Apocalypse Dudes

When other European rockers of the '90s were being influenced by Pearl Jam, Sevendust, or Radiohead, Oslo, Norway's Turbonegro decided to provide a throwback to the decadent, hedonistic glam metal, heavy metal, and hard rock of the '70s and '80s. Combine the influence of punk rock with traces of Alice Cooper, Motley Crue, Judas Priest, or Quiet Riot, and you've got Apocalypse Dudes, an in-your-face album that thrives on wild, rowdy, bratty fun. The whole thing is decidedly over-the-top, and titles like "Good Head," "Don't Say Motherfucker, Motherfucker," "Rock Against Anus," and "Zillion Dollar Sadist" end up turning this CD into a very entertaining and humorous caricature of pop-metal, hard rock, and punk. In fact, it's hard to miss the parallels between Apocalypse Dudes and Spinal Tap. But outrageousness alone wouldn't make this CD worthwhile -- thankfully, Turbonegro has a lot of catchy, infectious hooks to back itself up. ~ Alex Henderson|