"Pop-punk" is a style that seemed to take over the world during the late '90s and early 21st century, as it seemed like each week there was a new band merging melody with hyper riffing and a snotty attitude. However, the genre largely lost its edge with each new band -- as the rough bits were smoothed out with increasing regularity. But a group like
Warner Drive appears to give the genre a much needed kick in the pants, especially evidenced throughout the band's 2006 release,
Fully Loaded. And as the title states, the album is definitely jam-packed with attitude and energy. Co-produced by a pair of gentlemen who really need no introduction -- Mike Clink (
Guns N' Roses,
Megadeth, etc.) and
James Michael (
Deftones,
Mötley Crüe, etc.) -- the album showcases a group that certainly knows how to cook up a memorable ditty, and also a group that, when needed, can expertly walk the tightrope between punk and metal ("Lost") without completely teetering over to one style or the other. And of course, there are plenty of selections that seem custom-made for a Warped Tour stage ("Gone Away"). The
Warner Drive gentlemen would be the first to tell you they're not out to reinvent the musical wheel, but what they do -- scream-along punk-riff-rock -- they do pretty darn well. ~ Greg Prato