OPERATION: MINDCRIME

This is the story of a man who hates the government. This is the story of a man who loves drugs. This is the album that launched the entire genre of progressive metal. This is Queensryche. This is quite possibly the most pretentious way I've opened a review. Ever.

This is one of my favorite albums, and in my opinion, one of the best concept albums ever made. All of the musicians are very talented, but the obvious star of the show is Geoff Tate. His vast vocal range is put to its full use, and is complimented perfectly by Pamela Moore. Musically, it is very guitar-driven, with the two guitarists churning out soaring solos, with the occasional bit of wankery thrown in, and heavy rhythms that compliment the angry lyrics. The sound is fairly typical of 80s hair metal, but the lyrics are different, more intelligent. Instead of innuendos that cause eye-rolling and cheesy ballads, you get anti-government sentiment, drugs, and insanity. The story is certainly a very morbid one, and the live performances highlight that. But for those who can enjoy that kind if thing, this album carries a huge payoff.

This album, in a way, stands alone out of the many concept albums out there. It is almost the only one I can think of that takes place in modern times and does not rely on fantasy beings, magic, or events occurring only inside of someone's mind to tell its story properly. And for that reason, it is the concept album that I can relate to the most easily.