Whilst many band will use imagery and costumes as a way to cover musical inefficiencies, when it comes to heavy metal shock rockers Gwar, there’s plenty of style to go with their substance. Ever since they burst onto the scene like a putrid pimple in 1984, they’ve brought a kind of scatological satire that often blends reality with insanity and gigs that come drenched in blood and albums bursting at the seams with razor sharp metal. Gwar’s over-the-top aesthetic is often used as a means to mask serious political satire, and in 2006 they used their concept album Beyond Hell to comment on the perilous state of humanity. As the world continues to be plagued by war, pestilence and famine, Beyond Hell gets a timely reissue.

After some decidedly average albums in the late ‘90’s/early 2000’s (Carnival Of Chaos, War Party) Gwar returned to the idea of a fully fledged concept album for the “rock opera” Beyond Hell. It was a move that reenergised the band and after a brief intro, opener proper ‘War Is All We Know’ found the band firing on all cylinders. Playing a brand of metal that occasionally veered into thrash territory, Gwar pull it all together on Beyond Hell. However, it should be kept in mind that this is a Gwar album; things are rarely ordinary and can become quite surreal quite quickly. The band will often step outside the songs, almost deconstructing things as they go along, but it is an approach that suits the idea of a concept album very well. With no musical avenues off limits, Gwar can literally draw upon anything to connect the story together. As much as I love albums like Tommy and The Wall, there are moments on those records that are totally superfluous and are included only as a way to move the story forwards. By contrast, there’s not an ounce of fat nor one second wasted on Beyond Hell, the band maintaining a tight focus which helps keep the story arc smooth and unbroken.

What really elevates Beyond Hell above its immediate predecessors is the work of DevinTownsend who gave the album a vast and expansive production. By employing the full dynamic range a vast sonic vista is created that mirrors the cavernous environs of the underworld and is an environment where Gwar’s metal opera can be played out. At just 45-minutes, Beyond Hell doesn’t overstay its welcome and a neat cover of Alice Cooper’s ‘School’s Out’ (on which the band put their own stamp) brings the album to a fitting finale.

As Gwar continue to destroy stages and cast their spell over the world, here’s a mid-career classic, remastered and revitalised, that deserves some serious re-evaluation.

• Beyond Hell is released on 25th September 2026 (available here).
• Gwar Official Website

Track List:

1. Intro
2. War Is All We Know
3. Murderer’s Muse
4. Go To Hell!
5. I Love The Pigs
6. Tormentor
7. Eighth Lock
8. Destroyed
9. The Ultimate Bohab
10. The One That Will Not Be Named
11. Back In Crack
12. School’s Out