Gama Bomb - "Speed Between the Lines"

Gama Bomb - Speed Between the Lines
2018, AFM

1. Give Me Leather
2. A Hanging
3. 666Teen
4. Bring Out the Monster
5. R.I.P. U
6. Motorgeist
7. Alt-Reich
8. Stay Rotten
9. We R Going 2 Eat U
10. Kurt Russell
11. World Gone to Hell
12. Faceblaster

Hey, I finally got ahead of the curve on a Gama Bomb album! It's a good thing too because I think this is their best so far. That's high praise considering I thought Untouchable Glory was their best. I've mentioned a time or two about the band sometimes having problems making each song distinct. Well... they've long since gotten over that. Every song here stands out and has a catchy chorus or gang vocal that sticks in your brain. Dare I say there's even a little bit of progressiveness in "Alt-Reich." Maybe. Just a drop. "Alt-Reich" is also an example of a lot more socially conscious lyrics on this release. The band has always had a track or two like that but I think it's a lot more prevalent. here. "Alt-Reich," "We R Going 2 Eat U," and "World Gone to Hell" are the best examples. As much as I like the nostalgia, horror, and silliness, it's cool to hear some tracks that are vicious and fast but also carry a message (that I agree with more often than not). It's actually very in line with old school thrash which could be very socially conscious at times (just look at some old Anthrax records). Every time a new album comes out I always think about when I said I didn't know if wanted album after album of this in my Citizen Brain review. I was so wrong. As long as the band stays this awesome I will never tire of it.

Useless Fact: The liner notes in this album are inspired by the covers of old pulp novels. I kind of wish they would have put lyrics in their too, though.

Gama Bomb - "Untouchable Glory"

Gama Bomb - Untouchable Glory
2015, AFM

1. Ninja Untouchables/Untouchable Glory
2. Avenge Me!
3. Drinkers, Inc.
4. My Evil Eye
5. Tuck Your T-Shirt In
6. Ride the Night
7. She Thing
8. Witching Mania
9. James Joints
10. Raging Skies
11. I Will Haunt You
12. After the Fire

I'm a little bit sad that I didn't pick this one up earlier. That way it could have been a contender for picks of the year for 2015. Oh well... there's next year right? Anyway, Gama Bomb continues their thrash metal assault against the senses with another blistering release. One challenge the band has always faced is making their songs distinctive. Admittedly, it's hard to do that when you're just balls to the wall thrash. However, I'd say Untouchable Glory is probably their most catchy and memorable album to date. Each song has a cool riff or hook to differentiate it from the rest. They even slow things down a bit with "Tuck Your T-Shirt In" - and by, "slow down a bit" I mean "not be pummeling for a few bars." Remember when I said back in the Citizen Brain review that I didn't know if I'd want album after album of this? Wow... what innocent times. I would totally want album after album of this. I think it's the combination of thrash and tongue-in-cheeck, self aware lyrics, giving the music a playful sense of  fun that keeps me coming back for more. Put simply, Gama Bomb rocks.

Useless Fact: If you couldn't tell, the cover art is inspired by 70's Kung-Fu films. Though the songs don't really follow suit, they're more about various sci-fi/horror/pop culture stuff.

Gama Bomb - "The Terror Tapes"

Gama Bomb - The Terror Tapes
2013, AFM

1. The Wrong Stuff
2. Legend of Speed
3. Backwards Bible
4. Beverly Hills Robocop
5. Smoke the Blow With Willem DeFoe
6. We Started The Fire
7. Terrorscope
8. Cannibals Are In The Streets (All Flesh Must Be Eaten)
9. Shitting Yourself To Live
10. Matrioska Brain
11. Metal Idiot
12. Wrecking Ball

T'was a nice surprise when I found out Gama Bomb had put out a new album. I made it a priority to pick it up, even though their last album, Tales From The Grave In Space wasn't quite as good as the last. The Terror Tapes does see a slight evolution in the band's sound, but not much. They're still all about thrash and speed but vocalist Philly Byrne had surgery for nodes on his vocal cords. Now he's not able to do the high pitched screams of albums past, but I think that's a good thing. It's forced him to be a little bit more creative and as a result does a bit more actual singing on this album. Speaking of creativity, I think these songs are a lot more memorable. They've all got a cool vocal line or riff that distinguishes each one. I still think Citizen Brain might be my favorite, The Terror Tapes is just as good.

Useless Fact: The liner notes for this album look like cassette tape instructions. Not as cool as the pulp comics, but at least we've got the lyrics which I'd rather have anyway.

Gama Bomb - "Tales From the Grave in Space"

Gama Bomb - Tales From the Grave in Space
2010, Earache

1. Slam Anthem
2. New Eliminators of Atlantis B.C.
3. Three Witches
4. Last Ninjas Unite
5. Escape From Scarecrow Mountain
6. Mussolini Mosh
7. We Respect You
8. Apocalypse 1997
9. Return to Blood Castle
10. Polterghost
11. Skeletron
12. Mummy Invasion

Hey, remember in my review of Citizen Brain where I said I didn't think I'd want disc after disc of this? I lied. I told a dirty, dirty, lie because I could very well have more of this. Especially after listening to Fueled By Fire - they just made me hungry for better thrash. So I bought this. It's packed full of the same speed/thrash/punk fusion as the last disc. The theme on this album seems to be old B-movie horror stuff. The liner notes are made up to look like an old pulp comic book. Pretty creative if you ask me. Though they do skimp on the lyrics - only having a few lines for each song and that kind of stinks. I also don't think the songs are quite as distinctive as on the last album. It took a lot more listens to pick out the hooks. A fun album, but not quite as good as Citizen Brain. 

Useless Fact: I think "Polterghost" is about the movie "Poltergeist." At least it sounds like it. Also, "We Respect You" is a tribute some of the band's favorite 80's actors like Steve Guttenburg and Ronnie Cox (to name a few).

Gama Bomb - "Citizen Brain"

Gama Bomb - Citizen Brain

Earache, 2008

1. Zombie Blood Nightmare

2. Evil Voices

3. Final Fight

4. Time Crime

5. Global Warning

6. OCP

7. Hammer Slammer

8. Sentenced To Thrash

9. Zombi Brew

10. Hell Trucker

11. Return of the Technodrome

12. Thrashoholic

13. In the Court of General Zod

14. Space Invaders

15. Bullet Belt

Special thanks has to go to Scott Waters and his website, No Life Til Metal. The other day I was checking his site (as I often do) and saw an entry about a band called Gama Bomb. He said they were straight up 80's thrash so I had to check them out. A quick trip to Itunes was all I needed. I immediately ordered Citizen Brain. Gama Bomb seems to be about two things: thrash and nostalgia. They are a speedy brand of thrash that some say sounds like Nuclear Assault or D.R.I. I can't really say having never heard those bands. It actually reminds me a little of The Crucified's first album. The lyrics are pure fun though. It seems like they've picked through all the cool stuff of the late 80's/early 90's. There's a song about the arcade game Final Fight, one about Robocop, one about Superman II, there's even one about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While the lyrics can be crude at times I think everything is done very tongue-in-cheek, and thus, very entertaining. I suppose if I had one criticism it would be that most of the songs have the same tempo: furious. Of course that's part of the point as they eschew any "progressive dross" as they call it in favor of full throttle thrash. So... I don't know if I'd want album after album of this (unless they start writing good hooks as Mr. Waters suggests) but as it stands Citizen Brain is a fun trip to the 80's. Strap on your Bullet Belt!

Useless Fact: In the liner notes they've got actual screen shots of Nintendo games. Castlevania III is one of them. The album ends up being pretty appropriate for the project I'm doing over at my other blog: 30 Days of Nintendo. Check it out!