Saving Abel - Saving Abel
Record Label: Virgin Records
Release Date: March 11, 2008
Corinth, Mississippi’s rock quintet Saving Abel have a Southern rock serum liken to Submersed, smacking of hard rock exhausts fuming massively out of their tailpipes with the gusto of Shine Down. There is no mistaking that Saving Abel have a steep southern rock accent on their self-titled album, and in true southern style, their name has a strong connection to the Bible Belt of America. Saving Abel’s guitarist Jason Null tells in a press release how he came up with the name of the band after doing some research on the Bible’s parable about Adam and Eve’s children Cain and Abel. It’s a lesson on not destroying one’s brother in a jealous rage - “I Googled the story of Cain and Abel and found a line about ‘there was no saving Abel,’ which just jumped out at me.”
Produced by Skidd Mills (12 Stones, Saliva, Submersed), Saving Abel’s self-titled album has memorable chord rotations and lyrics that stick in people’s minds with an adhesive glue relatable to Creed. Lead singer Jared Weeks pours all of himself into the lyrics with the song “18 Days” really making him dig in deep, “It’s been 18 days since I had to look at myself / I don’t wanna have to change / If I don’t, then no one will / Is it my state of mind or is it just everything else? / I don’t want to be here.” By the end of the track his moping makes a 180° and transforms into strength with, “I know what they say about all good things / Will they come to an end / But I’ll fight this time / So that we might have a chance this time.”
The twin guitars of Null and Scott Bartlett create counter melodies that widen the tracks breadth making the infernos smolder massively and shrink to a soft whimper like in “Sailed Away.” The tidy rhythm section of bassist Eric Taylor and drummer Blake Dixon administer the placement of the tucks and peaks along the melodies making very clean presses throughout the tracks. When everything else goes haywire, the rhythm section keeps the melodic forms sturdy. There isn’t one track that is more impressive than another; they all maintain a high standard that makes each one percolate with rich Southern rock steam billowing from the movements.
Saving Abel have turned out a great self-titled album that brings audiences to the heart of what the band is about. They are true Southern boys with Harley Davidson-sounding exhausts and Skoal-ring toughness. They blend the directness of Waylon Jennings with the urgency of Alice in Chains, and in true Southern fashion, they are proud of it.
“You know when you hear a song on the radio and you don’t know who it is, but you love it and feel like you’ve heard it before? That’s our band! The first time someone hears us, they go, ‘I know that band!’ Then someone explains, ‘no, it’s a brand-new song and band.’ Saving Abel has an accessible and comfortable sound—-you HAVE heard us before,” states lead singer Jared Weeks.
I honestly have no interest after hearing the single. This is straight up generic post-grunge/active rock radio garbage. Not even striving for a hint of originality or voice this band just literally wears their influences on their sleeve and, at the same time, degrades and stereotypes women. Say what you will but at LEAST bands like Chevelle, Breaking Benjamin, 10 Years put some sort of thought, lyrical symbolism and layers into their music. Saving Abel, on the other hand, are more than happy to exist in the world of mediocrity.
It's band like this that made me hate Nickelback. They were a great band until I kept hearing them, or extensions of them, all across the radio. I'm just tired of this sound. I can even hear the lyrics cited in the review being sung by Austin Winkler of Hinder. Just another generic band...
You guys are kidding right? I hate feeling compelled to make this my first post here, but I need to know where someone gets the idea that googling bible stories creates meaningful music. And, "pours all of himself into the lyrics..." Honestly? I guess that album art says it all, I should just stay in my place.
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