------Feature • Drowning Pool------Smoother Sailing Ahead By Mark Hunter Back In Black record as a motivation a little their stroke. McCombs brought not only bit,” Benton said. “We wanted to have time strong pipes for the vocals but a knack for Few bands survive the death of their off, especially throughout the holidays. We songwriting as well. In 2007 they released frontman. There are notable exceptions, of didn’t hardly rehearse. Monday we started Full Circle which featured their biggest course. AC/DC and Alice in Chains spring to back to rehearsing, and we are going to au- single to date, “37 Stitches.” The album also mind. And if things keep going the way they dition some people. If we find somebody, contained the song “Soldiers,” dedicated to are for Drowning Pool, the Dallas- based metal band will be one of the success stories. It may have seemed like the plug had been pulled on Drowning Pool when lead singer and found- ing member Dave Williams died of an undiagnosed heart condition while the band was on the 2002 Ozzfest Tour. But as any fan of Drowning Pool will tell you, Wil- liams’ death deepened the resolve of the three remaining members, guitarist C.J. Pierce, bassist Stevie Benton and drummer Mike Luce. Though it took a while to find the right singer to lead the group, the addition of former Soil singer Ryan McCombs (a Dunkirk, In- diana native and graduate of Jay County High School in Portland) in the summer of 2005 and the 2010 release of their fourth CD marked a new era in Drowning Pool’s career. Drowning Pool hit the ground swimming DROWNING POOL in Dallas in 1996. By W/POP EVIL, TRUST COMPANY, then great. the members of the U.S. military. Drowning 2001 the group had STATIC CYCLE & ANEW REVOLUTION If we don’t, Pool has shown great support for the mili- released its first CD, well, we’ve tary, having made several trips to Iraq and Sinner. The album Friday, April 8 • 8 p.m. all had of- Kuwait to perform at U.S. bases there, and featured the hit “Bod- Piere’s Entertainment Center fers to go also through the support of the Lane Evans ies,” was certified and play Health Act which focuses on medical rights Platinum in six weeks 5629 St. Joe Rd., Fort Wayne with other for returning soldiers. and drew the attention Tix: $17 adv., $20 d.o.s. thru bands. But With everything seemingly back in place of the biggest metal Ticketmaster or Piere’s box office, the three band-wise, it only seemed fitting to simply tour around – Ozzfest. would re- call their fourth album Drowning Pool. Not Drowning Pool played 260-486-1979 ally like to only does the eponymous title give the sense the second stage at stick to- of a first release, it actually was a first for Ozzfest in 2001. But for the 2002 the quartet gether if we can. We have been doing this the band. McCombs was the first Drowning was invited to play the main stage. The band together for a long time. We lost one of our Pool singer to record more than one CD with played 15 shows that tour and was set to play closest friends. I’d hate to lose the other two. the band. The record also shows Drown- its 16th when Williams died. We are going to try and stick together. I also ing Pool have a deep end and don’t have to Left treading water without their lead just don’t want to grab some singer and make merely splash around in the shallow waters singer, the band could have folded but chose a record just to do it. It has to definitely be of anthem rock. to soldier on. In an interview with Benton the right situation.” While recording the album McCombs’ on Blabbermouth.net the bass player talked The search for a new singer led them to father died. On the band’s website McCombs of the difficult time the band had following Jason “Gong” Jones, who sang on the second said the loss caused him to think differently Williams’ death. Drowning Pool release, 2004’s Desensitized. about songwriting “Making the record at “There’s never a good time for someone The second album was not received as well House of Loud was such a journey in and to pass away, but at that time, that second as Sinner, and differences arose between of itself,” reveals McCombs. “With the loss Ozzfest tour we did was probably the most Jones and the rest of the band with the result of my dad and battling my own personal de- fun we’d had ever as a band,” he said. “We being that Jones left the following year. mons, this album enabled me as a lyricist to were playing our best shows ever, and just Singer Tom Gabel took the mic for a few portray that trip. It’s the trip through all the the unity of the band, that was a highlight for shows in June and July of 2005, but soon he bad, and the realization, at the end, that it’s us. And then just to have that happen was ... too was given the boot. The time it was tak- just chapters. There’s always another chap- it was the worst possible time.” ing to find the right fit finally paid off when ter, and things aren’t so bad. There’s a lot Another Blabbermouth story quotes a Soil leadman McCombs joined up later that wrapped up in this record – more than any- Benton interview with Australia’s Under- summer. In a fitting gesture, the band chose thing I’ve been part of putting together in my cover News in which he gives their motiva- their lone Ozzfest appearance of the 2005 professional history.” tion in moving forward as the example set by tour to announce that McCombs was offi- It has at times been rough going for AC/DC and the comeback that band made cially the new singer. And they did it in their Drowning Pool but, like the adage goes, when their singer Bon Scott died. hometown. what doesn’t kill them will only make them “We have actually talked about the With McCombs Drowning Pool found stronger. March 31, ‘11------www.whatzup.com------5