My relationship with English Dogs is an odd one. I first heard them at the tail end of my thrash metal phase, and they were just that bit too punky for me at the time. Then I shifted towards hardcore and punk, and by then they were too metal. Bad timing really. I rediscovered the newer Wakey version of the band a whole lot later, with their feet well and truly anchored in the punk world. 

But more fool me for not having dived into their world much sooner. Definitely a game of two halves – this mammoth double cd collection showcases both aspects of the band perfectly. Disc one – the Wakey era (compiling the Mad Punx and English Dogs, and Invasion Of The Porky Men) – is much closer to the UK82 sound – think GBH, Discharge etc, but with top-notch musicianship, heaviness and melody.

Disc two is where the magic happens for me. Vocalist Wakey had moved on and was replaced by Adrian “Adie” Bailey (previously of Ultra-Violent) and Gizz Butt (ex Destructors and a whole host more) came in on second guitar and helped unleash some fabulous metal-crossover fury on To The Ends Of The Earth and Forward Into Battle. 

Honestly, I don’t know why – when I was lapping up the likes of Battalion of Saints, Straw Dogs/ FUs etc, this should have been right on my radar. You live and learn and I’m catching up on lost time and thrashing the hell out of this release.  Tom Chapman

Pre-order the Anti-Heros new album Devil At My Heels here