GAMA BOMB are originally from Newry, Armagh/County Down in Northern Ireland. Later they reconvened to Dublin in Ireland. The band was founded in 2002 and have produced six studio albums before this one, their latest effort, “Bats”. Their style is a difficult one to describe, as they use Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, Hardcore and Hard Rock in all shapes and sizes. Add to that a large dollop of humour and a vocalist whose voice is just as flexible as a jelly dildo, and you have the recipe for GAMA BOMB. If I were to give you other bands as musical references, I would have to say they are a mix of the American thrashers of ANTHRAX, the Spanish crossover kings CRISIX and the Dutch Classic Trash combo JEWEL. Add a bit of TERRORVISION humour, and the picture is complete.

What is more important, though, is that GAMA BOMB have been able to turn this manic mixture of bands into an amalgamation of very good songs that cover a wide variety of styles and intensities, whilst making sure that the diversity is brought to us listeners in a way that you will easily be able to recognise GAMA BOMB as the perpetrator of your ears. The eleven songs on “Bats” will only bug you in the most pleasant way for some 34 minutes, so there’s hardly any chance in overflowing your brain. Unless, like me, you have put the album on repeat. Then you might be in trouble.

Which ever song on “Bats” you wish to listen to doesn’t matter, the quality of them all is way above par. Personally I prefer the faster songs on the album, plus the closer “Bats in Your Hair", which is the prefect song to finish off an album like “Bats”. It is therefore safe to say that GAMA BOMB have therefore succeeded in producing an album full of very good music to which you can headbang, pogo, slam-dance, or simply tap your feet and nod your head. And of course you can sing, shout, scream or grunt along with the songs if you wish. This is Party Metal at it’s best. And not the sort that starts to sound cheap after a while. On the contrary, this has an air over it that will make it keep for years on end. The only way to find out is by undergoing the experience that is called “Bats”, and then see if it will make GAMA BOMB an everlasting part of your playlist.