Drowning Pool’s Stevie Benton Talks New Singer, ‘Resilience’ Album, Touring With Flyleaf + More

Drowning Pool are on the road in support of their new album, 'Resilience,' as they finish up a co-headlining U.S. tour with Flyleaf. The trek marks Drowning Pool's first full-fledged jaunt with new singer Jason Moreno.

At the New York City stop of the tour, Loudwire had the opportunity to speak with Drowning Pool bassist Stevie Benton, who discussed the addition of Moreno, while also talking about the new album, 'Resilience' (due April 9), the band's tour with Flyleaf and the legacy of their signature tune ‘Bodies.'

How did the tour with Flyleaf come about?

Going into it we didn’t really know what to expect, even though we’ve known Flyleaf for quite a while and they’re from the same neck of the woods as us I don’t think anyone would have really thought of us as being tour compatible. Maybe we’re the same genre but not the closest in musical taste but it worked out great – I think our fans dig them and vice versa, at least I hope so. They’re just the nicest people in the world, so it’s just a blast being on tour and hanging out with them - it’s going to end way sooner than I would like, I assure you that.

It’s interesting that both bands have new vocalists, making for a very unique aspect of this tour.

I think that’s it, it’s a unique aspect is that all the crowds coming out and the shows have been selling amazingly well and they’re coming in such a welcoming fashion, with open arms -- having to accept new lead singers in both bands. I think it’s a testament to the ability of both new singers, to come in and be able to be that frontperson and take over a room and take over a crowd.

Neither Jason [Moreno] nor Kristen [May] -- you never see them get up there one night and muddle through it – they’re both up there on fire and happy to do it and I think that just feeds the energy of the crowd. Even if you walk in the door doubting, I think you walk out completely won over by them.

The new album is called ‘Resilience.’ What does that title mean to you?

We were really searching for a while for a title that explains where we are now, what we’ve been through, but also didn’t turn its back on the past. ‘Resilience’ to me, it makes you look back on everything, everything you’ve been through and then finally focus on the point where you are now. Luckily for us we don’t sweat the small stuff, there’s nothing bad that could ever happen to this band that hasn’t already happened, that we haven’t already been through. You read stuff about bands having struggles and breaking up all the time but for us that’s just small stuff.

Of course you could say singer trouble but I think the reason that has gone the way it has is the couple of singers that we’ve had prior to this after [the late] Dave [Williams] – they weren’t there to share in that initial vision, that initial dream so maybe it’s just not the guiding light, it’s not the focal point that it is for the other three of us. So after a while they seemed to stray and want to go off and do their own venture and more power to them. But we have to stay focused on Drowning Pool and our goals.

How is Jason Moreno fitting into the band as the new frontman?

Personality wise, he fits in great and that was a big part choosing this singer this time. He’s a guy that we’ve known for a lot of years, we go way back so we knew he was a cool guy and not just a cool guy for now to get the gig – he’s not going to change overnight, he’s not going to be a different guy six months from now, we’ve know him for over 10 years.

Also, we were big fans of his former bands and we knew what a really great voice he had, what a good songwriter he was, so we knew he was going to be a perfect fit. Then throw in the fact that both his songwriting and approach and just the natural tone of his voice, it’s much closer to what we had in the beginning with Dave. We’re able to attack songs in more of a fashion like we did 10 years ago instead of going for a different voice and having to craft songs around something that’s foreign to us in the beginning.

Describe ‘One Finger and a Fist’ lyrically and musically.

After the song was recorded we added some crazy little electronic effects in the background just to give it a modern feel but if not for that – if you just listen to the song itself, it sounds like something that would have been on ‘Sinner.’ It’s just very much straight ahead, no mixed message, just hitting people right in the face, no pun intended. It’s very much a simple “F--- you” to the man kind of song.

What would you say is one of your favorite songs off of the new album?

I think one of my favorite songs is ‘Skip to the End’ and the reason being is that my father is recently deceased and the main part of the lyrics are taken from advice he used to give me all the time, so of course that song will always be special to me.

Drowning Pool’s classic song ‘Bodies’ has been popular since it hit the airwaves over ten years ago.

Isn’t that unbelievable? I don’t get it but I am so thrilled. [Laughs]

What do you think it is about that song that still causes people to gravitate towards it continuously?

I have to think that just lyrically Dave nailed it – he just summed up a concert, a rock show, that’s what the song is about. When kids used to come to our shows in the early days in clubs in Dallas and just mosh around and stage dive and go nuts and the song and the lyrics is just about Dave’s perspective of the crowd as being the eye of the storm and I just think he pinned the lyrics perfectly -- and when you do that it’s like lining up one in a million. I think that’s why it still carries over an transcends – here it is still, the song came out 12 years ago, it’s unbelievable.

Drowning Pool will be embarking on a UK tour with Fozzy in April. Their new album 'Resilience' (due April 9) is available for pre-order here.

Watch Drowning Pool’s ‘One Finger and a Fist’ Lyric Video