Drugs of Faith - Asymmetrical

Angry Metal Guy

Though the group may have swerved any attention at AngryMetalGuy.com, and swerved a full-length album for more than 13 years, Virginia’s Drugs of Faith have no shortage of grindcore pedigree. Besides a smorgasbord of demos, EPs, splits, and singles, Richard Johnson of Agoraphobic Nosebleed notoriety graces the band with guitar and vocals. Asymmetrical is their latest release and promises an uneven spread of musical directions and lyrical themes on a base built on punky, noisy grind. Does it deliver?

It certainly delivers on noise. The word “chaos” (or its derivatives) appeared no fewer than seven times in my notes describing these ten tracks. Intensity and off-kilter energy are splattered all over Asymmetrical, but there are particular moments that stand out. I particularly enjoy the lead over the first half of “Drones”; it blends a chromatic melody with trilling flourishes, expressed through tumultuous, tremolo-picked guitars. Likewise, the discordance over the first half of “Divestment” builds an unsettling wall of noise. Layered on top are vocals that lever the sneering edge of punk and the super-charged energy of hardcore. It coalesces into just 21 minutes of speedy, energetic grindcore designed to spark you out of your everyday tedium. Its lo-fi, roughshod style strikes quickly and strikes hard.

Distinguishing the Drugs of Faith sound slightly are the drums and bass that sit further forward in the mix than the guitars which sit relatively far back. The purring bass is a standout, commanding the songs’ progression with a pleasingly-grounded rumble. Despite this advantage, and the reasonably-unique production caused by the mix, setting the guitars back means the riffs – that typically switch between stomping grooves and sawing swings – don’t have as much clout as they should. This dilutes one of the key components of Asymmetrical’s memorability. The grinding guitars in the middle of the mix contribute to the general cacophony and chaos but ultimately make the music more forgettable. By way of comparison, the opening lead on “Gas Mask” is surprisingly crunchy and differentiates itself because the bass guitar isn’t there to cover everything in its distortion. I enjoy the album’s overall aesthetic but the moments where the guitars are exposed allow them to have more impact.

Because of the mix that blunts its songs’ riffs, Asymmetrical begins to blur across its side A. Side B attempts to refresh the album’s sound, but isn’t able to quite do enough. I’ve already described the crunchy opening on “Gas Mask”, but the frenzied guitar solo on “The Void” does its part too. Again, prioritizing the guitar does some good for the song’s memorability and contributes to the insanity. Similarly, “The Next 100 Years” uses a cleaner guitar transition between passages, and there are call-and-response shouts on “Essential.” Each of these is just a small part of their respective tracks but they offer new textures on an album that doesn’t care too much for musical variety. While a band like Beaten to Death offers utterly atypical grindcore, one of the things I love about them is how their core sound expands with fragments of other genres. This confers variety and hooks. Asymmetrical is briefer but also more homogenous than most, meaning its impact through brevity is diluted.

Drugs of Faith won’t change your life through musical innovation, mind-blowing melodies, or relentless variety. But it’s just about entertaining enough for existing grind aficionados seeking 20 minutes of catharsis. The interesting production and weaponized chaos give Asymmetrical a sharp edge. However, I doubt that it will be entertaining enough for those who aren’t already on the grind bandwagon because the riffs don’t have the power I want them to.



Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3
Label: Selfmadegod Records
Websites: facebook.com/drugsoffaith | drugsoffaith.bandcamp.com
Releases worldwide: February 21st, 2025

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