Drugs of Faith “2008 demo” CD

This raging CD-R demo from Virginia's Drugs of Faith contains a mere three tracks in five minutes, and while I actually never heard their split 3" with Antigama, it would seem that the years since their full-length debut have been spent honing a slightly more straightforward and increasingly powerful attack. Make no mistake, amidst the blistering grind there's still a ton of subtle variety thanks to ample tempo changes towards churning midpaced rhythms, not to mention mangled riffing and discordant textures, but something about the overall punch of the songwriting really hits the spot here. There's a great balance of memorable energy and ferocious intensity, and despite being a demo, the recording is fucking perfect for what Drugs of Faith has to offer: Warm and raw with a cohesive mix that lets everything breathe, so there's no trouble whatsoever picking up on everything that's going on in there. Fucking killer vocal performance, too. I'm all over this...

Drugs of Faith "Race to the End"

Civilized confinement, sputtering beneath, stirs sad melodies that loom in spoiled air. Backwards system I perpetuate, on which I both depend and hate. Refine the Earth; redefine its purpose. I'm creeping along black scars. I don't like where I'm going. I don't like where we're going.