Saliva
Vocalist Josey Scott said the name Saliva was "controversial and different, and like it or not, you'll never forget it." Maybe so.
After hanging around the Memphis music scene Scott and guitarist Chris D'Abaldo started Saliva in '96. Second guitarist Wayne Swinny, drummer Paul Crosby and bassist Dave Novotny fleshed out the line-up.
The following year Saliva entered a Grammy showcase, sponsored by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) and made it to the national finals in New York. Despite that incredibly dubious honor they persevered. At least they didn't win it. That would have done them in.
Back in Memphis, Saliva delivered their self-titled indie debut. The CD sold 10,000 copies regionally.
"Your Disease" appeared on the relentless "Dracula 2000" CD. Saliva's full-length major label debut "Every Six Seconds" hit in '01. According to Scott the title was chosen because "life cycles seem to happen every six seconds." However, that's also how often an average a guy thinks about sex. So take your pick.
In '02, Saliva returned with "Back Into Your System." The set included the major hits "Always" and "Rest In Pieces," co-written by James Michael and Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue. The band spent the following year opening for KISS and Aerosmith.
"Survival Of The Sickest," the group's '04 release, saw the group expand their straight-ahead Rock inclinations. They even mastered the power-ballad on "Open Eyes."
'05 saw D'Abaldo announce that he was leaving "for obvious reasons, as the band is not a unit anymore." Then to add a serious level of uncertainty, D'Abaldo later stated he and the group were working through issues and that he looked forward to recording. But D'Abaldo did leave, replaced by Jonathan Montoya (Full Devil Jacket).
Saliva's "Blood Stained Love Story," released in January, '07, entered the Billboard 200 at #19 making it the group's highest-ever first-week showing. As with the recording of most albums, this one had its share of challenges. "We had weddings and funerals, children being born, marriages breaking up," explained Scott. "Everything awful and everything great about life happened."
The single, "Ladies & Gentlemen," topped the US Mainstream Rock chart. The song was also heard in promotional spots for Wrestlemania 23 and in Playstation 3 commercials. "We wrote (the song) for sports and movies," said Scott. "It's got that real violent dynamic to it . . . It was premeditated. I'm not going to lie." The second single, "Broken Sunday," was not as successful but it did crack the Mainstream Top 10.
Salvia entered the studio in '08 to work on their sixth studio effort, "Cinco Diablo." "If you like "Ladies & Gentlemen" and "Click Click Boom," and more dynamic stuff, it's going to be an ass-whooping of a record," said Scott. "It's going to be 45 minutes of ass-whooping!"
With work on the album underway, the brooding "Don't Question My Heart," Salvia's pairing with Shinedown's Brent Smith, landed on the "WWE The Music Vol. 8," a compilation of originals and wrestler's theme songs.
"Cinco Diablo," containing the lead single "Family Reunion," was released in December, '08.
Saliva has a developed a bit of a pattern. They start an album with a Rap-Metal raver, revisiting that mode at various points. From album to album though, they've returned less frequently.
"Cinco Diablo" starts just as expected; with the thrashing lead single "Family Reunion," a song with moments of unexpected uplift. "My Own Worst Enemy" is the 'we know what you want" song.
The surprises include the low-key melodic ballad "How Could You?" as in "how could you cheat on me?" - a high school break-up track if ever there was one. But the more positive, even romantic, "Forever And A Day" is destine to be a H.S. dance closer. Another kick is Saliva's jump into Kid Rock's backyard with "Southern Girls." Southern Rock and southern girls - yeah, you guys just figure that out?
"Blood Stained Love Story" cracked Billboard's Top 20 Album Chart in the first week of release. That was largely due to the balance Saliva reached between their Rap-Rock origins and an accessible Metal sound. Opening track "Ladies And Gentlemen" is just the sort of rousing anthem, with a blistering guitar and skull rattling chorus, that suits a controlled riot - which is really what many sporting and pseudo-sporting events are all about. But Saliva are not merely interested in thrash and burn, they have a strong melodic sense that comes through on the lean, economical "Broken Sunday" and "One More Chance." Lyrically, Scott takes the plaintive route on the mid-tempo ballads "Never Gonna Change" ("nothing left to say, we all pay the prices for the games we play") and "Going Under" ('why can't I be something more than myself"). In between, he's in a "take-no-prisoners" mode on the Rap-Metal "King Of Stereo" and gets the job done, in spades, on the uptempo "Twister."
A lot of groups with an impressive debut suffer a sophomore slump. In Saliva's case, they were able to make it to their third album before hitting a slight rough patch. "Survival Of The Sickness" is not a bad album, in fact, it's very good, just not up to the standards of its predecessors. It's damn difficult for a group, any group, to sustain a high level of quality over three albums what with the demands of fame. Still, they almost pull it off. "Rock & Roll Revolution" is a powerful opening track. Great start. Put two southern singers together like Scott and 3 Doors Down's Brad Arnold and what do you get? "Razor's Edge" sounds like a Lynyrd Skynyrd cousin. The rest of the album, including "Open Eyes" and "Two Steps Back," is good but not exceptional.
"Back In Your System" proves Saliva's debut was no fluke. Typically, a Metal din opens the set. This time it's "Superstar II." There's the epic and majestic "Always" and the clever "Rest In Pieces." The title track and "Weight Of The World" also score. Scott shows his vulnerability on "Holdin' On." "Anyone can see what's happening to me."
"Every Six Seconds" sets the template with "Your Disease," the hostile roar of "Click Click Boom" and the soaring "Greater Than/Less Than."
Saliva's self-titled indie debut is hard to come by and isn't really worth the effort. It's not embarrassing but little else. "Your Disease" on the "Dracula 2000" soundtrack is one of several great songs featured. It's well worth getting.