Review Summary: The original is still the best.
Amidst the mass of the “nu-metal” phase of 2001, only one band still holds a special place in this reviewer’s heart. The band is Drowning Pool, who have bravely continued on in the face of the death of their first singer and the departure of the second. While Ryan McCombs is indeed a formidable and promising singer, and the latest Drowning Pool offering is a solid record, there is still something strangely enticing about Drowning Pool’s debut,
Sinner. The album was miles ahead of their contemporaries, somehow creating a divide between pop hooks and heavy rock that other bands of the time (
Disturbed,
Three Days Grace,
Trapt etc) could not achieve to this extent. The album is not groundbreaking or outstandingly original, but it is certainly worthy of your forty minutes if you like your heavier rock with a twist, if you want a taste of the better music around during a lacklustre music phase, or even simply if you’re after something to just rock out or drive to.
In the case of
Sinner, it’s not the idea that’s important, but how it is presented. To use an example- on its own, a hook of “let the bodies hit the floor” is fairly uninspired. But in the hands of Drowning Pool, it was a hit- a mix of crafty guitar effects, almost perfect contrast of clean and screaming vocals and even some gang vocals of “ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!” thrown in for good measure. “Bodies” still stands as the best thing to come out of nu-metal that doesn’t feature the cry “oooh-wa-ah-ah-ahhh”.
Elsewhere on the record, the team of Dave Williams and CJ Pierce carry hook after hook- Williams with his impressive vocal range and Pierce with his simple-yet-effective take on rock/metal riffage, featuring an onslaught of spacey effects Tom Morello would be proud of that add a new dimension to the tracks. The rhythm section on this album are also powerhouse and prove to be a strong backbone to Williams and Pierce, albeit unfortunate that they provide nothing more than this in terms of technique and musicianship.
There are some true standouts throughout the record. There’s opener “Sinner”, which showcases the energy that the band has and just how much better the songs sound when turned up to eleven; “All Over Me” for its chanting double-chorus and ambient intro; “Tear Away” for the raw emotion found in the lyrics and vocal delivery; and “Mute” for giving us an idea of what would happen if Adam Jones joined
Sevendust.
The best track is found in the last track, “Sermon”- a vicious, atheist rant where Williams states “Tell me what you believe. I’ll tell you what you should see”, and questions if the listener is “ready for the great deception”. It is on this track that Drowning Pool hold nothing back and let all their passion about the topic loose, with great results. Stick it out until the end where the rest of the band fades out and Williams sings on his own- again, simple but effective (For trivia's sake, see if you can figure out what is being said in reverse at the end).
The songs on
Sinner, in particular the three singles (the first three tracks, surprise surprise), are almost instantly likeable, and it’s not hard to see how the band stood out from the pack in their time. Not only do they feature a high level of energy and catchiness, Dave’s vocals standout significantly with their power and honesty; and in some cases make the song what they are. It’s such a shame, in retrospect, that this was the only album that he was alive for- had they gone on with him, bigger and better things were definitely on the horizon.
Of course, there are times on the album where DP sound a little too generic (Reminded sounds like a Disturbed outtake, as does Told You So), and the lyrics often leave something to be desired. Nevertheless, Drowning Pool managed to create a solid fan base with this record, including musicians ranging from Ill Nino to the late Dimebag Darrell.
Both Jason Jones and Ryan McCombs have both made some fine music with Drowning Pool since Williams’ death, but it does not appear that
Sinner shall be taken from the top of this band’s legacy anytime. Six years on, the album still has all the energy and angst that other nu-metal bands of the time have long since lost.
. im not saying drowning pools are good though ha but the song itsself is enjoyable nn bad ass!
