Drowning Pool / Fozzy / Revoker

It's a hot night in Norwich and it's a hot crowd that has assembled at the city's Waterfront venue for an evening of American metal. Drowning Pool and Fozzy have flown across the pond for a co-headlining tour and tonight is the fourth date of that run. The crowd is slightly thin but those that have made the journey are in rowdy spirits.



Opening for the two American bands on this tour are Revoker, who offer a dose of home-grown metal. The four-piece from Wales deliver a fantastic opening with an enthusiastic performance. It's an enthusiasm that the crowd reciprocate as they lap up songs such as 'The Great Pretender' and 'Stay Down'. It's an impressive start to what will hopefully be a decent night of metal madness.

Fozzy have visited this venue a number of times over the years and they clearly have a diehard following with Fozzy t-shirts aplenty amongst the audience. Their participation in this tour is in support of their fifth studio album 'Sin And Bones', and it's that album that dominates their set list with 'Spider In My Mouth' and 'Sandpaper' opening their performance.

The crowd are hot and sweaty, and as the show progresses so does their interaction. Fozzy are fronted by the multi-talented Chris Jericho and he whips the crowd into frenzy for 'God Pounds His Nails'. There are Fozzy chants galore as the band push on through their set that includes impressive versions of early single 'To Kill A Stranger' and the brilliant 'Enemy'.



Having perhaps been held back by Jericho's past endeavours, Fozzy finally appear to be forging their own path as a serious musical act. The success of 'Sin And Bones' and tonight's performance serve as evidence of that.

I'm most intrigued tonight by our final band, Drowning Pool. Drowning Pool came to prominence in the early 2000's on the back of the success of their debut album 'Sinner' and it's hit single 'Bodies'. 'Sinner' featured the unmistakable vocals, passion and energy of Dave Williams. Sadly Williams passed away whilst still touring this album. Since then the Drowning Pool singer's position has seen a steady succession of custodians.



The revolving door started with Jason Jones for 2004's 'Desensitized'. Following Jones' departure Ryan McCombs was recruited from Soil and he oversaw both 2007's 'Full Circle' and their 2010 self titled effort. With McCombs now reinstated in Soil, Drowning Pool have now turned to young Jasen Moreno, from The Suicide Hook.

None of these incarnations have recaptured the phenomenal success of 'Sinner', and given that albums prominence in tonight's set list, I can't help but feel that the band have become a nostalgia act. Despite having a new album, 'Resilience', with Moreno at the helm, only a handful of these songs can find their place in this 'Sinner' heavy performance.

Drowning Pool and the crowd burst into life with 'Step Up' and 'Sinner' kicking their set off with a bang. Moreno and co then proceed to revisit the 'Sinner' album for most of their hour long set. With some of the Fozzy faithful already departed, it's a small but dedicated crowd that wait out Drowning Pool's set in anticipation of 'Bodies', which duly brings the evening to a close. "...let the bodies hit the floor..." the lyrics scream and the bodies oblige as the venue becomes one large mosh pit.

It has been a solid evening of metal from three bands at different career points. Revoker are young and fresh with a big future ahead. Fozzy have hit their creative pinnacle with 'Sin And Bones'. Whilst Drowning Pool seem to have hit a glass ceiling and look destined to retrace 'Sinners' footsteps forever more.

FUTURE GIGS

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