Former QUEENSRŸCHE vocalist Geoff Tate has announced that he’s working on the third and final installment of the band’s iconic Operation: Mindcrime album series.
Released in 1988, QUEENSRŸCHE’s Operation: Mindcrime catapulted the band to new heights. This groundbreaking concept album follows the harrowing journey of Nikki, a drug addict ensnared by a sinister cult led by Dr. X. With its powerful narrative and groundbreaking music, Operation: Mindcrime is considered a masterpiece of progressive metal and remains relevant today.
In contrast, the 2006 follow-up, Operation: Mindcrime II, was met with mixed reviews. While it offered a decent musical experience, many fans and critics felt it was an unnecessary addition to the original masterpiece, detracting from its impact.
In a recent interview with Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern, Tate shared his plans for Operation: Mindcrime III. Discussing the musical direction of his upcoming solo work, Geoff commented (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “I would say it has more of an early QUEENSRŸCHE feel. [The new songs are] super heavy, and some of ’em are incredibly technical. They’re like algebra. [Laughs] You need a calculator when you’re listening to the song. [Laughs] And, of course, some of them are very emotional. It’s the last chapter in the Mindcrime series. So it’s following the exploits of Dr. X and Nikki and Sister Mary, and picks up at a particular point in their story and kind of does the microscope of what is happening at that particular time with them. And I am just in love with it. I am so happy with everything so far, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
When asked if Operation: Mindcrime III will once again feature “some of those political interplays” in its lyrical themes, Tate responded: “Oh, I think so. Yeah, I think that people will be able to detect little bits of what’s happening around them. And it’s an interesting time right now — very interesting. Especially next week [after the 2024 U.S. presidential election], it’s gonna be really interesting [laughs] what happens. So, we’ll see.”
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