Album Review: Gama Bomb – Bats (Prosthetic Records)

From the tombs of Egypt to the faded glamour of old Hollywood, Philly, Domo, John, Joe and James (also drums in Vader and Decapitated) lead us through new sonic landscapes and all manner of novel adventures on ‘Bats’ – their triumphant new album, released 10th November via Prosthetic Records.

Gama Bomb are back, and true to form, they’re having some bloody good fun, with thrash head-bangers galore. It’s Bats, and it’s a hodgepodge of ideas, but find a Gama Bomb release that isn’t, after all, they’ve been doing this a very long time.

So long, in fact, that they’ve perfected the sense of random and made it their own personal plaything. All you need to know is that Gama Bomb will deliver bangers, head-bangers to be specific, and like night following day, Bats is Gama Bomb.

It’s all about ancient Egypt with the intro of Prologue Under the Pyramids (don’t disturb the dead, damn it, even if it appears to be a cyborg) and Egyptron, the latter of which features the mysterious Egyptian Lover. It’s also the first full expulsion of Gama Bomb’s excitable and vigorous thrash metal sound. Pay attention, as Gama Bomb are also infusing elements of heavy metal in their sound, and this track is an earlier indicator of that. Just check out those highs on the vocals.

It’s hard to not have a smile on the face already, and that is only going to get wider when listeners hear the raucous Gama Bomb ‘classic’ that is Living Dead in Beverley Hills. Their rotten tongue is certainly jammed in their dead cheek here, and with the following Rusted Gold. A truly fun Gama Bomb track that has energetic heavy metal and hard rock vibes. It might sound like the sort of thing Gama Bomb shouldn’t do, but they absolutely nail the combination again. Especially as it is still undeniably them, being fast and frantic.

The focus is on haste and heaviness with Materialize and Mask of Anarchy as Gama Bomb prove to be as lovable as ever regardless of how thrashy or speedy they are. The eagerness to get bodies sweaty is continuous, but they still love a surprise or two, and the extended guitar solo in the former is one that will delight all. Whereas the latter’s gang vocals are seriously insistent.

Don’t Get Your Hair Cut goes out to all those head-bangers who lost their way, including those who had little choice because of time or genetics. Pour one out for us too, we’re still banging our heads to Gama Bomb in solidarity. An easy job when this is what is compelling us to.

True to form, the following Dreamstealer, Speed Funeral, and Secular Saw are a trio of brash, high-energy efforts. Where cockiness and confidence oozes from Gama Bomb, after all they are a band capable of doing this sort of stuff in their sleep. That’s not a negative though, Gama Bomb’s thrash and speed metal is always good fun, and when blended with this penchant for heavy metal, we get plenty of head-banging laughs.

The fun must end though and Gama Bomb go out with a bang with Bats in Your Hair. Guess what? Come, on you already know. It’s f**king Gama Bomb, this is Bats, and you know it’s class.

Gama Bomb – Bats Track Listing:

1. Prologue Under the Pyramids
2. Egyptron (feat. The Egyptian Lover)
3. Living Dead in Beverly Hills
4. Rusted Gold
5. Materialize
6. Mask of Anarchy
7. Don’t Get Your Hair Cut
8. Dreamstealer
9. Speed Funeral
10. Secular Saw
11. Bats in Your Hair

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