Operation: Mindcrime is highly overrated imho. So many things on this album are Pink Floyd rip offs, has anyone noticed that?
I never really noticed the PF "ripoffs" until the the next two albums after that one. Or are you mentioning the sound effects and various other tie-ins between the songs that are serving the story line?
Well, maybe I wasn't using the correct word. Not really ripoffs, but too many things that sound like Pink Floyd, that it can't be a coincidence
For example, the passage between Spreading The Disease and The Mission: You can hear a radio- or TV-reporter, bells, a heartbeat (!) a talking voice and a distant keyboard sound coming from somewhere. Seriously? It's almost impossible to bring more Pink Floyd into this moment
Whenever I hear this, I'm always waiting for the faded-in "aaaaaah"s and the words "is there anybody out there".
Another example, the beginning of Eyes Of A Stranger and Pink Floyd's Empty Spaces.
I don't want to say this album it shite, because I actually love 3-4 songs from Operation: Mindcrime. Revolution Calling is by far the best song on the album (for me), and I really like I Don't Believe In Love and Eyes Of A Stranger (despite the little Pink Floyd, erh, resemblance).
But in total, I really can't understand some opinions about it being the best album ever made, the ultimate prog-metal album etc.