Treading water!
Well, I never thought in a million years that I'd be reviewing a Drowning Pool album. I can't say that I'm completely relaxed in my perception of their music. After all I've only ever been blown away by 'Bodies' and did not even expect in the slightest that I would be in a position to comment about this their fourth studio album, simply titled 'Drowning Pool'
But I'm pleased to say that I was surprised, very surprised as to expecting the unexpected. Drowning Pool have an album that's issuing a statement on quite a few levels – writing fist pumping 'arena rock' songs such as opening track 'Let The Sin Begin', and the first single 'Feel Like I Do' (which is their highest charting single, reaching #2 on US radios Rock Chart, and their second consecutive Top 5 hit with third singer Ryan McCombs), to the acoustically decent 'Alcohol Blind', and to pain driven tunes such as 'Turns So Cold'.
Unfortunately even though its decent enough, the highs of the album are definitely outnumbered. Not by the lows, as that's too negative a statement to make, but the others songs just aren't as good as the aforementioned tracks. McCombs does his best on the heavier edges songs, but is a much better performer when not having to over-sing, and is more comfortable on the ballads (if you can call them that) with the more melancholic tone making for a more enjoyable experience than the 'shoutier' tracks. For me all of the decent tunes are the more wistful and less forced offerings – the excellent 'Over My Head', final track 'King Zero', and the fine'More Than Worthless'.
Irrespective of what I write, this will undoubtedly be a hit for DP on the other side of the pond, whose Metal core of fans will simply lap this up in droves
Its been 8 years since the death of Dave Williams robbed DP of impending mega stardom, but theyve dusted themselves down and gotten on with the business without any fuss and here we are in their 10th year with a great future in front of them for the next 10 years. A great tale of the bands perseverance and overcoming the odds. Most bands would fall apart after the death of someone as important as their singer, and DP have done it TWICE. They are still missing the style of Williams and always will. While Drowning Pool is not anywhere as good as Sinner, its probably the best they can come up with in the current climate