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Class 6(66)

Queensryche: Operation: Mindcrime

11/03/11  ||  Habakuk

Introduction

Habakuk: Ahh, “Mindcrime”. This is actually the second tag team I am doing for this particular album, but it’s special, and I mean that in the most bromantic sense, nonetheless. Why, you ask – because partner in crime revenant is the person that turned me to this album at a steamy, transglobal bar meet-up in the fantastic city of Melbourne back in ’09. I definitely wouldn’t have found it without him, because I firmly believe that most heavy metal concept albums should usually be avoided like the plague. I offer my eternal gratitude.

revenant: Shucks, what do I say after an intro like that? Well, all I can say is that it was a pleasure to introduce you to this absolute classic album (and likewise be introduced to Protector). This is the third time this album has been initiated into the Clas666 section? Maybe K hates it and doesn’t want it there? Fuck if I know, but an album like this can’t be kept from the classic status it deserves… and if K happens to delete this one as well, expect entry number four to follow not long after.

Unlike you Hab, I don’t have an aversion to metal concept albums (in fact I seek them out) because of this album. I was introduced to this album by a fellow metalhead when my metal experience consisted of Iron Maiden, Megadeth and Metallica. I was lent a pile of LPs with the instruction to broaden my horizons. It was quite the collection too, with Sodom, Destruction, Exodus and Watchtower to name but a few. But the one album that hooked me like no other in that collection was “Operation: Mindcrime”. I bought the CD as soon as I could and have loved this album ever since.

Alright, enough of the fluffy intro, let’s kick this thing off already.

Songwriting

Habakÿche: The thing is, there are so many hits on this album it’s easy to forget they all follow a concept. They basically work on their own in their catchy and very American hard rock meets heavy metal style. Almost every tune has an awesome chorus, and all songs feel a lot shorter than they actually are, which is definitely a good sign.

revolution calling: That’s true. Even “Suite Sister Mary” at over 10 minutes doesn’t feel long. I’m going to be annoyed from the outset if you don’t agree to rate this a 10. The songwriting is phenomenal. The album ebbs and flows perfectly, progressing from quieter moments before pacing up, all the while telling a story. For me the thing that makes this so brilliant is that the songs just flow naturally into one another and how naturally the story progresses. Queensrÿche have not only written a bunch of amazing tunes, but put them in the right order and told a story through them, and that in itself is amazing.

Habakurt: And they didn’t go completely overboard with the interludes either, which I always find a bit of a pain to go through after a few listens with almost any storytelling album. Of the actual songs, the only non-absolutely fantastic anthem is “Speak”. The rest is unquestionably a solid 10. And I’m not gonna start an argument over 0.5 points now, we’ve gotta make a statement here after all. 10!

Production

Newbakuk: For an album from 1988, this shit sounds pretty decent – although I have to admit I have the re-release.

electric reviem: Is it a remaster? I’m pretty sure mine isn’t and the production is damn sweet. All the instruments are tonally right and can be clearly heard. The bass, in particular, is beautifully clear, which is important as it plays a big part in the music. Is yours clearly marked as a remaster?

Inspector Kuk: “Queensrÿche remastered”, it reads. I’d say that’s an indicator. Whatever version we are talking about however, obviously there is not much room for disagreement. The production is perfect. Punchy bass, clear guitars, and the vocals are mastered just right. The drums are a bit 80s, but that gets my OK for this sort of style. I’d probably go as far as giving an 8.5 here.

I revember now: And even though we’re talking about different versions (good work on spotting that sticker, Watson), I’d rate mine the same. 8.5 it is.

Guitars

rev your engine: You know, back when I first had this album I was a big fan of guitar solos. I still am, though I don’t think bands do them as well nowadays (too much Kerry King worship and not enough melody for my liking). “Operation: Mindcrime” is packed to the fucken brim with excellent guitar solos. Young Rev liked this very much, and even now older Rev enjoys this component of the album. They are beautifully melodic, and I can’t find one I don’t like.

Habalamadingdong: The fact that I can’t recall many of them is in fact a very good sign. I couldn’t care less about most guitar solos, to be honest. The ones on “Mindcrime” must be pretty good then! Apart from that, the guitars show how much you can do with basically simple chords and a few really great leads. Definitely not a riff album, but the guitars sure sound classy.

reving the disease: They sure do, and even though they are simple chords they are part of the overall picture, where each of the components form one magnificent whole. For that reason, it’s solid stuff, and surely worthy of an 8.

Vocals

Kuk of a stranger: Man, I love Tate’s performance on here. It’s not like there aren’t any cheese pits to fall into, but he miraculously avoids them all.

I don’t believe in rev: The thing I love most about Tate’s performance on this album is the passion with which he sings. He’s a great singer, for sure, but he really excels on this album by putting the main character’s emotions into the songs. In “Revolution Calling” we hear his self-righteous indignation, in “Spreading the Disease” his anger at society, his despair in “The Mission” and in “My Empty Room” his pain. Great storytellers always bring the emotion of events into their voice, and this is why Tate’s performance on Mindcrime is so goddamn fucking good. Habbayabba, I feel like saying something really controversial here, maybe just to ruffle a few feathers and get some bitching into the forums, but I have to say Tate’s performance here is better than any performance Bruce Dickinson ever made. There, I said it.

I do believe in Kuk: Not sure whether I’m completely with you on that one, but Tate sure pulls his stuff off with a lot more ease than the Bruce. It’s like, church organ versus air raid siren here. Both work well for their purpose, but you wouldn’t sound the Stuka alarm during Sunday service. At least not post-1940. So yeah, Tate’s performance is varied, cringe-worthy only exactly once (“My empty room”, the very last interlude) and an absolute high point on this album. A 10, maybe?

queensrev: Not all Maiden requires the air raid siren and when Bruce does tone it down, he can’t match Tate. Indeed, there is great subtlety in Tate’s performance that is probably beyond Bruce. A 10 is definitely in order here because this is a magnificent performance.

Bass

HabassKuk: Well, with the guitars going for a very supportive role in the overall scheme of things and intersperse it with leads and solos, someone’s gotta do the job and propel the songs forward. This person is Mr Eddie Jackson and his four strings of mayhem. Blessed with a fantastic, rumbly sound, he gives this more than just a grounding, but pushes forward steadily with groovy, thumpy bass lines. Easy to underrate, but integral for the flow of the album.

reverend lovejoy: Bass is always the easiest to underrate and ignore, sometimes even remove in production. Well thank satan Queensrÿche didn’t pull an “…And Justice for All” here and wipe out the bass, because it’s a treat to listen to and most importantly, essential in giving this album the right sound. Habracadabra, I think this performance deserves a 9.

Drums

revel yell: I really like the drum performance on the album. There are a lot of great drum fills and a lot of song intros are driven by the drumming. It doesn’t wow you with express pace or bombastic pounding, it sits in its place and complements the rest of the instruments perfectly.

Kuk’s Sister Mary: True that, and that is exactly what an album like this requires. A flawless pacemaker forming the backbone for the really good shit. I’d say the band members of Queensrÿche should now get up and take a simultaneous bow before their rhythm section of Eddie Jackson and resident rocka Scott Rockenfield.

revflections: Agreed. In many instances the rhythm section makes the song. Check out “I don’t believe in love”, the guitars are pretty much a non-entity on the verse section, it’s all bass and drum driving that track, and boy does it sound good. I think we’re looking down the barrel of another 9 here.

Lyrics

My empty Kuk: “Concept album” normally equals pretentiousness or nerdery for me. This album here proved me wrong, though. These lyrics are actually pretty down-to-earth, just connected by a storyline. I mean, mental instability, not believing in love, drugs, politicians stealing our money? Nothing that hasn’t been done before, but fitted together into a nice package. At first I actually thought “Spreading the disease” was about AIDS – before I read the whole thing.

spreading rev’s disease: Hardly surprising given lines like this:

Twenty five bucks a fuck and John’s a happy man
She wipes the filth away and it’s back on the streets again
Spreading the disease

But as you point out, the lyrics are best enjoyed when interpreted as whole. Concept albums generally are pretentious or nerdy, and sometimes both (what’s Iced Earth doing right now? A sci-fi trilogy… fuck off). I find also that the lyrics tend to suffer in concept albums as artists cram in as much storytelling as they can within each song, meaning that verses get pushed too long or choruses miss the mark. Thankfully Queensrÿche avoid those traps, with the story flowing naturally as the album progresses, yet at the same time each song can be taken in isolation and still be comprehensible. I wouldn’t say these lyrics are perfect but, in the sense of what Queensrÿche set out to achieve, they succeed. I think this one is a 9.

Hagreed: Absolutely. They perfected the balance between subtlety and getting shit done with the lyrics, and I applaud that. 9 indeed.

Cover art

Habartcritik: Dude, what the shit is this supposed to be? An iconic symbol? A testimony to failure?

Revbrandt: Looks to me like a worker’s union protest, which would certainly fit with the album theme. Or perhaps it’s a picture from the Russian revolution? Those hats aren’t exactly the fashion anymore and Dr. X’s cause certainly seems to be Communist. Whatever it is, I’d say it’s revolting.

Habanana: If Communism comes with shitty album covers and excessive use of yellow, count me out, Doctor. I say a 3, nuttin’ more.

Repellent: 3 it is then, though I get a 10 for my double entendre in the above paragraph. I’m so witty n’ stuff.

Logo

Kuked something up: I remember producing an image for this for my last review. Ah, found it. Maybe you can tell me then, Mr Witty – what was I thinking?

obscure revference: Don’t ask me, Michelin’s logo is blue and white. Here’s an interesting fact: the Michelin Man’s name is Bibendum. Fascinating,no?

As to the Queensrÿche logo, they only used the red-and-white coloring twice: for this album and for the sequel (to maintain the same look). A good thing too, this is a very ordinary looking logo in my opinion, but at the same time one that’s instantly recognizable. How do we score that? Something that’s iconic and crap?

Haverunoutofreferences: That sure was fascinating. In my bedazzled, fantastified state I’ll say we go for the middle ground with a pointless 6.

Booklet

revviewer: Not a lot to talk about here unfortunately. Song titles (always handy), lyrics (though badly laid out and hard to read) plus a black and white photo of the band reminding us how bad fashion was back in the ‘80s. Fans of openly displayed chest hair will certainly get a kick out of Tate’s open shirt display. Talk about a virulent forest of hair, it’s enough to make “Tom Selleck look bald”: http://wetmen.provocateuse.com/images/photos/tom_selleck_01.jpg. Hab?

HaBadAttiduteBaracus: Mine doesn’t have that picture, I’m afraid. However, I raise you: One page of liner notes from Geoff Tate, two pages of liner notes by some other dude, original and re-issue credits (one page each), a double page of still images from the video to “Eyes of a stranger” with explanations of the storyline, five pages of lyrics (black on white/yellow), the four single releases’ covers and six band pictures. Not bad. That’s an 8 from my side, and I guess calculating the means here won’t lead us very far as we’re talking about different things.

reverse parking: I am torn with jealousy now. Next to yours, my booklet is a piece of shit, with the only saving grace that laughable picture. Shall we give two scores for two booklets? Because my booklet gets a 5.

Overall and ending rant

Revelry: OK, I’d rate this in my fav 5 albums of all time, so I’ll want to give this a big score. Just sayin’.

Habawooosh: You just ran through an open door mate. I don’t really have that kind of list, but I’d say if anyone is looking for a brilliant showcase of what the 80s could deliver in terms of classic metal, “Mindcrime” is one not to miss.

Rev rant: Actually I haven’t made that list, it’s just something I instinctively know without thinking about it. Like getting a proposition for a blowjob from a crocodile: instinct tells you the answer without the brain needing to function. But putting my grand claims aside for a moment, this album is so great not because of individual brilliance, but by the sum of all parts coming together to create something extremely special. I’ve owned this disc for over 15 years, and never once have I got bored of it nor looked upon it as dated. If ever there was an album deserving of a 10, this is it.

Habartypooper: Thing is, in my book there is no such thing as a “10” for an album on principle. The perfect album can’t be achieved, but this one admittedly does lean towards such a thing. It does indeed combine the individual brilliance in the form of Geoff Tate with the whole sum of its parts-thing. That, plus crafting a cool story around it all. Talk about a highly ambitioned project, but it all worked fantastically in the end. So, I just hope I can soothe your flaming fandom by proposing a 9.5 whilst agreeing on the subject matter and sneaking off to the crocodile den…

revraining from pushing the point: I don’t quite agree, my definition of a 10 is an album that can’t imaginably be improved in any way. And that is this album. But I like a man with principles more than I like a woman without them, so I’ll concede the point and let this 10 get a 9.5.

Habakuk: I thank ye and push the button…

9,5

  • Information
  • Released: 1988
  • Label: EMI
  • Website: www.queensryche.com
  • Band
  • Geoff Tate: vocals, keyboards
  • Chris DeGarmo: guitars
  • Michael Wilton: guitars
  • Eddie Jackson: bass
  • Scott Rockenfield: drums
  • Tracklist
  • 01. I remember now
  • 02. Anarchy-X
  • 03. Revolution calling
  • 04. Operation: Mindcrime
  • 05. Speak
  • 06. Spreading the disease
  • 07. The mission
  • 08. Suite sister Mary
  • 09. The needle lies
  • 10. Electric requiem
  • 11. Breaking the silence
  • 12. I don’t believe in love
  • 13. Waiting for 22
  • 14. My empty room
  • 15. Eyes of a stranger

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