I first crossed paths with Ace Stallings a few years back when he was probably the busiest hardcore promoter in Richmond. Stallings carries a magnetic presence—welcoming yet imposing—and his zeal for hardcore runs deep. He’s served as a compelling frontman for outfits like Break Away, Mutually Assured Destruction, and Sentinel. Now residing in the Bay Area, he keeps a heavy schedule booking shows and leads the straight-edge hardcore punk crew Eliminators.
According to Ace, Eliminators came together mainly so he could book gigs with Fentanyl, which is pretty awesome. The band plays with a fast, direct, old-school fury. They dropped their first two EPs, B.A.S.E. and S.F.H.C., last year. At the start of this year I caught them on their inaugural East Coast show and then watched them narrowly dodge being stranded in a snowstorm; they were outstanding. Today, they unleash their swift, brutal, no-nonsense full-length debut E.F.F.E..
As you would expect, E.F.F.E. clocks in at a concise 10 tracks and 17 minutes. Yet it feels like a meaningful step forward. The production is sharper and cleaner than on the EPs, and the songs have a knack for being palm-sweat catchy. I notice a hint of an oi influence seeping in, and the choruses invite full-room singalongs. If you’re into bands like Restraining Order, this is absolutely worth your attention. Have a listen below.
E.F.F.E. is out now via Rebirth.
