Former Queensrÿche singer Geoff Tate is working on Operation: Mindcrime III, the “final chapter of the Operation: Mindcrime series.”
Tate discussed the project in a new podcast interview, likening the album to “early Queensrÿche.” Ostensibly, it would be released under Tate’s own name, as he parted ways with Queensrÿche in 2012.
Regarding his planned third part of the trilogy, Tate called the new songs “super heavy, and some of ’em are incredibly technical.”
“They’re like algebra,” the singer told “Rock of Nations with Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern” [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]. “You need a calculator when you’re listening to the song. [Laughs] And, of course, some of them are very emotional.”
He continued: “It’s the last chapter in the ‘Mindcrime’ series. So it’s following the exploits of Dr. X and Nikki and Sister Mary, and picks up at a particular point in their story and kind of does the microscope of what is happening at that particular time with them. And I am just in love with it. I am so happy with everything so far, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
The original Operation: Mindcrime was released in 1988 and lauded for its dark political facets, an element that will also be present in the lyrics for the new record.
“Yeah, I think that people will be able to detect little bits of what’s happening around them,” Tate said when asked if there would be “political interplays.” “And it’s an interesting time right now — very interesting. Especially next week [after the 2024 US presidential election], it’s gonna be really interesting [laughs] what happens. So, we’ll see.”
Operation: Mindcrime II arrived in 2006 to mixed reviews. While it debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 chart, it came nowhere near matching the platinum slaes of the first Operation Mindcrime album.
Meanwhile, Tate is set to embark on a US tour in the spring, performing the original Operation: Mindcrime in its entirety for the last time. You can get tickets here.
Tate acrimoniously split from Queensrÿche in 2012, as previously mentioned, though he has displayed a willingness to reconnect with his old bandmates, who continue to remain active with Queensrÿche (featuring singer Todd LaTorre). As of 2019, he was still “open” to reuniting with his former band.
Stream the interview with Geoff Tate below.