Review: Drowning Pool – ‘Drowning Pool’

Posted: May 28th, 2010
Contributed By: Andrew

Release Date: April 27th, 2010 via Eleven Seven Drowning Pool is: Ryan McCombs (Lead Vocals) C.J. Pierce (Guitar/Vocals) Stevie Benton (Bass/Vocals) Mike Luce (Drums/Vocals)

No band has had worse luck with lead singers than Drowning Pool. Made men thanks to their early singles like “Bodies” and “Tear Away,” Drowning Pool has since lost two vocalists and have acquired frontman Ryan McCombs, formerly of Soil, to take over singing duties. Now, unlike the two before him, McCombs has been given the chance to do a second Drowning Pool album, the follow up to 2007′s ‘Full Circle’, an album which sorely needed a standout track.

What did I just say about standouts? How about “Let The Sin Begin,” the kick-off track for this self-titled release. It’s instantly hooky, though not entirely innovative. It doesn’t have an incredibly interesting riff, but for the first time in his run with Drowning Pool, Ryan McCombs is ready to put the band on his back. His vocals really stand out in the opening verse, and pull you into the chorus which is too addictive for words. Often times during ‘Full Circle’, one could have been disappointed with the lack of power behind McCombs’ voice. No more worry there, he’s all over this record with great range. This is immediately evident in big tracks like “Turn So Cold,” and “Over My Head,” which both showcase his powerful voice during their sky-high choruses.

As a whole, ‘Drowning Pool’ is a more memorable and interesting album than it’s predecessor. While much of the last record blended in on itself, this time around Drowning Pool has developed a much more raw and emotional sound to match their frontman. The result is incredible tracks like “More Than Worthless,” one of the most intense songs in the entire band’s catalog. Each song sounds suited to their vocalist, which makes the album as a whole much more enjoyable. The disc is chock full of enjoyable anthems, among them the first single, “Feel Like I Do.” They even have snagged a major standout ballad in the form of “More Than Worthless.”

On the other hand, while instantly accessible and a lot of fun, Drowning Pool lacks the depth and replay value necesssary in truly great albums. The lyrics are nothing special, and there’s little reason to call on “Feel Like I Do” or “Regret” for multiple plays after the first few spins. Tracks like “Over My Head” have staying power, but most the album really lacks in reasons to replay. On top of that, there’s a pretty major drop off after mid-album standout “More Than Worthless,” so much so that I’d hardly recommend any of the tracks that follow for any more than a listen or two. Still, each of those songs is interesting enough to complete the album, but it does feel like more effort could have been put into those.

As a whole, this disc is one of Drowning Pool’s most impressive, and is possibly the best album in the band’s catalog. It’s great to see what this group can accomplish when they have time to gel with a vocalist for once. Though many of the riffs aren’t all that memorable, there’s enough complete songs on this album to make it a fun listen, and one of the better pure rock albums in recent memory. There’s plenty of room for improvement in the Drowning Pool camp, but as long as they can hold onto McCombs, I forsee good things in their future.

TuneLab Rating: 7.5 out of 10