Operation Mindcrime: The Key

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/geoff-tates-operation-mindcrime-to-release-the-key-album-in-september-trailer-available/

They got some pretty decently long samples in the video in there.  I gotta say I'm surprised... I.... like... this?  Yeah I think I do.

Seems like the musicians he got actually know their craft and he's making use of what voice he has left.  He's singing rather than talking over subpar riffs.  I know most of you probably aren't a fan of Qyeensryche's 90s sound, but I describe it as something that could of come out between Promised Land and Hear In The Now Frontier.  Wow, I thought Geoff was spent creatively, but maybe he did some soul searching after that last embarrassment.

Ugh. Disappointing. That first track is just more of the same boring crap he's been doing for years now. It even sounds familiar. The second song is a lot better, at least the chorus. I dig the chorus quite a bit. The other two songs are more of the same like the first. Just all kinds of meh. =(

I will say, despite sounding very similar to what he's been doing, it is a bit more creative musically. Not much, though.

Shame, really, because there are far too many talented songwriters working for Frontiers. This album should have been amazing.

And what an awful album cover.

I listened to it and no surprise there is nothing to interest me. But WTF! I thought he'd been sporting the chrome dome because he was raving bald!! Where has all that hair come from?

Everything in that clip is better than the last 3-4 Ryche albums, Tate-Ryche, and Todd-Ryche.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Everything in that clip is better than the last 3-4 Ryche albums, Tate-Ryche, and Todd-Ryche.

You're nuts. Haha.

Agreed on that terrible album cover.

I don't believe a single song on the album will rock. Which is a shame because he has a talented band and that's what most queens ryche fans want to hear.

First track is terrible. Everything after is halfway decent, carries a bit more of a classic QR sound.

But the mix is weird. The drums are annoyingly hollow and Tate's voice needs some f*cking reverb. It's like a dry mix that details the mediocrity shackled to his forced artistry, a burning shadow of some lonesome fool ego in throes of regret against a faded backdrop of mortality's constant slander of self--an identity crisis of Biblical proportions.

And yeah that album art is poo.

corplhicks wrote:

It's like a dry mix that details the mediocrity shackled to his forced artistry, a burning shadow of some lonesome fool ego in throes of regret against a faded backdrop of mortality's constant slander of self--an identity crisis of Biblical proportions.

What's up with Geoff Tate's new haircut? It's like Sloth from the Goonies.

Eyesore wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

It's like a dry mix that details the mediocrity shackled to his forced artistry, a burning shadow of some lonesome fool ego in throes of regret against a faded backdrop of mortality's constant slander of self--an identity crisis of Biblical proportions.

Oh shit! Hicks is trying to take HoM all highbrow!!!

Somebody call the mods! 

Temple of Blood wrote:

Agreed on that terrible album cover.

I don't believe a single song on the album will rock. Which is a shame because he has a talented band and that's what most queens ryche fans want to hear.

I don't think most Ryche fans want them/him to "rock". I think they want the intensity and emotion that was prevalent in the band's early music. It's when they try to "rock" that they're boring (Q2K onward).

The last 3-4 pre-split Ryche albums had some OK songs, same for Tate-Ryche and Todd-Ryche...some OK songs...but no great moments on any of them. Nothing on Todd-Ryche sounded like Queensryche. A large chunk of Tate-Ryche was forgettable, but there was still traces of intensity and more moments that actually sounded like Queensryche. I agree that the first song in that video is more of the same "groove riff" stuff Tate keeps trying to do, but the other 3 clips are better than anything I've heard him do in years.

Yawn...I can't even pretend that I care anymore. Haha

Boris2008 wrote:

I listened to it and no surprise there is nothing to interest me. But WTF! I thought he'd been sporting the chrome dome because he was raving bald!! Where has all that hair come from?

It's a merkin.

As for the music, it's ok I guess. I just can't care anymore. I'd rather give my money to the ToddRyche boys.

I'm actually pretty pleasantly surprised. I like what I'm hearing.

My guess? Whoever is helping to write this material has a grasp of vocal melodies Tate himself does not, which would explain why this is suddenly leaps and bounds better than the last handful of albums Tate has helmed.

I do hope the band with Todd manage to get some mojo working there as well, because that wasn't AS weak with Todd as with Tate, but it still wasn't particularly stunning either.

If the entire album has the diversity and "musicality" of these teasers, it'll be worth a listen.

Runicen wrote:

that wasn't AS weak with Todd as with Tate, but it still wasn't particularly stunning either.

Exactly...Todd-Ryche was just less weak...

corplhicks wrote:

It's like a dry mix that details the mediocrity shackled to his forced artistry, a burning shadow of some lonesome fool ego in throes of regret against a faded backdrop of mortality's constant slander of self--an identity crisis of Biblical proportions.

And yeah that album art is poo.

Looks like somebody was doing bong tokes while reading a Medieval dictionary.

As I've mentioned on this forum before, I think "Open Road" and "A World Without" sound very much like Promised Land tracks. "In This Light" could have been on Empire. In fact, had it been it likely would have been a huge single for them.

Yes, the other songs don't really fall in line, but I'm not sure we can hold that against them. It's been how long since we were able to hear what the other guys in Queensryche would produce musically? It's not like the early stuff, not like the Tate-led stuff, but is it really not like Queensryche? I say it is. It's what Queensryche should sound like now because the right people are writing the music.

Either way, those first three songs I mentioned are excellent tunes. Nothing weak about them.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

Agreed on that terrible album cover.

I don't believe a single song on the album will rock. Which is a shame because he has a talented band and that's what most queens ryche fans want to hear.

I don't think most Ryche fans want them/him to "rock".

I certainly do think so and let me be more specific.

They want more hard rock like Jet City Woman or slightly progressive stuff like Best I Can. Not their early power metal stuff. The type of stuff on Empire.

Not 70s inspired grunge or modern rock.

These samples are all in the style of tepid generic radio rock. Half of that style on the album between other rock songs might be fine but I don't think this will resonate with QR fans of old without a lot more Empire-ish hard rock tunes on there.

But even the Empire stuff had intensity about it...they've lacked that since after Promised Land...

Eyesore wrote:

the right people are writing the music.

No, that would be DeGarmo and Tate. Like them or not.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

But even the Empire stuff had intensity about it...they've lacked that since after Promised Land...

Totally agree.

I feel the second sample sounds quite a bit more like Empire material, even if it is a half-assed attempt.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

the right people are writing the music.

No, that would be DeGarmo and Tate.  Like them or not.

DeGarmo certainly wrote the bulk of Queensryche's most memorable  material. I think he made Tate shine,  was able to pull things from him that he is incapable of doing on his own, but for right now the right guys are writing the music.  Queensryche does not need outside songwriters, they don't need leftover songs that were meant and not good enough for other bands.

And as I've pointed out before, Wilton has written a number of Queensryche's best songs.

QR's last album proves that they need songwriting help desperately. If they put out another album of that quality again all the hate for Geoff in the world won't save them from what is becoming blindingly obvious. They are done as a creative force.

Wilton wrote QR songs that were saved by the vocals having to work twice as hard as he did.  The guitar riffs on their own tended to be a lot more generic than what DeGarmo wrote.  Totally agree that DeGarmo probably brought out the best in Tate.