DROWNING POOL Guitarist: 'The Singer Switch Is Finally Over!'

DROWNING POOL yesterday (Wednesday, July 25) confirmed, after much speculation, that it has tapped singer Jasen Moreno from fellow Texas band THE SUICIDE HOOK to be the band's fourth and newest frontman. Moreno made his live debut as a member of the band on July 8 at a club in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Moreno replaces vocalist Ryan McCombs, who exited the group at the end of 2011 after a six-year stint in the lineup.

In a posting on the band's official Facebook page, DROWNING POOL guitarist C.J. Pierce wrote, "It's been a real pleasure for all of us working with Jasen Moreno. He jumped right in and stepped up to the plate. He's everything we hoped for in a singer."

He continued, "Jasen came in and got straight to work on new music for our next CD. Out of respect to all past singers, and most importantly the DROWNING POOL fans, he learned every song from every CD we've made in the past as well.

"Jasen has brought us not only a new voice but a new fire to the DROWNING POOL sound. We all can't wait to get the new music out to there to everyone with the live show.

"We just did a two-week run, and I have to say I haven't had this much fun in over ten years. It's really great playing a lot of old songs and jamming some of the new tunes as well. I think some of my favorite moments on this run is when fans come up and request songs and we can play any song from any CD for them.

"Looking forward to the rest of our career with Jasen. The singer switch is finally over!"

In an exclusive interview in the September 2012 issue of Guitar World magazine, Moreno said, "I am extremely happy and very grateful to be a part of the DROWNING POOL family. Everyone's been so welcoming, especially the fans. I can't praise them enough. They've made me feel right at home. This first run of live shows couldn't have gone any better!"

DROWNING POOL's fifth album and their first with Moreno is due out early 2013. The band teamed up with producer Kato Khandwalla at House of Loud Studios in New Jersey earlier this year, and will be finishing the album in Dallas.

Pierce said in an interview conducted last May that the new album "is heavier, there's more metal on it, there's a lot of double bass, a lot of guitar solos . . . stepping up a notch."

The guitarist said late last year that the decision to part with McCombs came about because "[We've] grown apart, especially in the last three years . . . we kind of had it in the back of our heads that [McCombs] may not be in it for the long haul."

McCombs sang on two studio efforts by DROWNING POOL, 2007's "Full Circle" and 2010's self-titled fourth album.

He joined the band in 2005 and provided some stability on the microphone after the group's first two albums featured two different vocalists.

Original frontman Dave Williams died on tour in 2002 after singing on the band's debut, "Sinner". He was replaced by Jason "Gong" Jones, who also contributed to one record, "Desensitized", before being shown the door in 2004.

DROWNING POOL is:

C.J. Pierce - Guitar, Vocals
Stevie Benton - Bass, Vocals
Mike Luce - Drums, Vocals
Jasen Moreno - Vocals