Game Over – For Humanity [re-release]

Italy’s Game Over, founded in 2008, has presented fans with a crisp, 13-track re-release of their 2012 debut disc, For Humanity. A word being thrown around these days in some metal circles is “revival”, with practitioners labeled “revivalists”. Thrash and speed metal arguably had their heyday around the same time that ‘glam’ metal did: the mid 1980s through mid 1990s. A combination of fast riffing, intense guitar soloing, and aggressive vocals most marked the original wave of thrash, and continue to stamp it today. It’s now 2015, and young band Game Over has edified those qualities.

An engaging listen, For Humanity would make good fodder for an “iPod on random”, or a “mix tape”. That’s because while the songs are overall very nicely done, they don’t have that same instant jaw-dropping grab that say Bonded By Blood or Attack of the Killer B’s did. They are better as “surprises”. The songs are enjoyable, easy to ‘head-bang’ to, and a reminiscent trip if you were around to witness the birth and rise of thrash metal. For the most part, this is “regularly paced” thrash from the outset, with little variation in either tempo or structure. You’re basically guaranteed a riff factory from start to finish, peppered with guitar solos and crazy drum fills.

Songs are not overly long. Mid-tempo neck breaker “Overgrill” leans heavily on thrash pioneers Exodus (with a little Anthrax sprinkled in as a spice), which is always fantastic to hear. “Bleeding Green” has a cool (and fairly mellow) bass guitar intro, but you know on a thrash disc that the song is going to explode shortly… and it does. “Evil Clutch” has an Italian-language TV or movie sample to start the song – this is unusual (and a rare example of a sample sounding cool in a tune). The live bonus tracks at the end of the disc have slightly muddier sound, but it’s nicely balanced, and the tunes seem to represent the band well. Make sure to check out their thrashed-out cover of Motorhead‘s iconic “Iron Fist”.

Live might be another story, but For Humanity has a clean, “studio album” vibe to it. Reno‘s vocals are a little forward in the mix, and while aggressive, don’t have an especially scary ‘bite’. Reno’s bass guitar is “not missing” – you can actually hear it – which, for thrash, is a huge bonus. Many of Ziro‘s and Sanso‘s guitar solos also have noticeable (and unnecessary?) volume jumps. If you’re really confident of your work, the solos can stay balanced or even slightly “buried” and listeners are still going to “wow” it. Vender‘s drum work – his grooves and fills – is solid throughout, and thankfully, isn’t over-compressed.

Game Over’s For Humanity is recommended firstly for collectors of the band’s releases (since the premise for the re-release was to make it available again), and for fans of thrash and speed metal, “revivalist” or not.

Tracklist:
Abyss Of A Needle
Dawn of the Dead
Mountain of Madness
War of Nations
Overgrill (El Grillador Loco)
N.S.A
Bleeding Green
Another Does of Thrash
Evil Clutch
Tupa Tupa or Die
Iron Fist (Live)
N.S.A/Nuke’em High (Live)
Another Dose of Thrash (Live)

Band Lineup:
Reno – Vocals, Bass Guitar
Ziro – Guitars
Sanso – Guitars
Vender – Drums

Link:
Official Band Facebook Page