Irish thrashers Gama Bomb has today shared a new single and music video, titled ‘Rusted Gold’, which is the second track to be taken from Gama Bomb‘s forthcoming eighth album, “Bats”, which is due for release via Prosthetic Records on November 10. ‘Rusted Gold’‘s accompanying music video, directed by Kiran Acharya, features the band playing live at a series of festival appearances including Hellfest, Pitfest and Japanese Assault Fest.
On the new single, Gama Bomb vocalist Philly Byrne comments: “‘Rusted Gold’ is a Thin Lizzy-style metal epic – it’s a western too, which I think Philip Lynott would approve of.
“I’m fascinated by the role of Irish people in the American frontier times: their story is sometimes overlooked, or reduced to a caricature. So this song is about an Irish cowboy, a refugee from the famine, who’s out for revenge on all the people who treated him as a second-class citizen. When you see how Irish people and culture were treated during the Brexit referendum, I think this is still a relevant story.”
From the tombs of Egypt to the faded glamour of old Hollywood, Philly, Domo, John, Joe and James (Vader and Decapitated) lead us through new sonic landscapes and all manner of novel adventures on “Bats”.
“Bats” is an album that could only be borne from Gama Bomb; they have embraced their inner absurdities, they’ve taken a trust fall into each other’s arms, relying on the idiosyncratic glue that has bound them together over the last 21 years to propel them forwards. “Bats” is the first Gama Bomb album to be entirely produced, mixed and mastered by guitarist Domo Dixon; utilising the remote recording skills picked up during various lockdowns over the past few years, recording for the album was approached with a deliberately self-sufficient attitude.
Whilst the lyrical content veers into various different directions, the album is tied together with a 1960s-inspired aesthetic as demonstrated via the “Bats” artwork, serving as a visual tribute to the iconic design trends and pop culture of the 60s. The art was created by the legendary Graham Humphreys, the artist behind iconic posters for A Nightmare on Elm Street, Evil Dead and What We Do In The Shadows, now in his fourth collaboration with Gama Bomb.
John comments: “The accompanying artwork and inlay by the lovely Rory McGuigan are based on 1960s exploitation movies in the vein of Russ Meyer and other directors who didn’t want to put their name on their films.” Longtime Gama Bomb fan and accomplished painter, Kirsty Clark, takes the starring role on the album artwork, welcoming you into the entirely fictional “Bats” cinematic universe.
Sonically, Gama Bomb manage to stay true to their distinctive thrash sound, honed to perfection over two decades at the frontline of headbanging and fist-pumping. There are nods to heavy metal titans such as Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, there’s even a sliver of Bad Brains-esque punk attitude, and more familiar influences such as Tankard and Sodom are still evident. But if you think Gama Bomb are serving up something run of the mill then you’ve clearly not accounted for the guest appearance by Irish musician Gavin Kerins or a star-turn from hip hop pioneer The Egyptian Lover who raps on – naturally – Egyptron.
“BATS” Track List:
- Prologue Under the Pyramids
- Egyptron (feat. The Egyptian Lover)
- Living Dead in Beverly Hills
- Rusted Gold
- Materialize
- Mask of Anarchy
- Don’t Get Your Hair Cut
- Dreamstealer
- Speed Funeral
- Secular Saw
- Bats in Your Hair
GAMA BOMB is:
Domo Dixon / Guitars and Vocals
John Roche / Guitars
Philly Byrne / Vocals
Joe McGuigan / Bass and Vocals
James Stewart / Drums
