This album saw something of a departure from the hardcore punk influences of its predecessor, boasting a more traditional thrash metal sound, akin to that of Anthrax and Bay Area bands like Exodus, Testament, Forbidden or Vio-lence.

Although The Joke's on You never reached any major charts, it is often considered Excel's best release, and it features their live staples "Fired (You're)", "Tapping into the Emotional Void", "Seeing Insane" and "My Thoughts".

"Tapping into the Emotional Void" gained considerable attention years after its release, due to accusations that Metallica had plagiarized the opening riff to that song on their 1991 song "Enter Sandman", which had also resulted in Excel taking legal action.

[2][3][4][5] The Joke's on You is also the last Excel album recorded with two of the "classic" line-up members, Adam Siegel (guitar) and Greg Saenz (drums).

Following their departure, Excel's music would take a different direction on their next album, 1995's Seeking Refuge.