Queen II

Mastered by Bob Ludwig. Half-speed lacquers cut at Abbey Road Studios. Queen II is the second studio album by Queen, released on 8 March 1974. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London in August 1973 with co-producers Roy Thomas Baker and Robin Cable, and engineered by Mike Stone.

Queen II is the real beginning of Queen, the first time we hear the multi-layered overdubs, the harmonies, the variety, the contrasts and the blueprint for their greatest success, "Bohemian Rhapsody." It's the first album that hit the charts and gave them a top ten hit. It also includes the most complex and imaginative song they ever recorded, "March of The Black Queen." Queen II is the first of a succession of flawless Queen records, followed by "Sheer Heart Attack," "A Night At The Opera" and "A Day At The Races." These are Queen's most inventive albums where they really did break boundaries and push rock music to another level.

Quite rightly, Queen II is one of the four Queen albums featured in the book "1001 Albums you must hear before you die."