Dublin based Gama Bomb have been plying their classic feel good thrash style since the early 2000’s and with four albums behind them, the five piece from the Emerald Isle certainly look to keep going from strength to strength. It’s not often a more modern thrash act sticks to the ‘traditional’ stylings of fast vocals, fast riffs, fast drums and well… fast everything really, some often opting to have a more metalcore sound to their delivery at times… But Gama Bomb, much like Municipal Waste and Evil Invaders stick to their roots and go full speed ahead, taking inspiration from the greats of the 80’s thrash and crossover scene. Let’s see how untouchable this album is.
From the off, you know it’s a good time when “Untouchable Ninjas/Untouchable Glory” comes on. With its tongue in cheek lyrics delivered in a style similar to that of Jello Biafra over some Municipal Waste styled riffs played with blistering precision, it’s a track which just wants to make you get up and move. Whether you’re running round in a circle pit, headbanging, drinking or windmilling, Gama Bomb has something for all thrash heads on this release.
It has a very familiar feel throughout the album, keeping with the crossover styled approach made famous by DRI, only going slower or heavier when some seriously beefy groove is needed to fatten the sound out, and it works great on tracks like “Drinker’s Inc. ” and “My Evil Eye” whilst the melodic and well structured art of song writing and coming up with a memorable hook is not lost on them, as demonstrated by the witty “Tuck Your T-Shirt In” which is a big booze fuelled middle finger to regulations and authority issues. The classic thrash sounding tracks though are a joy to listen to and given how the whole album clocks in at just over thirty minutes in length, it has a brilliant replay appeal.
On the whole, it’s a refreshing change to have such a short and highly energetic thrash album released, breaking up the longer and more intricate albums which seem to have been released this year, and face it, thrash is meant to be fast right? Let this album blow you away!
(7.5/10 Fraggle)
https://www.facebook.com/gamabomb
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