Split Dogs – Here To Destroy

There’s a a line at the beginning of the vintage zombie movie The Return Of The Living Dead that is along the lines of “Here’s something you don’t see very often. You’re a privileged person. These are Split Dogs” that preceded utter chaos with a killer soundtrack, and I can’t think of a better inspiration for one of the UK’s best live acts. Split Dogs are a UK rock ’n roll band, not in the throwback to the 50’s sense, but in the stripped down full tilt life affirming sense, who took their name from the early moments of that cult classic zombie movie.

A band having a name inspired by a horror movie might have you thinking this is another Misfits inspired outing, well it isn’t, maybe there are parallels to the Danzig eras approach to recording, as this album was swiftly laid down live, but that’s about it. This is no house of horrors, quite the opposite. Split Dogs take the spirit of rock ’n roll and supercharge it in a way that few have managed. This is a flat out 22 minutes of four on the floor full tilt rock n fucking roll. 

Stay Tuned opens Here To Destroy and it’s good advice, there’s no preamble or subtlety, just an absolute sledgehammer to kick things off, this is followed by the killer single Monster Truck. There’s no respite as the relentless pummelling continues with Animal, this is a direct injection of the spirit of raw rock ’n roll that’s melded with punk’s in your face confrontational spirit, there’s even touches of rock, not metal, thrown in. I’m pretty sure there’s even a cowbell in there somewhere.

Be A Sport is a brief nod to punk’s old school, and then we’re back into getting a kicking with the absolutely frantic 90 seconds of Meg. The closest thing you’re going to get to a mellow moment on Here To Destroy is Lafayette. This is a tribute to vocalist Harry’s upbringing in the Black Country, but it’s no gentle nostalgia trip, this is still a joyous hit of rock n fucking roll, but in comparison to the rest of the album it’s an absolute oasis of calm.

The confrontational duo of singles, the full tilt boogie of And What and the brutal Precious Stones, follow before we get to the finale of Here To Destroy, which is of course All In, both metaphorically and literally. Here To Destroy is an album that channels the mavericks of the music scene, those essential souls that follow their own path regardless of fashion or passing fads. Split Dogs are not jumping on anyone’s bandwagon, not when they have their own Monster Truck to run you over with.

Like many albums, those who have their finger on the pulse, or just follow the The Punk Site, will have already heard almost half of this album in the shape of the four faultless singles that have been shared, and it must be said that it is on the short side with it’s nine brief hits of adrenalised rock ’n roll, but there’s no filler on here. Split Dogs have delivered a lean mean sophomore album that outshines their raw debut. 

There is another line from the scene in The Return Of the Living Dead, the movie that inspired the band’s moniker; “Oh, we get a lot of orders for Split Dogs”. This should be the case, make sure you get one ordered and go and catch them on their upcoming UK & EU tour if you can. The band will also be returning to the Rebellion Festival this Summer after an impressive and memorable debut on the Introducing Stage in 2024.

Here To Destroy will be released on the 28th February via Venn Records.