DROWN
PRODUCT OF A TWO FACED WORLD
ALBUM SPITFIRE, PLAYGROUND RELEASE: OCTOBER 4, 1999 REVIEW: DECEMBER 2, 1999


American hardcore-act Drown has at least one thing in common with artists like Trent Reznor, Prince and George Michael: a lengthy battle with the music industry that barely kept them in the business.
But they endured all the legal difficulties and it actually seems like they've succeeded to put all their accumulated anger into the current album, the heavily delayed "Product of a Two Faced World". Because there's a remarkable honesty behind the very straightforward lyrics. Drown really makes stereotype lines like "this life is killing me" and "welcome to my world where I have nothing, I have no-one, I am only alone, I am alone" rather credible. And you do believe frontman Lauren when he repeatedly, with great anguish, shouts "I hate what I am" in the powerful "Monster". Quite an achievement, actually.
Compared to fellow musicians Korn, Limp Bizkit and others, Drown have a substantially more dynamic approach to their music. They have the good sense to, at least occasionally, hold back the guitars in favour of groovy bass lines. Mild electronic influences also spices up several hardcore clichés. This is most evident in tracks like "Kerosene", "Tired of Living Like This" and the fabulous "Alone in a Dirty World".
So despite their sometimes standard-like end-of-the-90's American metal, Drown distinguish themselves with a quite enjoyable sound. Probably the best you can get in an otherwise static genre. 

ERIK ALMGREN