OPERATION: MINDCRIME – The New Reality

The New Reality, third album in the trilogy from Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime, is as elusive and slippery to get a grip on as it’s predecessors The Key and Resurrection, and as such listeners would be well advised to give it a few spins on the stereo before making up their minds. Nominally a Progressive Metal album, it’s sound effect-laden mix frequently has the drums, keyboard (and occasionally, sax) turned up and forward, with the guitars and, quite often, Geoff’s iconic voice further down. The sonic effect of the mix and the top shelf musicianship is singular enough to almost be unsettling; one hears elements of other work in the album—comparisons to Queensrÿche are inevitable, and Geoff channels Heathen-era David Bowie on a few of the cuts, the rousing opener “A Headlong Jump”, third track “It Was Always You”, and the title track all have some elements of later career Bowie.

But The New Reality ultimately is an album that sounds like nothing else, and ultimately that is a very good thing. There are several places—again, the title track is a great example—where Geoff and band defy expectations by switching the whole cadence of the song and then replacing the de rigueur Metal guitar solo with one of Geoff’s saxophone solos. These touches, combined with the tribal drumming, the edgy, stark guitars and keyboards, and Geoff’s consistently excellent vocals make The New Reality both a unique and highly enjoyable listening experience.

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