FEERSUM ENNJIN--published July 2005, Zero Magazine

Over a decade ago, Paul D’Amour wrote a bass line that made my heart swell three sizes larger exactly like the Grinch’s when he realized he couldn’t steal Christmas from Whoville. It was in the song "Sober" that D’Amour produced the first gurgles of a rock baby that would grow up to be a goddamned rock monster. Yet, D’Amour shortly thereafter left Tool to pursue his own…interests. His latest is the solo project Feersum Ennjin.

Immediate reaction, this five song EP doesn’t waste time breaking any promises of ferocity that a name like Feersum Ennjin would possibly make. The expectations of a smooth roar are shattered with the delivery this stale, diet Nine Inch Nails, kitten mew. Even the very first notes sound like a cheesy, ring-tonesque report of Third Eye which is only made further appalling by misplaced Cure synth.

The most annoying thing about this album is that you can come really close to liking it until you realize that D’Amour was a bass player for a reason. His voice sucks. Maybe back in the day, when D’Amour was the prettiest member of Tool, someone approached him and told him he was too good looking to be a faceless bassist and he should do his own thing. I’m hoping this is true instead of someone actually telling him he could write better songs on his own.