Vinyl Vault

Editor’s Note: Join Queensryche in Honoring the AMERICAN SOLDIER by sharing (1) stories of service and sacrifice, (2) song dedications to military personnel at home and abroad, and (3) your list of top-5 songs related to war and life on the frontlines.

One of prog metal’s most enduring statements, and easily one of the more memorable concept albums, Queensryche’s 1988 opus magnum, Operation: Mindcrime tells the story of a man becoming disillusioned with American society who joins in a conspiratorial plot to assassinate its corrupt leaders. Although it didn’t contain a hit single like “Silent Lucidity,” Mindcrime was a bona-fide success that catapulted the Seattle-based band to worldwide fame. While the album works best as a whole, not everybody has the time to devote an hour to uninterrupted aural delights. So, with that in mind, here’s a song-by-song breakdown for those of you who wish to skip right to the gems:

Operation: Mindcrime (1988, EMI-Manhattan Records)

Side A

  A1. “I Remember Now”
This short spoken word introduction finds the protagonist, Nikki, lying comatose in a hospital bed. Unable to remember anything concrete about his past except snippets here and there, Nikki is suddenly flooded with memories. “I can’t remember yesterday, I just remember doing what they told me..told me..told me..told me,” he says. Clearly this instrumental is important to setting-up the rest of the album, but certainly not worth your download dollars.

  A2. “Anarchy X”
Another instrumental piece, although this one has the muscle to make it a great listen. If you listen very carefully to the background, you can hear the revolutionary leader, Doctor X, giving an impassioned speech to his minions of followers.

  A3. “Revolution Calling”
The first balls to the wall rocker of the set, “Revolution Calling” is a call to arms with heavy guitars, wailing leads, and pounding drums. The lyrics speak of government corruption and hypocrisy and invitation to the masses to do something about it. Sadly, this song is still relevant today, and that makes it a classic.

  A4. “Operation: Mindcrime”
More heart-stopping riffs and some killer bass-lines make the title track another essential download. In this song, Dr. X lures Nikki into the cause as an assassin with the promise of heroin, our protagonist’s weakness.

  A5. “Speak”
Fast, heavy riffs make “Speak” the most metal of all the songs on Mindcrime. It’s a doosy that features a great vocal turn from Geoff Tate and finds Nikki praising his boss, Dr. X, as the “new messiah” and a “death angel.” Chris DeGarmo’s guitar solo is a wonder to the ears.

  A6. “Spreading the Disease”
The adrenaline keeps coming with “Spreading the Disease,” the fourth rocker in a row. In this track, the listener is introduced to “Sister Mary,” an abused prostitute that becomes a plaything for Nikki during his time off from assassinations. A nice interlude finds Tate lamenting the hypocrisy of the establishment while Scott Rockenfield keeps a funky beat on bongos in the background.

  A7. “The Mission”
After the onslaught of the previous four tracks, “The Mission” comes across a little sluggish to me. It’s another anthemic rocker, but lacks the power of the songs leading up to it. Here we find Nikki slipping into depression as he starts to realize the evil he’s committed. It’s also apparent that Nikki is also falling in love with Sister Mary.

Side B

  B1. “Suite Sister Mary”
The centerpiece of the album, “Suite Sister Mary” clocks in at over 10 minutes long and features neo-classical trappings such as choirs chanting in Latin, siren wails, and multiple time changes. It’s “prog” to the max and it works quite well. Here, Nikki is ordered by Doctor X to kill Sister Mary. The protagonist is torn between loyalty to his boss and the love of the woman he so deeply cares for.

  B2. “The Needle Lies”
A rousing rocker, “The Needle Lies” is a lament to the evils of addiction, the ultimate source of Nikki’s problems. “Wet and raving/The needle keeps calling me back/To bloody my hands forever,” Tate sings, desperation oozing from his voice. As a straightforward barn burner, “The Needle Lies” doesn’t possess the intracacies of some of Mindcrime’s best tracks, but there’s no denying the glee of its speed.

  B3. “Electric Requiem”
This short track finds Nikki discovering the dead body of his beloved Sister Mary: “Even in death/You still look sad.” It’s interesting but uneventful.

  B4. “Breaking the Silence”
A solid, straightforward rock song that has some great harmonies and a rousing chorus.

  B5. “I Don’t Believe in Love”
One of the strongest tracks on the album, “I Don’t Believe in Love” is also the most melodic and popular. Well worth the download, “I Don’t Believe in Love” finds Nikki ruminating on the futility of love, a universal sentiment that extends beyond the confines of the narrative.

  B6. “Waiting for 22”
This short instrumental is a nice guitar duet with a pretty melody. It simply serves as an interlude and sounds like a sketch that was never expanded upon.

  B7. “My Empty Room”
Another short track, “My Empty Room” starts off strong and then almost immediately transistions into the next song. Again, it works if you’re listening to the album all the way through, but as a stand-alone song it falls short.

  B8. “Eyes of a Stranger”
The band ends the proceedings on a strong note, with soaring choruses, heavy riffs and pounding drums. As the title suggests, Nikki no longer recognizes himself, wondering who he’s become and what the future holds for him.

The Bottom Line

Even though Operation: Mindcrime is meant to be listened to as a continuous whole, it’s amazing how many of the tracks stand on their own as classic metal singles. All in all, Mindcrime works both as an epic concept album and as a collection of first-rate rock songs.

Editor’s Note: Join Queensryche in Honoring the AMERICAN SOLDIER by sharing (1) stories of service and sacrifice, (2) song dedications to military personnel at home and abroad, and (3) your list of top-5 songs related to war and life on the frontlines.

No Comments »