If theres anything the Ninjas Who Met God seem to agree on, as they sit packed into the bar of a North Hills Mexican restaurant, its the awesomeness of this country.

Its not that we side with a particular political party, explains bassist Rob McKay, wearing a U.S.S.R. T-shirt and sipping an ice water. We just love America.

They love it so much that they wrote a song that ends with the powerful chant, U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A So much that all those other bands that complain about the American government, well, they can just go live in the Middle East with the rest of the freedom-haters.

But why does it have to be about politics anyway? As the Ninjas will tell you, theyre only trying to have a good time. Just ask their fans. When the Ninjas are onstage, its like a party a big old party thats rocked them straight into the lead at the Pittsburgh-regional level of Emergenza, a world-wide battle of the bands with local competitions hosted at Mr. Smalls. They credit their success to high-energy sets complete with zany outfits and a unique sound.

Nobody in town is doing anything different. Were the only ones in town who dont fit into any category, says McKay.

The sound hes talking about is a mish-mash that does take a few unexpected turns. Heavy-metal riffs and spastically barked lyrics at times give way to something a bit more like Rob Zombie leading a third-wave ska band through a song about your mom. And they will slow it down. They are not afraid to get funky, if the mood is right.

In addition to McKay, The Ninjas Who Met God are Dale Collins, Aaron Avetta, Joe Ramuchak, Scott Robertson, Chaz Bolte, Carl Criss and Melanie Desjranj. The North Hills-born and -bred octet formed in 2001 for a high school battle of the bands. Since then, theyve been honing their funkified rock and clowning stage antics into a shtick so scattershot that, in its attempts at irony, it winds up being little more than vulgar.

The combination has attracted as many haters as fans.

We are the most hated band in Pittsburgh. They say it over and over again. The other bands, the people in the crowd, the waitress whos trying to keep up with our drink orders they offend everybody.

At least, thats what theyre shooting for. But I just find this hard to believe. I mean, whats not to like?