El Drugstore

Artist: 
Album Title: 
Plague Ship
Release Date: 
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Distribution: 
Review Type: 

Hailing from Keyport, New Jersey, Instrumental Prog-Technical Aggro-Metal act El Drugstore was formed in 2008 as a side-project of guitarist Kevin Conway drummer Seth Rheam of East Of The Wall (Prog-Technical Metal band of the same town, of whom I recently reviewed the latest album Redaction Artefacts – you can find it posted somewhere around Christmas 2013, I guess), alongside bassist Rolando Alvarado.

The trio signed onto the Nefarious Industries label at an early point, and found a first 4 tracks of theirs printed onto the late July 2011 released split album with labelmates A Fucking Elephant. Next up, the guys donated a new track to the Sound Station Compilation Vol. 1, which was released in support of local record store and music hub Sound Station, which burned down on January 22nd, 2012 in a fire that started from a nearby place of business. The compilation, released on April 24 of that same year at a Record Store benefit show at Garwood, NJ, featured music by 22 of the many more bands which had played at the site at one time or another, and comprised 7 exclusive tracks, including El Drugstore's “Widowmaker”. April 2012 was also when Kevin Conway parted ways from East Of the Wall, apparently on friendly terms, as we find the band in a thank-list, and EotW's bassist (formerly guitarist) Chris Alfano behind the knobs to help recording the album. He also mixed the material in collaboration with the El Drugstore members.

Now if in the meantime you've gotten to know the music of EotW (or already knew them), don't go thinking that El Drugstore must be something off the same block...because the comparison only holds up to a point! I guess you might say the main difference is in the amount of notes being played...that, and the fact that guitar, bass and drums frequently work together in counterpoint measures. And what makes the music that more effective in attraction factor, is the fact that the guys frequently insert less frantic, say occasionally even epically melodic, short passages. Sort of breather moments, see...short fragments in time to prepare oneself for the onslaught that follows. I could go on and on about the band's music, but really the only way you'll get a good idea of their sound is by checking out some audio and video, which can be found at (www.) nefariousindustries/bands/El Drugstore (“Media” section) and (www.) facebook.com/eldrugstore (“Music” section), but really the first is more interesting as in term of extra info on the band.

Great stuff this, and surely deserving of a nomination...oh wait, 2013 has come and gone, so we'll just add Plague Ship to our 2013 year-lists retro-actively!

98/100