The New York quartet Drained require little introduction. Since their trailblazing debut album Bringin it down, which was nominated for a whole range of awards in the late1990s, the band surrounding vocalist/Guitarist  Ty Zembery has earned the affection and respect of countless fans. Every Drained album is a paragon of intensity, inspiration, honesty and unwillingness to compromise. Their 6th studio recording Law Of The Down the band’s return to their old form: “The music is quite dark, and the groove and tempos are very reminiscent of the classic Drained style as opposed to our last album The Grind To Nowhere, which was a bit more thrashy”, 

Law Of The Down was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Ty Zembery at Mean Mug Music Studio in Johnson City, NY. Zembery and Maxian wrote all of the music and lyrics together. “In order to keep things interesting, we decided to take new approaches to handle all of the writing duties as a team this time. It’s the first Drained album since 99 in which I have not written everything myself.” The result proves Drained’s attitude was the right one: the production is raw and in your face, and the reactions thus far are overwhelmingly positive. Zembery:“It sounds extremely pissed off, and that’s exactly what a great Drained album should sound like. Mission accomplished!” Stay Heavy!


Zembery is referring to a good dozen hard-as-nails Drained numbers which would be difficult to surpass in terms of drive and energy. The opening track ‘Drain Away’, for example, has all of the Drained ingredients: thrash, groove, breakdown, solo, and lyrics about current life affairs. Maxian is particularly proud of ‘imploding’, a slamming song about society’s down fall. Law of the Down even features a side to the band which we haven’t seen before: ‘Marked for Life’, with a style and feel that haven’t been used in Drained since ‘Everyday’ from their 2005 album The Way It Feels Zembery: “It’s quite refreshing, actually I enjoy playing again.” 


The same can be said of the teams lyrics on Law Of The Down in general: “All of my lyrics come from the heart via life’s experiences. I’m passionate about the world, where it’s heading, and about my role in it. I sing about the fight in the common man. Yet I dare not preach to anyone. For if you want your views to be respected, you must give the same respect in return with regard to opposing views. As for inspiration, I don’t draw lyrical inspiration from anything but my inner core, and that’s what keeps the lyrics honest and real.” 


Zembery & Co. have always been quite the opposite of everybody’s darlings. Since their 1998 debut Bringin It Down, the subsequent 13 Pieces Of You (2002), which turned out no mellower, Bleed It Out ep.(2003), All For Nothing ep. (2009), and their international hit The Way It Feels (2008), The Grind To Nowhere (2012), which catapulted the band into new and better ground.DRAINED is back so stay tuned.


Bob Bardou is following