At long last, Drug Church have released their highly anticipated fourth full-length, ‘Hygiene.’ Out today via Pure Noise Records, the album is a bold leap forward for punk’s most beloved agitators, proving exactly why Drug Church are one of the most singular bands in modern guitar music.
‘Hygiene’ is a testament to Drug Church‘s unique ability to make distinctly outsider music that’s also welcoming and instantly satisfying. The record leans into this seemingly contradictory path, managing to retain the tension between overt melody and visceral aggression that makes Drug Church so appealing, while also pushing into the new sonic territory. To celebrate the release of ‘Hygiene,’ the band has shared their new music for ‘Tiresome‘ a triumphant blast of hooks and vitriol that shows why, despite their uncompromising nature, Drug Church is for everyone.
Drug Church‘s 2018 LP, ‘Cheer’, and their 2021 EP, ‘Tawny’ both drew acclaim from fans and critics alike, and now ‘Hygiene’ immediately makes it clear that the band isn’t content to rest on their laurels. The Albany and Los Angeles-based five-piece – vocalist Patrick Kindlon, guitarists Nick Cogan and Cory Galusha, bassist Pat Wynne, and drummer Chris Villeneuve – build on the most tuneful moments of their past work without losing any of the combustible hardcore energy that has made them so appealing to fans of both heavy and hooky music.
Throughout the album, Kindlon’s lyrics are as incisive as ever. He walks a tightrope between observation, honesty, frustration, and humor—wading into the absurdity of life; the relationships between art and the people consuming it; and the primacy of following your own path—and somehow achieves a tone that’s as blunt as it is nuanced. The result is an album that captures a band truly at the top of their game, and demands conversations and stage dives in equal measure.