This Is War! are the five piece Liverpool based band consisting of Paul Carden on vocals, Mike Mullard on Guitar and backing vocals, Jonny Roberts on guitar (Mike and Jonny swap between playing Lead and Rhythm on different tracks), Andy Williams on Bass and Martyn Leah on Drums. 

Being seasoned musicians from other high profile bands such as The Black Velvets and Hurricane #1, This Is War! were formed in late 2021 and the band wasted no time in establishing themselves as one of the most hotly tipped bands in the UK right now. With an impressive 15k monthly followers on Spotify alone. This Is War! Have built up a solid and loyal fan base organically and predominantly through word of mouth and via their outstanding live performances, and through some pretty high profile fans like the football pundit Jamie Carragher, who has championed and promoted the band via his own social media channels.  

Recently after being spotted and signed by the ever expanding Bubblebrain Records in Jersey, This Is War! are now gearing up for the release of their first EP. 

The ‘Rotten EP’ is a collection of  5 tracks being:-

1. Rotten 
2. No Pressure 
3. Waves
4. Promised Land 
5. Mona Lisa (Acoustic Version)

The ‘Rotten EP’ acts as a perfect showcase for the band to highlight their skill and prowess as serious musicians. The tracks on the EP range from high energy edgy punk anthems to harmonious, melodic acoustic tracks.   

The title track from the EP ‘Rotten’, opens up with a gentle guitar riff before thunderous pounding drums and edgy bass lines kick in giving a punk vibe to the track. The vocal is strong and emotive, and builds as the track progresses. It’s a powerful, energetic track with guitar riffs and solos really shining throughout. 

‘No Pressure’ is a catchy track filled with melodic guitars and thundering drums. The vocals hit full force and the lyrics will have you hooked from the opening lines! The chorus is joyous and chanting and this is a track that is sure to go down a storm when performed live. 

‘Waves’, is full of funky bass lines and drum beats, and the now signature TIW! big guitar riffs and solos. Vocally its full force,  leaving the listener feeling blown away by the power of it all. 

‘Promised Land’ with its acoustic intro is a complete change of pace for the band. It’s full of harmonious melodies and vocally is extremely emotive. It’s a track that succinctly showcases the band’s diversity and varied skills.

‘Mona Lisa’, was originally released by the band back in 2022 as a full band version. This version has been reworked as an entirely acoustic track to really let the vocal magnificence of lead singer, Paul Carden shine through. This track although stripped back is probably one of the most impactful as it’s raw and honest and filled with a genuine emotion. 

The ‘Rotten EP’ was mixed by The Verve’s Si Jones and sound engineer Andy Fernihough at Faktory Studios and the legendary Crash Studios.

This Is War!  have said of the EP:

“Dealing with the inspiration behind our music, the lyrics are confrontational yet hopeful  in their approach. As our world grows smaller with technology, we wanted to focus on the rights that every human should be given without oppression. Politics are corrupt, Capitalism is corrupt, uncontrolled power is corrupt, but through catchy melody and angst we hope to convey a memorable message. Television and Elvis Costello have been a big inspiration for This Is War musically, as have Lennon and Dylan lyrically. When the band all get together, we combine different influences and approaches to our music and the result is our own unique sound, that sound being  “This Is War.”