Ever wonder what happens to that extra material that hits the cutting room floor when figuring out the ideal tracks to make a final record? Well, that’s not a mystery here for Irish thrash metallers Gama Bomb on this latest EP release Necronomicon Automaton. Four songs that needed to see the light of the day – hot on the heels of their Bats album from 2023, these musicians continue to rip and tear their way into this blistering montage of blitzkrieg riffs, shrieking / passionate vocals, unison background vocals with catchy aural hooks guaranteed to remain relevant for a thousand or more passes.
With subject matter covering everything from vicious weaponry in “Nunchucks!” to Victorian robots or scaring mommy dearest through the power of heavy metal, the storytelling alone has always been worth the price of admission for this band. Poetic, ironic, tongue in cheek – yet relevant as well in multiple meanings that could apply to the society ills or struggles the common person has to deal with daily. Musical components from the galloping verses or streamlined riffs during the chorus take “Necropanzer” to highlight mode, beyond the quick hitting lead work that doubles up to harmonic bliss as well as sinister bass-driven mid-section that rivals what you hear from epic Iron Maiden cuts in the 80s to allow Philly Byrne to unleash piercing falsettos from hell. You want a classic, heads down thrash arrangement that rivals the early work from the Bay Area – look no further than the closing title cut, a double kick monster featuring a bevy of gang-shouted vocals tempered with chugging riffs, a killer mid-tempo transitional shift, and numerous hooks that can’t be avoided even if you tried to sidestep them.
Domestic UK/Irish touring will commence in the spring to support Necronomicon Automaton. Gama Bomb shows no signs of slowing down to gather more thrash followers to the flock – this isn’t one of those stop-gap outings, but a quick hitting reminder that the creative fuel burns like a star even this deep into their career.