Album review: Timelost – Drained

Simple, but effective. Drained, the new album from Pennsylvania’s Timelost, is a no-frills, less-is-more take on heavy indie-rock that raises a middle finger to the temptations of bells and whistles, instead leaning into a rawness that sounds like you’re just listening to a good band jam out for half an hour. It’s a refreshing approach, and one that makes for a consistently great record.

Opening with the fuzzed-out Lockjaw, the band draw you in from the get-go, particularly in the case of vocalist Shane Handal, whose earnest delivery proves technical proficiency is no match for charm. The riffs really pick up halfway through that opener, and they continue into Combustion Dance, whose rugged indie-rock feels undeniably real, in the moment and, above all, fun. Recent single Diet Strangers, meanwhile, proves Timelost have a knack for penning a catchy tune, something which is helped by delightfully honest vocal refrains such as ‘The world is fucked with people like you around,’ which Shane bellows with glee as the song reaches its conclusion.

Drained is packed with plenty more goodness besides. Everything’s A Beating (Including Yourself) and Wet J are yet more great tunes, while the aptly titled Eternal Vibe does exactly what it says on the tin by riding on some killer riffs for three minutes of good vibes. They keep the standard up until the final notes of raucous closer Permablue ring out, and the plethora of great songwriting on display begs the question of why its creators have remained a relatively unknown proposition for so long (they formed in 2017).

You’d do well to lend this band your ears – it won’t be time lost.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Milk Teeth, Puppy, Cultdreams

Timelost’s album Drained is released on February 23 via Church Road