Politics! An intangible asset that most of the time brings power to the strong and sorrow to the weak. Is it the science of manipulation? Or is it the art of persuasion? None really knows but the fact is that it lives amongst us and it always had since ancient times. We use politics in our daily lives to build on our relationships, to get a promotion at work, to find a new job, even to negotiate the price of the items we buy. That’s fine. Using politics between us never hurt anyone. It is only an innate mechanism that helps us position ourselves within the society. But what happens when politics is used against all of us?
If you are interested in finding the answer and you are not a big fan of books then you should listen to this record. Operation Mindcrime was released 20 years ago and yet every word in this album reflects reality as it is today. The story of a man who is fed up with American society and how it is governed and joins a conspiracy plot to assassinate its corrupt leaders. But it’s not as simple as that. Terrorism is not the message of this album. On the contrary it highlights the constant mental battle we go through every single day and the distress caused to all of us by those careless humanoids called politicians.
The history repeats itself. Look at the story of Guy Fawkes and his failed attempt to blow up the House of Parliament in London some 400 years ago. Look at the protagonist in Queensryche’s who represented the majority of the American people in the 80’s. And look at us today. There are no differences. No matter how many years are gone by and how many more are yet to come, our ‘love-to-hate’ relationship with politicians will remain the same. I wonder why?
Queensryche made a strong statement with this record. Beyond the ingenious musicianship that characterizes this album as one the top progressive metal records of all times, lies a deeper message and the truth it holds stays uncorroded to date. It makes you wonder really: do Queensryche enjoy the fact that 20 years after, their album still reflects reality? Or do they actually feel sad because nothing changed since then? It is ironic if you think about it…One thing is for sure: this album will serve many generations to come.
Dime.