Hailing from the borderland of San Diego, CA, Drug Hunt is an eccentric quartet of natural seditionists blending elements of psychedelia with the sonic palettes of garage, post-punk, noise, and the occasional foray into prog and metal. Their unique sound has earned them cinematic analogies such as "Tarantinoesque" and “Biker Bar Pink Floyd” for their raw and ethereal performances. In the past, they’ve supported a variety of bands such as WAND, Earthless, Black Mountain, Dead Meadow, Howlin Rain, Surfbort, Spoon Benders, and most recently Meatbodies and Ty Segall.
Their latest endeavor, the debut full-length "Feast," out July 20 on Bad Vibes Good Friends, was born from the crucible of existential turmoil and internal discord. It serves as a beacon of the band's resilience, embodying their newfound artistic focus and sonic evolution. With each track meticulously crafted, the album showcases a dynamic range that defies conventional boundaries, inviting listeners on an immersive and sinuous rock epic that delves deep into the psyche of hedonism, dogma, politics, power, love, reinvention, and the earnest quest to define themselves as both humans and artists.
Release Schedule:
- “Jungle” Single: June 13, 2024
- “Kingdom” Single and Music Video: July 18, 2024
- Feast Album: July 20, 2024
The record shifts from horn-led marches to all-out psychedelic freakouts. Every corner is pumped with sonic light featuring captivating contributions from a lineup of esteemed collaborators. Backing vocals from the talented Jess Roberts (Deap Vally, The Everettes), brass and flute arrangements courtesy of Willi Flemming and Jesse Audelo (Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Fresh Veggies Micro Brass), and the percussive ruminations of Matt Bozzone (Space Hall Sound Machine, Mitchum Yacoub).
In short, Feast is a pensive record injected with 12 cc's of unadulterated adrenaline. Its first single “Jungle” out June 13, is a psych/thrash anthem that would have fit perfectly into the repertoire of The Butthole Surfers during the ElectriclarryLand era. It’s a pinch of METZ, steeped in Sleep, baked in Zappa, and plated with Drug Hunt's own unique vision. The song starts off frenetic and driving, stacking fuzzed-out riffs, long delays, and contoured accents before capsizing into a melodic-laden finale that drifts aimlessly towards sweet oblivion. With lyrics like “Into the heart of darkness/I steer my boat upstream/The tide’s unending pirouette/Moves faster than it seems/The council’s here/Lion, snake, and man/ We’ve signed a truce just narrowly/A war against the land,” the song illustrates the unwavering march of mankind’s expansion out of the animal/natural kingdom. In this expansion, the vigor for dominating their dominion rather than mastering it is proving to be a fatal flaw, which casts a foreboding shadow over what little of the natural world we have left.
Drug Hunt debuted their self-titled EP on Blind Owl Records in 2019, drawing praise from The San Diego Union Tribune, City Beat, and The Reader, as well as indie outlets such as Relics and American Pancake. They embarked on extensive tours along the west coast and southwest before the COVID-19 pandemic halted their eastern expansion.
At the core of Drug Hunt’s distinctive sound lies the enduring partnership of childhood friends: guitarists and vocalists Rory Morison and Jason Meyers. Their musical collaboration began at the age of 17 and continued sporadically throughout their travels apart, from San Francisco, LA, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and eventually upon their return to San Diego.
Reflecting on their musical odyssey, Morison reminisces, "Drug Hunt has undergone countless transformations, with a revolving door of friends and musicians shaping our sound and vision. We call it an egalitarian anarchy, strung together by many influences, perspectives, agreements, and conflicts. Even through all the shifting and sifting, we’ve been able to maintain a sense of collaboration—a desire to push boundaries and challenge each other's status quo (laughing), even if it's incredibly challenging at times.” Morison believes that this is the strongest and most unified lineup to date with Nick Sinutko on Keys, Adam Baumhardt on Bass, and Declan Halloran on Drums. “We have always been a dynamic band,” says Meyers. “The initial recording process with the core members was very straightforward and raw; we cut the tracks in one to two takes, and that laid a solid foundation for Rory to take the wheel as the producer at his home studio; he embellished, refined, and created something truly special.”
About Drug Hunt: Drug Hunt is a San Diego-based quartet known for their eclectic mix of psychedelia, garage, post-punk, noise, and progressive metal. Their music has been described as "Tarantinoesque" and “Biker Bar Pink Floyd,” reflecting their raw and ethereal performances. They have shared the stage with notable acts such as WAND, Earthless, and Ty Segall.
