'Queen II' album from 1974 to get deluxe box set treatment

Queen’s second album, Queen II, has been remixed, remastered and expanded for a new box set. It was originally released in 1974. Brian May and Roger Taylor executive produced the new release, which was mixed by Justin Shirley-Smith, Joshua J Macrae and Kris Fredriksson.

The 5CD+2LP Queen II Collector’s Edition box set features the 2026 mix of the album, plus audio of Queen in the recording studio, previously unheard outtakes and demos, live tracks and radio sessions.

The Queen II Collector’s Edition box set also comes with a 112-page book featuring previously unseen photographs, handwritten lyrics, diary entries, and special memorabilia, as well as memories of writing and recording the album from the band members.

“Queen II was the single biggest leap we ever made,” says Brian May. “That’s when we really started making music the way we wanted to, rather than the way we were being pushed into recording it.”

“With Queen II, I couldn’t believe how much work we put into it,” adds Roger Taylor. “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.”

“The idea was to reveal more of the clarity of the songs,” says Justin Shirley-Smith of their approach this time around. “Rather than add anything, we wanted to reveal more of what was there and get that desired sound.”

“The lengths the band went to achieve what they achieved with the technology they had at the time was incredible,” says Joshua J Macrae. “Some of it is so ahead of its time. Working on this was like entering a room of fabulousness.”

Queen’s self-titled 1973 debut album had a troubled recording process, which resulted in a sound the band were unhappy with (subsequently rectified on the 2024 reissue). 

For the follow-up, recorded once again at Soho’s Trident Studios with Queen I co-producer Roy Thomas Baker, Queen recorded “Father To Son” and “Ogre Battle” having featured them in the live shows as far back as September 1973. 

“I wanted to give it everything – to be self-indulgent,” said Freddie Mercury at the time. “But the whole band in particular, we don't go in for half-measures and I'm pretty hard with myself. There are no compromises.”

Rather than the traditional sides one and two, the album is divided into Side White and Side Black. The former is dominated by Brian May’s songs, including “Father To Son” and “White Queen (As It Began),” with Roger Taylor’s “The Loser In The End” ending off the white side.

Side Black is given over to Mercury’s complex musical excursions, from the “Ogre Battle” and “The Fairy Feller’s Masterstroke” (inspired by a 19th century painting by maverick artist Richard Dadd) to “Seven Seas Of Rhye,” which gave the band their first UK hit single. The centrepiece of Side Black was “The March Of The Black Queen,” a multi-part mini epic.

“’The March Of The Black Queen’ was definitely a forerunner of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’” says Brian May. “Freddie’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.”

QUEEN II: Collector’s Edition 2026 Mix (5CD+2LP)

CD1: Queen II - 2026 Mix

1 Procession
2 Father To Son
3 White Queen (As It Began)
4 Some Day One Day
5 The Loser in the End
6 Ogre Battle
7 The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke
8 Nevermore
9 The March of the Black Queen
10 Funny How Love Is
11 Seven Seas Of Rhye

CD2: Queen II - Sessions

1 Procession (Stage Intro Tape - April 1973)
2 Father To Son (Takes 4 & 9 - with Guide Vocal)
3 As It Began (Brian's Studio Demo - October 1969)
4 Some Day One Day (Take 1 - with Guide Vocals)
5 The Loser In The End (Roger's First Demo)
6 The Loser In The End (Roger's Second Demo)
7 Ogre Battle (Takes 2 & 6 - with Guide Vocal)
8 The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke (Takes 4 & 9)
9 Nevermore (Take 6)
10 The March Of The Black Queen (First Section Takes 3 & 5)
11 The March Of The Black Queen (Second Section Take 1)
12 Funny How Love Is (Take 4)
13 Seven Seas Of Rhye (Takes 4, 5 & 6)
14 I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside (Take 4)
15 See What A Fool I've Been (B-side Version 2026 Mix)
16 Not For Sale (Polar Bear)

CD3: Queen II - Backing Tracks

1 Procession
2 Father To Son
3 White Queen (As It Began)
4 Some Day One Day
5 The Loser in the End
6 Ogre Battle
7 The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke
8 Nevermore
9 The March of the Black Queen
10 Funny How Love Is
11 Seven Seas Of Rhye

CD4: Queen II - At The BBC

1 See What a Fool I've Been (BBC Session 2, July 1973 - 2011 Mix)
2 Ogre Battle (BBC Session 3, December 1973)
3 Nevermore (BBC Session 4, April 1974)
4 White Queen (As It Began) (BBC Session 4, April 1974)
5 Procession - Intro Tape (Live at Golders Green Hippodrome, 13th September 1973)
6 Father To Son (Live at Golders Green Hippodrome, 13th September 1973)
7 Son And Daughter (Live at Golders Green Hippodrome, 13th September 1973)
8 Guitar Solo (Live at Golders Green Hippodrome, 13th September 1973)
9 Son And Daughter - Reprise (Live at Golders Green Hippodrome, 13th September 1973)
10 Ogre Battle (Live at Golders Green Hippodrome, 13th September 1973)
11 Liar (Live at Golders Green Hippodrome, 13th September 1973)
12 Jailhouse Rock (Live at Golders Green Hippodrome, 13th September 1973)

CD5: Queen II - Live

1 Procession - Intro Tape (Live at the Rainbow, March 1974)
2 Father To Son (Live at the Rainbow, March 1974)
3 Ogre Battle (Live at the Rainbow, March 1974)
4 White Queen (As It Began) (Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)
5 The March Of The Black Queen (Live at the Rainbow, March 1974)
6 The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke (Live at the Rainbow, March 1974)
7 Seven Seas Of Rhye (Live at the Rainbow, March 1974)
8 See What A Fool I've Been (Live at the Rainbow, March 1974)

Additional Formats:

2x CD: Queen II: Deluxe Edition
CD1: Queen II - 2026 Mix
CD2: Queen II - Sessions

Also available in Download / Streaming / Atmos

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