When CDs replaced vinyl there was many a teary-eyed fan mourning the loss of warm analogue sounds. When DVD replaced VHS, however, everyone cheered, except perhaps a small corner of Ireland where Gama Bomb are sat surrounded by piles of Kurt Russell videotapes, no doubt arguing about who would win a fight between Dolph Lundgren and Michael Dudikoff.
Having survived lineup changes, hard touring, surgery and now signed to a new label, The Terror Tapes sees our Day-Glo heroes in fine form. Like Municipal Waste, they are able to use humour and bad puns without the music ever coming across as anything less than deadly serious.
Still krunchier than a gravel sandwich – and yes, the ‘k’ is necessary – the Gaelic fiends have found a new sense of melody. No fear, the Exodus-ish chug is still in full effect. It’s just that avuncular vocalist Philly Byrne has developed the sort of ragged-edged singing favoured by Overkill’s Bobby Ellsworth. And it sounds killer.
Smoke The Blow With Willem Dafoe and We Started The Fire are bound to be sing-as-you-stagedive pit classics. A triumph in the face of modernity.
