TRIBE

I anticipated the new QUEENSRYCHE release "Tribe" for many months. I saw the banner ad running for a long time on the web (Progressiveworld.net) so the advertising did work on me. I became very curious as to what this new effort would sound like, especially with the return of original guitarist Chris DeGarmo to the mix. The added anticipation of seeing them live in month did not give me any more patience in securing a copy of this CD either. Well now that I have it, I know why I was so excited. This album did not disappoint in any way.

They were on a hiatus for a bit, Geoff Tate recorded a solo album, and then they got back together to find the energy that made them so successful to start with. When you are together for a long time things can get stale and you loose your edge. Whatever they lost, they got back. The high level of musical forcefulness and emotion throughout the album is captured without fail and effectively. The first three tracks are strong statements that mark the return of a band that reigned supreme for many years in rock-progressive- metal. "Open," "Losing Myself" and "Desert Dance" has the oomph and crunching guitar riffs that is the trademark of their sound. Tate sounds as good as he ever has fronting the band and everyone else is right in line with him, pushing the intensity of their performance beyond the norm.

This is not just a musical is statement; it is a vehicle for expressing how the band feels about the world around them. The world tribe concept is the focus, with political opinions weaving in and out of every track. As the album cover indicates, the band has marked its territory with a symbolic return to the forefront of the progressive metal scene. I have to hand it to them, their steadfastness and wherewithal over the years is to their credit. This album proves to be some of their best work to date.