From what I'd read in the press in the last year about Queensryche and the pre-production process for this album, it's a wonder that it was ever completed. We can thank former member/guitarist Chris Degarmo for it ever seeing the light of day. After parting ways with guitarist/producer Kelly Gray, the band was now a four piece unit and were at odds with each other during the initial sessions for this album. Guitarist Michael Wilton stated publicly that he wasn't happy with the sound of the new material and that it sounded more like a Geoff Tate solo album than a Queensryche album. It wasn't until Chris Degarmo offered to help out that the whole songwriting process began to evolve and take shape into what is definitely a Queensryche album. I honestly think that without his involvement, the band wouldn't have been able to finish this album and that the future of the band would've been in serious jeopardy.

From the opening heavy guitar riffs and dreamy vocal by Geoff, the opening track, Open hits the listener with full force. It has a heavier repetitive riff style and a big power chord guitar sound that we haven't heard from these guys in a long time. The layered vocals culminate in a great catchy chorus in which Geoff demands us to "Open our minds" to the world around us. This track really reminds me of the sound on the Rage For Order or Operation Mindcrime albums and enables the listener to briefly revisit the glory days of the band. Losing Myself begins with some synthesizer effects with drums and voice for the intro but gets heavy for the chorus. This song, as well, has a great catchy chorus and overall excellent vocals. Desert Dance, the next track uses an abstract but heavy and driving beat and even uses some modern hip-hop gang style chants mid-song. Falling Behind sees the band mellowing a little for a largely acoustic song but has strong melodies and another catchy chorus. The next track, The Great Divide is a guitar heavy, but slower paced song with yet another solid chorus and I love the Rage For Order style thick guitar sound. Rhythm Of Hope sees the band once again slowing things down and creates an orchestrated, acoustic guitar based track that bears many similarities (especially with the arrangement) to Silent Lucidity. The title track Tribe, sees the band wandering into new uncharted territory for them. Using detuned guitars, the band creates a heavy, riff-laden and modern sounding song that examines the aspects of global communities (a topic they have examined before on such songs as My Global Mind form the Promised Land album). Tribe is a true album highlight that has Geoff screaming "We're all the same tribe!!", in reference the all the people of their home country (the U.S.) as well as all of us that make up the global community. This song has a great powerful message and uses gut-wrenching vocals and spoken word to get the point across. Blood has a cool dreamy and atmospheric quality to it with respect to the vocals and guitar riffs and uses a more abstract style for the chorus section. The next track, Art Of Life begins with a slow and heavy intro and has a very Dokken style chorus section. The last track, Doin, Fine is a great and uplifting, yet simple track that has some great thick and heavy riffs. It has a very laid-back and cool yet almost spiritual quality to it. The whole album sees Geoff singing like a tortured soul, but on this track, he sounds relaxed and content with himself and with life in general. I get the eerie feeling from listening to this song that they are about to ride off into the sunset and call it a day. I hope this isn't the last we hear from them.

There's a quote on the band's website that states, "Queensryche is a musical institution devoted to the observation and analysis of the human condition". They are a band that makes you think and take a look at yourself and the world around you with their lyrics and deliver it with a unique energy and melody that collectively produces the unmistakable Queensryche sound. That has always been the special thing for me about Queensryche. I pay more attention to the lyrics to their music than most other bands as they have a message that they are trying to get across with each song. Overall, I'd say that although this isn't the Queensryche that we all fell in love with on album such as Warning, Rage For Order, Operation Mindcrime and Empire, it's a solid return to a more coherent style and melodic sense that's been missing for a while. If you look back through the band's catalogue, you'll find that most of the band's best material was written by Chris Degarmo. His departure left a gaping hole in the band and they were never the same. This album sees the band returning to the clever arrangements we've come to expect from them in the past and each song has it's own unique feel and atmosphere. This album seamlessly flows from one track to another with no really weak tracks.

Tribe has glimpses of past glories, but overall a more laid back yet very catchy and melodic album. A strong effort and one that is much better than the last two albums. Queensryche may have mellowed a bit, but they can still make a solid album full of quality songs.