Band:	Gwar
Album:	Violence Has Arrived
Style:	Punk, Alternative metal, Hardcore, Thrash metal
Release date:	2001
A review by:	jupitreas

01. Hell Intro
02. Battle Lust
03. Abyss Of Woe
04. Anti-Anti Christ
05. The Apes Of Wrath
06. Immortal Corrupter
07. Beauteous Rot
08. Licksore
09. Bloody Mary
10. Bile Driver
11. The Wheel
12. The Song Of Words
13. Happy Death-Day

GWAR - the sickest and perhaps weirdest band in the world. What happened to them? They used to be very popular back in the early nineties but now no one really knows anything about them (except for the die-hard fan base that they have in San Francisco and people like myself). Well, I think I know what happened to them: while post-"America Must Be Destroyed" albums were really good, they just weren't metal anymore. GWAR has jumped onto the hardcore/punk bandwagon (even such obscure comparisons as GWAR and The Aquabats have appeared). The only problem with that was that most of the GWAR fans were thrash fans and albums like "Scumdogs of the Universe" or the superb "America Must Be Destroyed" blew their hats off by the band's aggressive, punchy thrash assault with novelty lyrics. Later on, GWAR still included an average of about 2 thrash songs per album; however that was nowhere near enough. Well, here is the good news: "Violence Has Arrived" is back-to-the-roots, aggressive thrash metal with some very well placed hardcore motives. In other words: the Scumdogs are back with a vengeance!

What is even better is that this new album actually beats most previous achievements of this band in the brutality/heaviness department. They have vastly improved over the last decade; however, due to the nature of the music that they were playing during this time, they didn't have a chance to display their abilities in a metal form. Well, now they do. Throughout most of the album you will hear wild, blitzkrieg double kick drumming, technical guitar acrobatics and well-played solos. That is something no one would have expected from this band and therefore makes this album attractive. This is actually a CREDIBLE thrash album! It is actually capable of competing even with the best thrash bands out there. The best songs on this album are also the fastest: "Battle Lust", "Apes Of Wrath", and "Licksore". Others are slightly slower, although they are still heavy and have lots to offer. "Immortal Corruptor" features a very 80's metallic part, while "Abyss Of Woe" comes together with Slayer inspired guitar licks. Oderus Urungus sings on all of the songs. His deep, growling voice fits rather well to the music, although I think he should scream more. What is also a misunderstanding to me is: Why does Beefcake The Mighty, the band's bass player, sing so little on this album? He is the GWAR member with the most brutal voice; however, his role here is limited to only singing backup vocals on "Apes Of Wrath". I think that is a big mistake. Luckily, this problem is easily forgotten when one actually listens to what Oderus sings. The trademark lyrics are here and they totally rule! If you enjoy some grotesque, macabre humor, this is the place to go! This is the best GWAR album for a very long time and therefore, I think I can recommend it not only to die-hard fans of the band, but also to any casual metal listener. With this album, GWAR has proved to us once again, that they offer much more than just a very effective show and that they can record some good music too. Before you go out and buy this album, let me only warn you of one thing: if you believe in the concept of RIAA stickers on albums, this is not for you! Otherwise, enjoy!

(originally written in February 2002)