It has been four years since the wonderful Cheer and the Albany, New York five haven't got any less great or any happier. Hygiene is an incredible album, but will be a bit of an adventure for newcomers. Drug Church are a bit schizophrenic with their material.
The songs are built on wonderful riffs that would adorn albums that live in Power Pop, Pop Rock, Goth, Metal, Prog, Psych and Garage. This all changes with Patrick Kindlon's Vocals which are pretty hardcore in their delivery and come across as a lighter Lemmy except when they don't.
Kindlon is lyrically excellent, full of one liners, but doom laden which is the opposite of the music backing them. It works, but takes a little time to get used to. There is a real Shake Your Fist element to what they do, but the songs simply grip you.
There's a lot of variance here. On songs that have a more restrained vocal, there's a sound that mixes Post Punk, Grunge and in particular Goth, I'm thinking the likes of Million Miles Of Thunder and the splendid Million Miles Of Fun.
Athlete on Beach is so damn anthemic yet World Impact is so shouty, yet still a bit early Faith No More. Detective Lieutenant is more UK Indie mid to late 80s until it breaks out and Plucked is NWOBHM in pace and sound.
The most enjoyable songs are the up and at 'em ones. Fun's Over has a real winding up intro with a riff that hits home accompanied by a driving Bass run. Super Saturated is built around a heavy Power Pop Riff. Hygiene won't appeal to all, but it damn well should, it is a fine album.
You can listen to and buy the album here.
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