Geoff Tate, the former frontman of Queensrÿche, has revealed the 2026 U.S. leg of his Operation: Mindcrime – The Final Chapter tour, where he’ll perform the band’s iconic Operation: Mindcrime album in full, one last time.
In a social media announcement, Tate shared: “Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime – The Final Chapter Tour is coming BACK in 2026! We’re returning to select cities from 2025 and adding brand new stops across the United States! This will be your last chance ever to witness Geoff and the band perform the entire Operation: Mindcrime album live — and in 2026, we’re taking it to the next level with a full string ensemble and an epic laser light show!”
In an interview with Marko Syrjala of Metal-Rules.com, Tate spoke about the third and final installment of the Mindcrime story. “Well, I don’t know. I just started writing, and it sort of happened. [Laughs] Really, there wasn’t anything more to it than that,” he said.
He went on to explain: “But over the last couple of years, while preparing for this upcoming [Operation: Mindcrime – The Final Chapter] tour, we’ve written quite a few songs for the album. We have enough material for a full album, and it’s all ready to go. We’re planning to release it in segments, like two songs here, then another two songs, then three songs, and kind of release it in parts. The plan is to start putting songs out in March when the U.S. tour begins and then do a physical release toward the end of the year.”
As for what fans can expect from the sound of Operation: Mindcrime III, Tate said: “It definitely has a strong early Queensrÿche vibe, with some tracks being super heavy and technical. The album is also deeply emotional, marking the final chapter in the Mindcrime saga. It continues the story of Dr. X, Nikki and Sister Mary, focusing on a specific point in their journey. I’m thrilled with how it’s turning out and can’t wait for people to hear it.”
The album was primarily written with longtime collaborators Kieran Robertson (from Scotland) and Alex Hart (from Boston). “I think that’s it, the three of us primarily wrote the whole thing,” Tate said.
He also addressed the challenge of making sequels to a revered album like Operation: Mindcrime:
“Am I worried about people’s expectations? No, I’ve never been worried about that. [Laughs] Never. I didn’t worry about it with the first or second one. Why would I start worrying about the third? … Honestly, I don’t care. [Laughs] I don’t write records to make people happy or to impress them. I make them simply to make records.”
“Whether people like them or not doesn’t matter to me. You can’t try to please everyone’s musical tastes because we’re all affected by music differently. And if it’s a matter of sales, well, that’s a whole different can of worms, as they say. That depends entirely on the company’s expertise in trying to sell it and who they’ve hired for promotion — it’s all up in the air, you know? I mean, Jesus, look at Guns N’ Roses. They built a massive 30-year career out of just three albums. [Laughs] It’s crazy. They must’ve had a great promo team, I guess.”
First released in May 1988, Operation: Mindcrime elevated Queensrÿche to new heights. The concept album follows Nikki, a recovering drug addict pulled into a shadowy revolutionary network led by Dr. X—voiced by the late actor Anthony Valentine. Nikki’s relationship with Sister Mary ultimately forces him to confront the reality of his actions. The album was certified platinum in 1991 and is widely regarded as one of the most significant concept records in metal history.
Both Kerrang! and Billboard ranked it among their “Top 100 Metal Albums Of All Time,” and Rolling Stone highlighted its staying power, writing: “Nearly 30 years after its initial release, Mindcrime feels eerily relevant.”
While 2006’s Operation: Mindcrime II was seen by some as an underwhelming continuation, Operation: Mindcrime III aims to bring the narrative to a definitive, emotional close.
For longtime fans, the 2026 tour marks not just a performance, but a farewell to a concept that helped shape modern progressive metal.
Operation: Mindcrime – The Final Chapter 2026 tour dates:
Jan. 27 – Savannah, GA – Victory North
Jan. 28 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre *
Jan. 29 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Parker Playhouse *
Jan. 30 – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall *
Jan. 31 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues *
Feb. 03 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Music Hall
Feb. 04 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage *
Feb. 05 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City
Feb. 06 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues *
Feb. 07 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theatre *
Feb. 08 – Houston, TX – House of Blues *
Feb. 11 – Dallas, TX – Echo Music Hall *
Feb. 12 – Fort Worth, TX – Tannahill’s Music Hall
Feb. 13 – El Paso, TX – 11:11
Feb. 14 – Phoenix, AZ – Celebrity Theater *
Feb. 15 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre *
Feb. 18 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater *
Feb. 19 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater
Feb. 21 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
*Encore performance from 2025
