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By GREG MAKI
When a band changes its singer, there’s no way of knowing what will happen. Take Van Halen, for example. Sammy Hagar? They did OK. Gary Cherone? Not so much. AC/DC with Brian Johnson? I think they might last. Mötley Crüe with John Corabi? They became an entirely different band—a damn good one, but one the public wasn’t buying. Rock history is filled with similar stories.
After Soil wrapped touring in support of their last album, 2004’s Redefine, frontman Ryan McCombs bid the band adieu with statements implying that he was leaving—or at least taking an extended break from—the music business. The four remaining members of Soil soldiered on, replacing McCombs with former Diesel Machine singer A.J. Cavalier. Just a short time later, McCombs resurfaced as the new voice of Drowning Pool. This stuff is tailor-made for a VH1 special on rock star feuds.
But what I really care about is the music. Soil is first out of the gate with True Self, an album that doesn’t quite meet the standard set by the band’s last two releases. I won’t pin it all on Cavalier, but his performance pales compared to McCombs’ commanding tones. Ironically, he often sounds like former Drowning Pool singer Jason “Gong” Jones. Cavalier has a harsher voice than McCombs, yet True Self is the most melodic Soil release to date. That’s a problem because most of the songs lack memorable hooks. Nothing here leaps out and attacks the listener like “Halo,” the band’s breakthrough from their 2002 release Scars, or “Pride” and “Cross My Heart” from Redefine.
There are highlights, most notably the first two songs. “Fight for Life” is heavy, makes perfect use of Cavalier’s vocal style and features a blistering guitar solo. Track two, “Give It Up,” which the band made available months ago, is powered by a poppy riff that still retains a metal edge. One of the heavier tracks, “Threw It Away,” is a gem hidden late in the album.
True Self is a decent effort, but there is room for improvement. After all, it took Soil a couple albums before they hit their stride with McCombs. Maybe the inconsistency of this release is the product of growing pains.
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