Queen release 'Queen II' with a massive remixed and remastered 5CD+2LP box set

Over half a century after it set the iconic band on the path to megastardom, Queen’s second album 'Queen II' is reborn. Remixed, remastered and expanded into a luxury 5CD+2LP 'Queen II Collector’s Edition' was released on 27th March, and delves into the making of what has long been hailed as the band’s first true masterpiece.

"Queen II was a vital step in the long journey to the explosion of marvellousness we eventually became", says Queen drummer Roger Taylor. "We had the desire to create something extraordinary. And we did", adds lead guitarist Brian May.

What is in the 'Queen II' Collector’s Edition?

The 'Queen II Collector’s Edition' centres on a new 2026 mix of the original 1974 album, with Brian May and Roger Taylor acting as executive producers and Justin Shirley-Smith, Joshua J Macrae and Kris Fredriksson handling the mixes. Once introduced, Brian and Roger oversee five CDs and two LPs: CD1 with the 2026 mix, CD2: 'Queen II – Sessions', CD3: 'Queen II – Backing Tracks', CD4: 'Queen II – At The BBC' and CD5: 'Queen II – Live', plus two LPs carrying the 2026 mix across Side White and Side Black. It is joined by a 2xCD Deluxe Edition, a single CD, standard vinyl LP, Queen Online‑exclusive picture disc LP, cassette, and download, streaming and Atmos versions, all using the new mix.

On the album itself, the tracklist runs: 'Procession', 'Father To Son', 'White Queen (As It Began)', 'Some Day One Day', 'The Loser In The End', 'Ogre Battle', 'The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke', 'Nevermore', 'The March of the Black Queen', 'Funny How Love Is' and 'Seven Seas Of Rhye'. Brian calls this period 'the single biggest leap we ever made', adding, 'That’s when we really started making music the way we wanted to, rather than the way we were being pushed into recording it.'

When is it out?

'Queen II' is out now.

What is different about 'Queen II' in the 2026 revival?

"The idea was to reveal more of the clarity of the songs", says Justin Shirley-Smith. "Rather than add anything, we wanted to reveal more of what was there and get that desired sound." Joshua J Macrae notes: "The lengths the band went to achieve what they achieved with the technology they had at the time was incredible… Some of it is so ahead of its time. Working on this was like entering a room of fabulousness."

Roger remembers the shift in their studio approach: "With Queen II, I couldn’t believe how much work we put into it. I think we felt we were evolving our own sound. We were pioneering this sort of multitracking thing. It gave you a tremendous pallet, massive choral effects with just three of us singing."

Brian links several songs directly to what followed: "The March Of The Black Queen was definitely a forerunner of Bohemian Rhapsody. Freddie (Mercury’s) mind was just working on a different level, even at that point. Father To Son, The Fairy Feller’s Masterstroke – you can hear the seeds of what was to come in those songs."

What do the Sessions and Backing Tracks discs reveal?

CD2: 'Queen II – Sessions' collects outtakes from the original Trident Studios recordings, offering alternate versions of every album song plus additional material such as 'As It Began (Brian's Studio Demo)', two solo demos of ‘The Loser In The End', 'I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside', 'See What A Fool I’ve Been (B-side Version 2026 Mix)' and 'Not For Sale (Polar Bear)'. The tracks include false starts, guide vocals, mistakes and in‑studio conversations between the four band members. "Those outtakes show how dedicated the band were, and how precise they were," says Joshua. Justin adds: "The demos really show you what Brian and Roger were doing with the songs before the rest of the band got involved with them. It’s a really fascinating insight into their creative processes."

CD3: 'Queen II – Backing Tracks' removes the lead vocals from 'Procession', 'Father To Son', 'White Queen (As It Began)', 'Some Day One Day', 'The Loser In The End', 'Ogre Battle', 'The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke', 'Nevermore', 'The March of the Black Queen', 'Funny How Love Is' and 'Seven Seas Of Rhye', focusing on the instrumental performances. "Their performances are absolutely stunning", says Justin. "It’s the sound of a band in total command of everything they’re doing."

CD4: 'Queen II – At The BBC' brings together tracks from three BBC Radio 1 sessions for John Peel and Bob Harris, plus the band’s 13th September 1973 show at the Golders Green Hippodrome. CD5: 'Queen II – Live' then showcases recordings from the Rainbow Theatre in March 1974 and the Hammersmith Odeon in December 1975. "Our whole set is frantic, we come on, let rip, move around a lot then we’re off, leaving the crowds stunned and wondering what hit them", said Brian in 1974.

How does the new box set tell the bigger 'Queen II' story?

The 'Queen II Collector’s Edition' also includes a 112-page book featuring previously unseen photographs, handwritten lyrics, diary entries, letters and a range of memorabilia including adverts and gig posters.

This material is designed to document how the album was written, recorded and presented at the time. "We were charging down the road of voices and orchestrating and all of that was a dream come true", says Brian. "It had been in our heads for so long, and finally we were able to make it happen."

Roger also reflects on the legacy, adding: "I don’t think the album sounds like anyone else. We gained a mental identity, a group identity and we were just doing what we did."

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