"We found Rhino and they found us. Several labels were interested in signing Queensryche, but we went with Rhino because our good friend Kenny Nemes is an executive there. He worked with us on our 'Greatest Hits' album for EMI. Kenny is a very creative guy," says vocalist Geoff Tate.

"We are utterly confident that Rhino will do what it takes to make as many people aware of 'Operation:mindcrime II' as possible. Rhino has an exciting team of people who are really into it. They already have a ton of different, innovative promotional ideas in mind and so do we, so it's a great fit."

The public's appetite for 'Operation:mindcrime II' was whetted with Queensryche's recent sold-out tour during which 'Operation:mindcrime' was performed live in its entirety for the first time in 15 years.

Tate, guitarist Michael Wilton, guitarist Mike Stone, bass guitarist Eddie Jackson and drummer Scott Rockenfield are picking up the provocative tale of 'Operation:mindcrime.' It's best known songs include "Revolution Calling," "I Don't Believe In Love" and "Eyes Of A Stranger." The album's intriguing plot involves Nikki, a young man from the streets who is brainwashed and turned into a drug-addicted assassin by a shadowy, evil, anarchy movement led by Dr. X. Nikki's lover, Mary, a teen-age runaway who became a prostitute and then a nun, is murdered. 'Operation:mindcrime' was left open-ended with a central, heart-pounding cliffhanger: Who killed Sister Mary? 'Operation:mindcrime II' will address that question, as well as Nikki's fate.

"'Operation:mindcrime II' is about revenge and what it does to people -- their emotions and the situations they find themselves in," says Tate, who conceived the sequel's direction last year while working on a screenplay based on the original album.