It was a little under a year ago that I saw Drain nearly cause structural damage to the Rose Ballroom at Resorts World in Las Vegas, as part of the 2022 (and perhaps final) edition of Psycho Las Vegas. To say the rise of this Californian crossover outfit has been meteoric would be an understatement. Maybe it’s the scene’s collective need for a new “it band” after the demise of Power Trip. Maybe it’s because Drain formed as a spin-off of now defunct metalcore hypebeasts Gulch. Or maybe it’s because their last album, California Cursed, is a banger and a half.
Clocking in at just over 22 minutes, California Cursed can best be described as Slayer, but only the breakdowns. If that description alone doesn’t whet your appetite, I don’t know what will. It sure caught the attention of yours truly, who found that spinning it in between the likes of classic Cro-Mags and Leeway works quite well. Drain don’t hail from New York, but they sure boast the city’s streetwise attitude and rugged edge, characteristic of its late 80s/early 90s heyday. Combine that with an unhealthy fixation on old school thrash and breakdowns that can level a skyscraper and you’ve got Drain.
But as The Monkees once sang, “That Was Then, This Is Now” (I promise you this is the only article on the internet you’ll come across that mentions Drain and The Monkees.) On their latest album, Living Proof, Drain returns meaner, hungrier, and thrashier than ever, with a bagful of tricks to boot. Whereas California Cursed was largely breakdown-centric, Living Proof emphasizes two-step thrashing and riffs/solos straight out of the Slayer playbook (AKA, the Necronomicon). Cuts like “Evil Finds Light”, “Imposter”, and “Weight of the World” go for the jugular with their high speed riffs and wicked delivery.
Fear not hardcore kids! There’s no shortage of breakdowns scattered about this release. Whether it be the violent “Run Your Luck”, bouncy “Watch You Burn”, or slam-tastic closing title track, Drain embodies the crossover ethos, with one foot planted firmly in the rough and tumble world of hardcore, the other in the neck-snapping stratosphere of thrash. In between all this hardcore thrashing madness is…the unexpected. Did we really need a rap metal interlude (aptly entitled “Intermission”), or a love letter to pop punk (“Good Good Things”)? I guess it depends on who you ask. I say, “No.”
Aside from a couple musical missteps and the occasional one dimensional riffs/arrangements, Living Proof is a rather sturdy offering of modern day crossover. It’s not California Cursed, but I’m certain it will grow on me over time. I’m also certain that the broader musical variety on display will crossover (pun intended) to an even larger audience this time around. Will Drain follow in the footsteps of fellow hardcore punks turned mainstream darlings Turnstile? They certainly have the potential to do so. I just hope they don’t lose sight of their roots on their way up the figurative rock n’ roll ladder, one that’s paved with Rolling Stone puff pieces and Coachella appearances.
7 out of 10
Label: Epitaph
Genre: Crossover Thrash
For fans of: Power Trip, Slayer, Cro-Mags