Wednesday, March 06, 2024

Split System - Vol. 2


It's wild to think that it's only early March, and we've already had a slew of absolutely fantastic punk rock albums unleashed in 2024. Vol. 2, Split System's second long player, is up there with the best of 'em. Co-released by Goner, Drunken Sailor, and Legless Records, this monster of an album manages to be a step up from Split System's first full-length, Vol. 1. And honestly, I wasn't sure these guys left themselves any room for improvement on Vol. 1. But sure enough, they've found another gear. Vol. 2 blasts forth with 11 tracks of ferocious, hard-hitting, and uniquely Australian punk rock 'n' roll. Of course there's a lot of Saints in this band's musical DNA, which is combined with the fast and furious garage punk style the Aussies have been known for in recent years. Those riffs keep coming fast & hard, and as always, Jackson Reid Briggs shows himself to be one of the most passionate and powerful screamers in the punk universe. While a few tracks (such as "The Drain" and "Kill Me") find the band taking the foot off the gas pedal just a little, for the most part these songs aim to kick you in the teeth with full force. This is a general style that's been done thousands of times, but you'll rarely hear a band pull it off this spectacularly. If there were a how-to manual on capturing a raging guitar sound on record, these guys would be qualified to write it. And the songs, in addition to being positively crackling, are hook-laden and exceptionally well-crafted. This is one of those albums that will have you feeling unstoppable if you crank it up loud enough. And unstoppable seems to describe Split System as a band. In just a couple years, they've gone from an intriguing side project to legitimate contenders for the title of the greatest rock 'n' roll band in Australia. Vinyl copies of Vol. 2 are selling like hotcakes, so you best not fool around!

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