Review by Felix on October 16, 2019.

It goes without saying that an ill-defined guitar sound, dull and somewhat sticky, and almost non-existent drums do not set the right frame for an exciting album. We all know that some outputs with really great songs suffer from a below-average recording result. Titles like Beyond the Gates or Evil Invaders come to mind in this context and it is surely common sense that it is always a disgrace if excellent compositions are nearly murdered by a weak mix. But, good news, Survival of the Fastest does not share this fate. Yet this is no cause for celebration, because the debut of Gama Bomb suffers from ill-defined guitars and non-existent drums as well. The only difference to the aforementioned outputs is that it does not hold actually great tunes. Seems like we have backed the wrong horse, because this first full-length of the pleasant freaks from Northern Ireland offers nothing else but second tier crossover thrash.

I really like their later works very much, but two important features of jaw-dropping albums such as The Terror Tapes are missing here. Firstly, the average velocity is too low. Mid-paced rhythms fail to create the liveliness that characterizes the masterpieces of the band. Secondly, this well appreciated iota of insanity, celebrated for example on their last album Untouchable Glory, does not appear. Their later outputs border on madness, but here everything is under control and therefore I just sit in front of my speakers and listen more or less thoroughly, but I do not merge with the music during the 34 minutes. Survival of the Fastest, the title must be meant ironically, lacks charisma and character - and I am sorry to tell you that there are not many songs which stand out.

With a great deal of good will, one can say that "Atomizer" has a memorable chorus. Furthermore, "Racists!" is opened by a good riff and scores with a remarkable solo section, but it appears as an ironic twist of fate that the track reminds me of Billy Milano's M.O.D. Yet in general, only a few number of riffs, leads and melodies is convincing. Even Philly Byrne fails. His voice sounds ordinary and does not develop any kind of personality. One cannot compare his performance here with his fantastic contributions to the later outputs. His high-pitched screams lack of natural eloquence and his normal voice sounds alarmingly boozy. But to come back to the beginning of this review, the unbalanced production kills all good ideas and hence this album is the nadir of Gama Bomb's catalogue. It was a first step into business, no more, no less. Viewed from an historical perspective, one can lend an ear to this album, because songs like "Hell Trucker" and, to a lesser extent, "Skellington Crew" indicate the great potential of the guys. But do yourself a favour and choose one of their other works if you like to listen to intoxicating thrash with trace elements of fun and punk.

Rating: 5.7 out of 10

Review by Felix on September 18, 2019.

Sometimes life is not pure fun. The beer tastes stale, one does not get a copy of the limited edition of a pink-colored Sabaton EP or an idiot decided to release a "cöver" album of Motörhead posthumously. Then it might be good to have an album of Gama Bomb at hand. The regular format of Tales from the Grave in Space was offered as a free download, but I am speaking about the double CD edition with five extra tracks on the so-called "Half Cut" disk. Anyway, let's follow the record company and start with the songs of the regular disc.

Tales from the Grave in Space, ornamented with a very stylish and extravagant booklet, does not fully reach the high level of its brilliant successors, but it conveys the energy of the band in a convincing manner. All musicians seem to be haunted by a restless swarm of bees. It therefore comes as no surprise that high velocity is the first topic on the agenda and rasping guitars shred everything that stands in their way. The bass guitar does not have a prominent role, but at least it is more or less audible. By contrast, the voice of lead singer Philly cannot be ignored and some of his high-pitched screams have the potential to cause a shock-induced paralysis. In other words: good performance - and well supported by strong background vocals every now and then.

The album holds many elements that reappear on the later works. A "robot" adds some vocals, the Ninjas have already entered the stage and a miniature song is also included. Okay, the funny "Mussolini Mosh" lasts 72 seconds and it has almost a complete, regular song patterns due to its - surprise - mosh parts. However, a dimwit like the fat Italian fascist does not deserve a longer track. The other tracks are located on both sides of the three minutes mark and their restless riffing forms the basis. Sometimes the album almost sounds like a vinyl which is played on 45 instead of 33 rpm. And, great luck, I have found a detail to criticize: the nearly omnipresent high-speed leads to a certain uniformity of the individual songs. But don't get me wrong, this constitutes actually no big problem - and gripping eruptions like "We Respect You" (this one is not about Mussolini) or "Apocalypse 1997" are still able to leave a lasting impression.

"Mummy Invasion" with its - of course - ultra fast riffs and great lyrics ("Dehumanizing mummifying like a day spa gone wrong") finishes an album which makes you congratulate yourself to your very good music taste. And the "Half Cut" CD is a welcomed prolongation, because its songs are cut from the same cloth. The songs rush by without neglecting a certain easiness. Tracks like "Cellar Dweller" are simply too strong to fall into oblivion, although they do not appear on the regular edition. Despite some punk vibes and an extra portion of fun, Gama Bomb have penned a pure thrash album. By the way, a very good one.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10