John Roche of Gama Bomb’s Top Albums of 2024
(Editor’s note: Looking back on 2024, there were so many good albums released that we decided to reach out to some of today’s artists and get them to weigh in on their favorites. What follows is Gama Bomb guitarist John Roche’s ‘Top Albums of 2024’.)
Hi, my name is John and I play guitar for Irish thrashers Gama Bomb! As you all know, 2024 was a great year again for heavy metal and as such, here’s my list of albums I believe stand out!
Judas Priest — Invincible Shield
Judas Priest has been around for 50 years now, and releasing an album like Invincible Shield is just mind-blowing! An old dog can still learn new tricks, and “Panic Attack” proves this. You can tell that Judas Priest is still as passionate and hardworking as ever when it comes to releasing high-quality albums, and this one is no exception! Hats off to Andy Sneap for mixing the album!
The Crown — Crown of Thorns
The Crown always releases quality albums and Crown of Thorns is a banger. The standout track is “Churchburner” — what a great intro! This album has it all: fantastic playing and song arrangements. It’s a must-listen for those who enjoy the more extreme side of thrash metal.
Wormed — Omegon
Wormed is a sci-fi death metal band from Spain, and they released a killer album this year. Omegon was mixed by Colin Marston, who has a very eccentric way of mixing albums in today’s era of crisp, clear production. Colin made it sound raw and real, which stands out in the death metal scene. If you like Defeated Sanity from Germany, you will definitely dig these lads!
Extermination Dismemberment — Butcher Basement (Revamp)
I only got into this band recently, but Extermination Dismemberment is a four-piece band from Minsk, Belarus, which immediately caught my attention. They don’t just slam—they slam hard!
Six Feet Under — Killing for Revenge
I don’t listen to many comedy albums, but Six Feet Under’s latest is excellent! Chris Barnes’ vocals hit the right spot with his excessive coughing and out-of-time mumblings that are guaranteed to make you chuckle every time. If you want to show someone what someone will sound like after smoking 20 joints a day for 40 years, this is your album!
