Drowning Pool
“Desensitized”
Wind Up Records
Riding high off the success of its first single, “Bodies,” Drowning Pool exploded onto the metal scene in 2001 with the release of its debut album, “Sinner.”
Over the next year the band would gain more and more fans and grow in popularity through constant touring. Then, the unthinkable happened as the group’s frontman, Dave Williams, was found dead in a tour-bus during the 2002 Ozzfest. The remaining members  guitarist C.J. Pierce, bassist Stevie Benton and drummer Mike Luce  eventually decided to soldier on recruiting Jason “Gong” Jones to fill the vacant vocalist slot.
Now, with the release of “Desensitized,” the band’s second release on Wind Up Records, the band seems primed to recapture its momentum.
From the opening, “Desensitized” has the same feel to it as the group’s debut. The disc kicks off with “Think,” a thick, metal-tinged anthem akin to the last album’s opener, “Sinner,” and from there swings full-force into “Step Up,” a sing-along anthem similar to the band’s biggest hit, “Bodies”.
Musically, Drowning Pool feels tighter and heavier in a sense, having polished the sonic assault the group crafted over the past few years. Jones’s vocals are, at times, eerily similar to Williams (especially during the break-down screaming on “Killing Me”), yet completely different. Williams’ had a husky quality to his voice but could easily wail away with the best of the metal community; Jones’ vocals seem more anchored and deep. The vocal nuances are subtle at times, and by the time “This Life” (track 4) is over, the listener could very easily forget they’re listening to the band with a new singer. It’s hard to miss that this disc is still a Drowning Pool album. “This Life” is also an interesting track as it was the first riff Pierce had written following the loss of Williams.
From end-to-end, “Desensitized” is a full-bore metal release. Even when the band tries to “slow it down” on a track like “Love and War,” the bridges and choruses are still hard-hitting. Pierce really shines on all the tracks with his interesting riffing. Benton’s bass work feels real thick, and plays nicely off Luce’s drumming. Actually, Luce’s drumming sounds a lot fuller on this album thanks to Randy Staub’s mix.
Overall, Drowning Pool really pulled off an accomplishment. After the death of the band’s frontman, the band’s future was most definitely in doubt. At the band’s Web-site, Pierce points out, “This new Drowning Pool record is the most amazing work we have ever done as a rock band. Not only is this about a band continuing on and overcoming a most unfortunate situation, but it is also about personal triumph. I know our family, fans, and friends will be pleasantly surprised, amazed, stunned, and struck by the fact that this recording is heavier and deeper than our previous effort.” With the addition of Jones, the band took what it started, built upon said foundation, and really crafted a solid follow-up given the circumstances.
