Operation: Mindcrime [IMPORT]

Queensrÿche

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: May 3, 1988
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Import
• ASIN: B000002UEB
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (176 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #86,124 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. I Remember Now

2. Anarchy-X

3. Revolution Calling

4. Operation: Mindcrime

5. Speak

6. Spreading the Disease

7. Mission

8. Suite Sister Mary

9. Needle Lies

10. Electric Requiem

11. Breaking the Silence

12. I Don't Believe in Love

13. Waiting for 22

14. My Empty Room

15. Eyes of a Stranger

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Long dubbed "the thinking man's metal band," Queensryche have always been difficult to classify; somewhere between Iron Maiden and Pink Floyd. Mindcrime was their breakthrough album, garnering the band commercial and critical success. Arguably their best release, this is a complex, ambitious effort, with top-notch music and a complicated storyline (a disillusioned fortune hunter of the Reagan era joins an underground movement to assassinate political scumbags) that flows smoothly from start to finish. The combination of experimental, progressive music with shorter, more radio-friendly songs works well, and enabled the band to release singles from the album while keeping the story intact. These shorter songs provide the album's most exciting moments; "Revolution Calling," "Eyes of a Stranger," and "I Don't Believe in Love" are some of the best metal songs out there. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Queensryche's most ambitious work., December 18, 1999

By	D. Mok (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Breathtaking!, November 14, 1999

By	Phil ([e-mail]) (Boston) - See all my reviews

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.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best album - ever, May 19, 2001

By	Chris 'raging bill' Burton (either Kent or Manchester, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

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.