Forget about consumerism, privilege or reaching stratospheric heights on TikTok, punk rock ‘n’ rollers Split Dogs have other fish to fry.
What truly matters is having the confidence to be themselves. Applying a no-nonsense etiquette across the board, the Bristol band’s album ‘Here To Destroy’ is an honest and hard-hitting, back-to-basics for rock.
Recorded live, over three days, the tracks were laid to a 16-track reel-to-reel tape machine without the use of computers, effects or pedals. Rare stuff nowadays, right?
The pace is hyper throughout. Explosive opening numbers such as the Orwellian vibe of ‘Stay Tuned’ and ‘Monster Truck’ show that Split Dogs are the undeniable, real deal. When you least expect the fast ones to get any faster, it’s exactly what you get. Destined for summer festival mosh pits, the song ‘Animal’ makes its intense presence known.
Elsewhere, the melodic riffage of ‘Lafayette’ – an ode to Northern Soul clubs – and the working class anthem ‘And What’ both work wonders. A not dissimilar pattern plays out in ‘Be A Sport’, a fulfilling track that is infectious and singalong able. Tearing through punk tune after punk tune, the group channel the spirit of Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister.
While it’s tempting to draw comparisons to the Aussie pub punk school, closely associated with bands like The Chats and Amyl and the Sniffers, these guys seal things off with their own stamp. As a listener you are left with an unshakeable feeling that this is the type of record British music has needed for some time.
The fact that each song on the album lasts no more than three minutes on average speaks volumes. In all honesty, it’s all the band require to create the build-up of an unflinching thirst for more come next release.
Relentlessly fast-paced, the energy level does not falter or lag, resulting in an all-consuming record that is impossible to forget, it lingers, with great intent.
Split Dogs make things crystal clear; they are here to destroy. And they mean it.
8/10
Words: Susan Hansen
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