The late '90s have seen a plethora of alternative bands that rediscovered the decade's earlier Seattle bands (Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, etc.). Groups such as Creed, Days of the New, and Godsmack have adopted this angst-ridden musical style as their own, and while Atlanta's Doubledrive is comparable to the aforementioned band, they aren't ashamed of their metal roots, which they display throughout their 1999 MCA-debut, 1000 Yard Stare. Troy McLawhorn's guitar riffing and drummer Mike Froedge's hard-hitting style are key elements, as well as Donnie Hamby' s vocals (comparable to Candlebox's Kevin Martin at times). With a straightforward production (courtesy of the band itself), 1000 Yard Stare contains many tracks that fit perfectly into the late-'90s alt-radio format -- such as the title track, "Dressed in Light," "Smaller," "Sacrifice," and the softer "Reason." With grunge sounds resurfacing, Doubledrive should have no problem breaking through. [Note: the CD version comes with a multimedia section complete with band bio and pix.]
© Greg Prato /TiVo