Alcatraz Line up: 2023

NorCal hardcore or Santa Cruz hardcore: regardless of geographical details it’s hardcore across the board for the American outfit Drain who first hit the rehearsal room in 2014. They don’t like to reveal too much about themselves as they prefer to let their music do the talking. Especially their live prowess 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.