Despite their relative youth, as musicians they have been around for decades, and have been in multiple bands, including More Outside, Necromandus, Telf, Victimised and more before forming Drudge.
Their first album, Lay Your Burden Down, was released in 2021. It melded the classic riffs of bands like Black Sabbath and Monster Magnet into their own style and sound. Well received on its release, we have been waiting for a follow-up, and now it’s here.
While not the full album we’d been hoping for but a four-track EP and I have to say it’s a belter.
The tracks are:
- Covert Betrayal
- Into the Blue
- Swallow the Solution
- Unrivalled Sin.
Once again, and I should know better, I am amazed at the sheer depth of talent that we have in Cumbria, this is an amazing collection of tracks, described as stoner rock, heavy rock, groove metal, sludge metal and stoner metal to me this could have been written by Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler – both of the first two tracks could have easily featured on the early Ozzy-era Sabbath albums, fantastic driving lead and bass riffs with vocals weaving through them, all perfectly accompanied by the powerful drumming of John Branch.
As I have admitted before I am old, I was brought up on Sabbath, Zepplin and Deep Purple as well as the Beatles, Johnny Cash and Val Doonican (I know, I know).
But this really is a superb collection that fits into that British metal sound from the late 60s/early 70s.
It is by no means a copy of the original this is original music that sounds terrific. My only complaint is that there aren’t more songs available.
Pick this up and definitely go and see them if you get the opportunity as they are equally powerful live.
Drudge are:
- Michael Woods – Vocals
- Unyan – Bass
- Andrew Fitzsimmons – Guitar
- John Branch – Drums, backing vocals
