Brand New Sin

Brand New Sin's self-titled debut is an example of everything that is right about hard rock in 2002. Brutal guitar riffs injected with lethal doses of blues, gritty vocal hooks, and thunderous drum beats abound on this album, as Brand New Sin goes to great lengths to prove that rock is not dead and is in store for a solid kick in the caboose. Mixing equal parts Guns N' Roses, Pantera, and Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society, these six men churn out thick blasts of molten heaviness that tread the thine line between intense hard rock and the dirtiest Southern metal imaginable. It is surprising how refreshing Brand New Sin's music is, considering hard rock is not a new trend. Yet while the 12 songs presented aren't the most innovative, they bridge the gap between rockers of yesteryear such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Sabbath with the more modern swamp rock of Down and C.O.C., scoring with a collection of songs that should appeal to any fan of hard rock, young and old alike. Frontman Joe Altier's prominent vocals are infectious yet grimy all at once, swerving past the pitfalls of hitting melodic notes and delivering in-your-face moshpit-inducing rock at its finest. The triple guitar onslaught is an amazing feat, yet never does Brand New Sin sound cluttered or overbearing with the surging riffs. The group features former members of Godbelow, who also managed to make quite a buzz during their time together, yet these six men have found themselves a new haven of heaviness in Brand New Sin, and have accomplished what some may think impossible, offering an album of crunchy guitar rock that is capable of remaining relevant amidst the hip-hop/metal and self-loathing of the nu-metal scene. ~ Jason D. Taylor