>> Album rating: 3.5 <<  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.

Genre: Pop/Rock, Alternative Metal, Nü Metal, Heavy Metal, Post-Grunge

Album Moods: Aggressive, Angry, Bleak, Malevolent, Nihilistic, Rowdy, Visceral, Acerbic, Bitter, Cathartic, Dramatic, Earnest, Fiery, Fractured, Gritty, Harsh, Hedonistic, Menacing, Paranoid, Reckless, Rousing, Suffocating, Tense/Anxious, Volatile

Album Themes: Anger/Hostility, Feeling Blue, Guys Night Out, Jealousy, Cool & Cocky

Release Date: June 5, 2001