Falling In Reverse is one of those bands that manage to push the limits of modern metal while remaining surprisingly accessible and fun to listen to. This song came out before Popular Monster but I only heard it after, and at times I think I like this one more of the two.
Ever since the reinvention of their sound post-2018, they've been rocking a solid electronically infused metalcore act, arguably breaking through with Drugs. Fusing elements of modern metalcore, synth pop, EDM, trap music and rap together, Drugs is a powerful blend of genres that is surprisingly seamless. Backed by a strong instrumentation and vibrant soundscape work, the vocal powerhouse Ronnie Radke makes the rest of the song work. Whether it's the fast rap flows in the verses, the anthemic chorus with gritty sing-screams, or the downright brutal breakdown with surprise feature Corey Taylor's gutturals, every part of the song feels top-notch.
The electronic infusion definitely adds a lot of colours to the song, whether it's the unmovable main melody or all of the numerous background synths and sound effect layers that add flavour to the soundscape itself. Rock and metal purists probably have a grudge against the use of electronics over the instruments, but I think the band balanced and blended the two sounds very well. With a more diverse sound palette at their disposal, I think it gives them an edge in portraying a larger variety of intensities and emotions, and really doesn't take that much away from the supposedly all-important live show experience.
I love the breakdown, I think a lot of people do, but I didn't know who Corey Taylor or Slipknot was at the time actually. I just found the breakdown to be super brutal, especially with all the added distortion reminiscent of Swallowing The Rabbit Whole, giving a super raw and gritty feel overall with the low-tuned guitars at the back. I adore the soft, dreamy clean vocal part right after, that gives the contrast needed to let the last chorus hit that much harder. I love it when bands spice up the last chorus, and Ronnie threw in some full on screams going into the last chorus, which is always awesome.
I don't think there's any reason to doubt the band's musical writing ability. Just about every chorus they've ever written is contagiously catchy, and this is no exception. Drugs is a banger that caught my eye because of how great of a hook the chorus was, and made me put it on repeat so that the rest of the song could sink their teeth in. We all know how outstanding Falling In Reverse is, and ever since this song, they've never had a miss.
Rating: 3.5/5