August 27, 2009

Gwar, Lust in Space
Metal Blade Records, Aug. 18
Wait, you’re not going anywhere — come on man, we have to do this, at least so that there’s one review of this CD that doesn’t read “I really liked this for a new gwar album its good okthanksbye.” Gwar are to thrash metal what Insane Clown Posse are to hip-hop, a boatload of misogyny and alien-slasher-grossouts in monster makeup and, in Gwar’s case, buttless chaps, which, come to think of it, is pretty much the only thing missing from Slipknot’s kind-of-similar-but-completely-humorless trip. If you’re used to pre-millennium Gwar, you’re in for an anti-shock, as the production has gone up several notches, but this year’s tuneage is again interchangeable with its low-tech forefathers: Misfits, then Slayer, then Anthrax, yadda yadda, with vocals recollective of Nick Cave, AC/DC and Slayer. And shtick of course, like “Where is Zog,” which is a good question I suppose. Some math-rock barges in on “Let Us Slay.” B — EWS