Not for the faint of heart, the ninth release from the punk-ska band NOFX features lead vocalist and bassist Fat Mike snarling his way through one irreverent track after another, refusing to take anything, including himself, completely seriously. Despite the group's LA hardcore roots, HEAVY PETTING ZOO is listener-friendly. NOFX are a group of competent musicians not afraid to add harmonizing vocals and the occasional catchy melody to their thrashing, high-speed guitar and drum work. No matter how sneeringly angry the band's approach to a topic, there is always an element of tongue-in-cheek humor next to the thought-provoking messages of the lyrics. Discussing the corrupting influence of money on "Bleeding Heart Disease," Fat Mike sounds furious, singing "how money polluted [his] mind"; yet the song continues as a parody of the sweet Broadway tune, "Doe A Deer," including the lines, "Fo-dder for corporations/Sew-ing our lips together/La -- such a nice place to get shot."
Professional Reviews
Spin (4/96, p.113) - 7 - Reasonably Good - "...NOFX roll oi and thrash and classic Orange County hardcore into a meta-punk the way early-period Mothers of Invention seemed to combine every genre...under the umbrella of rock'n'roll into a single hermetic style....the great user-friendly punk record..."
Q (3/96, p.100) - 3 Stars - Good - "...stubbornly simple punk LP, with colourful touches..."
