Finally, `Operation Mindcrime II` (OM II) is a fact. It took a long time before the sequel came out but it was worth waiting. 18 Years after Operation Mindcrime, the story of Nikki, Dr. X and Sister Mary continues. I was looking forward to this album and was very curious in what way Geoff Tate and his friends (guitarists Michael Wilton and Mike Stone; bassist, Eddie Jackson and drummer, Scott Rockenfield) would fill in the music on OM II. It is certainly no recurrence of part I, the music is definitely rock/metal of the 21 century.

The story picks up where Operation Mindcrime left off in 1988 (Sister Mary’s mysterious murder and Nikki imprisoned for his crimes). OM II is about revenge and what it does to a person. In short: Nikki gets out of prison and is slowly remembering the events of part I. He is determined to take revenge on Dr.X, a pharmaceutical engineer and political puppet master who had brainwashed Nikki, and he wants to reveal the identity of Mary’s killer.

He is totally possessed by revenge.
The strength of OM II is that the music is written to the story and therefore supports the emotions in the story. The album starts with the song "I’m American", a really heavy song about the madness of wealth and the American megalomania. In "The Chase", Nikki is meeting Dr. X (played by none other than Ronnie James Dio), a great song, the voices of Geoff en Dio fit very well together. For the rest of the songs, listen for yourselves and enjoy it, this is a real masterpiece.
OM II is an album you should listen to uninterrupted from start to finish. I’m looking forward to the shows where Queensryche will perform OM I and OM II. Both Queensryche and DIO will play on ArrowRock, should this be some coincidence? Hopefully they will play "The Chase", it would be a unique performance. I will be there!