Post by Dr Demented on Apr 6, 2006 23:16:44 GMT -5
Queensryche
Operation Mindcrime II
Rhino Records 2006
Review By: Michael Griffey II
Well, like most prog-rock fans and metalheads, I awaited this album with much anticipation. One could wonder how anything could go wrong when you have Ronnie James Dio appearing on the sequel to what was touted the greatest concept album since "The Wall".
But then you have to ask yourself: How do you follow greatness?
The first Operation Mindcrime was mindblowing...each song intricately describing the further details of the story, with Geoff Tate's passion dripping through each pain-filled lyric. Remove one song, and the whole structure crumbles. Remove one note, and you have chaos.
Operation Mindcrime II left me feeling VERY schizophrenic. When it's good, it's great...but when it's bad...man, it's bad.
It begins with two soundbites...typical of the first album...drawing you into the theater of the mind...very ominous, very cool...Nikki is being released from prison/mental ward...which leads into the first two songs, "I'm American" and "One Foot In Hell". If you only hear these two songs, you might be tempted to throw this disc in the trash. They are pop-laden crap of the worst kind, and I was beginning to be frightened that I might have wasted my money.
"Hostage" redeemed them for a moment...then "The Hands", while very cool lyrically just seemed pretentious. "Speed of Light" was alright, but this was the third slow song...it seems that they've lost their edge. I weep in the memory of the anthems of the first album, "Revolution Calling" is not to repeated, I fear. "Signs say go" is just crap.
Then, they hit you with "Re-arrange you"...a solid song. Lyrically awesome...describing Nikki's rage for revenge.
Then comes my most awaited song..."The Chase", featuring Dio as Doctor X. What a bummer-drag. Dio sounds like he came in and laid the tracks in one take... If he would have sang like he does on any of his massive repertoire, it might have been saved...but he tried to emulate Tate's smoother vocal style...and I frankly don't like it. Doctor X is supposed to be evil...he should have really put some power behind the words...slayed us with his raspy growls. This is supposed to be the God of Metal, dammit!
"Fear City Slide" wasn't bad...and "All The Promises" was an excellent ending...a wonderfully sad and terrible love song...but I still left this album feeling sad and remembering that old line about sequels...they are either great, or suck terribly.
A few words on the production: I'm not sure what it is about this album, but things just don't sound right. Maybe too clinical is what I'm trying to say...they should have used the same production team from the first album.
This album just comes off to me as an attempt to cash in on the earlier success...they should have just written new songs...
Operation Mindcrime II
Rhino Records 2006
Review By: Michael Griffey II
Well, like most prog-rock fans and metalheads, I awaited this album with much anticipation. One could wonder how anything could go wrong when you have Ronnie James Dio appearing on the sequel to what was touted the greatest concept album since "The Wall".
But then you have to ask yourself: How do you follow greatness?
The first Operation Mindcrime was mindblowing...each song intricately describing the further details of the story, with Geoff Tate's passion dripping through each pain-filled lyric. Remove one song, and the whole structure crumbles. Remove one note, and you have chaos.
Operation Mindcrime II left me feeling VERY schizophrenic. When it's good, it's great...but when it's bad...man, it's bad.
It begins with two soundbites...typical of the first album...drawing you into the theater of the mind...very ominous, very cool...Nikki is being released from prison/mental ward...which leads into the first two songs, "I'm American" and "One Foot In Hell". If you only hear these two songs, you might be tempted to throw this disc in the trash. They are pop-laden crap of the worst kind, and I was beginning to be frightened that I might have wasted my money.
"Hostage" redeemed them for a moment...then "The Hands", while very cool lyrically just seemed pretentious. "Speed of Light" was alright, but this was the third slow song...it seems that they've lost their edge. I weep in the memory of the anthems of the first album, "Revolution Calling" is not to repeated, I fear. "Signs say go" is just crap.
Then, they hit you with "Re-arrange you"...a solid song. Lyrically awesome...describing Nikki's rage for revenge.
Then comes my most awaited song..."The Chase", featuring Dio as Doctor X. What a bummer-drag. Dio sounds like he came in and laid the tracks in one take... If he would have sang like he does on any of his massive repertoire, it might have been saved...but he tried to emulate Tate's smoother vocal style...and I frankly don't like it. Doctor X is supposed to be evil...he should have really put some power behind the words...slayed us with his raspy growls. This is supposed to be the God of Metal, dammit!
"Fear City Slide" wasn't bad...and "All The Promises" was an excellent ending...a wonderfully sad and terrible love song...but I still left this album feeling sad and remembering that old line about sequels...they are either great, or suck terribly.
A few words on the production: I'm not sure what it is about this album, but things just don't sound right. Maybe too clinical is what I'm trying to say...they should have used the same production team from the first album.
This album just comes off to me as an attempt to cash in on the earlier success...they should have just written new songs...