Initial Impressions: Gama Bomb: Tales from the Grave in Space

One aspect of some 1980's thrash that has been overlooked a little with many (though not all) of the newer thrash metal bands is the sense of fun. Groups like Anthrax, Suicidal Tendencies, and others had quite a bit of fun and goofy lyrics. Some of the newer bands like Municipal Waste, Lich King, and Merciless Death follow along with that, but many others are very serious. Enter Ireland's Gama Bomb.

This is just a goofball album. First of all is the title, bringing to mind 1950's-era comic books. Then, there's the fact that the CD booklet is basically a pulp comic book with the lyrics to the songs printed in the dialog boxes of the characters. Then, we have the song names: "Last Ninjas Unite", "Mussolini Mosh", "We Respect You", etc. It's clear this band has a good time.

Musically, this is an energetic album, featuring bouncy riffs, higher-pitched clean vocals, and a frenetic pace. The band is quite good at its craft. The songs are very memorable, as is the album as a whole. This is a good, fun listen.