...with just an slight element of dread in case it's shite.
Next month, 18 years on from the original, Queensryche release Operation: Mindcrime 2 which takes up the story 20 years after the original. 8O
A bit of history. I first discovered Queensryche though Operation: Mindcrime. Or more specifically, through Tommy Vance (RIP goat bless him) playing Suite Sister Mary on the Friday Rock Show. Suite Sister Mary is an 11:46 song of epic proportions with choirs and a shite-hot female vocalist (Pamela Moore) duetting with Geoff Tate, and lashings of dark/creepy atmospherics. After hearing this song, the following day I was scrabbling around borrowing money from people to by the album (on vinyl, natch). When I got it home, I sat down and listened to the whole album in stunned silence, and when it finished I flipped it over and did the same again. The quality of the writing and musicianship on this record is just staggering, and the story that unfolds (yes, it's a concept album) is both disturbing and gripping.
Over the years, this album is probably the most played record in my collection. In fact I wore out my original vinyl copy and had to re-buy it on CD a few years later.
I specifically remember a late night coding sessions on my Commodore 64 which started at 6pm and went right through to 7am. I had Operation: Mindcrime playing on repeat the whole time. That's how much I love this album.
Iron Maiden had their own concept album (Seventh Son of a Seventh Son) due out shortly after Mindcrime was released, and Bruce Dickinson has gone on record stating that after hearing Mindcrime he turned to the rest of Maiden and said "$%&#! We're in trouble!" or words to that effect.
So now, we have a follow-up to, basically favourite album of all time on the cards, but I haven't been too keen on some of Queensryche's recent material (they went away from their melodic prog-metal roots, and had a bash at stripped down Grunge rock *shudder*, losing found member, guitarist Chris DeGarmo in the process), so I'm quite nervous that they might ruin the Mindcrime story, but also hopeful that maybe this will be a glorious return to form.
Pamela Moore is returning to sing the parts of Mary, and for the first time the mysterious Dr. X is being vocalised... by none other than Ronnie James Dio! 8O
This has such great potential, both good and bad, that I'm almost a nervous wreck thinking about it.
*crosses fingers*
Please let it be good... Please let it be good... Please let it be good... Please let it be good... Please let it be good... Please let it be good... Please let it be good...
Muttley
