I first became aware of GWAR back in 1990 via their Scumdogs Of The Universe album and have been following their bloodstained, semen-splattered antics ever since. While many bands adopt a strong visual presence as a way to disguise actual talent (did somebody mention Mötley Crüe?) there’s no worries with this Virginian crew. Since bursting onto the metal scene like a popped pimple in 1984, they’ve left an intriguing trail of vinyl in their wake. Taking another left turn with their latest EP Return Of The Gor Gor, GWAR are very much back and are celebrating their 40th anniversary in style.

As anyone familiar with GWAR will tell you; this band are more than music; this year alone they’ve had an art exhibition tour the States, they’ve released their own AI video game, along with a range of plushie toys (in conjunction with Mischief Toys), while a movie detailing their music and art will soon be in cinemas. However, all this activity has never been to the detriment of their music and if proof were ever needed then look no further than their latest release. The band are showing no signs of slowing down and after the briefest of introductions GWAR arrive like an explosion of something very nasty. Opening track ‘The Great Circus Train Disaster’ finds GWAR delivering that brand of crossover thrash they do so well. Yet, it is (like pretty much all of their discography) slightly off-kilter with an unorthodox brand of humour that suggests they really are extraterrestrial. The three studio tracks with which this EP starts places the band very much in the present and sparkle with an energy you’d expect from a band in their 4th year, not their 40th.

If there were any doubt to the band’s actual talent, then the four live tracks presented here will set the record straight. The band prove themselves a hungry, adept beast who handle the time changes and weird signatures that characterise their songs with apparent ease (and all while wearing cumbersome costumes). However, one the tracks chosen for this release is a questionable, namely the spoken word skit ‘The Founding Fathers’. I’m sure it works very well live, but on an EP where every second counts, it falls a little flat and will become tiresome after a few listens. Aside from that one misstep, GWAR are on fire with a nine-and-a-half minute rendition of ‘America Must Be Destroyed’ being particularly feisty.

Here’s to the next 40 years!

• Return Of The Gor Gor is released via Pit Records on 25th July 2025.
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Track List:

1. The Great Circus Train Disaster
2. Lot Lizard
3. Tyrant King
4. Crack In The Egg (Live)
5. The Founding Fathers (Live)
6. America Must Be Destroyed (Live)
7. Fishfuck (Live)