Queen’s second album, Queen II, originally released in 1974, has been remixed, remastered, and expanded in a new Collector’s Edition box set more than half a century later.The album is widely regarded as the band’s first true masterpiece and arguably their heaviest. The remix was handled by Justin Shirley-Smith, Joshua J Macrae, and Kris Fredriksson—the team behind the Queen I reissue and other Queen releases—with Brian May and Roger Taylor as executive producers.
The Queen II Collector’s Edition is a 5CD + 2LP box set. It features the new 2026 mix of the album, along with previously unheard outtakes, demos, intimate studio recordings, live tracks, and radio sessions.The set includes a 112-page book containing previously unseen photographs, handwritten lyrics, diary entries, special memorabilia, and memories from the band members about writing and recording the album.
Brian May described Queen II as “the single biggest leap we ever made,” the point where the band started making music their way rather than following external pressures. Roger Taylor highlighted the intense work and their pioneering multitracking, which created massive choral effects using just three voices.The remix focused on revealing more clarity in the songs without adding new elements. Justin Shirley-Smith aimed to uncover what was already present.
Joshua J Macrae praised the band’s achievements with the era’s technology, calling it ahead of its time and like entering “a room of fabulousness.”Queen’s 1973 self-titled debut established their bold, unique voice despite production challenges (later addressed in the 2024 reissue).
For Queen II, recorded at Trident Studios with co-producer Roy Thomas Baker, the band took greater control. Tracks like “Father To Son” and “Ogre Battle” had been in live sets since September 1973.Freddie Mercury emphasized giving everything without half-measures or compromises.Released in the UK on March 8, 1974, Queen II divides into Side White (primarily Brian May’s songs, including “Father To Son,” “White Queen (As It Began),” and Roger Taylor’s “The Loser In The End”) and Side Black (Freddie Mercury’s compositions, featuring “Ogre Battle,” “The Fairy Feller’s Masterstroke,” “Seven Seas Of Rhye”—the band’s first UK hit—and the epic “The March Of The Black Queen”).
Brian May noted that “The March Of The Black Queen” foreshadowed “Bohemian Rhapsody,” with seeds of future work in several tracks.The album blends intricate complexity, raw heaviness, near-operatic stacked vocals, and Brian May’s distinctive guitar orchestra sound. Its Mick Rock cover photo embodies themes of shadow and light.Axl Rose has called Queen II his favorite Queen album, crediting it with opening his mind to diverse styles.
The Collector’s Edition reframes the album on a broader scale beyond the new 2026 mix. Pre-Order Queen II: https://Queen.lnk.to/QueenII2026Mix
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