Walk With Elias: A Review

By now the WWE Universe is fully aware that Elias is more than just your run of the mill professional wrestler. Perhaps more than any other talent on the WWE roster, Elias best exemplifies the term sports entertainment.

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A throwback to fellow musician characters, The Honky Tonk Man and Jeff "Double J" Jarrett, Elias is one part wrestler and one part rock n' roll superstar. There is one major difference, however. The Honky Tonk Man was only a gimmick. Wayne Ferris merely looked like Elvis; but, had no legitimate musical talent. Jeff Jarrett's greatest WWE musical accomplishment was sung by Brian "Road Dogg" James.

Elias is a true musical performer. Not only does he write his own lyrics and compose his own music; but, he performs in such a unique way that it is perfectly befitting his Drifter character.

A WWE Hall of Famer isn't a John Cena fan. More details HERE

First originating in NXT as Elias Samson, a.k.a. The Drifter, Elias made it well known that he was not a people person.

Unlike the lovable quirky musical 3MB characters of yesteryear, Elias had a brooding persona more reminiscent of a young Charles Manson (also a performer and songwriter) than any of his wrestling predecessors.

Elias is over with the WWE Universe; but, it isn't because he is kind to fans. To the contrary, the fans routinely face the brunt of Elias' unique lyrical prose.

That doesn't stop them from recognizing his incredible musical talents, however. Elias' new album Walk With Elias is the latest stepping stone in what may inevitably prove to be a Hall of Fame worthy WWE career.

While Walk With Elias isn't a perfect debut, it does offer something specifically for wrestling fans. It's the first authentic musical release in wrestling history.

Far removed from the prodding and overbearing micromanagement of Vince McMahon and WWE corporate, Walk With Elias is a personal journey into the heart and soul of one Elias Samson.

With limited weekly television time and a creative team that too often gets in the way of the Superstars, Walk With Elias offers fans a legitimate opportunity at getting to know the Elias character. As Elias himself recently said,

"Nothing like this has ever been done. No one has ever had the thoughts I've had."

Join us as we review the compilation of thoughts that is Walk With Elias.

#1 The Ballad Of Every Town I've Ever Been To

"Hello I am Elias."Elias' opening track opens as many would probably expect. Elias speaks a familiar refrain,

He then pledges,

"And you're gonna remember this forever."

He isn't wrong. Regardless of Walk With Elias' flaws it is memorable, as the lone authentic musical album in WWE history. Elias is quick to remind us of where he has been and where he hopes to go,

"I was born a drifter and my highway is the sky."

The Ballad of Every Town I've Ever Been To is one part wrestling promo and one part musical masterpiece. Elias' vocals are both smooth and strong.

While I may be overstating a bit, if you close your eyes and forget that this is all a part of a wrestling gimmick, the vocals sound quite a bit like legendary Doors frontman Jim Morrison. Elias' lyrics; however, are hardly inspirational.

As a beautiful female voice harmonizes in the background, Elias sings an homage to every town he despises; New York, San Antonio, Chicago, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Albany, Hartford - several are included here.

Listening to such a high-quality track while being personally insulted is a peculiar feeling; but, this is what has won Elias fame with the WWE Universe. Elias simultaneously sings and spews,

"I'm waiting for a town that's not such a disgrace; but, I see too many stupid people. I want to punch them in the face."

Fanatics famously plead with their favorite artists to sign their breasts or their baby's head. Perhaps Elias is on to something, catching a wave before it hits the proverbial shoreline. Maybe the next fad is fans asking Elias to punch them in the face.

The Ballad of Every Town I've Ever Been To is quite obviously the lyrical ramblings of a man gone mad; however, it's surprisingly good and before long I find myself singing along (sorry Chicago) and humming its catchy refrain. Of all the songs on the new album, this is the most Elias of them all and a sure-fire single.

#2 Elias' Words

Elias' Words is sung and performed in the vein of Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Johnny Cash. Elias' vocals are a far cry from Freddie Mercury; but, they are better than most and fit perfectly with his chord oriented style of acoustic playing.

This is quite obviously a singer-songwriter whose songs hinge just as much on what he's saying and less so on how he is singing them.WWE Creative has somewhat failed in getting Elias to exhibit the other side of his mentally unstable persona.

Yes, he is a musician: a fine singer-songwriter; however, years of not being appreciated for his craft have turned him bitter and frankly deranged and delusional.

He is now one part cult leader and legions of admirers have become his cult. They are willing participants, even cheerleaders, for his departure into madness. The lyrics in Elias' Words undoubtedly confirm this.

In Elias' Words, Elias plays the role of a cult leader. He warns his willing audience that following any other advice apart from his own is a path to destruction.

This includes positivity. Unmistakably, Elias is exceptionally comfortable with self-praise and adulation; however, his lyrics reveal that he is unwilling to heap praise upon anyone other than himself,

"Everyone thinks they're so special. I'm here to tell you that you're not. The only words that matter in this life are the ones that Elias' got."

Elias' Words is where the movement of positivity goes to die. Somewhere New Day is crying in their Booty O's.

#3 Nothing I Can't Do

The piano is haunting akin to something that may be played on a Type O Negative (respect to the late Peter Steele) album. It doesn't sound like anything we are used to from Elias and that's a good thing. He wants to keep us guessing and although he reveals himself more so than ever on his debut EP, he still shrouds himself in a veil of mystery.

Every great album has a song that takes the listener elsewhere, as an obvious departure from the rest of the record. The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band has A Day in the Life. Queen's A Night at the Opera has Bohemian Rhapsody.

Walk with Elias has Nothing I Can't Do, a song that reveals that Elias is more a musical virtuoso than simply a guitar player.

At first, listen, I thought that someone else likely played the piano; but, a recent WWE special documented that Elias indeed played piano revealing himself to be a multi-instrumental talent.

Nothing I Can't Do is Elias's great proclamation. He believes he has single-handedly changed the world of professional wrestling. If Elias' star continues to ascend this is a possibility; but, this lyrical revelation of self-importance once again reveals Elias' flirtation with the delusional.

With a Bon-Jovi-eque melody, Elias sings,

"I wrote this just to show you, there's nothing I can't do."

He's right. He's actually beginning to convince this listener that there is nothing he can't do, at least not musically.

The song comes to an abrupt halt; but, in typical heel fashion, Elias returns with,

"Bet you thought this song was over; but, it's over yet. In the presence of Elias, you will always be in debt."

The album, which is $2.99, is available via ITunes.

Then things get really weird. Elias goes into Ultimate Warrior territory with the following lyric,

"I hold the power of the wind in my fist, the keys to heaven and hell."

He is an artist with an obvious Messiah complex and that is revealed extensively in Nothing I Can't Do.

#4 Walk With Me

Elias WWE — Walk With Me seems tired and redundant and instead of Elias' clever lyrical zings

The only song that can be described as a disappointment is the album's finale Walk With Me. In terms of the track listing, it should come before Nothing I Can't Do, which would have served as a much stronger close to the album.

Walk With Me seems tired and redundant and instead of Elias' clever lyrical zings, the song features a disappointing refrain of,

"Hey Hey Hey."

That doesn't mean the entire song is unworthy.

Elias, an obvious madman, judges the world around him as insane. Elias, the cult leader returns and invites those swimming in a world of 'sharks,' to walk with him.

In a bizarre display of art imitating life, the man who routinely sneak attacks on his opponents by breaking guitars over their heads sings,

"Don't look back don't trust me, that's only going to hurt."

Elias' debut EP: Walk With Me is worth the price of admission. At only $2.99 the album opens up windows into the Elias character and pulls back a shroud produced by limited television time and lackluster creativity on the WWE writing team.

In Walk With Me, Elias proves that he is not only skillful at directing his professional wrestling persona; but, is a true musical genius.

Elias' guitar playing is exquisite and his solid vocals blend spectacularly with his style of playing.

Walk With Me is Elias' call to action for the WWE Universe to join him on his meteoric rise to superstardom. Count me in. On a five star scale, Walk With Me is good enough to earn four stars with the only downside being the lackluster track Walk With Me, which is a catchy song; but, an overall weak number when held in comparison to the album's other strong tracks.

Walk With Me is worth checking out and sure to be enjoyed by fans of this quickly rising WWE Superstar.

What did you think about Elias' debut album? Sound off your opinions in the comments section below!