GWAR

Since the Scumdogs of the Universe first landed on this planet some 25 years ago, we've been treated with some of the very best (and worst) in comedic shock rock. Let's face it, though, no matter how good or bad GWAR was sounding at any given period in their career, the albums have always been a distant second to the live show. GWAR is a visual band who releases their records simply as an excuse to hit the road and rip the fuck out of latex effigies and shower people with bodily fluids. While we keep eating every politician-decapitating, blood-'n'-piss-drenched minute like a fat kid gobbles down ice cream, the music… well let's be honest, the music got bad. Looking back at the last couple of GWAR shows I attended, I can remember being far from the only one in attendance that was oblivious to and less than impressed, with the newer material the band played. It seemed that metal's favorite aliens had spent too much time on this rock and the overbearing banality of our planet's popular music had finally taken its toll on the band. Or maybe Oderus ran out of crack and sobriety negated the songwriting. Whatever the issue was, they aren't having it anymore as "Lust In Space" is a welcome return GWAR's glory days.

One of the thrashier albums in GWAR's discography, "Lust In Space" delivers an energy and quality we haven't heard from this band in some time. The album starts with a slowly plucked clean guitar and a sullen Oderus sardonically venting his misery. The song builds into an upbeat thrash fest that switches gears into a nice little rhythmic chug, but not before Oderus spews one the album's best lines with "…and although I created you, I have always hated you. Fuck this place!" Classic GWAR. Thrash n' roll (with a touch of 'core') monsters "Let Us Slay" and "Damnation Under God" promise to draw blood in the pit once GWAR takes this show on the road. The punk-tinged "Metal Metal Land" and "Where Is Zog" bring the always expected goofball/pervert humor to the table, while "Make A Child Cry" comes across like he means it.

"Lust In Space" does contain a little bit of filler, but overall this is one of GWAR's best; ranking right up there with "Scumdogs Of The Universe" and "America Must Be Destroyed". Given the album's ending, the commentary on humanity "Parting Shots", seems to describe GWAR's final glimpse upon the planet they've spent the last two and a half decades conquering, I have to wonder if this their swan song. Have they finally escaped this miserable little place and headed home? Has the human race seen the last of GWAR? I sure in the hell hope not, but if so they kicked our asses one last time on the way out.