Stinky – From Dead End Street
Release Date: October 13th 2017
Label: Finisterian Dead End Records
Stinky is a five-piece hardcore punk band from Clisson, France, with a lineup consisting of Claire – Vocals, Seb & Titouan – Guitars, Redwan – Bass and Paul – Drums. “From Dead End Street” is their latest album, released October 13th, 2017.
The album kicks off with “Sliders” which effectively establishes the album’s sound right from the off, featuring staples of hardcore punk such as screamed vocals and percussion-heavy drumming alongside the flurry of unmuted chords from the guitar and bass. Tracks such as “Storm Surge” and “No Recovery” however, retain the raw quality of punk, but also feature more intricate, thrash metal-like riffs, which helps to give From Dead End Street an overall polished feel. In spite of all this outward heaviness, the album never loses the strong overall melodies that each track features, meaning that it never becomes a chore to listen to.
Even more impressive, is that Stinky manage to fit this multitude of songwriting elements into tracks that rarely pass the three minute mark. The brevity of the songs actually works to the band’s advantage, as Stinky’s ability to do so much in such a short space of time only showcases their skill as musicians, and never leaves the listener feeling unsatisfied.
If there’s one thing that hurts From Dead End Street, it’s the general lack of dynamics throughout. The album’s sole focus on delivering musical aggression isn’t a problem in of itself, but this inevitably leads to a diminishing return, and while the breakneck speed at which each song passes is undeniably a cathartic experience for the listener, the lack of juxtaposition means that the later tracks don’t have the same impact on the listener as those prior.
That’s not to say that dynamic shifts aren’t present at all however. “Rough Diamond”, for example, starts out slowly, before building to a satisfying crescendo, and “Otherside” features a tempo change with nearly every riff, effectively building a sense of drama in the song.
With all the said, From Dead End Street doesn’t strive to take listeners through the peaks and troughs of an epic musical journey; it is what it is, and that’s twenty-five minutes of unapologetic, unbridled, musical aggression, brilliantly executed by five talented musicians. For that purpose, it’s near perfect.
Rating: 8/10
Recommended Track: Rough Diamond
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