Queensryche

I’ll always have a place in my cold metal heart for Queensrÿche, but let’s face it: they haven’t really made an album since Empire that could be called essential by any means. Or enjoyable, to be honest. And Tribe continues along the same lines, giving us ten songs that just float right on past the listener, lacking both the subtle progressive smarts that made the band so special in the past and any semblance of hook. Instead, the songs ramble and amble, not loitering for too long but not sticking out or demanding attention. A shame, all things considered. Tribe is really just a non-descript, lacklustre rock album. The closing cut, "Doing Fine,” is a nice, upbeat reminder to stay positive in life that ends the album on a good, if not fluffy, note. But man, it keeps me up at night pulling my hair out thinking about the harsh reality that some bands that helped define eras of metal (and our lives) are just fading away, and these past few Queensrÿche albums are painful proof that they’re almost invisible at this point.