Band: Poison The Well
CD Title: Versions
Year: 2007
Website: Unknown
MySpace: www.myspace.com/poisonthewell
Label: Ferret Style
Featured on: Burning Misery
Rating: 7.0 / 10
More Links: Start a Poison The Well thread on the forum!

Poison The Well are one of those bands that I’ve never got into. This isn’t because I don’t like them (I really wouldn’t know either way since I’ve never listened to them), it’s just because there has always been another band that I wanted to check out more.

The other day when a promo version of their new album, “Versions”, dropped through my letterbox I was a little dubious and I suddenly realised that I really knew nothing about this band. For me, Poison The Well were always one of those bands that I’d heard of, but I had never actually heard.

The sound on “Versions” is decidedly metalcore, but it’s metalcore with an edge. Usually I steer clear of things ending in a ‘core’ (this is because I usually find that I am disappointed with them), but this album is looking to be one of the exceptions to that rule. Poison The Well keep you on your toes and never seem to be afraid to experiment and try something a little leftfield.

Every track is different and, during my first few listens, I haven’t skipped a single one. Some of the tracks that are worth mentioning above others are “Letter Thing” which starts off the album with it’s straight up in-your-face metalcore with a dash of punk, “Nagaina”, “Slow Good Morning” (the guitar tone on this one gives it a Southern Rock vibe), “Composer Meet Corpse”, “Naïve Monarch” and “The First Day Of My Second Life” (the drums here have a great sound!).

I was pleasantly surprised with “Versions” and Poison The Well have proved to me, without a doubt, that metalcore can be done well. It makes me wonder why all those other bands - who put me off the genre - exist.

This isn’t an album that I’d usually buy, but I’m certainly glad that I’ve heard it. It won’t change your life, but it’s a pretty good way to spend 42 minutes.