Split System Roar Into the New Year With Their Eclectic Brand of Street Punk on Vol. 2

Split System returned with their sophomore album Vol.2.

Continuing to flex the high voltage proto-punk that Split System have modified as their own, Vol.2 showcases this Aussie rock fit at their very best. Containing a swift and stark display of eleven songs, the album is a sonic cornucopia of muscular street punk and classic rock hooks. Mixed and mastered at Melbourne's Rolling Stock Studios by Andrew Robinson and Mikey Young, respectively.

Another banger released via Goner Records, Vol.2  conjures up the energetic aura of bands like The Hives, The Chats, and Osees. Here, Split System have continued to flex out their sonic landscape and songwriting through a number of diverse tracks. Some of which include the mid-tempo single “Alone Again”, which riffs on a guitar hook adjacent to a Strokes number. Then there's tracks like “The Drain”, a moody-post punk tune with a roaring bass line bound to get one on their feet.  

In conjunction with the album release, the Australian five-piece shared an energetic video for “The Drain”, which showcases the boys engaging in quirky band shenanigans.

Hot off the press, Melbourne, Australia's Split System churn out energetic punk rock that will mentally transport the audience to a rowdy basement show. Cooked up behind the scenes during covid lockdowns, the band's air tight sound and amphetamine swagger would suggest they have been playing gigs for decades. Their spunky dynamic and exciting stage presence have landed them bills with Amyl & The Sniffers, Cosmic Psychos, Hard-Ons, and C.O.F.F.I.N., amongst others.

Split System is composed of Jackson Reid Briggs (vocals), Arron Mawson (guitar), Ryan Webb (guitar), Deon Slaviero (bass), and Mitch McGregor (drums). Altogether, the Australian five-piece have yielded the evolution on the heralded back to basics rock revival. Substance over style, you won't find this lot posing for shots at your local dive bar turned gastro pub, they're more likely to be found holding up the front bar with a couple of bloody noses.

photo by Dylan Jardine