REVIEW : Badge – If It Hurts It Must Be Good (2017)

BADGE is not a newbie in the rock scene. With, already, two albums on their back Badge strikes back with their brand new opus with the title "If It Hurts It Must Be Good" through Pride & Joy Music.

BADGE was put together by guitarist/singer Matti Norlin and drummer Fredrik Haake in 2002. In 2013 BADGE was picked to represent Sweden in the European Blues Challenge. In 2014, Matti Norlin and Fredrik Haake got a composer-scholarship from SKAP (Swedish Society of song-writers) for the music of BADGE, and the video for the track “If I Could Love This” reached over 135.000 views on YouTube.

To be honest with you, I've never heard Badge's previous two recordings so far and, for that reason, I was looking forward to listening to their new album and to 'discover' their music.

"Reap What You Sow" is the opening tune of Badge's new effort. It's a modern rocking tune that not impressed me much. "The Game" rocks good with its bluesier background and its groovier rhythm while in "In The Eye Of The Storm" the band delivers a very good blues-rock song and, in my humble opinion, the best tune so far. The moodier "We Will See Light" and the groovy "Step Aside" (which reminds Black Crowes) are both good. The last track, "Yet To Come" is one of my personal favorites out of this new record. Slide guitars, a bigger sound and powerful performances are the ingredients of this superb tune.

An overall good album with a couple of strong moments in it. "If It Hurts It Must Be Good" is an effort that targets the fans of the modern blues heavy rock sound.

Rating : 7/10