You’re in middle school, it’s 2008, and you’ve just survived another grueling day of algebra, dodgeball, and deciphering the social labyrinth of the cafeteria. As soon as you get home, you drop your backpack, fire up your Windows Vista running potato, and dive into the endless abyss of YouTube.
It doesn't take long for you to stumble upon a video claiming to prove the existence of Bigfoot in GTA: San Andreas. Your heart races with anticipation as you click play. The familiar "Unregistered HyperCam 2" watermark looms in the corner of the screen, a hallmark of YouTube's golden age. The video is gloriously pixelated. Two seconds in, you realize you must quickly lower the volume as the ominous whispers begin: "Let the bodies hit the floor... let the bodies hit the floor...". As the camera captures the slow, deliberate keystrokes in Notepad, you’re reminded of the era where this hard-hitting anthem lent a certain edgy authenticity to screen-recorded wisdom.
Fast forward to today, Drowning Pool continues to build their legacy in an increasingly diverse nu metal landscape.
The band is set to release their first new track since vocalist Jason Moreno left the band in the wake of 2022’s Strike a Nerve. Moreno will be replaced by SOiL’s Ryan McCombs, who first joined Drowning Pool in 2005 and was the voice behind two of their albums, 2007’s Full Circle and 2010’s Drowning Pool. After a stint back with SOiL, he's now balancing duties with both bands.
In a recent heart-to-heart with Stef's Rock Show, founding guitarist C.J. Pierce couldn’t contain his excitement about the reunion. "Having Ryan McCombs back in the band this last year, it's been awesome for us," Pierce beamed. "We have a new song. Hopefully in the next four weeks, it'll be out. It's being mixed right now today. In fact, I'm probably gonna hear the final mixed version tonight after we get off the phone. So I'm very excited about some new material from us. And this new song is jamming… We have two or three other ones that we're finishing on now. We wanna start trying to get on the regular, put out a few new singles before we put out a full record."
For those who have been moshing in the dark, McCombs rejoined the Drowning Pool fold last year, reigniting the same electrifying chemistry that first brought the band and their fans together. Last month, Pierce told Loaded Radio's Scott Penfold that they had just wrapped up recording sessions in Vegas. “It’s getting mixed right now,” Pierce said. “We do have three new ideas that we can’t wait to get out. We’re hoping to get them out here summertime. But things just take a little extra time, between touring schedule and life and family.”
Producer Shawn McGhee is once again at the helm, bringing his knack for capturing Drowning Pool’s raw energy to the mixing desk. “He’s just a great guy to work with. He’s on the same page as us and a great friend and a great musician and a killer producer and mixer,” Pierce gushed. “He really knows how to capture what we're trying to do, man. That's the kind of producer you want. We put him in a driver's seat and somebody you can trust to have that outside ear to take what we have already and elevate it.”
Regarding the new song, Pierce promises a natural, organic evolution of their sound. “We never try to be that kind of band to [go], like, 'Okay, let's write 'Bodies Part Two' or 'Sinner Part Two'. We just write what we feel,” he explained. With McCombs back on vocals, fans can look forward to a sound that harks back to the Sinner days while pushing forward into new territory. “It's probably the closest thing we've had that's like that, that's a good blend of us and Ryan and stuff from the Dave Williams days,” Pierce shared. “And it came naturally and organically and, dude, it's slamming.”
Drowning Pool's debut album Sinner turned platinum just six weeks after its 2001 release. Their performances at Wrestlemania XVIII and Ozzfest added to their meteoric rise. However, tragedy struck shortly after their unforgettable set at Ozzfest in Indianapolis on August 3, 2002, when vocalist Dave "Stage" Williams tragically passed away from natural causes aboard their tour bus.
The reunion with McCombs has clearly reinvigorated the band. “We just did the [Welcome To] Rockville festival, and just to see friends say that, 'cause people are just now seeing us with Ryan again," Pierce said. "[People are telling us], 'Man, I can just tell you guys are having so much fun with it. It's awesome to see you guys'. You can tell when a band's up there doing it for real. There's no going through motions with us. And we're having fun with it."
So, put on those JNCO’s and get ready for the new song. As Pierce puts it, "We’re super excited, man. I was hoping to get out sooner, but right place and right time for everything. And it’s right there, man. It’s almost done."
Here's the new-old Drowning Pool Playing Nevada's Run-A-Mucca earlier this year:
