Drain : …Is Your Friend
The question of where hardcore punk ends and metal begins is clearly answered on Drain’s new album …Is Your Friend. The Santa Cruz band’s previous album, 2023’s Living Proof, found the lines blurred, but there was a sense that they were listening to more Pantera than Black Flag. There is little nostalgia for the place where thrash merged with hardcore in the ’80s, and there’s more of a ’90s groove in its veins.
To the band’s credit, they give the songs room to breathe and emote on …Is Your Friend rather than just hitting you with a rapid-fire pummel. They also include plenty of moments that will make suburban kids feel like this is legit hardcore to practice their TikTok karate moves. Granted, they’re closer to hardcore than, say, another group of Pantera disciples, Lamb of God. Drain are much more invested in writing catchier riffs this time around, as heard on “Everything and Nothing.”
They pick things up to more of a thrashing speed on “Nothing But Love.” The riffs are catchy enough, and guitarist Cody Chavez flexes his chops a little more on “Can’t Be Bothered.” The first instance of a more modern-leaning metalcore sound begins to come to life on “Loudest in the Room,” though despite being more bass-driven, it still owes plenty to thrash. Sammy Ciaramitaro’s vocals feel purposeful, with more anger being expelled. Fans of more mainstream metal will be hard-pressed not to appreciate the groove. “Until Next Time” finds melodic vocals taking center stage, veering into more of a pop-punk sound. But it works as a song and brings a much-needed expansion of their vocal colors to the table. What it’s not is a deliberate pandering for radio—memorable songs should be the goal of any band, no matter how heavy.
It’s easy to hear how the album will translate to bigger stages on the Big Rock Festival Circuit. Drain’s style of crossover thrash is a great deal of fun, courting more of a middle-of-the-road audience with songs more accessible than typical metalcore fare. There is certainly an audience for this album, some of whom might not fully embrace it until they are back drinking beer in the spring sun, but it’s a respectable move forward.
Label: Epitaph
Year: 2025
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Drain : …Is Your Friend
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