QUEENSRŸCHE — Operation: Mindcrime II (review)

QUEENSRŸCHE — Operation: Mindcrime II album cover Album · 2006 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
siLLy puPPy
OPERATION MINDCRIME II is the sequel to the the 1988 classic and the ninth studio album by QUEENSRYCHE. The story picks up where the first left off where Nikki is arrested for the murder of his favorite prostitute turned nun Sister Mary. The story picks up faithfully 18 years later as he is released from prison and seeks the ultimate revenge on none other than Dr X who single-handedly flushed his life down the big crapper. We get a reprise from Pamela Moore as Sister Mary and even a cameo from Ronnie James Dio who takes on the unflattering role of Dr X. The band was in the midst of all the 2000s drama at this point. Chris DeGarmo, who briefly reunited with the band on “Tribe” butted heads with Geoff Tate and left for good. Due to diminishing sales the band retreated to one of their most respected albums and decided to make a sequel. Well not really. This seems to be a Geoff Tate project with the other members in name only. This was a studio musician affair with Rockenfield and Wilton's tracks being re-recorded by others and it sounds like it.

I have to admit that I was excited when this was released and even liked it at first, however even upon first listen it is immediately apparent that this is far inferior to the 1988 classic. The story is the best part as it explains a lot about what happened to the characters and even some of the individual tracks are pretty good. Even now I still find this an ok listen, but after repeated listens this definitely loses some of its luster. I find it safe to say that disappoints despite my overwhelming desire to want to like it. I love tracks like “I'm American,” “If I Could Change It All” and “Fear City Side” and a few others are ok-ish, but many of these are really not that great and the charade of how it was made becomes more apparent upon every spin. I really wish this could have been made in the 90s perhaps after “Empire” when the band was still at their peak and DeGarmo was on board but as history has unfolded it was not to be and in the process this is a very mixed album for me. OK but not great. Does it diminish the original? Hell no. I can still listen to that at any given moment and be floored and this only becomes weaker and weaker YET it isn't a total waste of time either.
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UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I agree too. It´s not a total catastrophe, but not really a great album either.
Unitron wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Good review, I share most of your opinions with this one. I checked it out from the library one day expecting it to be some masterpiece, then I realized how much it lacked in comparison.

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