WATERDOWN “The Files You Have On Me”
The Files You Have On Me seems to do almost the impossible – create a slick, meaty sounding hard-rock record that is a) not flaky and b) seriously gripping. WATERDOWN, with their second stateside release, straddle and mulch the line between hardcore, metal, and melodic rock with calculated precision and massive heart. This disc just reaches out and pounds with it’s enveloping sound, and doesn’t let loose for a good 46 minutes. On their debut, “Never Kill The Boy on the First Date,” WATERDOWN shared hints of metal and a tougher sound, but this disc smooths the kinks down and glosses over them with outstretched vocals and bombastic guitars. Much like their labelmates, THUMB (though without the psuedo-rapping), these German guys gain their strength through their gleaming, but well protected backbone. For fans of the “core,” WATERDOWN are not afraid to toss in a few breakdowns either, guided by generous helpings of guitar crunch. Lyrically, these guys mix up the personal with the political, often sticking to points not unlike the great REFUSED, especially on the sing-along fifth track, “Dodging Bullets,” where Ingo Rieser yelps, “we are all held captive by the debt on our credit cards / what is left is now is to celebrate the ghettos ready for free trade.” The atwork on here is rather intricate and sharp looking, and the thickness of the insert paper gives the release an overall feeling of completeness. Due the band’s paucity of touring in the United States (it’s been minimal at best), WATERDOWN may never gain the fanbase they deserve, which is a shame, because the band’s crossover style of music is probably at the height of its popularity at the moment. Regardless, “The Files You Have On Me” is an excellent release that proves that one can record a spiffy sounding rock record and still give it a full set of teeth.
Victory
