There's not really that many instances I can think of where I could use the words; "hardcore", "thrash metal" and "zombies" in the same sentence to refer to something good. In fact, I'm not even sure I can think of many instances when I'd ever use those words in the same sentence at all. When talking about Send More Paramedics though, we can forget the general rules. Not only do they make some of the best music to come out of the UK in many years (and write songs exclusively about zombies), their whole existence is simultaneously, at least, as cool as fuck.
If you don't know what to expect from Send More Paramedics by now, firstly, you haven't lived, and secondly, imagine Slayer meets Minor Threat in some sort of zombie apocalypse scenario, with the occasional lead line to kill for and you're partly there. But only partly. Probably best described as "Zombiecore", the fusion of thrash metal and hardcore and... erm... zombies, has to be experienced before it can be believed.
On the other hand, before this split, the name, The Nothing meant very little to me. Comprised of members of Send More Paramedics and thrashers Labrat, anyone familiar with either of these bands should probably already have a pretty decent idea what these guys are about.
Given that they bring many of the same influences into their music, it would have been too easy for The Nothing to end up sounding like either parent band, but they don't. They mash up genres at will. Thrash, (real) metalcore, hardcore... It's all here. Oh, and by the way, they write a fucking stomping breakdown as well.
The Nothing open North of England, South of Heaven and in about 8 minutes flat, you're left with the feeling of having just been hit by a car. 6 minutes later, when Send More Paramedics finish, you feel like someone has come along and pissed all over your twitching cadaver (that may or may not be later reanimated, depending). That's how good this is.
"Misery" begins slowly with a hint of a cello running just below the guitar lines, but a minute later it crunches to life and that's the last breath you get until "245 Trioxin" ends roughly 14 or 15 minutes later, without a notable flaw. Even down to the quality of the vocals, where it becomes apparent that B'Hellmouth has come a long way since A Feast for the Fallen, there is no possible constructive criticism. In a genre where finding a decent vocalist is often hit and miss, both The Nothing and Send More Paramedics have enlisted the help of a very capable screamer, and both are much richer for it.
It is the last two songs (The Send More Paramedics section) on North of England, South of Heaven that really reinforce the quality of the music on display. Not that I say that lightly. I say it more to highlight the strength of Send More Paramedics, rather than the weakness of The Nothing. It might be something to do with the fact that "Heavy Metal Cowboy" may well be one of the finest songs Send More Paramedics have written. Or it might be something to do with the fact that they are one of the most interesting bands to come out of the scene in longer than I care to remember, but right now, they destroy anything else the UK has to offer.
With only 4 songs, you'll find it ending all too quickly, and your arm reaching for the repeat button because one listen just isn't enough. This split is "savage, merciless proof that whatever Americans can do, we can rip its guts out and leave it bleeding in the dust." With only 666 copies available, I pray that in a few years, too many people rue the fact that they didn't buy this when they had the chance.
