Sinner

Entertainment Weekly - "...Stern, rumbling, noirish metal....kicking it old-school headbanger style....Dive in, metal maniacs." - Rating: B+ Rolling Stone - 3 stars out of 5 - "...DP keep the energy high throughout SINNER. There is little filler on this disc...of tightly packed and polished adrenaline....[This] may well provide another rallying cry for alienated new-metal fans..." Q - 4 stars out of 5 - "...The point where old and nu-metal meet. The impeccable riffs and uncompromising rhythms are perfectly balanced by Dave William's fashionably angst-full lyrics..."

Drowning Pool's debut album, Sinner, is a surprise. Sure, the four guys who compose the band are displayed on the back cover like they were tailor-made for the rap-core scene which had arisen out of the late '90s, but musically they're a little better than the rest. Singer Dave Williams has really impressive vocals, which unlike many of their comrades actually shows diversity and a refreshing breadth. Multiple variations of melodic singing to multiple ranges of screaming that is unlike little of what comes out from the Ozzfest crowd. Musically, Drowning Pool are a cross between Korn and Tool, but much more akin to Tool, primarily in reference to the vocals. Everything else on the album is smooth and perfect, like a plan having gone off according to plan. The riffs on Sinner are huge, with enormous grooves and great dance parts. In fact, the track "Bodies" was written inherently to be a song to get people to dance with its line of "something's got to give/let the bodies hit the floor." While Drowning Pool may not be the next musical Beethoven, they are a welcome breath of fresh air in the midst of all the so-called "hardcore" that is on the airwaves today. A strong starting piece, Sinner shows Drowning Pool's great potential. ~ Kurt Morris|

デビューから2か月で100万枚を越えるセールスを全米で記録している彼ら。ヒップホップを採り入れるヘヴィー・ロック・バンドが多いなか、パンテラやアイアン・メイデンからの影響を匂わせる、歌メロとギター・プレイを前面にフィーチャーしたメタル的なアプローチは逆に新鮮。プロレス団体WWFの入場テーマ曲も獲得。格闘技にヘヴィー・ロックという、アメリカでは誰もがうらやむ関係が、彼らをバックアップしている。
bounce (C)田中 拓宏