Drug Church

Drug Church is an American post-hardcore band from Albany, New York, United States. The band has released five albums, as well as several EPs.

History

Drug Church started as a side project for singer Patrick Kindlon of Self Defense Family. After having released a three-song demo online in 2011, the band got signed by No Sleep Records by the beginning of 2012. The band's original lineup included Kindlon, guitarist Nick Cogan, bassist Cory Galusha, and drummer Chris Villeneuve. They were later joined by Patrick Wynne on bass, moving Galusha to second guitar. Their debut EP, ''Swell'', was released in 2012, and it received critical acclaim for its raw and aggressive sound. This early work laid the foundation for Drug Church's growing reputation as an innovative and exciting band in the punk and hardcore scenes.

Drug Church's debut full-length album, ''Paul Walker'' (named after the late actor of the same name), was released in 2013 and was well received by music critics. The band's sophomore album, "Hit Your Head," released in 2015, continued to push the boundaries of their sound and featured lyrics that explored social and personal issues with a unique blend of wit and introspection.

In 2018, Drug Church signed with Pure Noise Records released their third album, ''Cheer'' which demonstrated the band's willingness to experiment with different styles such as grunge while retaining their punk ethos. The album received praise for its introspective and honest lyrics, as well as its willingness to tackle complex themes.

The band's fourth album ''Hygiene'' was announced on November 10, 2021 with the release of the singles "Million Miles of Fun" (a reference to Len's "Steal My Sunshine") and "Detective Lieutenant", and was released on March 11, 2022 through Pure Noise Records. On March 1, 2023, the band released the single ''Myopic'' through Pure Noise Records, which was ultimately included on their fifth album, ''Prude'', released on October 4, 2024. The release of ''Prude'' was flanked by the release of singles "Demolition Man", "Slide 2 Me" and "Myopic". The music video for "Demolition Man" was originally meant to feature comedian Tim Robinson, who is often likened to Kindlon. Robinson was ultimately not available, but '' I Think You Should Leave'' actor Biff Wiff was then cast in the clip.

Musical style

Drug Church's music is characterized by its eclectic blend of punk rock, post-hardcore, and alternative rock. Their sound has evolved over the years, moving from a raw and aggressive punk style to a more diverse and experimental approach. Lyrically, the band explores a wide range of themes, often delving into social and personal issues with a unique combination of humor and thoughtfulness. The band also mixes hardcore punk in the style of bands like Black Flag with alternative rock and grunge elements to create their post-punk/post-hardcore sound.
The lyrics to their songs focus mostly on social matters and tend to be dark and/or satirical. In a Q&A Session on the website of his other project Self Defense Family, Kindlon has stated that he has no pre-written lyrics for his bands and rather writes the songs' lyrics while in the studio:

Completely different people write the instrument portion of the music. Leads to a very different feel, so, very different lyrics.
Also, I write everything in the studio. So, there’s no bank of lyrics I pull from. This is made to order, not buffet.

Members

Current members

* Nick Cogan – guitar (2011–present)
* Cory Galusha – guitar (2011–present), bass (2011)
* Patrick Kindlon – vocals (2011–present)
* Chris Villeneuve – drums (2011–present)
* Patrick Wynne – bass (2011–present)

Discography

Studio albums

EPs and other

Singles

* "Weed Pin" (2017)
* "Bliss Out" (2020)
* "Myopic" (2023)
* "Demolition Man" (2024)

References

{{Drug Church

Hardcore punk groups from New York (state)
Musical groups from Albany, New York
No Sleep Records artists
Pure Noise Records artists