Providing an uncompromising vehicle of dissent and defiance, two of the UK’s fiercest hardcore bands have come together for one irritable uproar. Both Sheffield hailing THIS IS NOT A DRILL and SOD’S LAW from Derby recorded their six track proposals separately of each other but decided to align them in a twelve track political hardcore/ anarcho punk fury; a trespass and incitement of the senses and thoughts no hardcore /punk fan should ignore.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL unleash politically charged noise with an inherent contagious intensity, it mightily evident across their side of the album. They open up with Social Media Person, its rhythmic lure a nagging invitation to which a theme setting sample and in turn the band’s subsequent incitement of sound and attitude is launched. That instinctive catchiness is almost pop punk seeded but as blistering as the riffs and vocal dissonance which pours from the song. With rhythms a punishing incitement and the guitar’s progressive tinged weave imagination stoking, the track is a glorious bullying of its target and listener alike and a superb start to the release.
I Ain’t Got Time To Bleed continues the striking and vicious start and equally the album’s resourceful prowess, going for the jugular in virulent fashion with contagion loaded riffs and body harassing rhythms. It all makes for a rousing orchestration of sound and vocal incitement which was puppeteer like in its impact while Don’t Meet Your Heroes is a prowling aggressor in sound and breath, yet it too springs a contagious proposal which is as enlivening as it is fertile for thought and emotive union, an ANGELIC UPSTARTS-esque rapacity adding to the pleasure.
Gammon Triggers offers fifty plus seconds of ravenous punk rock, it another taking no prisoners across its brief but explosive declaration before (All Lives Matter When) Black Lives Matter (As Much As White Lives) provokes and supports with ill-tempered but again voraciously infectious enterprise, barely taking a breath in its roar and clamour.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL end their side with What Would Misfits Do?, a horror punk brewed confrontation which whilst stepping away from the hardcore/punk adventure of its companions only confirms the band’s prowess and adds to the venturous breath of their sound.
Anarcho punk quartet SODS LAW similarly takes no time in unleashing power and venom, their first offering Age Of Chaos ripping through ears with creative ire and invention. The band’s sound is uncomplicated yet thickly involving, vocals just as wily in their incitement as the untamed but skilled enterprise around them.
It is unfiltered punk rock and equally as guileful within Bombs Fall. It starts with a dub kissed stroll with an echo of RUTS to it from which it subsequently uncages senses scathing ferocity. Instantly it proved an addictive proposal which is matched in potency by the devious antics of Fix Bayonets and the galvanic animus that is Fuck Off. The uprising of the first simply orchestrated our inner dispute while its successor exploited its awakening with feral relish, both tracks drawing eager participation as they provoked emotive union.
The final pair of War On Wildlife and Working Class Scab ensured the band’s side continued to ignite the keenest attention, the former cored by the great rhythmic incitement which shapes and leads all tracks standing tall in provocation and stirring enterprise, all the while urging thoughts and body into aligning with its call. Its successor similarly springs from a delicious rhythmic lure, weaving strands of guitar around that core as vocals challenge and incite.
Both THIS IS NOT A DRILL and SODS LAW creatively snarl and lyrically bite, their individual sound just as tenacious and resolute and by coming together for the release have forged something which should not go by without the keenest hardcore/punk attention.
The split is digitally out now with each respective side available from the bands @ https://thisisnotadrill.bandcamp.com/album/split-with-sods-law and https://sodslaw1.bandcamp.com/album/split-with-this-is-not-a-drill as name your own price offers.
It is also available as a CD album from each band, from SODS LAW again through their Bandcamp page and from THIS IS NOT A DRILL by contacting the band through https://www.facebook.com/THISISNOTADRILLPUNK/
https://www.facebook.com/sodslawderby
RingMaster Review 02/12/2022
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The RingMaster Review 
Thanks so much for this review, you’re to kind, Jake, THIS IS NOT A DRILL 👍