Savages performs at 9:30 Club on Sunday.

Few bands, if any, have received as much critical acclaim in the past five years as Savages. According to drummer Fay Milton, the band received its first positive review in a now-defunct publication called The Stool Pigeon. But even praise can wear thin after a while.

“You get your first write-up or review and it’s exciting,” Milton said in a recent interview with DCist. “But the fourth or fifth time you read that you’re the female Joy Division, it gets a bit less exciting.”

Though Savages only formed in 2011, the quartet—comprised of Milton, vocalist Jehnny Beth, guitarist Gemma Thompson, and bassist Ayse Hassan—has logged hundreds of shows and is now touring in support of its sophomore release, Adore Life. The group will make a stop at 9:30 Club on Sunday for a show that will be recorded for NPR.

The extensive time on the road has honed the band, which is known for the sheer intensity of its performances. While Beth is a dynamic front woman and Thompson creates rich textures for the songs, the strength of the band really lies in its rhythm section—currently one of rock’s most potent.

“Ayse and myself are really instinctive players, while Jehnny and Gemma are more cerebral,” Milton said of the musical approach. “Also, Ayse and I write our parts together, so it’s always linked from the start.”

Milton’s instinctive approach to drumming belies the fascinating road she took to arrive at playing in a post-punk outfit. She grew up playing classical percussion and then branched out into playing percussion with samba and gamelan ensembles. She was more drawn to the drumming that came out of oral cultures.

“It’s a rebellion from the classical world,” Milton said of her drumming style. “What I play now is a weird amalgamation of everything.”

As the rhythm section has matured, so too has the songwriting. The first album, Silence Yourself, was an angrier affair that expressed a deep frustration with the state of the world. The lyrics take an inward turn on this recording. Many have described Adore Life as a collection of love songs, which isn’t quite accurate. These are songs about love rather than songs of love, leaving room for the dark undercurrents that built the Savages sound.

Milton said that these introspective lyrics were the strongest of those Beth had written, so that became the album’s thematic core. Audience response to the band also informed the composition.

“We’ve been shown so much love from audiences, you’d have to be stone-hearted not to soak some of that up,” said Milton. “We want to welcome them into our songs.”

Though the songs may be less acidic on this album, the intensity of live performance remains. Milton noted that it’s not uncommon for there to be a mosh pit in the center of a show with people smiling and dancing around it. After joking that she hoped everyone in the audience would walk out with “three t-shirts and a record,” Milton thought for a moment about what listeners can take away from a Savages performance.

“Seriously, I want people to lose their shit,” she said. “I want them to leave with a smile and a sore neck from headbanging, and a new friend or two.”

Savages performs at 9:30 Club on Sunday, March 27. Angus Tarnawsky opens. 7 p.m. doors. Tickets $25.