Operation: Mindcrime 2 - It's Official (1 Viewer)

[Chris-V]

Yup. The Queensryche website today confirmed that the band is planning to release the sequel next year, and that their upcoming fall and winter mini-tours will feature not only the entire Mindcrime album for the first time since the Empire tour, but also cuts from the sequel.

Not sure how I feel about this. As a kid who grew up on QR and spent many a lonely night of adolescent angst finding layers of meaning in songs like Take Hold of the Flame, Revolution Calling and London, I can't help but be a little psyched that one of my all-time favorite metal albums (not to mention a pretty good story) is going to get a second chapter. On the other hand, O:M was over fifteen years ago, and QR's recent efforts have been less than awe-inspiring for me. Not to mention the fact that sometimes you just need to let a good thing be.

Anyway, I'll look forward to it with interest, if not breathless anticipation. Speak the Word...

 

[James Zubb]

The Warning, Rage and Mindcrime were my favorite albums growing up, but this sounds to me like QR needs some $$. The last QR album I really liked is Empire. I half liked PL, the rest is completely uninspiring. I am not getting my hopes up for this. Really...well maybe a little.

Revolution

 

[Ray_Gootz]

YES!

I think this should've been done in 1997 but Operation: mindcrime ruled and if there was ever a song that needed a follow-up it's Eyes of a stranger. i hope the story-line actully continues with him in the insane asylum and builds from there. I want his story to continue.

the newest queensryche album i have is q2k and it's dreadful. Let's hope this album can redeem this once great band!

 

[Brian Perry]

I'm optimistic it can be good. Instead of having to come up with completely new material, they can build on and rework the O:M songs. Kind of how Dream Theater used elements from Metropolis Part 1 and turned them into Home, which is one of my all-time favorite DT songs.

 

[Michael Pineo]

Does anyone know if Chris DeGarmo is going to be involved? I really haven't been following the band very closely since Promised Land, but I didn't care for the guitarist on the last live album. I really think they need Chris's influence to make a good sequel to Operation:Mindcrime. This is one of my favorite albums, so I would hate to see a lackluster sequel. Nothing like a crappy sequel to take away some of the magic of the original (Highlander 2 anyone?)

MikeP

 

[Mike Broadman]

I recommend their latest album, Tribe, to be looked at on its own. Hear in the Now Frontier and Q2K have their problems (but also some great songs), but Tribe is a nice mature album with solid set of songs.

I can't wait to see Mindcrime live. I saw the band last summer and they sound fantastic, so I'm confident that it will be a great show.

As for Mindcrime II, I'm partially excited, partially dissappointed that they may not be continuing in the direction of Tribe, and partially worried about veteran rockers referencing their past (Bat Out of Hell II, etc). And yes, it would be swell if DeGarmo was involved. Whether he is remains to be seen.

 

[AricB]

Mike, if you havent' you may want to check out Geoff Tate's solo DVD-A, its well mixed and has somewhat of a similar feel to tribe from what i've heard of tribe on their directv free view thing.

 

[Chris-V]

I think I remember seeing that Mike Stone will handle guitars with Wilton; I don't remember anything about DeGarmo being on the website.

One possible positive is that, given the band's willingness to embrace hi-rez audio (see the Empire and Tribe DVD-A's, as well as GT's solo disc just mentioned), if they're going to start pushing O:M again maybe there's a chance for a DVD-A O:M. It's the perfect album for hi-rez, and would be mindblowing if done well.

Agreed that Q2K was pretty dismal. A few well-written songs, but the band's performance, and GT's inability (improved on Tribe) to sing in the lower registers he's now pretty much limited to killed even those for me. Production values didn't help, either. But enough groaning. Lots of great music from them over the years, and plenty of great concert memories

 

[Darryl]

A sequel to Mindcrime sounds great on the surface, but I wonder if they can pull it off. I love Geoff Tate's solo album, mostly from the standpoint of the album as a whole, not for any individual song. There are themes that run through the whole disc, and little connections between songs that tie the whole thing together. This is exactly what could make Mindcrime 2 great.

But...

Their recent music is so totally and completely different from late 80s QR. Modern QR is more than just 80s QR with an updated sound. It's a totally different animal. Is QR even capable of writing music with Mindcrime's energy? Will it end up sounding like they're trying to copy their past? I'm just not convinced that who they are today matches up with Mindcrime too well.

That said, I'll probably buy it the day it comes out. Who knows, maybe they'll be able to recapture their earlier edge AND pull in some of the more mature emotional themes found in their later stuff. Here's hoping for a new classic...

 

[Ray_Gootz]

I think the perfect song for Queensyche to emulate for O:MC 2 is their song The Real World from the Last Action hero Soundtrack. It's on the new remastered Promise Land Cd as well and it blows my mind. It's the perfect blend of Empire-era Quuensyche and modern Queensryche. If they can copy the emotional resonace and the rockingness of this song for Mindcrime 2 then they'll be okay. I really can't wait.

 

[Matt Butler]

Mindcrime is one of my fav albums of all time. Im not sure how I feel about this though. Ill still pick it up day and date to give it a spin. I havent heard their last few cds to give an impression of how they are now.

I will never forget seeing them on the Empire tour when they did O:M in its entirety. That was incredible!!

 

[Jean D]

I agree. Home is such an incredible song. I have the Dream Theater DVD Scenes From NY, and its pretty great. they do a great version of Home on there.

I love the Empire DVD-A, it sounds great and is mixed well. Do you guys think I should pick up Tribe or the GT solo?

 

[AricB]

Ive never heard tribe, but i found the geoff tate solo much better than i expected, but its less prog/art rock than queensryche. it has a little more personal, sentimental, soulful feel. but I found the mix on DVD-A done very well, for a title like this, that is not exactly topping the charts. do a google search, if ound a few reviews of it...

geoff tate review

 

[Chris-V]

Sorry for the tangent, but since the Empire DVD-A came up, I have a question. I picked that disc up but my player wouldn't output any signal. The display said it was playing, and switching tracks, but my TV screen remained the player's splash screen, and there was no audio or video output at all. I returned it figuring it was a bad disc, but haven't found it in stock anywhere else. Has anyone else encountered this problem with the Empire DVD-A, or any other title for that matter?

 

[AricB]

There have been some issues with Pioneer 563's not playing some of the new Warner titles, steely dan, flaming lips, etc... that Pioneer will upgrade the firmware if you send it in. I've also heard of several inconsistencies with Toshiba DVD-A players not playing all kinds of different discs? I have a jvc,. and have had no problems with any discs so far, about 20 of them including both empire and geoff tate.

 

[Darryl]

I've got a 563 with the old firmware, and it plays Empire just fine, so that's probably not it.

 

[Andrew Bunk]

Queensryche is one of the main reasons I am a musician today, and they had a huge influence on me. Hell, I even worked with Neil Kernon (who produced Rage For Order) on a recording for a band I was in recently and heard a lot of interesting stories about the making of that record that made me appreciate that album even more.

That said, I am very disappointed at hearing this announcement.
Queensryche was always about moving forward and trying new things. Even though HITNF wasn't warmly received, they at least were moving into different territories. This just sounds like an out and out cash grab. DT's Metropolis Pt. 2 is a different story in my eyes since they turned one song into a whole concept album, and it was successful.

Mindcrime needs a sequel about as much as the Matrix did, which is not much at all. I'll check it out, but even if Degarmo does get involved, I do not have high expectations.

 

[Jay Mitchosky]

I had chills when I first heard that song. Ever notice that Mike Portnoy plays the signature Metropolis Pt. 1 riff on the hi-hat at the beginning? Really cool.

Like most above I'm a little torn on this announcement. Mindcrime is my all-time favorite album. I have two copies - one for home and one for my car. An absolutely brilliant piece of progressive rock. So from that standpoint a continuation of the story is exciting. But on the other it also smacks a little of cash grab. If De Garmo is not involved (and it is unlikely he will) there will be a key element missing in the formula. For me the last truly great QR album was Promised Land. I've only been lukewarm to their following releases (although I feel Tribe is the best of them).

Will I buy this disc upon release? Goddamn right! I just hope it lives up to the inevitable expectations. Not expecting (nor hoping for) them to revisit that style of writing and playing. They have matured as musicians and as such there is an opportunity here on a different take of a great concept.

 

[Jean D]

I have a Toshiba DVD-A/V player dont know the model off hand but its a silverish color. anyway, luckily Ive never had a problem with it.

 

[Jan H]

Mindcrime was one of the best albums of the '80's but count me among the dubious w) this new project. Strikes me as similar to Pink Floyd doing 'The Wall II' without Roger Waters.