Gamma Goblin headlined a night of Doom Metal at the Iron Horse recently (alongside Skeksis and Austin’s Slumbering Sun) and these veterans of the Wichita Falls rock scene did not disappoint.
If you can have a local “supergroup,” Gamma Goblin qualifies, with each member of the group also serving in other projects.
Bassist Brandon Mallonee is also a standout for Wichita Falls legends It Hurts to Be Dead with Sean Snyder, and in Gamma Goblin, Mallonee’s chops are no different — rock steady at all times. Brandon is always leading the charge, laying down flowing basslines.
The night was billed as “doom,” but Gamma Goblin’s sound is more diverse than that. Metal abounds at a Gamma Goblin show, but I heard some straight ahead punk from these guys, and a few leads that sounded downright bluesy from guitarist Cody Tucker.
Big Find is another of Cody Tucker’s musical projects and I got to catch them in concert at the Iron Horse in July, 2023.
Joel Abeyta, also a member of Skeksis, is lead vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist for Gamma Goblin, and after seeing a single show, I got the strong impression that Gamma Goblin is his baby. Joel seems to have a strong vision for the Goblin, and it comes out in his playing. I was particularly surprised by Joel’s elaborate keyboard leads which I thought were remarkably sophisticated for a metal act. It was quite cool to hear something a little different.
Drummer Dustin Bowen has graced these pages before as the drummer for Big Find, and like so many other musicians on the Wichita Falls scene, Dustin is a multi-instrumentalist. In addition to drumming for Big Find and Gamma Goblin, Dustin also plays bass in Skeksis.
Considering it was a Wednesday night, the crowd was relatively light, but vocal. Every song was met with loud applause and shouts, and those who attended, even if just for an hour or two, likely went to work with a little extra coffee in their system the next day. I’m including myself in that statement, but weeknight shows notwithstanding, Gamma Goblin is on my list of local rock groups worth seeing again.
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