Musically, the album is rooted in the mid-90s post-grunge/alternative rock sound you might expect. Given that Clint would go on to play in Sevendust only a couple years later, it's interesting that there aren't any heavy drop-tuned sections on any of these songs. In fact, of the members' later bands, Bitter Black Water is most similar to what doubleDrive would release.

The verse riff on opener "Pain" is fairly straightforward although with some timing nuances. The pre-chorus and chorus are what really grab the listener though and set the tone for the rest of the album, with a huge buildup and the kind of chorus you find yourself singing along to by the second time it comes around. The riff and harmonized vocals on "So Fake" evoke Stone Temple Pilots. "Confined" brings the tempo down and gets a little heavier, leading into another slower song "Dear Life." Things pick up again with "Black River," which transitions from a bass-heavy groove intro another grungy rocker with a big hooky chorus. The second half of the CD has a similar mix of rockers and slower/softer tunes, with the more upbeat songs "Blister" and album closer "Dawg" being the standouts. There's also the odd piece "Mold (Now And Then)," which starts with tribal chants and is mostly a two minute drum groove with some random guitar noises thrown in. It's a bit out of place on the album, but it's actually a pretty killer track and works well as the intro to "Dawg."