There can be no complicated, elaborate or intellectual explanation (assuming I can think as an intellectual!) for what “Citizen Brain” does for metal. The Irish band forces us to remember better times, fun times, times when Nintendo, TMNT, Thundercats and junk food where what ruled our world… yes they are fun, old school thrash, and one of the best that’s come our way since Evile released “Enter the Grave” last year.

Previously knowing that we are facing yet another “nostalgia” thrash band from Earache; it is hard not to hear the album with some restrain and slowly but firmly grow tired of so much old school thrash flooding the market; yet having that in mind and seen how fast this has grown and expecting the “thrash bubble” to burst anytime now, you cannot stop enjoying and headbanging with a huge fucking smile in your face to instantaneously catchy songs, face melting solos and just the right raw screams, that for as long as the album lasts make you forget that you had a problem with this whole “thrash revival” scene to begin with.

How can you not like a band that talks about, Final Fight, TMNT, Global warming, and Superman II… ahh yeah and zombies too, but their lyrics despite sounding a bit ridiculous, work, they fit perfectly and they are written in a smart comprehensive and maybe even introspective way, taking those of us that grew during the late 80’s early 90’s into a time travel that perhaps have nothing to do with thrash metal, but that in some way is linked due to the fact that it reminds us, just how much fun we used to have. So having won the “personality” compatibility test with us old men (I’m 28 by the way) and by adding great and catchy riffs Gama Bomb has totally won me over!

The thrash on “Citizen Brain” is solid, resembling perhaps a bit more the early crossover sound of Anthrax, and following the same path of making metal fun. The best aspects of Gama Bomb are the ability to write simple, yet memorable riffs; catchy choruses and nice guitar solos wrap in this nostalgia lyric writing and old school thrash that makes the album a great opportunity to go back and dust off your old NES and while you do that play an old copy of “thrash Zone” you wont regret it I promise!