There are records that arrive quietly, and there are records that feel like they’ve been waiting for you for half your life. “Same Drug, New High” is very much the latter.
My obsession with this whole Scandinavian explosion really began with Backyard Babies in the mid-to-late 90s, when there was barely a week went by that the postman wasn’t coming down the drive with another 12-inch. Somewhere in that blur of singles, splits and sweat-soaked reputation building, Gluecifer kept coming back again and again. They held almost mythical status – not just because of the bands they were splitting with, but because everything they touched felt important.
So when Same Drug, New High was announced – their first album in 24 years – those who knew were very keen indeed.
Three-quarters of the classic line-up are back: Biff Malibu on vocals and Captain Poon on guitar, alongside long-standing bandmates Raldo Useless (guitar) and Danny Young (drums). And the first thing you think when opener “The Idiot” hits is simple and unavoidable: oh… Gluecifer welcome back. Fuck.
It sounds like they’ve never been away.
The title track “Same Drug, New High” proves that instantly. You better believe it. And yet, what really lands is the reminder of why you loved them in the first place. Not because they needed to come back heavier, or faster, or angrier – but because this feels like muscle memory. Natural. Unforced. Alive.
There’s something almost cinematic running through the record, like a soundtrack to a world that’s slightly coming apart at the seams. “Armadas” and “I’m Ready” charge forward regardless, while “The Score” hooks you in completely – catchy, confident, and smart. “I’ll never tell me the score again” – you don’t need to, with my luck we generally lost anyway, but “Pharmacity” keeps the momentum fizzing.
Sonically, this might be the best Gluecifer have ever sounded. The mix is sharp without being sterile. “1996” nods knowingly to where this all came from, while “Made In The Morning” takes things into a different space altogether. “Mind Control” is classic Glucifer – fast, direct, no mess – Malibu spitting lyrics like he’s never done anything else.
There’s no doom here, just intent. “Another Night, Another City” is pure garbage rock, and “On The Wire” shows exactly what this band – and this kind of music – can still achieve.
Is it the same drug? Yeah.
Is it the same band? Not quite – it’s updated, re-engineered, and played for a different time. But it’s no less great.
My God. Gluecifer. Welcome back.
Rating 9/10
