Hardcore California quartet DRAIN isn't just a band; they're an entire party. Their onstage presence is chock full of energy and intensity, and their live shows are a testament to the power of punk rock -- which has earned them legions of dedicated fans.
DRAIN is made up of Sammy Ciaramitaro (lead vocals), Cody Chavez (guitar) and Tim Flegal (drums). They got their start in Santa Cruz in 2014 when they were in college. "We had no idea or gameplan of what we were trying to do," Ciaramitaro has explained. "It was more like, 'Hey, you have a metal band T-shirt, and I got a Downpresser shirt on, and someone likes Municipal Waste. We should all play together.'"
DRAIN's start is a true DIY success story -- they began booking shows at Caffe Pergolesi, a coffee shop that was known as a hardcore hub before they moved on to shows and festivals, including 2019's Sound and Fury Fest in Los Angeles, a performance that landed them a deal with Revelation Records.
They released their first EP, the six-track Over Thinking, in 2016, followed by the Time Enough at Last EP in 2017. Their two-track 2018 release titled 2018 Promo featured the hit single "California Cursed," helping the band gain notoriety. They released their first full-length album, California Cursed, on Revelation Records in 2020, just as the world was about to go into lockdown.
In an effort to bring the hardcore scene in Northern California back to life, in June of 2021 DRAIN produced and promoted a festival in San Jose called "Real Bay Shit!" DRAIN played in support of Gulch (a band Ciaramitaro plays drums for) and shared the stage with bands like Sunami, Xibalba and Scowl. With nothing more than social media promotion, the festival brought thousands of fans together for a hardcore revival of epic proportions.
DRAIN signed to Epitaph Records in 2021, and released their second full-length album, Living Proof in May 2023 through their new label. DRAIN will continue to head out on tour in 2023, performing concerts and festival sets throughout the United States and Europe.
