Brand New Sin Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
All too often, artists who showed great promise on their first albums ran out of steam by their second or third albums; their noble intentions, sadly, did not sustain them for very long. But that isn't a problem for Brand New Sin, who showed considerable promise on their self-titled debut album of 2002 and keep the artistic momentum going on their third album, Tequila. All of the influences that served Brand New Sin so well in 2002 continue to serve them well on this 2006 recording -- influences that range from Pantera, Metallica, Motörhead and Guns N' Roses to Lynyrd Skynyrd to Corrosion of Conformity and Down. But Tequila never sounds derivative -- not at all. Brand New Sin might love and respect their influences, but they never go out of their way to emulate them; they are admirably distinctive themselves, and their originality is very much in evidence on forceful, bluesy, whiskey-soaked offerings such as "Reaper Man," "Motormeth," "Said and Done" and "Spare the Agony." While Tequila is consistently relevant to the alternative metal scene of 2006, Brand New Sin never sacrifice their sense of the blues; their roots run deep, and they have no problem drawing on different rock eras (or even pre-rock eras) for inspiration. One of the tracks, in fact, is a delightfully swampy performance of the standard "House of the Rising Sun" (which has been recorded by everyone from Roy Acuff to the Animals to Joan Baez over the years). Lead singer Joe Altier is still a major asset for Brand New Sin; his vocals are consistently passionate and assured, and the bluesiness in his voice is perfect for the band's hard-driving yet melodic approach. From Altier's confident performances to Brand New Sin's attractive sound to consistently excellent material, Tequila is another creative home run for Brand New Sin. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Recipe for Disaster'
Release Date 5/30/2005
Tracks 14
Label Century Media
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Because Brand New Sin singer Joe Altier's tuneful growling style rings quite similar to that of many a mid-2000s commercial hard rock singer (Scott Stapp and Chad Kroeger, to name but two), some listeners may hastily and unfairly dismiss this Syracuse quintet as yet another face in an already mundane crowd. But just a little bit of patience will be enough to prove that Brand New Sin and their second album, 2005's Recipe for Disaster, actually offer a whole lot more; typical, barn-burning tracks like "Arrived," "Days Are Numbered," or the excellent "The Loner" more accurately falling somewhere between Corrosion of Conformity (yes!), Black Label Society (hmmm?), and, yes, a little bit of Nickelback, too (ugh!). And yet, this is only the tip of the group's iceberg lettuce, and Recipe for Disaster continues to impress following irresistibly frenetic EP favorite "Black and Blue," which paves the way for increasingly formula-free material such as the tom-on-the-floor, acoustic guitar-strummed "Running Alone," the darker-tinged, more dramatic flair of "Vicious Cycles," and, combining the two strains, a pair of heartfelt love songs in "Once in a Lifetime" and "Wyoming." Hardly completely without fault, however, Recipe for Disaster's second half does stall on a few too many stock hard rockers; guitarists Kenny Dunham's and Kris Wiechmann's riffs and solos, while never anything less than interesting, are rarely unforgettable; and claims of the band's deep absorption of Southern rock are most definitely overstated. And still the final balance shows Brand New Sin's sophomore outing to be a fine one, with more than enough high-water marks to counter the lows, and more than enough sheer "rawk" gumption to stand out from the cookie-cutter radio rockers out there. [Recipe for Disaster's multimedia section contains a promo video for album highlight "Black and Blue," which, though professionally produced, proves that Brand New Sin's gnarly, hairy biker look won't be making them into teen pinups anytime soon.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Brand New Sin's self-titled debut is an example of everything that is right about hard rock in 2002. Brutal guitar riffs injected with lethal doses of blues, gritty vocal hooks, and thunderous drum beats abound on this album, as Brand New Sin goes to great lengths to prove that rock is not dead and is in store for a solid kick in the caboose. Mixing equal parts Guns N' Roses, Pantera, and Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society, these six men churn out thick blasts of molten heaviness that tread the thine line between intense hard rock and the dirtiest Southern metal imaginable. It is surprising how refreshing Brand New Sin's music is, considering hard rock is not a new trend. Yet while the 12 songs presented aren't the most innovative, they bridge the gap between rockers of yesteryear such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Sabbath with the more modern swamp rock of Down and C.O.C., scoring with a collection of songs that should appeal to any fan of hard rock, young and old alike. Frontman Joe Altier's prominent vocals are infectious yet grimy all at once, swerving past the pitfalls of hitting melodic notes and delivering in-your-face moshpit-inducing rock at its finest. The triple guitar onslaught is an amazing feat, yet never does Brand New Sin sound cluttered or overbearing with the surging riffs. The group features former members of Godbelow, who also managed to make quite a buzz during their time together, yet these six men have found themselves a new haven of heaviness in Brand New Sin, and have accomplished what some may think impossible, offering an album of crunchy guitar rock that is capable of remaining relevant amidst the hip-hop/metal and self-loathing of the nu-metal scene. ~ Jason D. Taylor, All Music Guide
