REVIEW: DRAIN - 'California Cursed'
Written by Andy Katz
Going to start this review with a Nu-metal analogy, but please stay with me. Picture this: the bullet from Korn’s “Freak on Leash” music video going at 1000mph through every object in existence. I’m talking about concrete, Franzia wine bags, both shuttles used in Armageddon, the liquid terminator dude who can open elevators with his claws, and Colossus (sorry bud, but I really didn’t dig your performance in any of X-Men movies). When the dust settles and Bruce Willis saves the world, you are left with DRAIN’s “California Cursed.” Just clocking in at over 22 minutes, this record should be on every hardcore kid’s AOTY list. It has pulverizing breakdowns, noteworthy “singing out loud while circling the edge of the pit” lyrics, and will have you two-stepping wherever you might be jamming it.
The album starts with, “Feel the Pressure,” which begins with super relaxing vibes, showcasing sounds of the Pacific Ocean. It doesn’t stick around though. Oh lord, it turns a dark corner real fast, and the seagulls you heard are wiped away in the tidal wave of a riff that’s an instant jam. That guitar lead maneuvers like a King Cobra on its way to its first meal of the day. This track sets the stage for the rest of the record. It has an unbreakable groove that fills every nook and cranny, allowing every subsequent track to follow suit. Vocalist Sammy Ciaramitaro leads this band into battle like he’s storming the walls of Troy (before Brad Pitt was taken down by that damn arrow). There is no shortcut in his vocal delivery, or his lyrics: “I feel the pressure of a thousand eyes staring at me / they want to see me fall.” You can feel that heightened anxiety build as the rest of the song progresses. However, he reaches a catharsis, “I won’t do what you want me to / I don’t care what you think of me.” He makes you feel emboldened, empowered, and shatterproof. His voice has a sharpened edge that slices through the mix. It’s robust but breathable, allowing the crunch and dissonance of the guitar tones to share the spotlight. DRAIN has a sound that pays homage to 80’s and 90’s hardcore. Think of bands like Black Flag, Youth of Today, and the Gorilla Biscuits. This entire record gets to the point, but doesn’t cut corners to accomplish its sound.
The next two tracks, “Hyper Vigilance” and “Sick One,” are absolute juggernauts, and truly displays the fortitude and the unique nostalgia that DRAIN does so incredibly well. With just these two singles alone, they make it known that they are heavy contenders within the scene. On “Hyper Vigilance,” drummer Tim Flegal stampedes through the intro like the first person to get through the door in Wal-Mart on Black Friday. The combination of that ride bell and the kick just sound absolutely killer as the song transitions to a first verse. The best part of the track is the tempo change at around 30 seconds. Their entire audience is now one behemoth of a pit, two-stepping their way into another dimension. We all know damn well that my scrawny ass is going to get eaten alive if I contract the bravery to go in, similar to the fate of Sam Jackson in Deep Blue Sea. This carries on for a while, interrupted with breaks of superfast rhythm picking accompanied by that kick again. The song finally reaches its apex when a good old fashioned breakdown settles the dust and leaves only the strong standing. What makes this so superb is that the band never loses their groove. That core groove is what carries the entire record, and this song is a microcosm of that.
“Sick One,” another single, doesn’t leave a stone unturned in regards to sheer brutality, ferocity, and relentlessness. In other words, and looking past all the synonyms, the song doesn’t give you a chance to breathe until it’s over. That’s not a bad thing though. If you have a craving for that high energy “I-just-want-to-lift-weights-until-my-arms-fall-off,” sorta thing, then put this sucker on repeat. It’s just shy of a minute, so you may have to play it 45 times over to get through your workout. The best part of this song, and frankly of any hardcore outfit, is when the band screeches to a halt and the vocalist says some unifying phrase that turns an already chaotic show, into absolute anarchy. In this particular case, it’s “I’LL SHOW YOU HOW IT FEELS!” and what follows is another perfect breakdown. Immediately following is an even more perfect breakdown that cuts the time in half, and turns the dial up on the dramatics. Job well done.
Moving right along, “Hollister Daydreamer,” is instrumental, complete with just an acoustic arrangement, subservient to a nail biting solo that permeates the sound waves with anticipation.
A deep cut, but a major highlight is “The Process of Weeding Out.” This track just bounces along, encapsulating that core groove that makes this record so special. I like the vocal play during the chorus. High-pitched delivery is echoed by a more throat-driven attack that gives it vivaciousness, rounding out that groove. Blast beats soon follow, led by a short screeching solo. This transitions into one of the heaviest breakdowns on the record. It’s not a slow tempo incursion though. That quickened pace is proudly prominent throughout. Again, it’s that groove that’s now interwoven with a syncopated chug, making it sound so ever delightful.
The title track, “California Cursed” ends the record. It starts off encompassing all of the elements that make up this record. I love when a title track does that. I want that title track to summarize what I just heard, or of what I’m going to hear, pending on the song order. In this case, this song ties it all up for the listener, even bringing it back to the start. The track starts off hot as all hell, connecting that bounce and groove again. The track steadies out and you hear, “California Cursed” in an anthemic chant. Ciaramitaro expresses the band’s love-hate relationship to Santa Cruz in just that phrase, encapsulating the record. He continues to sing, “I was born here / I’ll die here” furthering that point, but making the listener aware that the band’s loyalty to their origins is an unshakable bond. All in all, an outstanding debut that deserves continuous praise until their next release.