There’s something about Stuntface that’s equally irresistible and off-putting. To describe them as a band almost devoid of subtlety would be an understatement, since their particular brand of beer-soaked punk rock is as relentless and energetic as the most problematic of infants. It’s hard to escape from the fact that there’s very little variation between songs, as melodic anthem follows melodic anthem on one of the best-named albums of the year so far, but whether or not you like Stuntface has already been decided.
Having said that, it is undeniable that you’d be hard pressed to find an album with more guilty pleasures than this one. The moment the intriguing opening to ‘Watch It Go’ dissolves into the chunky power chords and sing-a-long chorus that populate ‘The Incredible…’ you know exactly what you’re going to get. When the pace is raised, as on ‘Commando A Go-Go’ and ‘No Control’ Stuntface really shine, as their confidence in playing very fast melodic punk rock in the vein of 4ft Fingers or Consumed shows. The punch of ‘Time To Fly’ is augmented by the sheer speed and Wayne Zaddiction’s scratchy vocals fit perfectly throughout, with the abrasive power chords sitting comfortably in the mix with Zaddiction’s growl.
With the crunching ’72 Hours Deceased’ and the fantastically catchy ‘Glad When You’re Gone’, Stuntface really hit their groove and step up a notch. However, the more riff-based tracks like the frankly annoying ‘Made Up’ or the repetitive ‘Get A Life’ seem to be trying too hard to sound technically impressive when it’s clear that when Stuntface‘s talents lie in their ability to give simplistic structures and chord sequences their own trademark of harsh punk rock.
An album bursting with anthemic choruses and the odd inspired moment (like the harmonised solo on ‘Beyond The Goggles’), this deserves to shift Stuntface into a more prominent position. Unfortunately it’s not clear how much longer they can try the same tricks over and over again before even their most ardent followers will demand something a touch more innovative. In an ideal world Stuntface will evolve into a tightly coiled spring of kinetic melody, and there’s sufficient evidence here to suggest that with a few more risks and some variation, they could become one of the UK’s finest melodic punk rock bands.
Ben
www.stuntface.com
www.goodcleanfunrecords.co.uk