of guitar solos throughout, and even the Latin chants make a return ("If I Could Change It All").

Ronnie James Dio makes a guest appearance as Doctor X on the song, "The Chase." He and Tate sing an operatic duet that's just plain great. The second half of the album has an ethereal, haunting sound to it that is quite moving. Pamela Moore (aka Sister Mary) returns to sing on "If I Could Change It All," and also the last track, "All the Promises," which is a beautiful, sad duet between her and Tate. This ending song is quite the contrast from the loud, aggressive conclusion to the original Mindcrime. The song fades away like a melancholy dream, the lyrics a shrewd reminder of what is truly important in this day and age of war and terrorism and non-stop entertainment.

It's obvious the band members put a lot of work into this album: it is meticulously put together; the guitars and vocals are strong; and it all pays tremendous dividends. Clocking in at 59:42, Mindcrime II is 29 seconds longer than the original. How does it compare to the original? That's an unfair question. Nothing could compare to the first Mindcrime. That said, Mindcrime II has surpassed all of my expectations and, in my opinion, is good enough to be a nominee for 2006 Album of the Year at <a href=http://tmetal.com>TTM</a>. (I won't speculate on its odds of winning, but I think if there was a category for Comeback Album of the Year that it would win hands down.)

After the first Mindcrime, it seemed to me like Queensr?che got lost in the desert and didn't know where to go. Fortunately, they found their way out of the desert, and they did it not by running away from their past, but by accepting it - embracing it even. And that's a lesson we can all learn from.

Quite Simply this is the best Ryche album in a very long time, I would venture a guess as far back as EMPIRE in fact, though in my opinion Empire is better. What I think folks fail to realize before they write a review here is that this is a follow up to a brilliant concept album, and with that there is a complex story line that needs to be concluded...so why would it be simple, or easy to get right away....it's not, first time I heard this album, I was yes...disapointed too, in fact it took about 6-7 spins before it started to grow on me....but, it did grow each and every time.
And by that 8th time there are only a few songs that I'm not really enjoying, however, no big, there is A LOT of songs on this album....17 if I remember correctly so who cares if a few aren't all that...???

There are some amazing tracks on here and it is a great album, it's just that as classic Ryche fans...we put the original so far up on the rychter scale that anything they would release would be hard pressed to compete!

Well I admit that deep down I never really thought that Queensryche would really be able to top the first Mindcrime album, I mean that album is a landmark in hard rock / metal and one that will live forever. Having said that I am suprised in the depth and in some cases intensity of the critisism this album has received. I havent really liked a Queensryche album since Empire, yes I have them all, yes there are some great tracks such as Damaged (one of my faves)and yes the band was always going to change with the general change in musical tastes around that time and the departure of Degarmo. This release surely must be the best since Empire, back to the style that the vast majority of fans loved, with only the occasional hint of that depressive drone that has haunted the last few releases. Granted not every track is a winner, but in general I think this album rocks.

As with so many bands this album doesnt really capture the new material as it is meant to sound. Last night I had the privelige to see the band live, at last, their first visit to Australia (unbelievable I know)and after travelling about 600 miles to see them in Melbourne. This material really shines live, so much more dynamic and powerfull and sits really well after the O.M 1 material. I'm American just blew me away, what a great song live. I only think that the diehard QR fans might consider giving the new material a chance live, Im glad I did. Geoff Tate sounded great, despite some of the harsh critisism he seems to cop these days and the band rocked. Anyway - just my opinion but if you get the chance, have a listen to the live tour with the two albums sitting together so well.

Cheers

This is a good album! Yes, it is complex, it is not OM1, and it WILL take some getting used to - because there is a lot of music and ideas in this story.

As I recall, Operation Mindcrime 1(OM1) did not immediately set the world on fire, largely because Operation Mindcrime is a concept album. Concept albums are not meant to be absorbed in a matter of 20 minutes, an hour, or even a month. Sure, with 18 years under its belt in the hearts and minds of Queensryche fans, OM1 will SEEM better and easier to digest than this new album.
Familiar music is always easier to fall back on. Also, it's nice to be able to listen to a concept album all the way through and feel that you recognize its overall intention; please, if you do not know what I mean, then give Genesis's 'The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" a try sometime. It's rewarding to "learn" "The Lamb"; just as it was -no doubt- pleasing to figure out the music and story behind OM1. You just might have to "learn" OM2 as well, i order to really appreciate it, but the concert will be all the more exciting because of your effort.

I, for one, totally dig Operationa Mindcrime II. It is a very dynamic album filled with lots of sonic space that Queensryche never ventured into before. For example, tasteful synths grace the background of a good number of songs but the motifs seem stronger than on OM1. There are the occasional choral operatic movements and sonic appearances by Mary. A key example of the choral work and operatic arrangements is in the song "An Intentional Confrontation". The guitar playing is wonderful throughout the album and Chris DeGarmo should be impressed.

Also, I must say, that this album does as good, if not a better job, than OM1 in tying certain songs together. If you're patient enough you will even notice slight reprises of certain themes from OM1.

My review comes after listening to the album all the way through twice. This is not enough time to truly absorb the album or to get annoyed with any POSSIBLE idiosyncracies about the vocals, tone, etc, but I do believe that my first impression of this album IS VERY STRONG. Buy this album and hear the rest of Niki's story! I definitely recommend this album!

For those who worship at the altar of Chris DeGarmo - if he still had the same knack for great songwriting that he showed on OM:I or Empire, then how to explain Hear in the Now Frontier or his efforts on Tribe? HITNF had DeGarmo's fingerprints all over it, and that was their first bad album. Face it, he was GREAT back in the day, but that day is gone. So Queensr?che is moving on without him (he did leave by the way, it's not like they kicked him out), and I say good for them!

With that out of the way, what about OM:II? Well as others have said, it is not the masterpiece that the first one was. But I can honestly say that this is the best work the band has done since Promised Land, easily. I will admit, however, that it took about 4-5 listens for the album to really start sinking in. But right off the bat, I loved "Re-Arrange You," "The Chase" and "Murderer?" Those three songs are the high point of the album. And I love that they ended the album with a ballad rather than a rocker. "All the Promises" is a beautiful track and could have come right off Promised Land (my favorite QR album).

Geoff Tate may not be able to hit the glass-shattering notes like he could back in 88, but his voice still sounds very strong. And I think Mike Stone, once he starts to get his playing style in the Ryche more well-defined, will prove to be a more than capable 2nd guitarist.

One thing that was a big disappointment for me is the production. I guess Rhino gave QR a low budget to work with, because the sonics of the album are not that great. A little more clarity and "oomph" in the sound would have really given the album more impact. Something tells me that this will sound even better live though.

All in all, this album has me excited about the Ryche in a way I haven't been in a decade. Even without having "Operation: Mindcrime" as part of the title, this is a strong album that shows the band is finally getting back on track after some really disappointing efforts.

Background: In 1988 I heard a song called SUITE SISTER MARY and was immediately hooked on this band called Queensryche. Aside from Rush, they were my first experience with progressive metal. The Warning, Rage, Mindcrime played continuously in my single CD player until 1990 when Empire was released. I thought Promised Land a masterpiece, and marvelled at the ability of this band to continue to change their sound from one CD to the next. Although Hear in the Now Frontier was disappointing, there are some very bright moments on it, like SPOOL. Q2K marked the transition from DeGarmo, and it really sucked.

But Geoff Tate seemed to gain his confidence back with Tribe, which is an excellent CD, and again shows Queensryche's ability to push their own ideas of identity to the limits. Tate's voice has changed. He no longer hits the high notes, and even at the concerts he often lets the audience take the high pitched notes...

Tate's solo album is a great example of his new voice. It is a masterpiece of sound and lyric, and it is mostly absent of any hooks. Which brings us to Mindcrime II. This CD is awesome. I am on my 6th listen, and what I hear is Geoff Tate in command. He is an artist, and he has created a CD worthy of the Queensryche name. There arent any songs that stand out like on the original, and maybe the radio is far away from playing any QR, but to the real fans of the band, it delivers.

Where does it lack....the story has very little action. It is more of character study. We spend much of our time inside nikki's head. Dio sounds good, and pamela moore reminds us of the original mindcrime, but mostly what we get is a heavy dose of Geoff Tate's artistry and perspective. But I'll gladly take it. I think even Chris would be proud of this effort.

The only thing to expect from Queensryche is that each album will be different from previous albums and Operation:Mindcrime II is no exception! They bring you to the edge and back while spinning a compelling story that only they can offer. You've wondered; What happened to Nikki?, Who killed Mary?, What about Dr. X? Queensryche has made you wait 18 years for the answers and there is no doubt that in the end the wait was worth it. But it doesn't have the same feel as the first? Of course not. Things have changed, attitudes, behaviors, beliefs. The music has changed with the story and it's characters. They take you on Nikki's emotional rollercoaster of relief, expectations, goals with an underlying tone of sadness and longing. Don't let anyone tell you different, it's a quality album that is worth having and listening to over and over. Queensryche wouldn't be Queensryche if they followed the pattern of other bands and gave you the same thing on every album. If you're dissappointed with this, you don't understand, and should probably be listening to Dave Matthews or some other redundant band.

Overall, this album is one of the strongest since the original Mindcrime. According to interviews with the band, they really focused on relearning/replaying Mindcrime extensively and wrote the sequel in the same key, etc. My initial reaction is that this album is much better than anything they've put out since Empire, however, this album includes musical elements that are remincient of all of their albums except Empire. I've been a fan since Rage for Order and was as shocked as anyone when Queensrcyhe hit the big time with Silent Lucidity of all songs. Not a bad song, but also not one you would expect to grab the public either. Following are reviews of some of the key tracks.


I'm American: This is a pretty cool song. It's got powerful drumming, angry guitars, twin guitar harmonies are back (thank God - what's up with no meaningful lead guitar on Tribe?).

One Foot in Hell: A decent groove, nice bluesy female background vocals.

Hostage: Song sounds great. One of the more commercial-friendly tracks and much better than the live bootlegs on the net.

The Hands: Begins with opening from I Don't believe in Love. Nice touch. Vocals are powerful and melodic. Vocal effects include the "yell through a bullhorn and an echo chamber". Underlying guitar riff is a powerful groove with subtle lead guitar and strings in the background. Bass work is impressive. Drumming is methodical and understated.

Signs of Light: The intro almost sounds like a funky "artist formally known as Prince" meets Led Zeppelin. Special effects sound like automated recordings in a futuristic airport terminal. Chorus is similar to tracks on Hear and the now Frontier. Reminiscent of "Some People fly". Ending includes powerful vocals from female vocalist reminiscent of Suite Sister Mary (same singer).

Signs say go: Guitar work is fairly simple. Drumming is more complex and interesting that in other tracks, however, Vocals are not impressive and this song is the weakest track.

Rearrange You: Opening with orchestral sounding strings. Bass, orchestra, and drums make this song more operatic. Vocals are more like classic Queensryche. When guitars come in, they sound similar to progressive elements of Dream Theater's Scenes from a Memory. Lead guitar also very Petrucci-like, which is a good thing. DT and Queensryche toured together a few years back. Perhaps this some cross-polinization?

The Chase: Ronnie James Dio and Geoff Tate duet. Sounds great in concept but less wonderful in reality. Twin guitars a nice touch again, but the underlying Spanish Polka beat just sounds out of place to me. I would have expected a confrontation between Nikki and Dr. X to be a more powerful and prog-metal sound. Maybe after a few more listens I'll appreciate this one more.

Murderer?: Starts off with soft guitar arpeggio with echo effect. Techno-bass beat lies on top of it - great intro. Lots of vocal effects. Chorus is powerful and classic Queensryche. Female vocals come in again. Lots of interesting vocal accents. Ending is creative, energetic, and powerful. This song has many changes and distinct parts of the arrangement. Strong composition.

Circles: Similar to Electric Requiem, includes vocals with heavy echo effects on top of mysterious guitar, birds, and whispering voices (A la Welcome to the Machine by Pink Floyd). A nice transitional piece between Murder and If I could Change. However, after a hearing this a few times most will problem hit the "skip song" button on their MP3 players.

If I Could Change It All: Geoff Tate puts passion into this song vocally. A slight saxophone piece adds a nice touch in the beginning. Later on it sounds like some guitar work mimics a sax player (synth?) Very soft and melodic song. Soulful female vocals are reminiscent of those on Roger Water's Amused to Death. Roman-catholic vocals (a la Suite Sister Mary) on the end were a little overdone.

An Intentional Confrontation: This song includes powerful guitars and interesting voice interplay between female and male vocals. Migrates over to a grove that sounds suspiciously like Lady Jane from Promised Land.

A Junkie's Blues: Begins sounding reminiscent of Stone Temple Pilots' Vasoline. Builds up to a soft chord progression with Geoff Tate talking through lyrics. The song becomes somewhat toward the end but ends with a few bars of Revolution Calling as a nice touch.

Fear City Slide: Starts with a heartbeat backed with subtle and interesting guitar work. Guitars are nicely balanced and work well together on this track. Nice drums and percussions. Geoff Tate delivers a strong and interesting vocal. The ending includes vintage Queensryche effects with shades of Rage for Order.

All The Promises: This song begins with interesting percussion effects and "music box" sounding guitar effects (a la Steve Vai). This song is more like the songs on Tribe. Like many final tracks on Queensryche albums, this song is the soft, reflective, epic ballad. Nice female/male vocals again. Strong acoustic guitar in a Minor key similar to I will Remember from Rage for Order. Also sounds vaguely like Real World from the Last Action Hero.

This album does the exact same thing that the original accomplished: captured a feel for a story. The original captured a haunting air of mystery, (at least the last half of the album did) and OM II captures the idea of revenge. It's harder to listen to than the original (not in a bad way), but that's because it's more frantic. I believe it's suppose to be that way since Nikki's doing whatever it takes to track down and get revenge on Dr. X. I think that within a couple of listens, people will undestand it and give it the appreciation it deserves.