This came out in 2000 — or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Now that the ska-punk bandwagon seems to have run out of steam, groups are scrambling to find new stylistic directions.
Some, like Suicide Machines, have gone in for Offspring-style punk. Others like No Doubt have embraced their poppier side. But SoCal’s Goldfinger seem to be having trouble deciding. Stomping Ground, their third full-length, is a mosh-pit mish-mash of hard-driving hardcore (End Of The Day), earnest skate-punk (Pick A Fight), power pop (San Simeon), skank (Margaret Ann) and even crunch-metal (Carry On). And, as always with the G-men, there’s a hefty dose of goofballery in Donut Dan (a reworking of She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round The Mountain) and a swaggering cover of 99 Red Balloons. Does it rock? Sure, although often in a predictable manner. Would they be better off picking a style and sticking with it? Probably — but then they wouldn’t be Goldfinger.
