OFF: Violence Has Arrived

[Amphetamine Embalmer]

(review copyright (c) Charlie Yuga, 2002)

Gwar - Violence Has Arrived (Metal Blade 2001,
3984-14374-2)

US hardcore legends Gwar's latest offering is yet
another over-the-top LSD casualty gorefest of more
bloody and barbaric warrior metal, the classic band
still catering to the slightly more bizarre or even
the more light hearted among us still serving the
annals of heavy metal and punk with dedication and
revulsion beyond of the call of duty. Still able to
charm their fans and mascots alike with their
trademark razor wit and over-the-top theatrics, their
brutal and uncompromising attitude to all things
corrupt a cure delivered in healthy doses of disgust
and intelligence.

With "Violence Has Arrived",  the current Gwar lineup
of Oderus Urungus (vocals), Flattus Maximus (guitar),
Beefcake The Mighty (bass), Balsac The Jaws Of Death
(guitar) and Jizmax Da Cusha (drums) seemingly
effortlessly recall the energy and refreshing sound
and concept of their classic 1984 debut "Hell-O!" as
if they had never lost some of their classic sound in
the latter half of the 90's in a kind of creative
musical stagnation catering more and more to
mainstream US metal without losing any respect, and in
spite of healthy doses of crass political concern and
comment intact, Gwar's long crusade against evertyhing
from censorship in the music industry to political
corruption with uncompromising comment and brutally
satirical bite unheard of in the mainstream hardcore
scene since the glory days of The Dead Kennedys,
making them a much loved institution of US hardcore
and punk and a notorious schlock attitude and shocking
genre approach and image equalling a band like the
Misfits, Gwar as a cult phenomena which even includes
movies and comic books, and incredible stage shows and
theatrics as always manage to deliver their own brand
of the grotesque and the bizarre to anyone experienced
or primitive enough, as superstars of the apocalypse
and LSD wrestling heroes of the universe serving up
their epic latex and leather clad mythology of the icy
north to their faithful legions of fans, acid
casualties and other cultural fallout roaming the
inner cities and suburban wastelands of modern
America.

"Violence Has Arrived" heralds something of a welcome
change in the typical Gwar tradition, their usually
more crass or political brand of hardcore becoming
strangely exotic and darkly underground with the more
classic heavy metal or darker blackmetal tradition of
fantasy with this album. Seemingly drowning in the
ancient worlds of the medieval or even the strangely
occult as the album's rather cryptic and oddly subtle
approach to the traditional Gwar concept and sound
becomes strangely entrenched in a lyrical subtlety and
comfortable organic feel so welcomly bizarre in its
almost weird and obscure nature, as the album's
highlights like  "Battle-Lust", "Abyss Of Woe",
"Immortal Corruptor", "Beautious Rot", "Licksore",
"Biledriver" and the closing "Happy Death-Day" carry
Gwar's tales of  beautiful women and ancient
battlefields and stories of warrior thirst and pacts
of honor on "Violence Has Arrived" to a farflung realm
so exotic and bizarre it remains a treat of the
hitherto so far unexplored by this band, Gwar
barbarically battling onward in this new and primitive
world of legend and myth which they seem to conjure
into existence on "Violence Has Arrived". Housed in an
incredibly eye-popping and mindblowing fantasy-style
poster style cover painting so disturbing and so truly
awesome, it portrays the bloodthirsty and battle weary
Gwar, fully armored and bloodied in all their
barbarian battle glory, posing victoriously in the
lush primitive underground world, with Oderus Urungus
carrying the ultimate spoils of war, an impaled naked
dead chick slumped over his left shoulder...

- Charlie Yuga
http://bloomingdales.dreamstation.com/pulp/

---
"A 'Bowie-Shag' is when you miss your vein."
- Dr. Crabstix, Nazi Deadhead Commando And Paramedic
Hippy Emergency General

You can take the Beatle out of Uncle Charlie, but you
can't take Uncle Charlie out of The Beatles!"
- Bastard Ceremonial Proverb Of The Immortal
Blasphemers Of Sodom

"There remains nothing but juggernauting the
Apocalypse Übersoul through the constant avalanche of
dying bodies!"
- Tubrok The Alterer, Paramilitary Ascendant Archangel
Of Christ And Avenging Jehovah Of The Revalations

"I actually saw Motörhead play at least seven fucking
times, right, but I only remembered to bring my
fucking woman along just once!"
- The Cannibal Swinger, King Of Romania


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