If you’ve been fortunate enough to make it out to an Illegal Drugs show over the past couple of years, you’ll know the Atlanta foursome excel at cranking out caustic, slash and burn rock and roll. Led by former Turf War frontman John Robinson and bassist Tom O’Neill, their songs seethe with a kind of ramshackle swagger, each a fiery tempest of fuzzed out guitar, insistent rhythms, and rough-hewn melodies. It’s not necessarily miles away from the raucous, hook-heavy garage rock Robinson peddled in his previous project, but it’s far enough away to make any comparison merely peripheral. This is far more aggressive and tumultuous stuff, even if the band manages to keep the chaos carefully in check.
“Hook Line and Sinker” is the first single from the group’s eagerly awaited debut, and the track draws upon a feverish, raw-nerved form of post-punk to make its considerable impact. The band readily cites the Gun Club, Nirvana, and the Wipers as inspirations, and you can hear those touchstones congealing here into a hard-charging burner slathered in noisy hooks and fist-pumping riffs. Everything about this cut, from Shane Patrick’s formidable drumming to Joe Hardwick’s air raid siren guitars, bristles with four-on-the-floor intensity and the kind of fuck all attitude you want from a group that chooses to call itself, well, Illegal Drugs. A lot of bands do their best to keep things fast, loose, and messy, but rarely do they sound this frantic and gloriously vital.
Listen below.
Illegal Drugs’ self-titled debut is out Oct. 4.
More Info
Web: illegaldrugsband.com
Bandcamp: illegaldrugs1.bandcamp.com
Facebook:@illegaldrugs
Instagram: @illegaldrugsband
Twitter: @IllegalDrugsLTD