Operation: Mindcrime

Operation: Mindcrime

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

Tracks:

Remember Now
Anarchy-X
Revolution Calling
Operation: Mindcrime
Speak
Spreading The Disease
The Mission
Suite Sister Mary
The Needle Lies
Electric Requiem
Breaking The Silence
I Don't Believe In Love
Waiting For 22
My Empty Room
Eyes Of A Stranger
The Mission (Live)
My Empty Room (Live)

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:

One of my all time Favorites!!.......2007-03-29

It's always fascinated me when "stuffy" rock journalists criticize Concept albums. In my opinion a good Concept album is even more difficult to create than a "normal" album simply because it requires a coherent story line. And a good concept album is closer to pure art than a normal album because it can be readily turned into a book, play or even a movie (think of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" or The Who's "Tommy").

And I think "Operation Mindcrime" is one of the best, not quite up there with "The Wall" but I personally like it even more than "Tommy" simply because it's more "my kind of music". Tommy, after all, is really rock Opera and I don't really like Opera!!! In fact I don't like a lot of sides 3 & 4 of The Wall either, for the same reason. Mindcrime is not just pure rock, it's really good progressive influenced Heavy Metal!!!

And many of the songs also stand alone just fine, "Eyes of a Stranger" is my personal favorite and one of my all time favorite songs period. "Revolution Calling", the title track, "The Needle Lies", "I Don't Believe In Love" and the center piece; "Suite Sister Mary" are also standouts.

In fact, this was turned into a "movie" which was really more of a collection of MTV styled videos, which, unfortunately, is missing some songs (guess they had a limited budget and decided to spend it on quality rather than make videos for every single song) but the story still flows well. This came out on VHS before the "Operation Livecrime" box set, a couple of the videos were shown on MTV at the time and I have never seen a DVD of it, though they did release "Livecrime" on DVD.

As for the band, I have always thought Scott Rockenfield is one of THE great overlooked drummers and Chris DeGarmo is sadly missed and his absence (especially his compositional skills) had a very apparent effect on the band as a whole. And Geoff Tate has one of THE great voices in rock PERIOD.

The band also released a companion follow-up, "Operation Mindcrime II" in 2006 and I have seen a lot of criticism of it because it's not as good. Well, come on folks, how could it be?!? I personally feel it IS a worthy companion to this original. Even if it's not as good as the original, it's still better than a lot of the stuff out there masquerading as prog-metal!! So I would tell anyone who does like this original to shell out a few $$ for a used version of the new one.

Bottom line, if you like rock at all, in any form, you should already own this album!!!

Dated but very good.......2007-03-28

A friend recommended this to me and it was surprisingly better than I had expected. This is certainly no "Scenes From a Memory" by Dream Theater or "Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floydd (two of my favorite concept albums), but the fact that it is not the best concept album I've heard doesn't mean it is not worth checking out for the great music. It sounds a bit dated, but the story line is interesting (if somewhat convoluted and lacking in originality) and the guitar work delivers when it is needed. Overall, I imagine when this first came out, I would have given it five stars, but it just doesn't stand up as well to the test of time compared to DT or PF concept albums (or even Symphony X or Rush).

One of the Greatest Albums EVER.......2007-03-28

When I first bought this on cassette (dating myself) there was a sticker on the front that equated this album with "The Wall" and "Tommy". Pretty high praise, indeed. And it lives up to it in every way. Interestingly enough, the political circumstances that seem to have inspired this concept album have reared their ugly head again (how odd that this was recorded with a Bush in the White House), and that makes this album just as relevant today as it was when it was first released. If you're a fan of progressive metal, concept albums, or simply mind blowing, blazing metal with an IQ above 50 then this is the perfect disc for you.

Classic Album!.......2007-03-11

Top notch job from Tate, deGarmo and the crew. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from here. If you want a great example of what a concept album should be, pick this up!

Ignore MTV rocks...........2007-03-01

Anyone who says led zepplin 2, master of puppets, megadeth greatist hits, and iron maiden suck should even get our attention. put lindsay lohan at 5, and avril what's her face too. just because it's not on the radio doesnt mean it's not good. Are we posers? not even close. posers are defined by only following what is popular.

-Peace

Average customer rating:

Not Empire Strikes Back but more like Ghostbusters2
A comeback- Sort of.
QUEENSRYCHE rocks NOW, as THEN!!
excellent
If you like progressive, then progress!!

Operation: Mindcrime II
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Operation: Mindcrime
Karmacode
A Matter Of Life And Death
10,000 Days
IV

ASIN: B000E1ZBHM
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Tracks:

Freiheit Ouverture
Convict
I'm American
One Foot in Hell
Hostage
Hands
Speed of Light
Signs Say Go
Re-Arrange You
Chase
Murderer?
Circles
If I Could Change It All
An Intentional Confrontation
Junkie's Blues
Fear City Slide
All The Promises

Amazon.com

Queensrÿche's sequel to the classic 1998 concept piece Operation: Mindcrime is not as good as the original. Mindcrime II lacks the sense of sweeping cinematic awe found on the original and although the quintet has managed to create an album that's equal to or above any studio outing it's done in recent years, there's nothing here that will bolster the band back to its former glory. A distinct lack of standout songs is perhaps the greatest problem. "Revolution Calling," "I Don't Believe In Love," and "Speak" became Queensrÿche classics not because they were part of the grand concept found on O:M, but because they could be drawn out and held up as fine examples of writing that probed the corrupt spirit of the age. O:M bled heavy truths from its deepest grooves.

Those familiar with the concept from the first album should note that this second installment focuses on protagonist Nikki and his desire to exact revenge on the corrupt Doctor X, making for a more insular narrative. That's a problem because one of the great thrills of the original Mindcrime was the scope of its scorn; here, the band never reaches beyond the confines of the world it created for this updated fantasy. The urgency that emanated from the earlier affair hasn't become muted, it has simply faded.

Yet, this new record's better than you might first believe and proves difficult to fully dismiss. In the 18 years since the original installment the band has become leaner, often more exacting, possessing a confidence that was less pronounced on earlier recordings. Scott Rockenfield's drumming has grown more interesting with time and the years have done little to lessen vocalist Geoff Tate's multi-octave expertise. The dual guitar attack of Michael Wilton and Mike Stone lacks the depth that the classic Wilton/Chris DeGarmo pairing had, but it proves enamoring on tracks such as "The Chase" (featuring a surprisingly pallid-sounding Ronnie James Dio), the swaggering "Junkie's Blues," and the near return-to-form "Fear City Slide."

No matter its strengths, O:M II ultimately reinforces the idea that while Queensrÿche's greatest moments may still lie ahead, the prospects of that being true become increasingly scant with each passing record. A decent enough stab at rekindling old glory that fails with admirable flair. --Jedd Beaudoin

Album Description

Seattle quintet Queensryche has always stood apart from other heavy metal bands through their artful progressive bent and intense observations on the world around them. With their third album, 1988's Grammy-nominated and critically acclaimed Operation: Mindcrime-a concept opus born out of Reagan-era disilllusionment-Queensryche transcended the metal label and sealed their reputation for cerebral musci and heady lyrical vision. Set 20 years later, and awash in "rock, revenge, and redemption," this brilliant new sequel was inspired by current political and social climates.

Customer Reviews:

Not Empire Strikes Back but more like Ghostbusters2.......2007-08-02

Most of the reviews I've read seem to correlate to my feelings on this album. Yes, this is the best Queensryche album since Promised Land, but that's not really saying much. No, it's not the same band that brought us the original masterpiece Operation Mindcrime, but I am not a Queensryche purist either. The word that keeps coming to my mind when I think about this album is the word "lacking", as in lacking in focus, lacking in emotion, lacking in anything memorable and finally my lack of interest when the album finally reaches its conclusion.

Now, granted that trying create a sequel to one of, if not THE greatest concept album of all time is quite a massive undertaking, but I figured that if anybody could pull it off, it was Queensryche...well I was wrong. I loved the opening premise of our anti-hero finally being released from prison and the frantic energy of "I'm American", but unfortunately after that the songs begin to sound the same..."I'm so angry...bla bla bla, sing a duet with sister mary...I'm so angry bla bla bla...I'm addicted to drugs...bla bla bla...sing a duet with Dr X...time to sing about the corrupt hypocracy of society...sing another duet with sister Mary...did I mention that I'm angry...bla bla bla". This isn't really the follow up I was hoping for when I heard a sequel to Mindcrime was in the works, whereas the original was a laserbeam of focused anger and emotion, and followed the aforementioned formula(no duet with Dr X though), it seemed more honest and had a more visceral feel and pissed-off energy. This effort seems unfocused and goes all over the place and I just can't summon the emotions I still feel when I listen to the original for the umpteenth time. At a time when the original Mindcrime seems more relevant than ever, I was disappointed with this effort at a sequel. Just listen to the original and pretend that it was written just yesterday and tell me you don't feel the same way.

So, yes it is interesting to see how the Mindcrime story finally does come to its conclusion(I rather enjoyed the fact that Dr X was the CEO of a Phamacutical company in this outing), and hearing the guys from Queensryche finally trying to shake off the cobwebs from previous efforts was like hearing from an old friend, this sequel, despite its shortcomings has found a permanent home in my music collection. Not as good as the original, but then again, few things are...3 stars.

A comeback- Sort of........2007-06-19

I have to admit that this album is growing on me when I listen to it more and more. At first I thought "blasphemy!", or "how could they do this"?
However, as I thought about it more and more, and read over interviews and years and years of discussion, studied Queensryche's history (one of my favorite bands at this moment), I began to see the reasons why the band chose to tackle this task. Its an enormous task, to be certain, because following up an album that is such a classic etched in time is not easy feat. On one level, OMCII is a very shallow sequel storywise. In fact, the story seems almost unnecessary when one looks at the album. Nikki gets revenge, then dies. I think it sums up most of the album's storyline, I feel that its a bit dissapointing in that regard. But the real motivation I believe for the band to do it, is not for a return to previous financial glory, but to PROVE TO THEMSELVES that they could do such an album without the input of one Chris Degarmo.
Its apparent that since his depature, the band has fumbled in the dark creatively (and critically, considering the scorn critics have lashed at their two previous releases) and the band wanted SOMETHING, ANYTHING to give them the motivation to do a good album again. So the results (this is only one persons opinion of course) are that the band chose to do Operation Mindcrime II.

Did they succeed? Yes and no. As previously stated, the storyline doesn't have that much depth. Sure it goes into Nikki's mind (in my opinion not enough), and his conscience, but I don't know if the story does anything but give an overview of a tortured soul.

Musically, however, Operation Mindcrime II is definitely back to where Queensryche were years ago.

Some "alternative" trappings remain (despite some previous statements to the contrary, there are some dropped d tuned songs on the record, more beatlesque or Zepelinish parts), and this is mixed with a mid period dual guitar format that QR used to explore on such records as Rage for Order or the original Mindcrime. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Its not that they totally abandoned the more alternative (or 70's rock based) sound of albums Promised Land onwards, but its not a one hundred percent trip back to the Eighties sound either.

The songs are there. Songs such as "the Hands" and "I'm American" are the best Queensryche have sounded in years. The album gets a little long winded in the second half, but thats ok, because the music is still more impassioned and epic then they've been for many years. Tate's singing is the best its been in years as well.

All is not great however. I don't feel the emotion is present that was on the original, even though it could have been.

Overall though, I think this is a step in the "Ryche" direction (couldn't resist the pun)!
I think that they have solidified the new lineup, and while Degarmo is not with the band anymore, they have proved that they are not creatively bankrupt with regards to writing music. The problem I see with it, is that they're halfway up to their previous glory, and its going to take more than a sequel to their best loved album to get there. I would have given this album four or five stars if the album was shorter, and it wasn't a sequel to Mindcrime (and the production was less muddy at times). It would have been still cool to have as a concept album, but by all means they could have come up with a different story and make that one more dramatic and convincing. By the way, rumor has it that the next album is being written, and that it will be a concept album, not at all related to the Mindcrime opus.

QUEENSRYCHE rocks NOW, as THEN!!.......2007-06-18

Everyone gets older, even those complaining about rock stars aging and "losing their pipes." I don't care if Geoff's pipes seem a little worn out. The fact of the matter is that Queensryche is a great rock band overall, with or without Chris DeGarmo. From what I've seen and heard, apparently it sounds like sour grapes on Chris DeGarmo's part, as he really is being inconsiderate to the fans of Queensryche while he was in the group. By abandoning Queensrych, he's abandoning Queensryche fans. Perhaps he think he's better than the other members of Queensryche. If that's the case, I don't care if he EVER comes back to Queensryche. There's nothing more I hate than a STUCK UP MUSICIAN! There will ALWAYS be someone better, including someone BETTER than you, Chris DeGarmo. Of course, he added his 2 cents to the band, as did the other members and all members' contributions are critical. I really enjoy Queensryche's song "Open" on the Tribe album. This, in fact, could have very well been a track on Empire. I will always be a Queensryche follower/fan. Just remember: All musicians are gifted and there is no room for conceit among the multitude of talented musicians.

excellent .......2007-06-10

If your a Q fan than yes this release has some great moments and is worth picking up!It took me awhile to buy it only because of the name they used for a title. Anytime you see a part 2 you have be on artist cashing in alert if you know what I mean. But this cd could have been called anything else and is still very good!! This cd is more of a rocker than tribe. The only thing that I would of liked to see is a free bonus dvd with this release it probably would of helped the sales of this effort of a band that was on top in the early 90s.

If you like progressive, then progress!!.......2007-05-11

Dictionary definition: "Pro-gres-sive a: characterized by progress b: interested in new ideas c: moving forward or onward : ADVANCING Antonyms: dormant, lazy, sluggish, static, conventional, mainstream." What part of this don't we understand?

Why listen to "Operation: Mindcrime II" if you already have "Operation: Mindcrime"? Well, why listen to "Wish You Were Here" or "The Wall" if you already have "Dark Side of the Moon"? Why listen to "Red" if you already have "In the Court of the Crimson King"? Why listen to "Thick As A Brick" if you already have "Aqualung"? Why listen to "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" if you already have "Images and Words"? Why listen to "10,000 Days" if you already have "Lateralus"?

"Hello? McFly!?" It's "progressive" music. It progresses. It presents new ideas (musically and lyrically). It moves forward and onward. It advances. It is not dormant, lazy (sticking with the "same old same old"), sluggish, static, conventional, and definitely NOT mainstream.

No Queenryche, much like Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Dream Theater, or Tool are not "starving for popularity." ("Middle age will do that to you"?!?!! Please!! If progressive artists were interested in popularity they would do the same things over and over that brought them to popularity at periods of their careers. If anything, middle age has made these artists some of the finest musicians in the world and able to do what they want to do. After all, do you want an intern operating on you or a seasoned surgeon?) Whew!! Glad I got all that out of the way, aren't you?

Fellow fans of progressive music, please do us all a favor. UNITE!! DON'T PAY HEED TO THE THREE-STAR REVIEWS!! "Operation: Mindcrime II" is an excellent album and it deserves the attention of progressive music fans everywhere. And the sheer fact that it came along some 18 years after the original and is still coherent and excellent is even more astonishing.

We often hear of the "big four" bands of grunge music, those being Soundgarden, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam. (Love `em all, by the way.) I believe we can also speak of the big three bands of progressive metal, those being Tool, Dream Theater, and, yes, Queensryche.

The music on "Operation: Mindcrime II" is impeccable, as we have come to expect from Queensryche, and Geoff Tate's vocals are definitely not middle-aged sounding. This guy has one he** of a set of lungs. The unique lyrical rhyming is present as well. I defy the other (emphasis on "other") armchair critics here to produce something that is a fraction, a miniscule fraction, as creative and interesting.

While "Operation: Mindcrime II" might not be as memorable as the original, it is still more than worth owning and will make hard core progressive music/concept album fans happier than a kid in a candy store.

I conclude by explaining my 5-star rating. I feel that this album deserves four stars but I am so annoyed by the average three-and-a-half rating that I feel compelled to do what I can to raise the average. GO TEAM PROGRESSIVE!! RAH! RAH! RAH!

Average customer rating:

Operation Mindcrime improved and remastered
I like this version better than Livecrime.
Incredible
Definately milking it
Amazing album...average edition

Operation: Mindcrime (2 CDs + 1 DVD)
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

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Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
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Operation: Mindcrime II
Building Empires
Q2K
Queensrÿche: Mindcrime at the Moore
Queensryche - Operation Livecrime

ASIN: B000FOQ0TG
Release Date: 2006-06-20

Tracks:

I Remember Now
Anarchy-X
Revolution Calling
Operation:mindcrime
Speak
Spreading the Disease
The Mission
Suite Sister Mary
The Needle Lies
Electric Requiem
Breaking the Silence
I Don't Believe in Love
Waiting for 22
My Empty Room
Eyes of a Stranger
The Mission (Live-bonus track)
My Empty Room (Live-bonus track)

Tracks:

I Remember Now (Live)
Anarchy-X (Live)
Revolution Calling (Live)
Operation:mindcrime (Live)
Speak (Live)
Spreading the Disease (Live)
The Mission (Live)
Suite Sister Mary (Live)
The Needle Lies (Live)
Electric Requiem (Live)
Breaking the Silence (Live)
I Don't Believe in Love (Live)
Waiting for 22 (Live)
My Empty Room (Live)
Eyes of a Stranger (Live)

Tracks:

I Remember Now (DVD)
Anarchy-X (DVD)
Revolution Calling (DVD)
Operation:mindcrime (DVD)
Speak (DVD)
Breaking the Silence (DVD)
I Don't Believe in Love (DVD)
Waiting for 22 (DVD)
Eyes of a Stranger (DVD)
The Making of Operation:mindcrime (previously unreleased)
Operation:mindcrime TV spot (previously unreleased)

Album Description

Queensryche's "Operation:mindcrime" Deluxe Edition features the original album tracklist plus bonus live tracks and a previously unreleased live performance of the entire "mindcrime" album recorded at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England on November 15, 1990. Also includes the "Video:mindcrime" DVD (previously available on VHS only) with two new previously unreleased bonus clips. Packaged in four panel deluxe DigiPak with 24-page booklet and special slipcase.

Customer Reviews:

Operation Mindcrime improved and remastered.......2007-04-10

Anyone reading these pages already agrees that the OPERATION MINDCRIME album by QUEENSRYCHE is a true metal masterpiece. Arguably their best even those others might site EMPIRE as superior but I think that is lunacy. The Mindcrime album holds a very special place in my heart. The summer that it was released or at least when I discovered it was not one of my best. I played the vinyl album (remember those?) daily until I wore it out. I never thought that an album could be played until its death but I found this out and had to buy another copy. I saw the tour for this when they opened for Metallica and did only a few songs from this plus other live favorites in about a 50 minute set. I have since bought this on cassette and CD. I have seen the VHS LIVECRIME years back and unfortunately, that did not hold my interest as much as the videos. OK, I hear you, get to the point. I found this collection and have to admit, it has everything that a Queensryche/Operation Mindcrime could ask for. Remastered original studio album, how can that ever get a less than 5 rating? New London live version which I think sounds better than the LiveCrime CD released a few years back. 4 ½ stars. Third disc is the videos. I like this so much more than seeing them perform this masterpiece live. The videos give the fan a view of what the band was thinking about with their presentation on film of the true concept of "OPERATION MINDCRIME". Using Dr. X and Nicky with news clips other than band miming still makes for a more energetic and enjoyable view. Some may complain about 5.1 sound and all that but I think this is the deluxe treatment, remastered studio, entire album performed live and videos. If you are a Queensryche fan, you will buy this and enjoy it. It may not be perfect but it is a great package! I just wish Mindcrime 2 would have been better. A new assassination plan with modern day terrorists or a story line like something from the show 24 would have been much better than thinking Nicky would be let out of jail and try and continue a story that really ended with Eyes of a Stranger. My thoughts.

I like this version better than Livecrime. .......2006-11-20

I read some negative reviews but being a huge QR fan I had to buy it. I don't have videocrime so that is cool to have. The live concert however I like better than Livecrime. It is a year earlier and you can tell. Geoff's voice is just better. He sings a much better representation of Mindcrime. Yes Livecrime may be a bit more polished but it is supposed to be. It is from two nights put together. It isn't actually a straight through concert. This one is. One night. A couple missed notes here and there but that's real. Geoff doesn't lower near as many parts vocally. I Don't Believe in Love and Eyes of a Stranger are sung perfectly. You can tell the tour took a little from him if you listen to both this and Livecrime. The sound I thought is also pretty good. I didn't have a problem with it. It didn't sound like a bootleg or anything. I love it.

Incredible.......2006-08-20

OMCII is just plain great. It is not just like the first but has melodies and beats that have been updated since "6500 days" to show how much they have grown as a band and how far they have come. Vocals are amazing, music is perfect, tight and you feel the musicians love of playing. The story captures you and carries you through Nikki's life and experiences after he is released from jail. You feel the intense emotion Geoff is trying to portray. The pain and suffering Nikki is going through is apparent in the songs. They never try to be like they were, and they shouldn't, even though alot of people always compare anything new they do to operation mindcrime and empire. Their love of just playing and creating means more to the people that appreciate them than how many cd's they've sold. Hearing DIO on this is one of the coolest things I've heard and just shows how great of a band Queensryche is.

Definately milking it.......2006-08-15

I love this album. One of my favorite of all time. But this is a sorry excuse for DVD package. I just don't understand why they couldn't have redone the music for the video in the very least in stereo, but should be in 5.1. How hard could it possibly be? And the live version included is very bad too. I have every version this came out on except LP including the Livecrime CD live version is much worse.

Stick with the remastered CD and don't bother with this.

Amazing album...average edition.......2006-07-29

Truly an all-time classic album, and one of the greatest metal/prog records ever, `Operation: Mindcrime' has a hallowed place in metal's canon, not to mention Queensrÿche's discography. It's clearly their best record (even if the follow up `Empire' was their big hit).

What to say about the original? Well, it was a very intelligent piece of art, recorded in cutting edge technology, with no compromises, and released at a time when all the rage in heavy music was either stupid-minded glam/pop metal or war/fantasy obsessed thrash.

O:M has stood the test of time, and has become something like "the metal 'The Wall'" and very deservedly so, for its quality is as high. So now that QR retrace their roots with its recently released sequel, out comes this "Deluxe Edition", surely to the joy of fans!!

Maybe not...

The one thing that needed improvement on this album (remember, the original came out on vinyl!) was the mastering for CD, and a remastered version already came out a couple of years ago, and that's the version included here. It sounds great, so no complaints here.

However, the remainder of this special edition is a CD containing a full live rendition of the album recorded in 1990, plus a DVD of the late 80's VHS release `Video:Mindrime'; which are both frankly poor.

The live CD is awash in reverb and sounds like an average mixing desk recording. It doesn't sound at all like a proper mix from master tapes. It comes from the `Empire' tour (as the 1991 live release `Operation: Livecrime' did).

The DVD is a digital version of the old `Video: Mindcrime' videotape, which is just a video EP, and features *mono* sound (not even stereo)!! It's comprised of a series of promo clips made for the album in the late 80's, basically the band acting `live' on a soundstage plus interspersed images of the plot by actors, plus bonus interviews; all of which looks very dated by today's standards.

Finally, the cover artwork gets killed by the new `design', the booklet features pictures form the wrong era and even some inaccurate info.

I mean the package is ok, but this is hardly a deluxe treatment. Seeing that a much better live version of O:M (`Operation: Livecrime') is available on DVD and CD, why not couple *that* with the remastered O:M, and add `Video:Mindcrime' as a *bonus* on the DVD??

Or if the intention is to keep `Livecrime' as a separate release, why not then couple O:M with a 5.1 surround remix of the album on DVD?? (like Queen did with `A Night at the Opera's excellent collector's edition). Now, *that* would have been deluxe treatments!!

But as it stands now, this edition sadly does not do justice to this great masterpiece.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Album, Poor Mastering
better than Livecrime
A VERY FINE ALBUM
Mindcrime is still a masterpiece nearly 20 years on!
Queensryche's classic masterwork gets a majestic upgrade!

Operation: Mindcrime
Queensryche
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Warning
Promised Land
Q2K
Mindcrime at the Moore
Empire

ASIN: B000FCUV5C
Release Date: 2006-06-20

Tracks:

I Remember Now
Anarchy-X
Revolution Calling
Operation:mindcrime
Speak
Spreading the Disease
The Mission
Suite Sister Mary
The Needle Lies
Electric Requiem
Breaking the Silence
I Don't Believe in Love
Waiting for 22
My Empty Room
Eyes of a Stranger
The Mission (Live-bonus track)
My Empty Room (Live-bonus track)

Tracks:

I Remember Now (Live)
Anarchy-X (Live)
Revolution Calling (Live)
Operation:mindcrime (Live)
Speak (Live)
Spreading the Disease (Live)
The Mission (Live)
Suite Sister Mary (Live)
The Needle Lies (Live)
Electric Requiem (Live)
Breaking the Silence (Live)
I Don't Believe in Love (Live)
Waiting for 22 (Live)
My Empty Room (Live)
Eyes of a Stranger (Live)

Album Description

Queensryche's "Operation:mindcrime" 2 CD edition features the original album tracklist plus bonus live tracks and a previously unreleased live performance of the entire "mindcrime" album recorded at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England on November 15, 1990. Includes special 24-page booklet.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Album, Poor Mastering.......2007-05-22

I can see why this album is a classic masterpiece of hard rock, with the story it tells and the excellent arrangements. The music is varied in feel and takes the listener along for the ride through the story. I think it would be a good idea to make it into a film, as Geoff Tate has been considering. This music is a very good example of intelligent hard rock/metal.

I first heard OM many years back when I picked up Empire, but it didn't really grab me for some reason. I revisited it recently and decided to finally pick it up. I found this 'remastered' version with a complete live performance on a second disc. I assumed this would be the best presentation of the album. I was sadly mistaken. The person who mastered this re-release (Everen Goeknar according to the notes) did a poor job in my opinion. The entire set is overmodulated, i.e. the volume level is too high. This results in distortion of the bad kind, which sounds somewhat like static from a poor radio reception. It's not too bad on the studio disc, just a little bit in the more intense sections of the music. But the live disc suffers much more. You can even hear it right at the beginning with the nurse's voice.

Honestly, I'm not sure what you could do to make a late-80's recording sound noticably better. So I don't think it needed a remastering so to speak (it would be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison with the original CD release). It is a real shame that they tried to and made it worse. Quit trying to make the CD's themselves louder! That's what the volume knob is for!

I'd give this set 5 stars if it wasn't for the sub-par mastering.

better than Livecrime.......2006-11-20

A VERY FINE ALBUM.......2006-07-01

OPERATION MINDCRIME IS A VERY FINE COLLECTION FROM ONE OF THE GREATEST GREATEST HARD ROCK BANDS WHO ARE MUCH BETTER THAN DISCO BANDS LIKE SCISSOR SISTERS WHO MUST BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS.BUY THIS AND GET RESPECT FROM YOUR PEERS.QUEENSRYCHE ARE GREAT,PLAY GREAT GUITARS AND WRITE THEIR OWN SONGS UNLIKE POP ARTISTS WHO DONT WRITE THEIR OWN SONGS AND LIP SYNCH AT CONCERTS.

Mindcrime is still a masterpiece nearly 20 years on!.......2006-07-01

Triple H(mocking Fed Up): Queensryche is trash, buy Scissor Sisters. Shawn Michaels(mocking Hellraiser): Please buy those cool disco queens Scissor Sisters instead! Triple H: Whoever degraded Queensryche needs a pedigree. This album rocks especially Revolution Calling, I Don't believe in Love and Eyes of a Stranger. Shawn Michaels: The Heartbreak Kid says you deserve SWEET-CHIN MUSIC if you prefer The Spirit Squad and their off-shoots like Scissor Sisters and Britard to Queensryche. Triple H: You mean Hedgeclipper F*gg*ts! Shawn Michaels: if you are not down with us and Queensryche, we got TWO WORDS FOR YA (crowd yells S*CK IT!!)!

Queensryche's classic masterwork gets a majestic upgrade!.......2006-06-26

Seattle based hard rockers Queensryche's third album Operation: Mindcrime was released in April of 1988.
The prog-tinged metal quintet, which comprised of lead singer Geoff Tate, guitarists Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton, bass player Eddie Jackson and drummer Scott Rockenfield, had released a modest receives self-titled EP and two full length albums(their classic debut The Warning and the equally impressive Rage For Order) which tanked. Despite opening up for great bands like AC/DC, KISS, Iron Maiden and trash like Ratt and Bon Jovi, commercial success ignored Queensryche until Operation Mindcrime.
Operation: Mindcrime was a concept album, in the vain of other classic concept albums like Pink Floyd's The Wall and The Who's Tommy. Mindcrime tells the story of an anarchist named Nikki whose disillusionment with Reagan-era American society leads him to join a shadowy plot to assassinate corrupt leaders.
I Remember Now begins the album in a hospital ward where Nikki after a pain shot from a nurse who calls him an obscenity and recalls the recent rash of murders he may or may not have committed at the request of Doctor X. Anarchy-X is next and is a killer overture to the album. Revolution Calling gets more into the nitty gritty of our anti-hero Nikki, a psychotic, cynical individual who was recruited and brainwashed by the infamous Dr. X who was a power crazed evangelical preacher, leader of 'The Order', to be his personal assassin. The title track is next and has Nikki addicted to drugs and brainwashed by Dr. X. Next is Speak which is a driving rocker which sends Nikki first out to kill an unnamed corrupt politician. Spreading the Disease is next and is about Mary, a prostitute, whom Nikki tries to save by getting a priest to take her off the streets. This track rocks. The Mission is next and is possibly DeGarmo's best track he ever wrote himself for Queensryche and professed Nikki's love for Mary.
The second half of the album opens with the epic Suite Sister Mary which opens with Dr. X ordering Nikki to go out and kill Mary and the priest after which the track opens with a solo melodic guitar and a Choir which goes on to accompany Tate throughout the song. The number is a wonderful confluence of rock/metal and opera with Pamela Moore singing superbly the role of Mary. Next is another killer rocker The Needle Lies which was about Nikki's love for drugs turning bad. Electric Requiem is next and is the track which has Nikki discover his beloved Mary had been murdered. Breaking the Silence is next and has Nikki seeing and hearing Mary in his head and a great rocker. I Don't Believe in Love is next and is a great rocker which had our character Nikki deny his love for Mary because he cannot face the fact that she died. This track was a major hit on rock radio. Waiting For 22 is a great instrumental with some great guitar work from DeGarmo. My Empty Room is next and has our anti-hero Nikki wondering about what has become of him and what he will do. The album ends with Queensryche's first big rock radio smash Eyes of a Stranger. This track is a great song and what a way to end the album. Some think Nikki dreamed this and some thought he committed suicide but we wouldn't find out his fate until 2006's Operation:Mindcrime II.
The original Operation: Mindcrime peaked at #50 in 1989 and gave Queensryche their first US Gold album(eventually Platinum).
In 2003, the album was re-released in a digitally remastered version with two bonus tracks which were a live version of The Mission recorded in 1990 at The Hammersmith Odeon, London and My Empty Room recorded in October of 1994 in London.
Then in June of 2006, the album was re-released again to cash in on the success of Operation: Mindcrime II as a 2-CD set and a 2-CD and DVD set. This version, the 2-CD version's second disc comprises of the live performance of Operation: Mindcrime that the band performed on November 15, 1990 at The Hammersmith Odeon in London. It slightly differs from 1991's Operation: LIVECrime which was recorded in Wisconsin in May of 1991. The versions here are slightly different to the 1991 performances but an awesome time capsule.
RECOMMENDED!

Average customer rating:

What a concept album SHOULD sound like.
Queensrÿche greatest achievement
The top of the mountain
Almost 20 years later...still an amazing album
Dystopia never sounded better!

Operation: Mindcrime
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

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Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Empire
Rage for Order
Promised Land
The Warning
Queensrÿche

ASIN: B000002UEB
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Remember Now
Anarchy-X
Revolution Calling
Operation: Mindcrime
Speak
Spreading The Disease
The Mission
Suite Sister Mary
The Needle Lies
Electric Requiem
Breaking The Silence
I Don't Believe In Love
Waiting For 22
My Empty Room
Eyes Of A Stranger

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

What a concept album SHOULD sound like........2007-07-21

Total musical perfection. Even with the spoken parts too.

This is not only one of the absolute best 80's CDs, but it is one of the absolute best Rock CDs ever made, if not the best.

You absolutely can not go wrong with this CD at all if you even remotely like Rock or Metal.

Not a bad song or a bad anything on this entire CD from beginning to end.

I can't say enough good things about this CD.

This is hands-down Queensryche's best CD.

Queensrÿche greatest achievement.......2007-07-07

This is the best album from Queensrÿche and it is one of the best Rock album ever made. If you like rock music, you can't go wrong with this one, it is just great from the first track to the last one.
When you talk about Rock albums, this one is for sure in the top ten.

The top of the mountain.......2007-06-01

This is the greatest begining to end disc I have ever owned. Queensryche opened for Metallica on this tour and played Operation Mindcrime from start to finish sorry Metallica bad move. It was and still is the best complete disc I can think of. AC/DC has "Back in Black" Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon" Rush "2112" but Mindcrime is still on top.

Almost 20 years later...still an amazing album.......2007-03-19

Funny how things can come full circle. After a number of years I found myself staring at my copy of Operation: Mindcrime. It had been many years since I had listened to this...what is an applicable term...monstrosity of an album. I don't necessarily consider myself a fan of Queensryche so much as a fan of this album. Read almost every review here and one can determine how people feel about this album. Looking back on the Queensryche catalog, this album stands out like a sore thumb, however. It is so well crafted on every level, one has to wonder if Geoff Tate and Co. sold their souls to the devil, ala Robert Johnson, to get this album made! It is an enigma. It's well-known that Queensryche garnered commercial success post-Mindcrime, but this album remains, if legitimate music reviews are to be believed, arguably the greatest concept albums of ALL TIME. I count myself in that category. Listen to Revolution Calling and it's lyrics. Very smart, and hard-hitting. 'He takes her once a week on the altar like a sacrifice'...amazing. Run, don't walk, and buy this album.

Dystopia never sounded better!.......2006-10-17

A progressive metal/rock masterpiece. As is frequently cited in the reviews, this is perhaps the ultimate rock concept album of all time. There had been concept albums before this, but none that did what this album does. That is weave one continuous story seamlessly into each and every song on the album. This is what I found most startling upon first listening to it (back in 1988) - that I was being thrown into a story in which each successive song expounded on it. Equally startling are the fluid instrumental transitions from song to song which are nothing short of perfect - a credit to Queensryche's exceptional musicianship and Michael Kamen's masterful orchestration.

The album tells the story of a character, Nikki, who has been caught up in a shadowy underground movement in which he is an assassin. The plot involves a mysterious leader named Doctor X, Nikki's priest Father William, and Sister Mary, a former whore turned Nun (she was saved by Father William.) who shares an unspoken love with Nikki. The story plays out in a dystopian vision that is the landscape of a 1980's Reagan America.

The songs range from hard rocking radio/video friendly types to ambitious long operatic overtures. The instrumental work on the songs is incredible. With soaring guitar arpeggios often flowing into melodious transitions. Geoff Tate excels with his soaring operatic tenor and guest vocalist Pamela Moore is a fantastic foil to Tate's tenor on the ambitious Suite Sister Mary, the ten and one-half minute crescendo in the middle of the story.

At times, the album's political and social commentary can be overly ambitious, but for the most part - Queensryche pulls it off. This is their crowning achievement. (It allows me to forgive and forget the commercial cash-in Empire that succeeded this.)

In short, Operation Mindcrime is a must have for any music lover and serious audiophile. It is a landmark album and the concept album on which other concept albums will be judged for a long time to come.

Average customer rating:

Operation: Mindcrime
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Musicrama/Koch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Empire
Rage for Order

ASIN: B000A2GM1O
Release Date: 2004-08-31

Tracks:

I Remember Now
Anarchy-X
Revolution Calling
Operation: Mindcrime
Speak
Spreading the Disease
Mission
Suite Sister Mary
Needle Lies
Electric Requiem
Breaking the Silence
I Don't Believe in Love
Waiting for 22
My Empty Room
Eyes of a Stranger

Average customer rating:

Operation Mindcrime
Queensryche
Manufacturer: EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000LYP852

Average customer rating:

Operation Mindcrime

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000GPIF10
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Average customer rating:

Operation: Mindcrime
Queensrÿche
Manufacturer: Toshiba EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00008VHBL
Release Date: 2003-06-09

Tracks:

I Remember Now
Anarchy-X
Revolution Calling
Operation: Mindcrime
Speak
Spreading the Disease
Mission
Suite Sister Mary
Needle Lies
Electric Requiem
Breaking the Silence
I Don't Believe in Love
Waiting for 22
My Empty Room
Eyes of a Stranger
Mission [Live][*]
My Empty Room [Live][*]

Average customer rating:

Operation Mindcrime//Queen of the Reich
Queensryche
Manufacturer: Axe Killer
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00027WMZW
Release Date: 2004-06-28

Tracks:

Remember Now
Anarchy-X
Revolution Calling
Operation: Mindcrime
Speak
Spreading The Disease
Mission
Suite Sister Mary
Needles Lies
Electric Requiem
Breaking The Silence
I Don't Believe In Love
Waiting For 22
My Empty Room
Eyes Of A Stranger
Queen Of The Reigh
Nightrider
Blinded
Lady Wore Black
Prophecy

Album Description

Deluxe two disc set featuring the hit American prog metal group's 1983 debut EP 'Queensryche' teamed up with their 1988 tour de force, 'Operation Mindcrime', specially packaged & specially priced! 1999 release. 20 tracks. Axe Killer. 2004.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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