California hardcore punk band Drain have certainly gained some attention despite being a relatively young band. Sets at This Is Hardcore + Sound and Fury have boosted the band’s fanbase quickly, and the band’s signing to Revelation Records for their debut LP, California Cursed, is likely only the beginning of the band’s story. To go along with the announcement, the band has also debuted a sub-1 minute new song, “Sick One”. If you like fun and fast California hardcore, this is the band for you.
Drain has a fiery, metal-tinged crossover hardcore sound and they’ve quickly gained notoriety for their unhinged live shows. They appeared at This Is Hardcore 2019 and continued to tour throughout the year with the likes of Judiciary, Gulch, Hands of God, and Higher Power, really solidifying their place in the global hardcore punk scene. Drain frontman Sam Ciaramitaro said, “We feel that our shows embody what it means to truly be alive. There is no facade and no cosplay as to who we are. We just play every show like it’s our last and encourage everyone in the room to be whoever they want to be, and do whatever they want to do.”
After sharpening their live show, Drain was more than prepared to write a new record which would become their Revelation debut. The band went into the studio with Producer/Engineer Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues, Nails, Code Orange) to record 10 new songs that comprise California Cursed. Ciaramitaro explains, “With writing California Cursed we kept it very organic and just got into a room together and tossed ideas around until we had songs that we felt were catchy, full of big riffs, and had no filler.” Ciaramitaro continues, “Aside from wanting to have wild live shows, we had no intentions, no connections, and no expectations when we started. We had to start at the very bottom and build ourselves up, and we have been very humbled through the ride.”
California Cursed will be available for pre-order starting on March 2nd. Catch Drain at United Blood Fest (Richmond) and Wild Rose Fest (Calgary) this spring and look for more live shows to be announced soon.
Drain, live shows:
April 3/4 United Blood Fest Richmond, VA
With: Converge, Cold World, Vein, Judiciary + More
April 24-26 Wild Rose Fest Calgary, AB
With: Knocked Loose, Never Ending Game, Regional Justice Center + More
California Cursed, Track Listing:
1. Feel the Pressure
2. Hyper Vigilance
3. Sick One
4. Army of One
5. Character Fraud
6. Hollister Daydreamer
7. White Coat Syndrome
8. The Process of Weeding Out
9. Bad Faith
10. California Cursed