The music of East London duo Crashface is an explosive mixture of two volatile constituents: pop-punk and contemporary metal-tinged rock. ‘Heavy Infectious’, the new EP title, perfectly sums up their combination of grindingly hardcore riffs and catchy vocal hooks.
Frontman Charlie Hinton, on guitar and vocals, and bassist Otto Balfour, accompanied by uncredited kit-pounding drummers, have been together as Crashface for just over a year. Unfortunately, their burgeoning musical journey has been somewhat hampered by pandemic restrictions for most of that time, and this selection of songs unleashes a mighty howl of frustration.
A flurry of samples and electronic noise ushers in opener ‘ultraplasticplanetkiller’, a high-speed blast of metal guitar and staccato machine-gun vocals. It would make an appropriate soundtrack to a high-adrenaline shoot-‘em-up video game. ‘Molotov Smile’ was previously out as a standalone single, with a cool DIY video made by Charlie, who oozes the classic London boy cool of Marc Bolan or Pete Doherty. The song utilises a more varied dynamic, alternating loud pumping riffs with quietly menacing sections and stops that linger teasingly for longer than you might expect.
‘Loading Screen Infinity’ has a more electronic vibe interspersed amongst its heavy riffage and a vocal line that flits between processed pop sensibility and screaming fury. ‘COLD’, also previously released with an accompanying video, leans more towards classic rock and punk, although the guitar tone remains super heavy. The loud/quiet trick is working brilliantly, and there’s a satisfying growl of fuzz bass linking it all together. The final number, ‘You’re The Worst Thing That’s Happened To Me, Ever’ completes this brief excursion down the route between rock and punk with a Ramones speed introduction of grinding bass and clattering snare. The song shifts through a few distinct phases, including a weirdly trippy breakdown, before lurching into a full-tilt refrain and play out.
Crashface will be touring in November, and if fast and furious is your thing, they will be worth checking out. ‘Heavy Infectious’ is out on 25th June 2021.
Tracklist:
- ultraplasticplanetkiller
- Molotov Smile
- Loading Screen Infinity
- 4. COLD
- You’re The Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened To Me, Ever
