Released by: AFM Records
Release Date: 12 October 2018
Genre: Thrash Metal
Link: www.gamabomb.net
Line-Up:
Philly Byrne – Vocals
Domo Dixon – Lead Guitar
John Roche – Lead Guitar
Joe McGuigan – Bass, Vocals
Paul Caffrey – Drums
Tracklist:
01. Give Me Leather
02. A Hanging
03. 666teen
04. Bring Out The Monster
05. R.I.P. U
06. Motorgeist
07. Alt-Reich
08. Stay Rotten
09. We R Going 2 Eat U
10. Kurt Russell
11. World Gone To Hell
12. Faceblaster
It is a good day when you find out that Gama Bomb are about to release a new album. Northern Ireland’s thrash metallers are releasing “Speed Between The Lines” on October 12th and from the very first listen, it’s clear they are back to their best. This is the sixth record from the group and is the follow up to 2015’s ‘Untouchable Glory’. The most enjoyable aspect is that vocalist Phily Byrne is the clear standout, including a number of falsetto screams, showing his recovery from vocal surgery in 2012 is now fully complete.
The album opens up with ‘Give Me Leather’, an ode to Judas Priest and Painkiller in particular, and sets the tone for the majority of the album continuing straight into track 2 ‘A Hanging’. Next up come the two tracks that have already been released with accompanying videos, ‘666teen’ and ‘Bring Out The Monster’. The former’s lyric video showcases the band’s love of all things 80’s with Tron inspired visuals and includes one of the best lyrics on any Gama Bomb album, “I ain’t not never not gonna not go and die”. The latter, one of the strongest tracks on the album, gives every member the chance to showcase themselves while the video debuts Snowy, an abominable snowman character, who could possibly become a contender to Maiden’s Eddie.
With ‘R.I.P. U’ the album moves the thrash in a punk direction reminiscent of early Slayer with some Ramones style backing vocals from Joe McGuigan. ‘Motorgeist’ is just pure adrenaline fuelled thrash which will be great to hear on their next tour. Keeping the punk flowing ‘Alt-Reich’ sees the band channeling the Dead Kennedys with their Anti-Nazi content while ‘Stay Rotten’, destined to be the next beers aloft audience participation lyrical back and forth, laments the conformity of social media.
The final third brings us ‘We R Going To Eat U’ which sees Phily Byrne using horror movie references to highlight social inequalities, detailing the ever growing gap between rich and poor. ‘Kurt Russell’ is exactly what it suggests, a tribute to the movie legend himself and his appearance in “Tango and Cash” with Sylvester Stallone. ‘World Gone To Hell’ brings the band back to lyrical themes explored on ‘Global Warning’ from their second album ‘Citizen Brain’, with a call to arms in the fight against global warming. Finishing up the album is the song ‘Faceblaster’ kicking the speed back up a few notches and ending on a high.
Gama Bomb has a tried and trusted template to work from with ‘Speed Between The Lines’ bringing them back to the strength of their early recordings. Although they haven’t reinvented the thrash wheel here what they do, they do very well indeed. It is 12 tracks of pure adrenaline, fun from start to finish with a social conscience too. For any fans looking for a collectible, the album will be released in limited edition vinyl versions with a multitude of colors to choose from. Fans of Evile, Warbringer, Judas Priest and early Slayer will enjoy this.
Written by: Brendan O’Mahony
Ratings: 8/10
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