by Greg Prato
Out of Memphis, TN, came the metallic quintet Saliva (singer Josey Scott, guitarists Chris Dabaldo and Wayne Swinny, bassist Dave Novotny, and drummer Paul Crosby). Originally formed in September 1996, the band was a finalist in the 1997 Grammy Showcase sponsored by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, issuing their 13-track self-titled debut on their own label shortly thereafter. Next came an appearance on the Dracula 2000 soundtrack with "Your Disease," before their 2001 major-label debut for Universal, Every Six Seconds (the album title came from the theory that "life cycles seem to happen every six seconds"). The next year saw the release of Back into Your System, whose sound continued down the path of rap-metal the group had been following since its inception. For 2004's Survival of the Sickest, however, Saliva took a more hard rock approach, a decision that brought the single "Rest in Pieces" into the Adult Top 40 charts. In May 2005 Dabaldo left the band, but was soon replaced by former Full Metal Jacket guitarist Joe Montoya, and Saliva's fourth record for Island, Blood Stained Love Story, came out in 2007.