Sydney punk quintet Chicks Who Love Guns have powered through a plethora of East Coast venues since late 2009, leaving patrons breathless and a fog of cigarette smoke behind. Almost two years and a debut EP later, the five boys are now releasing EP number two, Stutter.

Stutter hits your ears running, ‘Rain People’ embodying Chicks Who Love Guns perfectly; fast and abrasive, with front man Cass Navarro’s dark croon adding a subtle sarcasm, “Now everyone I know will tell me there’ll be others, but everyone I know’s a stupid mother fucker,” Navarro drawls out, matter-of-factly, while Mitch Farkas’ bassline throughout the song is brazen, throwing its weight around. ‘Stain Alive’ is sly; the guitar creeps along, and then jumps out in bold crashes, however the song feels unremarkable when put next to ‘Left In The Gutter’. Rolling in like a heavy storm, ‘Left In The Gutter’ is angry and desiring revenge, creating images of bloody figures sauntering through a rainy night.

The EP ends as fast as it began, closing with ‘Ill Murray’. Navarro’s voice is guttural and raw, while in the back ground desperate wails try and stab their way through the debauched mix of distorted guitars and reckless drums.

I don’t feel that Stutter is overly suggestive as to what Chicks Who Love Guns can do. The songs don’t yank the break from out of your lungs, like some of the bands work in the past, and as a whole body of work it feels a little uninspired and not particularly engaging. However, there are some strong elements within each track that lunge out for attention, and I can only imagine that live is where they will truly be appreciated in a more violent and ego-driven form.

Review Score: 6/10