Operation: Mindcrime

Geoff Tate, vocalist of Queensrÿche, launched Operation: Mindcrime in 2014 as a vehicle for melodic progressive metal steeped in narrative concepts. The group drew its title from the influential 1988 Queensrÿche concept album of identical name, forming in the wake of Tate’s bitter 2012 departure from that earlier outfit. A contentious two-year stretch ensued in which both Tate and Queensrÿche continued to tour under the shared name, until a legal settlement stripped Tate of the overall trademark yet granted him sole rights to perform Operation: Mindcrime and Operation: Mindcrime II. The newly assembled project, fronted by Tate and populated by a revolving lineup of supporting musicians, signed with Frontiers soon after its inception. The Key, the ensemble’s first full-length studio recording and opening segment of a projected trilogy, appeared in 2015, followed by Resurrection the next year. New Reality closed out the trilogy in 2017.