Split Dogs - Here To Destroy LP

Second press - red with black splatter vinyl.

Rock’n’roll revivalists Split Dogs are not here to make 15 second viral videos, they’re not here to sell you a lifestyle, they’re here to destroy. Vocalist Harry Atkins and guitarist Mil Martinez had the idea to form a band as far back as 2015, with the name Split Dogs pulled from the classic zombie film Return of the Living Dead. Suez Boyle on bass and Chris Hugall on drums complete the current line-up.

The raucous live shows and infectious lyrics saw the four-piece make a name for themselves among the punks of Bristol. As word spread, so did the gigging, and soon enough Split Dogs were playing to sold out rooms in mainland Europe, eventually grabbing the attention of UK label Venn Records (Gallows, Bob Vylan, High Vis).

Here to Destroy was recorded over three days at Middle Farm Studios by producer Peter Miles. All tracks were laid straight to a 16 track reel-to-reel tape machine, no autotune, no effects pedals, no computers. To add to the music’s authenticity, the album was recorded live, with Harry singing along in a vocal booth. No cutting and pasting, just nailing takes.

“We wanted the album to have a raw bones feel,” Martinez tells us, “real 1970s rock’n’roll!”. Harry channels the spirit of Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister as they tear through hook after hook, singing about the Northern Soul clubs their mother once frequented (Lafayette), the Orwellian nightmare we’re heading for (Stay Tuned) and a touching homage to British working class culture (And What?). As the album title makes clear, Split Dogs are here to destroy, but they’re also here to rebuild and remind us of music’s essence.
(Venn/ 2025)

Tracklist:

1. Stay Tuned
2. Monster Truck
3. Animal
4. Be a Sport
5. Meg
6. Lafayette
7. And What?
8. Precious Stones
9. All In