UltraBomb - ‘The Bridges That We Burn’ Album review

‘The Bridges That We Burn’ marks the latest and third album release from UltraBomb, the pedigree post-punk project created by former Hüsker Dü bass player, Greg Norton. With albums 1 and 2 delivered to much acclaim within noise circles, by Greg, Finny McConnell (The Mahones) on vocals and Jamie Oliver (U.K. Subs) on drums, the line-up has evolved further for album 3. 

While Greg has continued to provide the lynchpin, firstly, Derek O’Brien, the original drummer with Social Distortion, took over on drumming duties and then Ryan Smith (Soul Asylum) took over on vocals and guitar bringing us to the tantalising line-up which grabbed my attention. 

The addition of Ryan Smith, in particular, caught my eye as I last saw Soul Asylum on a co-headline tour of the U.K. in 2022 with Everclear, Everclear pulled out of the gig at short notice due to sickness and Ryan stepped in and played a very impressive solo support slot. This then led to me checking out his solo output and with the Melismatics. 

While containing many recognisable elements, ‘The Bridges That We Burn’ is so much more than the bastard lovechild of their illustrious punky pasts/presents and provides a powerful sound of UltraBomb’s own. Given the band’s connections with Minneapolis, lyrically the album is also very now and aims to cut through the noise.

The highlights within are many. 

Album opener ‘Darwin Awards’ establishes both the album’s and new line-up’s credentials within a few notes, is fast and furious (what else?), melodic and with contrasting vocal styles including shouted backing vocals underpinning the more melodic lead vocal to great effect. 

Recorded, produced and mixed in Minneapolis by John Fields, it’s also striking from the outset how clear the separation in the mix is between the guitar, bass and drums giving each musician equal space and prominence.

‘Divert/Deflect’ continues the lyrical theme, changes the musical style and grinds its own identity with more of a call and response shouted chorus. ‘Artificial Stars’ marries the different musical styles holding together a searching guitar and soaring Soul Asylum-style melody before shouted raw vocals mix things up. 

Stretching the sound further, ‘Zombie Zeroes’ takes on the musical feel of a horror B movie if The Cramps or Misfits had played alt rock. 

Latest single ‘No Cap’ brings the distinctive styles together again, but this time alternating soaring melody with heads-down punk energy.

And what can I say about ‘Sicko Rants’? Not released as one of the four singles, this is an absolute gem of a song which puts a smile on my face every time I hear it. Fast, frenetic, sing-song melodies with guitars, bass and drums everywhere. Listen a little deeper and as throughout this album this is used to deliver a more serious message.

‘The chopping ‘Checked Out’ and bass-driven ‘Look Forward in Anger’ thoroughly deserve their place as singles with yet more soaring choruses driven at pace by the trio.

‘BSS’ (or the Bullshit Song) initially feels like a musical in-joke to fill a space in recording, but grows with repeated listening and takes on its own life as a musical punk fairground ride calling out the subject of the song.

Approaching the end of the album ‘Last Time’ is a song of many moods starting with high pitched ‘Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doos”, strutting through a Bowie-esque ‘Fame’-era sequence before punking and distorting up.

Finally, ‘Mosquito Crucifixion’ closes the album with a glam rock infused slice of punk.

As may be clear, there is a lot going on musically in this album with much to appeal to fans of the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age in addition to those of the parent bands (past and present) of the constituent members of UltraBomb.

Fast, frenetic, melodic and powerful.

‘The Bridges That We Burn’ will be released on 1 May 2026 via DC-Jam Records / Virgin Music

GMcA