By Jim Rowland
Best known for the classic 1978 debut album ‘Do It Dog Style’, as well as supporting the Sex Pistols at their infamous Manchester Free Trade Hall gig in 1976, Manchester proto-punk legends Slaughter And the Dogs are back with a brand new album ‘White Heat’ this month. Still featuring founder members Mick Rossi and Howard Bates, the album features guest appearances from The Cult’s Billy Duffy and Mott The Hoople legend Morgan Fisher.
Whilst ‘White Heat’ is a different beast to that punk-era classic debut album, the energy, power and attitude remains. There’s a more mature approach to the band’s sound in 2026, with tracks like ‘Get A Life’, ‘Love Inside’, ‘Blink Of An Eye’ and ‘Light Me Up’ taking a straight ahead, no-frills raw rock’n’roll approach that is rock solid, powerful, catchy and melodic. The songs, without exception, are top notch too.
Effectively the title track, their new rendition of Lou Reed’s ‘White Light White Heat’ is souped-up and ballsy, ‘I’m Too Much’ is stompin’ and sleazy, ‘City Of Rain’ is bouncy and glammy, with the hypnotic and grooving ‘Stay’ having a surprising stoner rock twist.
‘Be Yourself’ highlights the quality of the song writing of Mick Rossi across the album, and the influence of David Bowie and Mick Ronson, from whose albums the band derived their name all those years ago, still looms large.
‘White Heat’ is a natural sounding, powerful and straight ahead slice of raw rock’n’roll with strong performances and song writing throughout. Hugely impressive, it proves there’s plenty of life in the old dogs yet.
- ‘White Heat’ is released today (Friday 4 September).