Drain

NorCal hardcore or Santa Cruz hardcore: regardless of geographical details it’s hardcore across the board for the American outfit Drain since they first hit the rehearsal room in 2014. They don’t like to reveal too much about themselves and prefer to let their music do the talking – their live prowess in particular speaks for itself. Their shows tend to get a bit chaotic but they ooze energy, as do their two EPs ‘Over Thinking’ (2016) and ‘Time Enough at Last’ (2017). The same is true of their full-length ‘California Cursed’ (2020) that sees the quartet continue to fine-tune the mix of classic 80s/90s hardcore with crusty thrash metal in a contemporary and infectious way. A well-oiled machine that never loses sight of the fun factor, these guys are the real deal but they don’t take themselves too seriously. Give their latest gem ‘…Is Your Friend’ (2025) a spin and you’ll see what we mean. #GMM26