Operation: Mindcrime II

Operation: Mindcrime II is the ninth studio album by American progressive metal band Queensrÿche. It is a concept album and the sequel to the group's 1988 release, Operation: Mindcrime. The album was released on April 4, 2006 in North America, (March 29, 2006 release in Japan, March 31 in Germany, April 3 rest of world) on the Rhino Entertainment label. The lead single, "I'm American," was performed by Queensrÿche during their 2005 tour in support of Judas Priest. The album resumes the story of Nikki, a drug-addicted political revolutionary assassin who was arrested for the murder of enslaved prostitute-nun Sister Mary at the end of Operation: Mindcrime. As Operation: Mindcrime II begins, 18 years later, Nikki is released from prison and begins to plot his revenge against Dr. X, the manipulative villain of the first album. Vocalist Pamela Moore reprised her role as Sister Mary for the album, while the role of Dr. X (played by actor Anthony Valentine on the first album) was taken over by heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 album chart at #14, the highest chart position for a Queensrÿche album since Promised Land peaked at #3 in 1994. The tracks "I'm American" and "The Hands" have been released as singles with accompanying videos.