Queensryche [ tickets ] tours North America this fall and winter, and plans to release next year the sequel to its breakthrough concept album, "Operation:Mindcrime."

The first leg of the outing begins in early October, and dates so far are set through the end of that month; a second round of shows will begin in January, according to the group's publicist.

Each show will be split into two parts: the first will feature a greatest-hits set comprising songs culled from albums other than "Operation:Mindcrime"; the second will feature the band performing 1988's "Operation:Mindcrime" in its entirety.

The "Operation:Mindcrime" production will include live actors who will portray the album's various characters, and will also include new and expanded video footage not used when the band last performed "Operation:Mindcrime" during its 1990-91 tour, according to a press release.

"The band is so excited to be performing 'Operation:Mindcrime' in its entirety again after not having done this in [almost] 15 years," frontman Geoff Tate said in a statement. "We are presenting it in a whole new way that finally does justice the intricacies of the story and the personalities of the characters."

During the show's finale, Queensryche will preview material due to appear on next year's tentatively titled "Operation:Mindcrime II."

Queensryche's most recent studio set, "Tribe," surfaced last year, and is the follow-up to 1999's "Q2K." The group's most successful album remains 1990's "Empire"; the multi-platinum set spawned the band's best-known hit, "Silent Lucidity." The band plans to use the song as the finale for the first half of its show during the upcoming tour.