Album Review: The Good, The Bad And The Zugly - "Research And Destroy"

 

Hailing from Norway, The Good, The Bad And The Zugly have shared split releases with the likes of the Bitch Queens in the past and definitely owe a debt in their sound to their fellow countrymen Turbonegro. They pack a high-octane brand of punk rock with ferociously angry lyrics and a sense of the theatrical plus vocals that could definitely have been the late Hank von Helvete circa Ass Cobra.

It all makes for an intoxicating mix with the brutal opening one-two of What's My Rage Again? and Song For A Prepper being introduced with some Queen style atmospherics and a piano intro respectively before the tempo kicks in and GBZ kick in with a furious race to the finish line while Bridge And Tunnel Guy is a full throttle assault including the lyric "If you wanna be one of us/You gotta get drunk on the bus!" which says a lot while The Power Of Beer namechecks the Hellacopters giving away another of the band's influences. At the other end of the scale, Original Incel is a hilarious take-down of far-right keyboard warrior fuckwits ("Nobody fucks fewer women than me!")

Titles like The PKA Took My Money Away and Nostradumbass are further indications of this band's sense of humour but the key is that despite their beer 'n' dole scumbags image, the Good, The Bad And The Zugly are an impressively tight band and they keep the tempo and anger up throughout Research And Destroy to good effect even if it does get a bit samey towards the end (only mid-paced closer Here Come The Waterworks really changes the tempo at all). But fans of bands like the Hip Priests, the Bitch Queens and other purveyors of scummy no-goodnik rock 'n' roll should find plenty to enjoy here. As indeed should all those who like nasty grimy rock 'n' roll at its best.

Bandcamp Link

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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