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In 1995 after the legendary doom band Trouble had disbanded, guitar player Rick Wartell started a new band called Wet Animal. Although the wheels were set in motion for this new band things were put on a temporary hiatus. Now 10 years later and after a few line-up changes, we finally get the debut release from this hard rock outfit based in Chicago.
For starters, there is a serious 90s vibe throughout this whole record and the music itself really sounds like it could have come out around 1995 or so. In fact certain times when I am listening to this, I think I am listening to an old Alice In Chains album because vocalist Shane Pasqualla’s voice is a spittin’ image of Layne Staley (RIP). I think for many people who grew up in that time this album may well bring about a sense of nostalgia as the music itself carries a little bit of the old AIC sound as well, especially with some of these dreary melodic passages. While the band also owes a lot to an old classic rock sound, I have to admit that the other band who comes to mind when listening to this is of course none other than Trouble, and if you listen closely you can also hear some of those classic doomy riffs. However with Wet Animal being more of a straight ahead hard rock band it’s not as blatantly heavy or “in your face” as those old Trouble albums, which in a way is a little disappointing.
So while this may not blow you away, the certain level of catchiness that accompanies these compositions make it more than a worthwhile listen.
These songs are put together well and appear to be the kind that would be great in a live setting. Among the highlights, “Lost in My Head” contains a really catchy hook, “Left Behind” opens up with a nice driving riff and “Fade Away” is a really cool sounding track containing some neat guitar effects. With the complex metal out there these days, it had been awhile since I had listened to some straight ahead no frills hard rock, and Wet Animal is a nice breath of fresh air in that sense. Alice in Chains fans will surely want to take note of this and so will stoner metal fans. On a final note I’d like to make mention that even if you find yourself not liking this album… you may get a real kick out of the album cover. While hard to comment if it’s good or bad, it’s definitely worth a look-see!
| Tracklist |
| 1. Soul Alone |
| 2. Lost In My Head |
| 3. Outside A Hole |
| 4. Left Behind |
| 5. Don't Put Me Down |
| 6. Fade Away |
| 7. Nomads Land |
| 8. Wreathe Of The Roses |
| 9. Relentless |
: 46.46
| Buy other Wet Animal albums |
