Candlelight Records signs English Dogs

Official press release: Candlelight Records today confirms the worldwide signing of thrash/punk crossover icons English Dogs. The label additionally announces the summertime release of the band's forthcoming new album, The Thing With Two Heads. Clocking in at 42-minutes, it is the first newly recorded material by the band in over two decades. Pre-orders for the album will be available by week's end via Candlelight's official Europe (release date July 7) and North America (release date July 8) web stores. Blabbermouth first reported on the The Thing With Two Heads in February, when drummer/founding member Pinch called the nearly completed album "an angry bastard of a record." Featuring Pinch with vocalist Adie Bailey and guitarist Gizz Butt, the album is a direct result of the successful 2012 North American tour. Decibel Magazine interviewed the band just prior to the tour and questioned how the band felt about the supporting line-up; Toxic Holocaust, The Casualties, Havok all heavily influenced by their music. Gizz noted, "you never know if anything you do will be considered important and even if you have all the self belief in the world you cannot say if anyone will like it or not. It's amazing that we touched so many great bands. It means that occasionally what you do, when you take that gamble and step out for two or three years to make and promote an album, that you did the right thing." Reanimated on their return home from the 14-date tour, ideas started to circulate with snippets committed to tape on both sides of the Atlantic. Pinch shares," we got back together because we felt like we had unfinished business. Tons of people ended up turning up to the gigs. We started to think maybe we are worth a fuck after all. We started writing and recording and it clicked immediately." The Thing With Two Heads, he continues, "is the missing link between To the Ends Of the Earth and Forward Into Battle. It's classic English Dogs punk metal. It doesn't sound like anyone else, because it wasn't inspired by anyone else." Formed in 1981, English Dogs were at the core of a new wave of English punk. A more aggressive and desperate sound was a critical characteristic of this new hybrid, a sound that would help inspire America's still developing thrash scene. Alongside label mates GBH and Discharge, the band would release several recordings for Clay Records. Mad Punx and English Dogs and its follow-up Invasion Of The Porky Men hit and maintained lengthy UK indie charts positions. Forward Into Battle (1985, Rot Records), and Where Legend Began (1987, Under One Flag/Music For Nations) would continue to see the band's international profile rise. An American tour in 1986 would see sold out performances in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Baltimore, New York, Chicago and more. The band would go their separate ways by years end. The Thing With Two Heads was recorded by producer Dean Pansy. The album's complete track listing is: 01. Turn Away From The Light 02. Freak Boy 03. Gorgonized 04. Hate song 05. Ghost Note 06. Up From The Depths 07. The Thing Will Arise 08. Planet of the Living Dead 09. Royal Flying Corpse 10. Rectify 11. Down With The Underdogs