A Taste:

Pantera, Tool, Slipknot, Down

Drowning Pool axeman C.J. Pierce knows metal better than most.

He’s been slinging riffs for Drowning Pool for a long time, and his playing has only gotten more and more fiery with each and every album. Coming off a successful run on this summer’s Crüe Fest 2, C.J. remains pretty stoked right now. Not to mention that Drowning Pool will soon be heading back in the studio to record their next album.

C.J. gave us a bit of a hard rock education in this exclusive feature. Check out his playlist below and pick up Drowning Pool’s Full Circle if you haven’t already!

C.J. Pierce’s Playlist:

1. Pantera

I always go back to my all-time favorite bands every single day just to get pumped up for the shows. Pantera is always on. I don’t know if it comes from growing up in New Orleans and living in Dallas now or just the fact that they’re the most metal band ever. Even when Phil screams, you can understand all of the words and it comes across as powerful. Phil has a lot of soul and flavor when you break it down musically.

2. Tool

I love Tool! I just can’t get past it. They can play 10-minute long songs and you never lose interest. The dude can play one riff 40 different ways in 10 minutes, and it’s mindblowing. If you listen to Undertow and then Aenima, you can hear the transition. But when you listen to Lateralus, they just go off into Pink Floyd land. They evolve by leaps and bounds on each of their records. I really like A Perfect Circle too. I got right into 10,000 Days. I went to Jamaica with my wife and we listened to it then. It was the only CD we had with us for the whole week. We didn’t have a TV just a radio. We spent the whole week jumping in the ocean, going out to eat and listening to 10,000 Days. It soaked in right away.

3. A Perfect Circle

4. Slipknot

5. Stone Sour

I’m a big Corey Taylor fan. He has a great voice. For hardcore music, he’s got a great scream. A lot of that stuff sounds like Cookie Monster nonsense, but he’s got a lot of conviction in his voice. I listen to Come Whatever May every day, and I’m really looking forward to what Corey Taylor is going to bring to the table next. He has one of the greatest rock voices right now.

6. Down

The Down records are awesome! I’m a Corrosion of Conformity fan. The whole mix of Pepper Keenan’s guitar and Phil’s voice is just pretty perfect. I listen to Down all the time.

7. HELLYEAH

The HELLYEAH record is awesome! I’m looking forward to their next record as well. Hopefully we can tour together. That would be a great tour!

—Rick Florino
08.30.09