JOSÉ’S BAND OF THE WEEK: DRUGS OF FAITH

No one seems to have made a great big fuss about Drugs Of Faith’s debut album just yet, so I’ll try to start a fuss-wave over here. Introductions are quick and easy – it’s Richard Johnson from Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Enemy Soil with the debut album of his new band after a typical (for this genre) little pile of splits, demos and compilation appearances, including on the delightful second volume of Relapse’s, and Scott Hull’s, ‘This Comp Kills Fascists’.

So what is “this genre”, then? Given Richard’s background and initial feel of Drugs Of Faith, it’s easy to just lump it  inwith grind, but after one mere listen to ‘Corroded’, it’s obvious things aren’t quite that straightforward. It’s certainly short enough at 26 minutes, and with enough blastbeats (I had actually just typed that as “blastbeasts” and considered leaving it like that, make of that what you will) to qualify, but you get the feeling grind is just the clothing, and at the black heart of Drugs Of Faith there is a thicker sort of blood pumping. Occasional hints of typically AmRep-style noise rock are clearly audible, as are the sludgier, slower passages where even Richard’s voice gets more shouty and punkish than his usual creepy half-spoken norm. Whatever the pace, however, ‘Corroded’ is always a monster of heaviness. That never changes, nor does the confrontational atmosphere. It’s like being kicked by an angry mob, and then by just one guy, and then by three of them, and then by the whole mob again who brought the cops to help out. And the government too – the favourite victim of the politically-charged, intelligent lyrics.

While none of the many individual elements that make up Drugs Of Faith’s music are particularly revolutionary, the seamless, classy mix gives way to a band that don’t clearly sound like anyone else. That alone is reason for us to start making a fuss about ‘Corroded’.

(photo by Cody Bunnag)

www.drugsoffaith.com

www.myspace.com/drugsoffaith

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