ALBUM REVIEW: Here To Destroy – Split Dogs

Just like everything nowadays, music has become commodified. It seems like every other week, there’s a a new musician reigning supreme in every genre of music. In a world where anyone can become a musician thanks to virality and the ease of recording equipment, is there any authenticity left? The answer is ‘yes’, and bands SPLIT DOGS are proof.

The Bristolian punks aren’t here for their fifteen seconds of fame or to sell you a lifestyle. The quartet was born out of the frustration of seeing music becoming soulless, and has been an idea for vocalist Harry Atkins and Mil Martinez since 2015. Even though SPLIT DOGS didn’t officially form until 2022, with their final line-up cemented after bassist Suez Boyle and drummer Chris Hugall joining in 2023 and 2024 respectively. They are here to tear things up, and their aptly titled album Here To Destroy pulls no punches.

Across nine songs, SPLIT DOGS are a riot. Whether it’s the fast-paced opener Stay Tuned, a joyful rejection of the digital age and a desire to ‘hit factory reset‘, the in-your-face energy of Monster Truck or the guitar-driven Animal, the first three songs of the album never slow down for a minute. Atkins‘ rough and raw voice suits the rock ‘n’ roll sound that the band are going for on this album. Meg might only be one and a half minutes long, but it packs more into it than some bands pack into a 10 minute epic, showing that less is more. However, it’s not all riotous rock. Lafayette is a joyful ode to Northern Soul, and Precious Stones is a mixture of rock and punk by blending rock riffs with energetic punk vocals and drums.

SPLIT DOGS are known for their highly energetic live shows, and they’ve successfully translated this into Here To Destroy. Closing song All In keeps the high energy going, and it throws everything but the kitchen sink. It sounds more like a party, with gang vocals, fast-paced instruments and a catchy chorus. It leans more into the instrumental side of music, but that doesn’t mean the vocals are forgotten about; they pack as much of a punch as they are used sparingly.

Whilst nine songs might not sound like a lot to keep the momentum of an album going, there is enough variety in the runtime on Here To Destroy. Some songs are very short, whereas others are the average song length, but they don’t ruin the pacing of the album, which is very fast-paced. The sound of the band works very well, although some variation in the pacing might’ve helped to make sure that some of the songs made a stronger impact than others. Having a high energy album is great, but some of the songs do bleed into each other, especially near the start.

Overall, Here To Destroy is a strong album by a new and exciting name in rock music. SPLIT DOGS have shaken off the shackles of convention and done things their own way. The high energy and fast pace of the album keeps the audience engaged, and although sometimes the songs blend into each other, especially near the start. However, as the album goes on, it becomes slightly more varied in the runtime, which helps. Furthermore, the nine songs all create a cohesive album, showing that less is more. With Here To Destroy, SPLIT DOGS prove that music still has a soul.

Rating: 7/10

Here To Destroy is out now via Venn Records.

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