El Drugstore - Plague Ship

These crazy Yankees know how to fill a room with some crazy guitar-based riffage, which may require headbanging in a smoking jacket.Fans of East of the Wall (EotW) looking to scratch their offbeat musical itch might do well to check out El Drugstore and their debut album Plague Ship. This New Jersey power trio has a strong connection to the aforementioned band with [former] EotW guitarist Kevin Conway and [current] drummer Seth Rheam joining bassist Rolando Alvarado for an effort three years in the making.

This is some wild shit. There's a strong progressive element, but to call this progressive metal gives the wrong impression. There's an interesting line these boys straddle between sheer chaos and controlled precision. And it's that ability to maintain a sense of energy without repeating yourself that sets these boys apart.

The Bottom Line: To be fair, El Drugstore is not as melodic as bands such as Symphony X or Dream Theater, but there's no question of the talent on display here. They're tight as hell, even as they sound like a progmetal band caught in a tornado. If you like your prog more on the Watchtower side of things with a little of that grungy, retro sound, this is your jam.

- Genghis is finding out what it's like to do all the work lately (nooge)...