Albany’s post-hardcore force, Drug Church, is back with their fifth full-length, PRUDE. For fans who heard singles like ”Myopic” and the hard-hitting ”Demolition Man”, ”Chow”, and ”Slide 2 Me,” – the anticipation got thoroughly built over the summer since they announced PRUDE back in July. But PRUDE doesn’t just pick up where their fourth album, Hygiene, left off – it takes the gritty, self-reflective storytelling and sounds a touch deeper. With ten tracks packed into a tight 29 minutes, this album proves that Drug Church isn’t interested in holding our hand throughout, and indeed, we shouldn’t expect a soft-landing post-listening. Instead, they are back to remind us of how well Patrick Kindlon is at storytelling with lyrics and how life’s messy choices can come back and bite us in the ass, forcing us to face the shitty truths that we’d much rather ignore.

PRUDE feels like the introduction to a band maturing, but without losing their edge. They continue to stay as raw as before but add a touch of unpredictability. Kindlon continues to impart his wisdom upon us with a layer of self-awareness; he doesn’t hold back. It’s the kind of album that asks you to listen but demands you sit down and look in the mirror while you do.

PRUDE opens with ”Mad Care,” and from the first note, we’re introduced to an album that isn’t pulling any punches. The guitars, drenched with distortion, manage to pulse a kind of energy while the feedback from the amps adds a sharp edge to the sound. While Kindlon enters with sneering vocals, hitting you with some hard truths: ”This is your situation / this is your circumstance / this is your fork in the road,” setting the tone for many of the other songs on the album, filled with self-reflection as we hear on ”Myopic,” and uncomfortable truths as the album goes on. ”Mad Care” is, in itself, an unapologetic rush of energy, full of moments that would have you screaming along. Kindlon’s vocal delivery gives a sense of frustration towards the end, daring us to take a good hard look at our self-destructive ways: ”Nice things coming your way / but you want something worse”. As the song hits its peak, ”Mad Care” isn’t about setting a sonic atmosphere but a statement: Take a good look at your goddamn choices, mate.

”Hey Listen” is one of my standout tracks on PRUDE, and for a good reason. While the album is packed with aggressive, unrelenting moments, this track offers a necessary breather, shifting the tone just enough to maintain coherence. It doesn’t feel like your typical Drug Church sound – there’s a softness to it, with its emo-esque guitars that guide Kindlon to match the pacing of the instruments. Compared to PRUDE’s opener, ”Mad Care,” ”Hey Listen” feels less frustrating, yet it still doesn’t feel out of place. In fact, Kindlon’s vocals are laced with a different kind of anguish here. Not the same biting frustration we hear on many of the other tracks, but a sense of helplessness, as in lines like ”It’s tough to find an upside / In what seems like a cursed life,” offering a glimpse into self-reflection.

The drumming by Chris Villeneuve keeps the tempo steady throughout the song while helping create a nuanced sonic foundation for the track. But what really sets ”Hey Listen” apart from the rest isn’t the tempo or sound – it’s how it plays with contrast. The lyrics may seem bleak, but the music feels overall expansive, giving the track room to breathe on its own, in a way some of the other great tracks on the album don’t. It’s a rare moment of emotional clarity, capturing the energy of PRUDE while offering a deeper level of introspection that feeds into the frustration heard throughout the album.

Another standout track for me is ”Business Ethics,” which stands out not just for the humorous lyrics but for the highly energetic delivery. It balances the heavy instruments and Kindlon’s vocals. It offers a breather from the more significant dissatisfaction that runs throughout PRUDE. It’s one of the album’s memorable moments, giving the listener a moment to engage in the sense of humor, as heard with the lyrics, ”He found a scheme to rely on / now he works in finance”. With ”Business Ethics,” Drug Church proves they can be just as biting in their humor as they very well can be with their anger and frustration, which is why the song becomes memorable.

Drug Church has always been, in my opinion, a band that has prioritized quality over quantity. They take great pride in their musicianship, focusing on making music that resonates rather than simply churning out songs to fill a setlist. Every track on PRUDE stands as a testament to how far they’ve come since their early days, showcasing their growth and evolution, individually but also as a band. As the band matures, so does their sound, and that maturity shines through in every moment of this album. The confidence that radiates from PRUDE makes it not just a milestone for Drug Church but one of the standout releases of 2024. This is Drug Church at its sharpest, boldest, and most unapologetic selves.