Biography
Drowning Pool emerged as an alternative and nu-metal outfit whose sound fuses powerful percussion, aggressive guitar work, and brooding subject matter. The ensemble achieved widespread recognition in 2001 upon issuing their platinum-certified debut album Sinner, which contained the hit single "Bodies." Following the 2002 passing of vocalist Dave Williams, Drowning Pool maintained output through successive frontmen—Jason Jones, Ryan McCombs, and Jasen Moreno—on such forceful releases as Full Circle (2007), Resilience (2013), and Strike a Nerve (2022).
The band originated in 1996 when drummer Mike Luce and guitarist C.J. Pierce, having moved from New Orleans to Dallas, joined forces with bassist Stevie Benton. Initially operating as an instrumental trio, the unit found its voice once Dave "Stage" Williams joined on vocals. Early momentum proved immediate: a copy of their debut demo reached Sevendust members, prompting an invitation to tour with the industrial metal act, after which runs with Kittie and (hed) p.e. ensued. A second demo, cut following two years of road work, climbed into the Top Ten on Dallas station KEGL and secured a Wind-Up Records deal. Produced by Jay Baumgardner (Papa Roach, Godsmack, Coal Chamber), Sinner became an immediate commercial success, attaining platinum status within six weeks and placing "Bodies" among the most rotated videos on MTV for a new act. Further exposure arrived via high-profile sets at Wrestlemania XVIII and Ozzfest in the summers of 2001 and 2002.
Tragedy struck shortly after a vigorous Ozzfest appearance in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 3, 2002, when Williams was discovered deceased from natural causes aboard the tour bus. The group pressed onward, issuing the concert film Sinema—containing more than two-and-a-half hours of footage—in late 2002. January 2004 brought the announcement of singer Jason "Gong" Jones, and Desensitized arrived months afterward. Former Soil vocalist Ryan McCombs took over vocal duties in 2006, leading to Full Circle the following year and the live set Loudest Common Denominator in 2009. A self-titled album appeared in 2010, making McCombs the first Drowning Pool singer to complete multiple studio efforts with the band. His exit the next year paved the way for Suicide Hook vocalist Jasen Moreno, whose official debut came on 2013’s Resilience. Three years later Moreno equaled McCombs’ achievement with the declaration of Hellelujah, the second Moreno-fronted and sixth overall Drowning Pool album. Produced by Jason Suecof (Deicide, Motionless in White), that release spotlighted the uncompromising single "By the Blood." Originally planned for 2020, the band’s seventh album Strike a Nerve shifted to 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic; described as their heaviest work to date, the eleven-track collection emphasized the group’s blue-collar Southern metal foundations.
The band originated in 1996 when drummer Mike Luce and guitarist C.J. Pierce, having moved from New Orleans to Dallas, joined forces with bassist Stevie Benton. Initially operating as an instrumental trio, the unit found its voice once Dave "Stage" Williams joined on vocals. Early momentum proved immediate: a copy of their debut demo reached Sevendust members, prompting an invitation to tour with the industrial metal act, after which runs with Kittie and (hed) p.e. ensued. A second demo, cut following two years of road work, climbed into the Top Ten on Dallas station KEGL and secured a Wind-Up Records deal. Produced by Jay Baumgardner (Papa Roach, Godsmack, Coal Chamber), Sinner became an immediate commercial success, attaining platinum status within six weeks and placing "Bodies" among the most rotated videos on MTV for a new act. Further exposure arrived via high-profile sets at Wrestlemania XVIII and Ozzfest in the summers of 2001 and 2002.
Tragedy struck shortly after a vigorous Ozzfest appearance in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 3, 2002, when Williams was discovered deceased from natural causes aboard the tour bus. The group pressed onward, issuing the concert film Sinema—containing more than two-and-a-half hours of footage—in late 2002. January 2004 brought the announcement of singer Jason "Gong" Jones, and Desensitized arrived months afterward. Former Soil vocalist Ryan McCombs took over vocal duties in 2006, leading to Full Circle the following year and the live set Loudest Common Denominator in 2009. A self-titled album appeared in 2010, making McCombs the first Drowning Pool singer to complete multiple studio efforts with the band. His exit the next year paved the way for Suicide Hook vocalist Jasen Moreno, whose official debut came on 2013’s Resilience. Three years later Moreno equaled McCombs’ achievement with the declaration of Hellelujah, the second Moreno-fronted and sixth overall Drowning Pool album. Produced by Jason Suecof (Deicide, Motionless in White), that release spotlighted the uncompromising single "By the Blood." Originally planned for 2020, the band’s seventh album Strike a Nerve shifted to 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic; described as their heaviest work to date, the eleven-track collection emphasized the group’s blue-collar Southern metal foundations.
Albums
Strike A Nerve
2022
Hellelujah
2016
Sinner (Unlucky 13th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
2014
Resilience
2013
Drowning Pool
2010
Loudest Common Denominator
2009
Full Circle
2007
Desensitized
2004
Sinner
2001
Singles
