Hot Water Music

After an impressive 25+ year career, the original and seminal Gainsville, FL beard-core/gruff punks Hot Water Music, may have released one of the best albums of their career. The 5-year gap between albums has certainly paid off, with a full return to form, and songs that are equally as heavy, groove-laden and technical, as they are melodic, anthemic, and poppy, all in classic HWM fashion. Their trademark trade-off vocals are in full effect, not only between Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard, but also with new addition and now official member Chris Cresswell, also of The Flatliners. His added vocals are a welcome addition and fit perfectly into the fold, adding solid harmonies and back-ups to the already impressive duo of Ragan and Wollard. However, where Cresswell really shines is on what could be considered the biggest sounding song of HWMs illustrious career. On “Turn The Dial”, Cresswell takes on the lead vocal part during the main verse of the song, which builds up to a monster chorus with all 3 vocalists yelling "Turn the dial for nothing. Yeah, I turn the dial for nothing. So I turn it off, turn it off, turn it off" repeatedly, in full on sing-along fashion. This climatic song is sure to be stuck in your head forever, and is a masterclass in how to fire up the mosh pit with a fist in the air sing-along anthem, containing one of the catchiest choruses I’ve heard in years. There’s so much to say about “Feel The Void”, while every song brings something unique and instantly accessible to the table, with songs like “Habitual”, “Collect your Things and Run” and “The Weeds” being a few of my favorites. And as always, the low end featuring Jason Black’s groovy bass lines are tightly locked in with George Rebelo’s hard hitting beats. The songs on “Feel The Void” are classic Hot Water Music, and hearkens back to some of their best and most beloved output from the mid-90s, and is definitely their best offering since the highly adored and incredibly catchy Caution LP from the early 2000s. If you like your punk rock and roll all things heavy, melodic, anthemic, heart-felt and chock full of hooks done right, be sure to pick up the latest from Hot Water Music. Even with all of the younger and more popular up and coming bands who've been heavily influenced by HWM, these Gainsville OGs are still and will always be the reigning champs when it comes to this style of punk rock. Trust me, give "Feel the Void" a spin, and you'll understand why.