For decades we've heard the story of Operation Mindcrime through the chaos, the victims, and the consequences. But what happens when the villain finally gets the microphone? On the new chapter, Operation Mindcrime III, the narrative flips completely, this time the world is seen through the cold, calculating eyes of Dr. X himself. the manipulator, the man pulling the puppet strings behind the entire Mindcrime universe. And when the villain finally explains his motives, the story becomes darker, deeper, and far more unsettling than ever before, and now we get the first taste of this next chapter with the release of "Power", the single off the highly anticipated album scheduled for self-release on May 3, 2026, by the voice that made the legendary masterpiece come alive Geoff Tate. But why the next chapter, and why from Dr.X's point of view? Geoff sorted that all out on my YouTube Podcast channel CREATIVITY TALKIN during our interview on March 16^th. "I thought it would be an interesting take, we never really knew much about Dr. X, how he got to where his is, who is he, what made him the kind of person he is. I really wanted to explore the man to see if I could define the kind of persona he is"

 Before I drop the needle down, I knew I had to listen to "Power" two separate ways, one with headphones on, and one without and the volume cranked to eleven to ignite the full MINDCRIME experience. Okay, I'm ready Dr. X let's get inside your head and hear your side of the story. Will he come out a hero, a martyr or even more sinister than we imagined?

The opening song texture immediately feels like an extension of the original Operation Mindcrime with the menacing deep aura laying the groundwork as the lyrics paint the convoluted mindset of Dr. X  "We can still save our world, FOLLOW. We can make them regret everything that they've done. Let's find our sanity. Let's scream it from the roof tops. The answer is….it's me."

Tate proves why he is still considered one of metal's elite voices, he sounds tight, commanding  and definitive while delivering his trademark theatrical cuts with brutal raw emotion that compliments the monstrous backdrop of the well-coordinated classic anguished riffs and the rock solid, precision paced rhythm section, both riveting and razor sharp.

Tate fully engrosses himself into the head of Dr. X  crossing the line between performer and character as he breathes vivid life into both the role and the unfolding story. The song writing, or should I say, storytelling by Tate and co-writer and guitarist Kieran Robertson , paint an artistic and magnificent story worthy of a classic fiction novel.

 OPERATION MINDCRIME III is scheduled for world-wide release on May 3, 2026 and if it's as cinematic as the original OPERATION MINDCRIME, an involved, complex puzzle mesmerizing the listener, assembled beautifully piece by piece, song by song with a thrill ride of non-stop musical elements coming at you from every corner, every direction, well…. they'll be another revolution calling. You can see both interview's with Geoff and Kieran on YouTube at CREATIVITY TALKIN, just search Geoff Tate and/or Kieran Robertson interview