‘Five eyes watching, Our every move, Our privacy abused, No more security, When you have nothing to prove’ (State Surveillance)

Heady times in Wakefield. The town’s rugby league side is flying high for the first time in many years.  A wobble in recent weeks though may see those dreams end in tatters. But at least they have the perfect soundtrack to capture this pain with the debut 7-inch from their very own Face Off.

Now, while Face Off hail from West Yorkshire, their sound is one very much rooted in the pioneering West Coast USHC of the early 1980s.  After the atmosphere priming intro, the first three tracks are tightly coiled sixty second eruptions.  All taut guitars and tightly frenetic rhythms, while the breathlessly snarled vocals take aim at the corporate-military nexus and the panopticon gaze that increasingly shapes our lives.

Face Off then become altogether more expansive on the searing closer, Pull The Pin (I Will Explode).  The first half careers along, before locking into a crushing mid-paced groove at the mid-point and then accelerating all over again as it hurtles towards its frenzied, melody flecked climax.  Pull The Pin? I don’t mind if I do.