Queensryche: Operation Mindcrime

Track Listing

1) I Remember Now

2) Anarchy-X

3) Revolution Calling

4) Operation Mindcrime

5) Speak

6) Spreading The Disease

7) The Mission

8) Suite Sister Mary

9) 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

1988 is the year that truly exposed Queensryche to the world.  In May of that year Queensryche released "Operation Mindcrime" and unleashed a rock opera unlike any before or after.  The story was original and the music was memorable.  This album is considered by fans and critics alike as Queensryche's masterpiece and although the follow up album "Empire" may have had more "hits", Queensryche have yet to create another album that contained the magic that "Operation Mindcrime" conjured.  On to the story behind the songs:

The story is about a junkie named Nikki that was saved from the streets by Dr. X.  Dr. X took Nikki into his secret underground revolution by brainwashing Nikki and suppling him with fixes.  The price?  Nikki becomes an assassin that through his brainwashing cannot recall his dirty deeds.  The secret lies behind the word "Mindcrime".  Once Nikki hears this word, the mission begins.  Nikki then meets a former prostitute, now nun, Mary, and falls in love with her.  This love seems to start to erase the brainwash affect that Dr. X had worked hard at refining.  Dr. X becomes suspicious of Mary and a corrupt priest, Father William, and orders Nikki to kill both Mary and Father William.  Nikki goes to Mary and both decide to leave Dr. X's organization.  Dr. X reminds Nikki that he is an addict and only Dr. X can provide the fix.  Nikki leaves and goes back to Mary only  to find her dead and then believing that he was the one who had killed her and never realized it.  Nikki then submits to his own insanity and runs through the streets crying out Mary's name, only to be subdued by the police.  Nikki is then placed into a hospital with a complete memory loss until he see's a news report on the recent murders and this jogs his memory and then he begins his story.

This album is a must have for any metal fan.  This needs to be in your collection as this is a timeless album.

Operation Mindcrime

Spreading the Disease

The Mission

I Don't Believe in Love

Eyes of A Stranger

Now Playing:

Queensryche: Operation Mindcrime

Back For The Attack

I guess you could say this blog is for the older "metal" crowd out there, however the album that I'm about to review is a classic that should be in every metal fans catalog.  Dokken, yes, I know, hair metal, glam metal, whatever metal you want to call it, unleashed this incredible album back in November 1987.  I was in high school and I promise you that this album was "Heaven Sent".  The album is a complete masterpiece from the album cover, the Dokken Coat of Arms, through all 13 tracks of classic rockin' metal.  To quote Ricky Bobby, this album pisses excellence. As a fan of guitars I will tell you that guitarist George Lynch was playing his heart out on this album.  Incredible riffs, massive solos and an all around great vibe.  Some fans call this Lynch's swansong.  I don't necessarily agree, but at the same time I don't disagree.  His playing on Back for the Attack is certainly some of the best guitar rock from this decade and unfortunately was the beginning of the end of Dokken.  This record made them more popular than ever, it achieved platinum sales status, spawned multiple top 20 hits and within two years the band broke up.  Dokken's main line up throughout the 80's was Don Dokken, vocals, George Lynch, guitars, Jeff Pilson, bass and Wild Mick Brown, drums.  That was a lot of great talent to be tied in together and unfortunately this would cause the band to implode.  Now on to the music:

Track Listing:
1) Kiss of Death
2) Prisoner
3) Night by Night
4) Standing in the Shadows
5) Heaven Sent
6) Mr. Scary
7) So Many Tears
8) Burning Like a Flame
9) Lost Behind the Wall
10) Stop Fighting Love
11) Cry of the Gypsy
12) Sleepless Night
13) Dream Warriors

The album starts off full blast with Kiss of Death.  This song screams metal.



Fan Favorite Heaven Sent



Pure cheese, right?

For fans of shredding guitar, Mr. Scary



Another hit, Burning Like a Flame



Now my personal favorite from this album, Sleepless Night



Finally the album closer and a video that defines 80's cheese and hair metal, Dream Warriors



If you are a fan of metal, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this classic record.  The good news is that this day and time you can pick this up for a couple of bucks used and even find new copies for around $5.00.  Friends, this is one that you can't go wrong with.

Do I even need to say what is now playing on my iPod?


Back for the Attack, Dokken

A Presidential/Political Moment

I got the urge to write this after watching President Obama's speech on TV tonight live from Arizona.  I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of Obama but as he is the leader of the free world and the country that I love, I will support him.  Do I agree with all of his decisions, no, but if he has a vision that he feels will make this country better, well let's give it a try.  The tragedy in Arizona is appalling.  I hope that Senator Gabrielle Giffords makes a full recovery as well as the other 13 injured.  The thought of losing a daughter scares me to death.  The fact that the young girl (6 years old) that was savagely killed was actually born on 9-11-01 actually chokes me up.  Watching President Obama speak to the free world tonight and seeing him almost choke up when speaking of this young girl only shows to me that his heart was being tugged on by this horrible incident. With the weight of the United States on his shoulders, he carried on and spoke of visions of a better people and a better United States.  I want that.  You should want that.  It makes me sick to know that this shooter can kill 6 people and injure 14 others and still be alive.  How, better yet Why???  I hate the thought of revenge, but when you take out your anger on innocent people, be prepared for pain.  When a tragedy like this happens I always think to myself where is the Frank Castle or Mack Bolan of this world?  I hate to bring up fictional characters to believe in, but those two are people that I grew up reading and believing in.  I read an article earlier this year about the vigilantes in Seattle (http://www.seattlepi.com/local/430430_super19.html).  Talk about something to believe in.  Those guys are truly hero's in ever sense of the word.  My rant is now over but my heart is still heavy with the painful thoughts of this terrible tragedy.  It will get better, America will be better.

2010 Top 15 Metal Albums of the Year

First off, I would like to say 2010 was an incredible year for metal.  This was probably one of the toughest years to pick out the "best" of the best in a long time.  It seemed that each release was a great piece of work and certainly did not disappoint metal heads around the world.  I put together a top 10 list for the Focus on Metal team.  As an occasional blogger, contributor and supporter for that site, I invite any and all to check out this great site and blog dedicated to all things metal.  Don't forget to subscribe to the Focus on Metal Blog for great news and insight in the metal world.  On to my list, in no particular order:

Annihilator

Witchkrieg

Omega Wave

World On Fire

Relentless Retribution

Polarity

Daath

At the Edge of Time

Days of Defiance

Black Swans & Wormhole Wizards

Blood of the Nations

The Final Frontier

Relentless

7 Sinners

Order of the Black

The biggest surprise on my list was the newly released album by Accept.  Blood of the Nations is a great retro sounding metal album.  I was impressed by the quality of the songs and the downright aggressive attack. I don't think the fans are missing the original singer UDO after hearing this incredible album.  How about the return to form by Forbidden.  Omega Wave has more plays on my ipod than any other album this year.  Iron Maiden is still proving that they can release excellent music 20+ years later.  The Final Frontier is a great release that should easily please any Maiden fan.  Helloween released 7 Sinners and for a classic band this one was also incredible.  Of course as a fan of shredding guitar, Yngwie and Joe Satriani both released great albums that have been high on my playlist as well.  Annihilator, one of my favorite bands, dropped a bomb and annihilated.  Simple as that.  Blind Guardian and Firewind also released two of their finest cd's to date.  With all the hype Gus G gained with his debut with Ozzy, he proves that he has his chops up to speed on Days of Defiance.  Death Angel released what many fans considered their best album ever with Relentless Retribution.  Decrepit Birth released an incredible mix of technical death metal.  (Trust me, this album is on top of many lists for 2010).  Daath also released a massive self titled disc that was and is a great listen.  As a fan of Witchery for many years, I was skeptical to a new release with former Marduk vocalist Legion.  One listen was all it took.  Legion has added an element of darkness to an already classic metal band.  Sacred Oath was also a pleasant surprise this year.  This is one of those bands that you probably have heard of but never heard.  You need to give this album a spin.  I'm actually going back and revisiting their catalog of releases.  Finally, Black Label Society has surpassed their previous two efforts with a rocking album for 2010.  Order of the Black is what BLS should sound like.  Period!  There are many other albums that were incredible last year but I picked my top 15 based on spins on the ipod and these were the winners.  The amazing thing is that the majority of those albums were released in the 2nd half of the year.  I certainly hope that 2011 continues with great releases and surprises from both classic bands and up and newcomers.  Bring it on!!!