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Drug Church

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Drug Church
Patrick Kindlon performing with Drug Church in Denver. March 2023
Patrick Kindlon performing with Drug Church in Denver. March 2023
Background information
OriginAlbany, New York, United States
Genres
Years active2011-present
Labels
Spinoffs
Spinoff of
Members
  • Patrick Kindlon
  • Nick Cogan
  • Cory Galusha
  • Chris Villeneuve
  • Pat Wynne
Drug Church performing at the Ottobar in Baltimore, 2023

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

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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 Patrick Kindlon, guitarist Nick Cogan, bassist Cory Galusha, and drummer Chris Villeneuve. 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 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.[1]

The band's fourth album Hygiene was announced on November 10, 2021 with the release of the singles "Miles of Fun" and "Detective Lieutenant", and was released on March 11, 2022 through Pure Noise Records.[2] 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.

Musical style

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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.

Lyrical and musical style

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Musically the band 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.[3]

Members

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Current members

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

Discography

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Studio albums

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Album Year Label
Paul Walker 2013 No Sleep Records
Hit Your Head 2015 No Sleep Records
Cheer 2018 Pure Noise Records
Hygiene 2022 Pure Noise Records
Prude 2024 Pure Noise Records

EPs and other

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Name Year Label
Demo 2011 Ride the Fury Records
Drug Church 2012 No Sleep Records
"Party at Dead Man's" b/w "Selling Drugs from Your Mom's Condo" 2013 Secret Voice
Swell 2015 No Sleep Records
Tawny 2021 Pure Noise Records

Singles

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

References

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  1. ^ Yancey, Bryne (26 January 2012). "Drug Church (members of Self Defense Family) sign to No Sleep". Altpress.com. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Drug Church announce new album Hygiene and unleash two new songs". Kerrang!. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 2022-01-04.
  3. ^ "Learn Self Defense". Selfdefensemusic.com. Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2020.