Operation:Mindcrime II - reviews
SiD
Posts: 76
Some reviews of Queensryche's Operation:Mindcrime II due out 4/4-
I’ll just say it—I’m blown away. The main reason I’m loving the album so much is because someone—I don’t really care who at this point—actually took the time to sit down and CONSTRUCT interesting, layered, unique, heavy songs. Songwriting-wise, the band started phoning it in after PL, IMO. With a few exceptions like “spOOL” and “Art of Life,” the complexity of their music has just been missing. I didn’t start listening to QR to hear stripped down songs—the complexity and care with which they crafted their music is what got me hooked. Even the simpler songs on Empire still had that element of complexity. If it took Jason Slater to draw this out of the band or to contribute and do it himself, I am totally fine with it.
O:M II, though? It’s like a painter who takes their time with every brush stroke, making sure they put it exactly where they want it. The painting may not be perfect when it’s done, but you can tell the artist cared about it and took the time to try to make it as perfect as possible. This album isn’t perfect. I’m still not too sure if “Circles” is necessary or why they chose to end with “All The Promises”—I need lyrics! Wink, but you can tell that the band actually cared about this one, and I think Slater has done a phenomenal job producing this. The only problem I have is the drum sound, which I think is really very weak, but whether or not this is due to Slater remains to be seen. It would depend on how/where ScottRock recorded them as well. That being said, I hope they work with Slater again on any future project they do, because I really think he *gets* the band and what their fans are looking for.
Honestly, this is the first time since PL that I have been left speechless after listening to a QR album for the first time. I honestly felt like I was gonna cry when I first heard it, because it’s just so… awesome. Frankly, I was wondering if they had it in them anymore, but this is just, I mean, WOW. This is what modern QR should sound like.
I think Operation: Mindcrime II is, without question, Queensryche’s most musically diverse and interesting record since Empire. Promised Land is a great record and equally as emotional and gripping, but it doesn’t have the variety of song tempos and soundscapes like Mindcrime II does. That diversity pushes it up a notch over PL.
So I’ll go on record as saying I haven’t been this impressed with a QR album since Empire.
But I’m honestly really overwhelmed with the complexity of the album, and a tip of the hat to the major songwriting team of Tate/Slater/Stone for some incredible work. The bass lines are intense (damn good work Ed) as well, and Wilton’s parts were good. My only disappointment would be the drum work. It’s a mixed bag. On some tracks, I think it’s good, on others, it sounded like a mailed-in job. But who knows, maybe the storyline required simplicity at some points.
Mindcrime II was able to take QR’s sound in yet ANOTHER direction, but at the same time, retained the traditional QR “sound.” You know this is Queensryche, but yet it’s different. Just when you thought they really didn’t have anywhere else to go musically, BAM, we get songs like “Re-Arrange You” and “A Murderer.” Pure brilliance.
The production is pretty damn good. I mean, with as much going on in this album as there is, I find myself really having to give Slater a big thumbs up on both his work writing and behind the glass, because the album is just really intense on headphones, and a huge trip.
Operation:Mindcrime II is Queensryche's most diverse release to date. There are 5 musical elements to the record - Hard Rock/Metal, Blues or Bluesy aspects, Prog, Pop and Punk. A musical wet dream. Almost anyone can appreciate Mindcrime II for it's innovation and vast musical landscape. The fact that Queensryche (along with producer Jason Slater) found a way to blend the genres and influences of this record so seamlessly is a testament to their talents. Mindcrime II feels like a labor of love. It possesses an amazingly rich atmosphere. It's very moving at times, other times it's just flat out hardcore, and then there's the bluesy saucy parts. There are definitely some QR classics here.
The only thing that can hold Mindcrime II down is the obvious comparisons it will draw to the first. Mindcrime II deserves to stand on it's own. It really sounds nothing like Mindcrime I. But that's Queensryche's style! Anyone expecting Queensryche to rehash their sound should probably get their head checked. They've never done that. They never will. Thank God!
Operation:Mindcrime II = 9.5
My short verdict: Slater and the boys did a good job. This album is sonically well-rounded and carries a larger lower-end then any Queensrÿche album to date. Eddie Jackson’s bass is more in the forefront then ever. The bass guitar is more energized then it has been in the past. It also has a very “modern” sound to it; you won’t mistake it for something from the original Mindcrime.
Wilton and Stone are on fire throughout this album. That’s a fact. The guitar work on this album rivals everything in Queensrÿche’s catalogue. In fact, I will be utterly blasphemous and say: the combination of Wilton and Stone here actually surpasses the duo of Wilton and DeGarmo. The guitar leads are plentiful, tasteful, and quite often doubled-up. The riffs are chunky and varied. Acoustic guitars sneak little dabs of zest into songs like “Hostage”. And I swear that David Gilmour is playing the solo on “All The Promises.”
Unfortunately this all seems to come at the expense of Scott. The drumming here is very… basic. I really don’t think there’s any moment where the drums are going to steal your attention. Is this a bad thing? I’m not sure. The drums are more function than flash on II, for better or worse.
So, Geoff Tate… there are no Warning or Rage esque vocal stylings to be found here. “The Hands” is a very good representation of what you will find in the vocal department. In many ways, I think this is a good thing. The vocals will never surpass the actual song in terms of attention; however, Geoff will have his moments, such as the end of “Hostage”, or a few other beltings throughout the album. On top of that, the closing duet with Pamela Moore is absolutely beautiful. Plus, most importantly, his voice works. It fits. It does what it needs to do; it conveys what the song needs to be conveyed. It’s interesting, but without going for the “shock” element of “wow, did he just hit that note?”
The orchestral and choir touches are very welcome, in my book. I disagree with Martin Popoff’s assertion that they crop up too much. They provide a nice backdrop of textures for the songs to be painted on. Sometimes they’ll skip to the forefront, or sometimes they’ll be blended in as little flourishes, such as on “The Chase”. If you ask me, they work, and they work well. In many ways, the orchestrations add the element of “movie” to the album. In many ways, it’s true that listening to this album is like listening to a movie. That’s not a bad thing, either. I think a fair comparison for a lot of the orchestration and guitar solos is Trans-Siberian Orchestra, yet with a Queensrÿche flavor.
I’ll just say it—I’m blown away. The main reason I’m loving the album so much is because someone—I don’t really care who at this point—actually took the time to sit down and CONSTRUCT interesting, layered, unique, heavy songs. Songwriting-wise, the band started phoning it in after PL, IMO. With a few exceptions like “spOOL” and “Art of Life,” the complexity of their music has just been missing. I didn’t start listening to QR to hear stripped down songs—the complexity and care with which they crafted their music is what got me hooked. Even the simpler songs on Empire still had that element of complexity. If it took Jason Slater to draw this out of the band or to contribute and do it himself, I am totally fine with it.
O:M II, though? It’s like a painter who takes their time with every brush stroke, making sure they put it exactly where they want it. The painting may not be perfect when it’s done, but you can tell the artist cared about it and took the time to try to make it as perfect as possible. This album isn’t perfect. I’m still not too sure if “Circles” is necessary or why they chose to end with “All The Promises”—I need lyrics! Wink, but you can tell that the band actually cared about this one, and I think Slater has done a phenomenal job producing this. The only problem I have is the drum sound, which I think is really very weak, but whether or not this is due to Slater remains to be seen. It would depend on how/where ScottRock recorded them as well. That being said, I hope they work with Slater again on any future project they do, because I really think he *gets* the band and what their fans are looking for.
Honestly, this is the first time since PL that I have been left speechless after listening to a QR album for the first time. I honestly felt like I was gonna cry when I first heard it, because it’s just so… awesome. Frankly, I was wondering if they had it in them anymore, but this is just, I mean, WOW. This is what modern QR should sound like.
I think Operation: Mindcrime II is, without question, Queensryche’s most musically diverse and interesting record since Empire. Promised Land is a great record and equally as emotional and gripping, but it doesn’t have the variety of song tempos and soundscapes like Mindcrime II does. That diversity pushes it up a notch over PL.
So I’ll go on record as saying I haven’t been this impressed with a QR album since Empire.
But I’m honestly really overwhelmed with the complexity of the album, and a tip of the hat to the major songwriting team of Tate/Slater/Stone for some incredible work. The bass lines are intense (damn good work Ed) as well, and Wilton’s parts were good. My only disappointment would be the drum work. It’s a mixed bag. On some tracks, I think it’s good, on others, it sounded like a mailed-in job. But who knows, maybe the storyline required simplicity at some points.
Mindcrime II was able to take QR’s sound in yet ANOTHER direction, but at the same time, retained the traditional QR “sound.” You know this is Queensryche, but yet it’s different. Just when you thought they really didn’t have anywhere else to go musically, BAM, we get songs like “Re-Arrange You” and “A Murderer.” Pure brilliance.
The production is pretty damn good. I mean, with as much going on in this album as there is, I find myself really having to give Slater a big thumbs up on both his work writing and behind the glass, because the album is just really intense on headphones, and a huge trip.
Operation:Mindcrime II is Queensryche's most diverse release to date. There are 5 musical elements to the record - Hard Rock/Metal, Blues or Bluesy aspects, Prog, Pop and Punk. A musical wet dream. Almost anyone can appreciate Mindcrime II for it's innovation and vast musical landscape. The fact that Queensryche (along with producer Jason Slater) found a way to blend the genres and influences of this record so seamlessly is a testament to their talents. Mindcrime II feels like a labor of love. It possesses an amazingly rich atmosphere. It's very moving at times, other times it's just flat out hardcore, and then there's the bluesy saucy parts. There are definitely some QR classics here.
The only thing that can hold Mindcrime II down is the obvious comparisons it will draw to the first. Mindcrime II deserves to stand on it's own. It really sounds nothing like Mindcrime I. But that's Queensryche's style! Anyone expecting Queensryche to rehash their sound should probably get their head checked. They've never done that. They never will. Thank God!
Operation:Mindcrime II = 9.5
My short verdict: Slater and the boys did a good job. This album is sonically well-rounded and carries a larger lower-end then any Queensrÿche album to date. Eddie Jackson’s bass is more in the forefront then ever. The bass guitar is more energized then it has been in the past. It also has a very “modern” sound to it; you won’t mistake it for something from the original Mindcrime.
Wilton and Stone are on fire throughout this album. That’s a fact. The guitar work on this album rivals everything in Queensrÿche’s catalogue. In fact, I will be utterly blasphemous and say: the combination of Wilton and Stone here actually surpasses the duo of Wilton and DeGarmo. The guitar leads are plentiful, tasteful, and quite often doubled-up. The riffs are chunky and varied. Acoustic guitars sneak little dabs of zest into songs like “Hostage”. And I swear that David Gilmour is playing the solo on “All The Promises.”
Unfortunately this all seems to come at the expense of Scott. The drumming here is very… basic. I really don’t think there’s any moment where the drums are going to steal your attention. Is this a bad thing? I’m not sure. The drums are more function than flash on II, for better or worse.
So, Geoff Tate… there are no Warning or Rage esque vocal stylings to be found here. “The Hands” is a very good representation of what you will find in the vocal department. In many ways, I think this is a good thing. The vocals will never surpass the actual song in terms of attention; however, Geoff will have his moments, such as the end of “Hostage”, or a few other beltings throughout the album. On top of that, the closing duet with Pamela Moore is absolutely beautiful. Plus, most importantly, his voice works. It fits. It does what it needs to do; it conveys what the song needs to be conveyed. It’s interesting, but without going for the “shock” element of “wow, did he just hit that note?”
The orchestral and choir touches are very welcome, in my book. I disagree with Martin Popoff’s assertion that they crop up too much. They provide a nice backdrop of textures for the songs to be painted on. Sometimes they’ll skip to the forefront, or sometimes they’ll be blended in as little flourishes, such as on “The Chase”. If you ask me, they work, and they work well. In many ways, the orchestrations add the element of “movie” to the album. In many ways, it’s true that listening to this album is like listening to a movie. That’s not a bad thing, either. I think a fair comparison for a lot of the orchestration and guitar solos is Trans-Siberian Orchestra, yet with a Queensrÿche flavor.
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Comments
I understand. And I don't blame you. Queensryche has taken a creative break since Promised Land.
I have Mindcrime II already, and I can say with confidence that it's as good as Promised Land....if not better. Queensryche finally stepped up and made some groundbreaking creative music with Mindcrime II.
I seriously doubt you'll be disappointed.
I recognize your name. Do you frequent QR.com or breakdownroom.net?
I used to post on .com. But I'm over at breakdownroom.net all of the time.
What about you?
Yep. You probably know me. Stalin?
Nice to know I'm not the only Pearl Jam fan over there. Right on. Just trying to speak the word, you know? Mindcrime II is an EASY sell. It's good enough to sell itself once it gets heard.....but that's the hard part.
Hey, cool to see you over here! Are you in Portland? If so, we'll have to grab a beer before the Portland ryche show. I'm planning on hitting Portland and both Seattle shows.
Yep. I'll be at all 3 shows. I'll publish some prefunk information at breakdownroom when it becomes available.