Operation Mindcrime - Queensryche - Electric Requiem / Breaking the Silence / I Dont Believe in Love 

The very first words on the album spoken by Nikki are "I remember now, I remember how it started. I can't remember yesterday. I just remember doing what they told me." At this point Nikki is in custody, in a hospital. Hence the nurse giving him a shot. The rest of the album is a flashback of how he got where he is.

Lastly this and most important. LET THE FINAL TRACK ON THE ALBUM PLAY ALL THE WAY TO THE END POST MUSIC! Very important

The confusion you're feeling is a mirror of Nikki's confusion, anger, grief, and withdrawal symptoms. His whole world has been kicked out from under him.

You were right. The "Why'd you do it" is actually part of the next song. Mary is dead. He was arrested basically standing over her body. The "Why'd you do it" is the police interrogating him. He is the "criminal mind found at the scene of the crime."

I always interpreted "she said she'll meet me on the other side but I knew right then I'd never find her" as he is going to hell and she to heaven.

I've seen Queensrÿche perform the entire "Mindcrime" twice! ❤❤❤ Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton -- incredible in "I Don't Believe in Love"

It's Nikki saying "Even in death you look sad", not Dr.X

Remember the line “a criminal mind found at the scene of the crime, handcuffed and blind. I didn’t do it.”? Nikki is being framed

This has been so fun! And don't worry, after 30 years, I have just finally grasped the whole story(thanks to you and some other commenters). But such an epic album.

The abrupt ending leads to the next instrumental song that carries on that melody . It really should be in this group of songs for today. Anyway, this is an album meant to be listened to from top to bottom without interruptions in order to feel the flow. By the way, it was sister Mary who died.

The next track "Waiting for 22" should have been included here, it's basically an extension of "I Don't Believe in Love".

If you can get a copy of Operation: Livecrime it’s a great concert.

Give up the LIKES for, Omar! 👍🏽👍🏽

Goosebumps at the first Note, even listening after years

Chris DeGarmo never got the credit he deserved for his vocals. He could hang with Geoff almost note for note

Don't stress it bro. Tomorrow night will answer all your questions. After you listen to the last 3 songs I'd suggest watching the official videos from Mindcrime (ru-vid.com/group/PLItL-Vkp0WATKDA8EdKqEznjml1-xTZ8_ ) they provide some extra clarity. Great job once again. Take care everyone. REVOLUTION

This has been amazing. It's strangely felt like I've sort of been on this journey with you. It just dawned on me that I haven't listened to this album in its entirely for about 25 years. Yeah, I think it was in 1996. I need to go back and listen to all of Empire again after this too. That's probably been early 90's.

We've reached my favorite part of the album! I know that most people point to "Suite Sister Mary" as the climax of the album, but my favorite three songs are "Breaking the Silence," "I Don't Believe in Love, " and "Eyes of a Stranger." Also, in terms of sheer emotional impact, it's hard to top Geoff Tate screaming "Don't leave me! Don't leave...here." Simply exquisite. Perhaps the only thing more criminally underrated that the lead guitar work of Chris DeGarmo (and Michael Wilton) are the harmony vocals of Chris DeGarmo! They were every bit as good live...I've had the pleasure of seeing this entire album performed live twice, and it was incredible. Until the ending! God bless!!

Gonna go ahead and pre-like this one. Lol 👍

I am really enjoying your journey through this masterpiece! When it's done do yourself a favor and watch Operation Livecrime, it was filmed on the tour for the Empire album and has the band playing Mindcrime as a whole, I think you would enjoy it!

One of my favorite parts of "Breaking the Silence" is the guitar solo. You get a great sense of the kind of talent both guitarists possess. During the Chris DeGarmo era of QR, you didn't hear a lot of solo's from the secondary guitarist in the band, Michael Wilton. DeGarmo wrote the majority of the music, so yeah, it makes sense he would get the majority of the solos. But I have ALWAYS contended that Wilton was the better pure guitarist between the two. I mean, listen to that twin guitar harmony in almost every song, you have to remember, that's 2 guitarists, and they would replicate that sound LIVE! So, to hear the two guys sort of hand-off, back and forth a solo in this song, it's really something to listen to them individually.

Pamela Moore, the voice of Suite Sister Mary.

I wish I could give more than one like ha ha. Please discover more of Geoff Tate’s melodic side too. And yes sadly Nikki discovers the dead Mary... this is great Tommy thank you.

I remember (now) buying this on vinyl on the cover art alone and being totally blown away. I litterally lived this album for 3 weeks.

It's a crying shame Queensryche never had the attention/career that Rush had. Well, except in the short "Silent Lucidity" explosion. Rush and Queensryche are probably my 2 favorite bands of all time. Iron Maiden would probably be #3. King's X at #4 and maybe The Police at #5.

I Don’t Believe In Love “No chance for contact There's no raison d'etre My only hope is one day I'll forget” raison d'etre: reason for being (living)

I remember the day I bought this album and ran home to play it and read along. I went though all of this struggle to understand, but loving the confusion. It's so great to watch you ask all these questions. Listen to it over and over again and you'll start to make up your own answers, and love the album more and more.

Greatest metal concept album. EVER.

Classic Queensryche had some of the best backup vocal harmonizing in the business, in my opinion.

You are doing well. Don’t overthink it. You have a good ear 👍

Theese three songs is about Nikki finding Mary dead (as you first said) and Nikki getting arrested and interrigated by the police. The last song " I don't believe in love is about Nikki and his grief loosing Mary. The poor hitman is just sad, man...

You are doing just fine with it. It is a complete story, just like any other, and any good story doesnt reveal itself until its time. Tomorrow you will see, glad you're enjoying it, its an amazing ride for sure!

The harmony is all Geoff himself excellent singer

The Mission & I dont believe in love =200 Operation mindcrime = 199

I don't believe in love is one of my two favorites on this album. It is so good even just on it's own outside of the album. The harmonies and drums in this song are just top notch. Like you said don't over think it just let the conclusion pull it all together for you.

Fearing I’m spamming this thread now BUT Is an interesting sidenote to the concept album. When the idea first arrived in Tates brain & What is pitched to the other members of the band only he and Krista Garmo ( lead guitar and backing vocals ) We’re on board. This is evidenced by an interview way before Tate was ever fired and Degarmo ever left the band. It’s interesting that the two members that initially formed (although the whole band contributed) their most iconic album concept are no longer with “Queensryche” and I put that name in quotation bye to Scot Rockenfield now gone on drums so it’s really only one foundingmember remaining in a once unstoppable lineup. Sad I’ll be at work when the last chapter is released today but I have a write up I’ll post there later on what the band and the livecrime boxset booklet says about the story. Have a rest day man and thanks for giving this one a listen! 🙏

Dang, you people are quick! I clicked instantly when I received the notification, and I was still the 3rd to like 😄

LBW again Tommy Lad. JUST got in and watched this from last nights' post. You're doing well ... couple of mishaps but you've got the gist. ;)

This is one of the best albums ever made, and I wish the band would get the accolades for absolute masterpiece they created. The only other album I can think of that comes close is Streets by Savatage.

A couple more songs I really like that get very little attention are: "One More Time", and "The Real World" (part of this one was used in the movie, "The Last Action Hero").

You can find the whole story on line if you look it up. Everything is there if only it had been when I did the album as my GCSE English talk.

People have already told you to also check seventh son of a seventh son from iron maiden if you liked this kind of concept. I'd also like to sugest the perfect machine from vision divine, a bonus track from this album is the needle lies from queensryche. They created and concept album based on this one, but of course, with their music and another story. Please check it!

Listen closer you will hear "he didn't do it" in there as well.

I love that you are spending a week on the album but it may be really confusing breaking it up this way and you might be overthinking it a bit. Case in point, Nikki isn't dead. Mary is. In The Needled Lies: Nikki goes to Dr. X to tell him that he's ou (and presumably that Sister Mary is too). Dr.X laughs and says "you can't walk away now." That wasn't just disbelief but a threat and a warning. Nikki struggles with addiction that Dr. X had been using to control him. Electric Requiem: We hear the doors to the church open and Nikki say hello, anybody home? Nikki had returned to the church to discover that Sister Mary is dead. The song is only Nikki's voice. He wants to be dead ("I want what you feel"). At the end of the song you hear the door to the church close, and Nikki has now left. Breaking the Silence: Nikki is running through the streets screaming in anger and grief and probably doing a pretty fine job attracting attention to himself... I Don't Believe in Love: the voices are police investigators accusing Nikki of killing Mary. Nikki tells us that he awoke under surveillience (likely in police interrogation) and he was found at the scene of the crime. We realize that Nikki went back to the church and was found there with at least Mary (and we know he killed Father William in the church )and they think Nikki killed her. He tells us (and police) he didn't do it. Nikki tells us he had no reason to live anymore without Mary.

Nicky killed Sister Mary at the end of Suite Sister Mary…. The last snare hit was the gun.

I see you appreciate the vocals and instrumentation in "Breaking the Silence." You REALLY NEED to listen to the albums Rage For Order and The Warning to hear Geoff sing in another stratosphere (way better than he sung on Operation Mindcrime).

I guess I'm a bit of a goof these days but I'm getting a kick out of the utter confusion lol...tomorrow's the big day! Enjoying the hell out of these. \\m//

You are correct.. Dr. X killed Mary. And Nikki is lost

Your first reaction was correct. It's not Nikki who's been killed, it's Sister Mary. No spoilers, just keeping you from heading down blind alleys.

Stay with it mate, the whole thing will make sense at the end. What a brilliant album.

without Degarmo it was never the same IMO ?

You will need to go to album 2 for your answer

OBTW, if you have to do a divorce, this is a great album to go with your favorite beverages. ;)

Those background vocals are Krista Garmo the lead guitar players vocals

She said she'd meet him on the other side...she believed in love, that they would meet in heaven. He did not believe in love, so he knew right then he'd never find her!

Nikki hasn’t died.. mary was killed by Dr. X.. Nikki is struggling with the lose of her and he is also being blamed for her death...

That isn't Dr. X talking in Electric Requiem, it's Nikki. You're getting confused because Geoff Tate can go lower with his register. He isn't only the high singing guy, but also the guy who sings/speaks low. It's the same singer and they are both Nikki.

Your answers are coming bro. That was Nikki speaking in electric requiem

Maybe can react to Beat by King Crimson a great album

In electric it’s Nikki, not dr X.

Damn listening to you struggle with the storyline hurts my ears. Lol. The questioning isnt even related to BTS. Its an in between thing that really sets up IDBIL. Nikki has been arrested and is questioned. Next track explains. Im enjoyi this %100 overall. My top 5 all time bands.

He has been found with Mary but he didn't do it. That is where why"d ya do it

Try PROMISED LAND

That didn't get it on together. He never had what she gave to all the other men

After you finish this album, see Wikipedia for the whole story. Your analysis is very good but don’t dig too deep.

So Mary has died. It was always ambiguous as to whether Dr X had killed her or it was suicide ( the rosary around her throat as a noose?) or even if Nikki did it but didn’t remember because of the drugs and insanity. Nikki finds her, loses it and runs around the streets looking for her and attracts the attention of the police, who find a gun on him. They arrest and interrogate him. Nikki is angry at Mary for “leaving him” which is part of the grief reaction. There is a dvd called Mindcrime at The Moore where some things are explained - this also has the sequel performed in it’s entirety too. I must admit, I didn’t agree with their version of events - and that’s fine!

they set him up for her murder