Damagaplan - New Found Power

Since Sabbath arguably gave birth to metal in 1970, it has managed to buck the odds and remain a consistent part of mainstream music, often by clinging to and infiltrating other styles. With its thrash-heavy grooves, Pantera played a key role in keeping metal alive in the 90’s, garnering mass appeal and critical praise. When they fell apart in 2002, brothers Dimebag Darrell (guitar) and Vinnie Paul (drums) continued working together, eventually forming Damageplan, rounded out by singer Pat Lachman and bassist Bob Kakaha. This is where I would love to say Vinnie and Dimebag built upon their previous experiences, and, for a second time, breathed new life into a mostly stale and unfulfilling metal scene. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Truth is, Damageplan’s debut, New Found Power, does little to distinguish itself from the current metal scene. The post-grunge riffing and Lachman’s aggro-growl are nothing you haven’t heard before. This only underscores the importance of what the charisma of a Phil Anselmo can mean to a metal band. But Dimebag and Vinnie both flash the gifts that brought them to prominence in the first place. The charging “Wake Up” carries a busy guitar groove that pushes the track to a multitude of dark corners. Vinnie’s manic drumming carries the title track, which rattles and rolls through three and a half minutes of metal hell (and I mean that in a good way). Highlights such as these are unfortunately scarce, rendering the album rather laborious as a single listen. The closing track, “Soul Bleed,” which owes more to Jar of Flies than it does Kill ‘Em All, is a much needed change of pace that comes way too late. New Found Power fits too well into a metal climate that sorely needs a kick in the rear end. The pedigree of the band’s core members serves as both a blessing and a curse: It is a big reason Damageplan will be noticed but also innately raises the bar of expectation to unfair heights. Heights up to which it just doesn’t measure. Though by any measuring stick it is still a solid debut, New Found Power will probably disappoint. [www.damageplan.com]