Album Review: Seven Days And Doesn’t Die – Seven Days And Doesn’t Die

The Breakdown

London's finest angry noise-merchants smash it with their debut album.

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When we reviewed their last single, we described Seven Days and Doesn’t Die as “snarling, sneering, punk-tinged rock n’ roll, with an aggression that many bands aspire to but so few pull off with such aplomb, yet filled with singalong, gang-vocal chorus and hooklines that sink their teeth in and refuse to let go”. Seven Days… are that rare beast of a band – musically adept yet with with a raunch and swagger that’s immediate and in your face; sleazy, nasty, gutter-trash rock n’ roll, reeking of stale cigarettes and yesterday’s spilled beer, genuinely exciting and not a little terrifying at times, and – in the incredible Kit Swing – with a frontwoman whose vocal power and guttural growl fully match the emotion and venom in her lyrics.

Preceded by the single ‘No Restitution’ – which is a perfect taster for the potency of the seven tracks on offer here – Seven Days… eponymous debut is a snarling, punk-powered raw rock record of snarling, aggressive riffs, rampaging drums and bass, and Swing’s salty, snarly vocals.

Opener ‘Snatching Defeat’ tears into your face from the opening chords, Swing – as she does throughout – switching effortlessly between langorous, husky croon and rough, raw, howls, backed up by some epic wah-driven melodic lead from guitarist Deano. ‘Car Crash’ is more psychedelic, doomy and thrashy, slightly reminiscent of 1990’s one-album killers The Nymphs. Single ‘No Restitution’ is as entrancing and ear-wormy as it was on single-release, with a sneered, sulty verse and sing-along rock gang-vocal chorus; ‘Black Salt’ shows off some delicious, jazzy piano coupled with Roadkill’s meandering bass-walks, before blasting into shouty, angry rock n’ roll sleaze and a thunderous assault from drummer Nic just after the minute mark.

‘Live Fast/Die Last’ and album closer ‘Tarzanello’ are both rip-roaring, trashy, thrashy live favourites, and for good reason, with their rampaging shouty, catchy chorus hooks, whilst ‘Deadbeat Rodeo’ is stop-start punky, shouty goodness.

Live, Seven Days and Doesn’t Die are in your face, upfront, and full of energy, hooks, and bile in equal measure. All too often, that doesn’t translate so well to studio recordings; in the case of this debut album, it absolutely does, in spades. “Music to burn your bridges to” indeed.