Album Review: The Domestics / Pizzatramp – ‘No Life / This Is Your Life’

Both The Domestics and Pizzatramp have established themselves as delivering blunt, brutal socio-political tirades. Back in 2018, the two teamed up for a 5” spilt: ‘Discipline’, which saw each band serving up 3 tracks, totalling under a minute, for their respective sides of the vinyl. TNSRecords have managed to keep the details of this impressive new project under wraps until today, so you’d be forgiven for again expecting a slew of straight, succinct songs from the pair..

..cue plot-twist..

..what’s actually on offer on this 12” spilt, is an 11 minute epic from each artist..

..EPIC.

Side A : The Domestics : ‘No Life’

The track drones into life; building around a bulky drum groove and squeals of feedback, it introduces a looping guitar lick. Then all hell breaks loose.The band lashes out furiously – a swirl of strings and snare – and hit upon the titular refrain, which marks the first of its many appearances throughout the 11 minutes. A shuddering bass rumble follows; the lyrics delivered venomously. Again, straight-ahead hardcore: “You got no life!” The ebb and surge of the pieces of this musical jigsaw. At times the snare skin is on the verge of snapping. Keys add an extra, unexpected dynamic, and almost respite, to the relentless onslaught. James Domestic’s gravelly, inflected vocals at the fore; gobbing out a reflective diatribe. Military style rhythms punctuate the war-cry of “You’re not good enough!”  It courses ahead on hails of feedback and rattling drums, as every last vocal cord gets shredded.  

Devastating.

Side B : Pizzatramp: ‘This Is Your Life’

Announces itself with a neck-wrenching riff, then fizzes violently into vitriolic skate-thrash; Jim The Postman spewing bile over every line. Emerging from the chaotic clamour – gang vocals, jarring drum fills and hacked-at chords – comes a galloping measure that braces the choral “This is..now your life!” Switching gears, a half-speed breakdown features a George W Bush sample and bass workout, before a more muscular tempo takes over – “can’t stop the bleeding,” – and the band drive on with their stomping soundtrack of the apocalypse, the Four Horsemen of “War, Famine, Death, Government,”  answering roll-call.  Breathlessly, it concludes by recycling the opening onslaught, to crushing effect:  “We reap what we sow,” ringing on as a warning.

Scathing.

Like punk that is undiluted, yet expansive? Uncompromising, yet ambitious? The ‘No Life’ / ‘This Is Your Life’ Split 12” is available through the TNSRecords website. The Domestics and Pizzatramp both have Facebook pages.