When I first heard that Ryan McCombs got back together with SOiL, I was elated. During their time with Ryan, they were a force to be reckoned with, consistently cranking out hard hitting material that could go toe to toe with any band on the planet.

But then I got to thinking, how could their new album 'Whole' ever compare to 'Scars' or 'Redefine'?

Those album are underrated classics that every hard rock/metal junkie worth his salt knows by heart. Well, by the gin soaked grace of George Burns,  Ryan and the guys are back Full Throttle with another gem! SOiL is 'whole' once again. (See what I did there? Clever, I know.)

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From the opening track 'Loaded Gun' to the very end with 'One Love,' 'Whole' remains true to what the band has always been about: gritty, mosh pit-inducing mayhem behind the intoxicating growl of Ryan McCombs.

This album is controlled chaos. It's loud, thunderous, and in your face. It rips out your jugular, punches you in the gut, and reminds us of why we love them so.

Sure, there isn't anything new here. It's a SOiL album. It's exactly what you expect. And that's not a bad thing. It's an album that makes you throw up your metal unicorns, take a shot of whiskey and charge full steam of head into the darkness.

It may have been a long road to get here but some how, some way, against all odds, SOiL managed to produce what may just be their best album.

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