Tribe of Judah

Item: Exit Elvis
Author: Daniel Isaac

Exit Elvis

(2002)

Reviewed by Daniel Isaac

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify

Label Spitfire RecordsHM Magazine #99January/February 2003

alternative metal hard rock industrial metal industrial rock

The esteemed former frontman of 80's funkin' metal icons Extreme, Gary Cherone, returns under the new moniker Tribe of Judah. Cherone, while with Extreme, achieved critical success despite some controversial subject matter. Extreme enjoyed heavy MTV saturation that led to oppurtunities with Queen as well as Gary Cherone's invitation to replace Sammy Hagar in Van Halen. Accompanying Cherone in this latest endeavour are Pat Badger, also of Extreme fame, who contribute much to the eclectic and deviceful aura that envelopes Exit Elvis, the Spitfire debut from Tribe of Judah.

Those familiar with Extreme will take note of Cherone's signature vocal fashion from the very get-go. While Cherone and Tribe revisit familiar stomping grounds, there is much deviation at hand. The most notable characteristic, perhaps, is the towering wall of synthetic instrumentation built into Elvis. Welcoming dark, ambient industrial sounds married with thick, nü-metal guitar tones, Exit Elvis explores a cavernous quarry of hard rock spanning the past decade. While melodies are anthemic and straightforward, the cumbersome, ersatz of the fabricated electronic presence interfere with the overall feeling. Nonetheless, the eleven tracks that compose Exit Elvis flaunt a banner that is as earnestly poetic as it is direct. While it does little to nudge the boundaries, Exit Elvis is a solid listen that is sure to delight fans of the multi-faceted Cherone.

Editors' ratings — Doug 3/5, David 2/5