"Operation Mindcrime II" full album in streaming audio!

[Greykiller]

Nor do I. I didn't think what I said, drew any conclusions that couldn't be logically drawn, from reading what Geoff has said throughout QR's career. Whatever.

Zod

So...you conclude that Tate is a Republican who wants to rip us off by putting out crappy music ON PURPOSE by naming this pos album "MCII"?

 

[General Zod]

So...you conclude that Tate is a Republican...

No. Geoff is probably too much of a free thinker to subscribe to any one party's entire platform. That said, he's clearly not in the same headspace he was when he wrote the original. He got married, had kids, became born again and made a good deal of money. His view of the world clearly isn't where it was in 1987 (and I wouldn't expect it to be).

...who wants to rip us off by putting out crappy music ON PURPOSE by naming this pos album "MCII"?

Does he want to rip us off? No. I'm sure he wants to write a great disc, that will sell 25,000,000 copies. Why would an artist want to put out crappy music? However, I do think that he's smart enough to recognize that sales are decling and that support for the band is waining. I also think he's smart enough to know he's holding one last ace in his hand, and if he's going to play it, time is running out. As I said (and I don't believe I'm stating anything that isn't obvious), had this story poured out the band, in the same manner that the original had, they wouldn't have needed Jason Slater to help them write it. You yourself said the disc sucked (don't recall your exact description). Which should indicate, its inspiration didn't spring forth from the same creative well. Clearly, something else drove the creation of this disc, and I contend, it was economic.

Zod

 

[biggs0072000]

I just hate the fact that Geoff evdently likes rap-metal now (see "I'm American")

 

[edgeofthorns]

And religion? OMc is an serious indictment on religion. Now he's born again. Quite the switch. Regardless, he isn't the same person he was when he penned the original (and I wouldn't expect him to be).

Zod

I've never read that he claimed to be born again, but that's another issue. I don't think any of us are the same people 20 years ago....hopefully not anyway! I think Geoff honestly thinks the younger kids will grip the OMC II in the same manner that the 80s generation took hold of the first Mindcrime. His strategy is an attempt to "modernize" the sound of Queensryche and now the Operation Mindcrime story. IMO, he's not as smart as you're giving him credit for! I think he makes stubborn, dumb business decisions! Geoff Tate has given the middle finger to his core fanbase since Hear In The Now Frontier and continues to do so till this day.

To beat it all he has the nerve of comparing his band to Dream Theater and Fates Warning! I heard him stand on stage in Atlanta and say, tonight you're seeing the best of the best......and he was including Queensryche in that statement too! Personally, I went down there mainly to see Dream Theater and Fates Warning. I basically became a loyal Fates Warning fan that night.

The bottom line is, Geoff Tate doesn't care whatsoever about the people that consider him an icon, but he's hurting himself in the longrun.

 

[General Zod]

I've never read that he claimed to be born again, but that's another issue.

I believe I read that... "born again" or "found god". Though, I could be wrong (it wouldn't be the first time). Perhaps Shaye recalls.

To beat it all he has the nerve of comparing his band to Dream Theater and Fates Warning!

Well, not today, but in the prime of their respective careers, I'd take QR over the other two... hands down. But hey, to each their own.

Zod

 

[lady_space]

I believe I read that... "born again" or "found god". Though, I could be wrong (it wouldn't be the first time). Perhaps Shaye recalls.

Well, not today, but in the prime of their respective careers, I'd take QR over the other two... hands down. But hey, to each their own.

Sorry, I'm no help there. But if I read that, I probably just rolled my eyes and went on.

As for your latter statement, absolutely, and I have to add that all 3 have their hey days behind them IMO. FW and DT were and are good (and even great) bands, but Queensryche for a time was the best of the best.

Shaye

 

[lucretia96]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's amazing to me that more people don't recognize this, as the primary driving factor behind the decline of most Metal bands, especially those who began with a sound born of aggression and/or intensity.

Metal needs to be written by intense/angry individuals, not guys driving a Mercedes, 20 pounds over weight and banging a supermodel. It doesn't work. If you're familiar with Mindcrime's story (and if you’re not, shame on you), it's clear that Geoff was pissed at the world. His lyrics are a seething indictment of our government, our media, our religions and our lifestyle. Now he's a 50 year old Republican, simply trying to firm up his nest egg for his golden years. I'm shocked to think anyone was expecting a sequel deserving of the Mindcrime moniker.

As Britt pointed out, if “Mindcrime II’s” driving force was artistic, and not financial, than Mike Stone and Jason Slater would not be two of the primary creative forces behind this disc.

Zod

yeah it is really amazing that with all the shit around the world we get more and more "happy metal" with cheesy or nonsense songs and lyrics about dragons, elves, wizards, quests, etc. What happened to all those angry bitter anti government lyrics that made you wonder if the band is in danger of getting in trouble for it?

in the last several years I think I only remember 3 songs:

"Scar Spangled Banner"

Oh say can you fucking see
The missiles fall like rain
Bloody mountains majesty
Dead bodies on the plain
By the bombing's eerie light
See the crimsons waves of red
What so proudly they all fell
The twilight of the dead

[Chorus:]
America - the violent
The indifferent
God shit is grace on me
America - the arrogant
The belligerent
Will live in infamy
We the people, for no people
Secure the blessings of tragedy
Do or dain we have enstablished
The scar spangled banner

We pledge allegiance to no god
Only to the blood
Liberty is just a dream
When dying in the mud
This, the land of the deceived, home of the depraved
Bombs, they drop like falling leaves
And the deadly flag still waves

Red - the beautiful color of blood
Flowing like a stream
White - the color of bleaching bone
Lovely and obscene
Blue - the bruising color of flesh
Battered, ripped and torn
The colors of the flag of hate
Of violence and porn
What you see is what you get
You haven't see the bloody trail yet
I'm no patriot, just a hate-triot

Blood sport, my sure bet
See the flag, get a body bag
Salvation form a .44 mag.
Nothing left, no one saved
Cause our goddamn motherfucking bloody ass
Banner still waves


"Blackmail The Universe"

This is breaking news
It appears air force one was shot down
Somewhere over the Middle East this morning
By a sleeper cell of rouge terrorists, firing a stinger missile
The pilot and all passengers are unaccounted for
The presidents whereabouts are presently unknown
And he is presumed missing
The vice president, secretary of state
And principles of the military are assembling
Our nation stands at DEFCON 3

The greatest crisis, will someone come for me?
I "red, white and blew it."
Unleashed revenge, my body is detained
How could anybody do this?
Betrayal, I peel away the days
Medals are useless. Uncle Sam's forgotten me
I'm not important no one will ever come
I'll never be fund, god get me out of this hell.

Nuclear battlefields energised
Cold wars are heating up again
The tensions mounting
People lift up your fists in revenge

The stage is set
Who will be the first to blink?
We can go to war
Remember that "Vietnam thing"
Peace at any price

With a gun to your head, bang, bang
Weakness runs in your family
What runs in mine is death

This is your 5-minute warning
Burn all your classified documents
And if cooler heads don't prevail
First strike from a political dead man

Appeasement only makes the aggressor more aggressive
He understands only one language - action
And he respects only one word - force
No sign of them stopping, no time for back channel communiqu©s
We need all the help we can get, air strikes and invasions!
Retaliate. I say!

The will of good men can not counter the terrible strain of war

Blackmail the universe with the greatest of calamities
Awaken those sleeping giants in the dust of the ground
With their skin destroyed, unjust to innocence
Lawful possessor of the worlds last 24 hours

Terror and ugliness reveal what death really means
And in hatred you see men as they really are
If chosen over heaven, earth will have been for them
All along, only another region of hell.


"The Man Who Would Be King"

Bless me father I must go away
To save us from the one's who don't believe
Confess me father I have sin but maybe
Angels really sing
Fot the man who would be king

We laugh at your religion
You people of the sand
We have no superstition
You can read it in our hands

Forgive me father for the change we bring
But it's all for the man who would be king

Don't leave a body standing
Not the holy not the small
Deliver us from evil
If it's yours we want it all

Lately father I've been wondering
Is the devil just the man who would be king

How can right be ever wrong
We are glory we are stronger than you

We never got an answer
But it's just too late to ask
The bloody flag was waving
And our hearts just ran too fast

Curse me father for the chains we bring
And don't believe the man who would be king

We never got an answer
Cause the question slipped my mind
I've been so busy killing
That I haven't found the right time

 

[General Zod]

yeah it is really amazing that with all the shit around the world we get more and more "happy metal" with cheesy or nonsense songs and lyrics about dragons, elves, wizards, quests, etc. What happened to all those angry bitter anti government lyrics that made you wonder if the band is in danger of getting in trouble for it?

If you like the CD, that's all that matters. Enjoy.

Zod