Queen II [Deluxe Remastered Version]

Personnel: Brian May (vocals, guitar, piano, bells); Freddie Mercury (vocals, piano, harpsichord); Roger Taylor (vocals, percussion); John Deacon (acoustic guitar, bass guitar); Roy Thomas Baker (castanets).
Recording information: 08/1973.
Photographer: Mick Rock .
Although QUEEN II borders on heavy metal (it wasn't until their next release, SHEER HEART ATTACK, that they began experimenting with other musical forms), the songwriting and playing is still top-notch. Queen was criticized by some in the press upon the release of QUEEN II, since there was simply nothing to compare it to--it encompassed glam, progressive, and metal, with a healthy dose of studio wizardry.
QUEEN II contained the band's first official UK hit--the mystical "Seven Seas of Rhye"--and, as on their debut a year prior, the lesser-known material is just as delightful. Singer Freddie Mercury and guitarist Brian May contribute one lovely ballad each--"White Queen (As It Began)" and "Some Day One Day." The latter does a splendid job of breaking up this otherwise continuously hard-rocking album. Other intriguing titles include "Ogre Battle," "The March of the Black Queen," and a strong bonus b-side--the bluesy "See What a Fool I've Been."