By 1981, Noel Coward's cabaret classic Mad Dogs and Englishmen was so firmly entrenched in the British consciousness that both Joe Cocker and a gang of charged-up punk from Lincolnshire saw fit to reference it in their most seminal recordings. Ol' Joe went on to rustle up a legendary blues career for himself, and the newly christened English Dogs did okay too, building upon the success of their six-song 1983 debut EP Mad Punx and English Dogs. Years of turmoil and tumult stymied the band's growth and spawned the curious current situation that finds two bands operating beneath the English Dogs banner, but despite having the odds stacked firmly against them, they still managed to release some absolutely scorching records and become one of the most influential and revered metal punk crossover outfits the world has ever known.Like we've seen with their old pals and labelmates Discharge and GBH, Pinch and the lads have proven that ya just can't keep a good punk down, grey hairs be damned. 2012 saw them sweep North America on a successful reunion tour, and now, 33 years after they first put pick to string, these English Dogs have returned with a brand-new album. Candlelight Records will release The Thing With Two Heads on August 26th, 2014. The album features 3/5 of the classic Forward Into Battle lineup, with vocalist Adie Bailey, guitarist Gizz Butt, and drummer Pinch joined by new recruits on bass (Craig Christy) and guitar (Ryan Christy).Original drummer Pinch swears that 'The Thing With Two Heads' is the missing link between the band's classic To the Ends Of the Earth and Forward Into Battle recordings. Figure it out for yourself, innit—we've got the whole thing streaming right here. Order yours via Candlelight.
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