Once upon a time, metal was actually fun, no really. And the splendidly named Them County Bastardz harken back to that era.
What you got here are some seriously well-written riff-based tracks (crushing riffs, real’ wall of sound’ stuff) in the vein of Black Label Society and Pantera circa Cowboys From Hell. There’s also something of Alice In Chains in there too. Good influences, but Them County Bastardz have a strong personality all of their own. Overall, it’s like some crazy concept album. I kept thinking of Smokey and the Bandit as I listened to it. Indeed, it’s feel good stuff all the way, a great joke at the expense of the dire band Extreme (never was a band more badly named! Pathetic would have been a more apt moniker).
The production, by the band and a certain Chris Towle, is first class.
As a constructive suggestion, not a criticism, I detect an AC/DC influence, and I’d like to hear them do more of this in future.
Overall, a damn fine album!
(Smokehouse Records)
Facebook.com: Them County Bastardz
Bandcamp: themcountybastardz.bandcamp.com/album/sick-daze
