The Blood of Gods is the fourteenth album by thrash metal band Gwar. It was released on October 20, 2017 by Metal Blade Records.[1] It is the band's first album without founding member Dave Brockie, who portrayed Oderus Urungus, due to his heroin overdose death on March 23, 2014.[2] The album is also the first to feature Michael Bishop since 1999's We Kill Everything, portraying the newest character, lead singer Blöthar the Berserker, as opposed to his role as the original Beefcake the Mighty.[3] It is the band's last album to feature Jamison Land as Beefcake before his departure in 2019 as well as the last to be released through Metal Blade.
| The Blood of Gods | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 20, 2017 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Thrash metal, heavy metal | |||
| Length | 55:50 | |||
| Label | Metal Blade | |||
| Producer | Ronan Chris Murphy | |||
| Gwar chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| MetalSucks |    [4] |
Overview
editThe album's description reads:
"The Blood of Gods, is nothing less than a sacred text chronicling the rise of humanity against their makers, and the massive battle between Gwar and the forces of all that is uptight and wrong with the world (War on GWAR). Along the way, the band challenges the sins of their great mistake, from politics (El Presidente), pollution (Swarm), and organized religion (Crushed By the Cross), to fast food (Death to Dickie Duncan), and factory farming (Auroch). Humans are shown as what they are; a parasitical disease that must be eradicated before they suck the planet dry.
The Blood of Gods is the first Gwar album without the band's fallen leader, Oderus Urungus. The title of the album refers to the loss of Oderus and the struggles and triumphs that produced the new sound of the band. Born of adversity, The Blood of Gods is a sonic scar... a question asked and answered... Death cannot kill Gwar. Nothing can."[5]
During their set on the first day of the 2017 Vans Warped Tour, the band debuted "Fuck This Place",[6] a tribute to Oderus Urungus.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "War on Gwar" | 7:21 |
| 2. | "Viking Death Machine" | 4:15 |
| 3. | "El Presidente" (vocals by Blöthar the Berserker, Beefcake the Mighty, Jizmak Da Gusha, Balsac the Jaws of Death, and Pustulus Maximus) | 4:21 |
| 4. | "I'll Be Your Monster" | 3:09 |
| 5. | "Auroch" | 4:05 |
| 6. | "Swarm" | 4:33 |
| 7. | "The Sordid Soliloquy of Sawborg Destructo" (vocals by Sawborg Destructo) | 4:07 |
| 8. | "Death to Dickie Duncan" (featuring MC Chris) | 3:39 |
| 9. | "Crushed By the Cross" (vocals by Pustulus Maximus) | 3:57 |
| 10. | "Fuck This Place" | 5:08 |
| 11. | "Phantom Limb" | 6:10 |
| 12. | "If You Want Blood (You Got It)" (AC/DC cover) | 5:05 |
| Total length: | 55:50 | |
- "Fuck This Place" contains an unlisted orchestral reprise of "War on Gwar" after the main song concludes. Vinyl pressings of the album feature a re-ordered track listing and place the reprise at the end of side C, following "Crushed By the Cross."
Personnel
edit- Mike Bishop (Blöthar the Berserker) – lead vocals, bass on "Viking Death Machine" and "Crushed By the Cross"
- Brent Purgason (Pustulus Maximus) – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Crushed By the Cross", additional vocals on "El Presidente" and "Death to Dickie Duncan"
- Mike Derks (Balsac the Jaws of Death) – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, additional vocals on "El Presidente"
- Jamison Land (Beefcake the Mighty) – bass, backing vocals, additional vocals on "El Presidente" and "Fuck This Place", glockenspiel
- Brad Roberts (Jizmak Da Gusha) – drums, percussion, additional vocals on "El Presidente" and "Fuck This Place"
- Matt Maguire (Sawborg Destructo) – lead vocals on "The Sordid Soliloquy of Sawborg Destructo"
- Bob Gorman (Bonesnapper) – spoken words at the end of "If You Want Blood"
- MC Chris (Dickie Duncan) – additional vocals on "Death to Dickie Duncan" and "Fuck This Place"
- Jenna Ottinger – additional vocals on "War on Gwar" and "Crushed By the Cross"
- JW Adkins – orchestral arrangement on "War on Gwar" reprise
- Danny T. Levin – all horns and horn arrangements on "El Presidente"
- Jonah Kane-West – B3 organ on "Viking Death Machine", "I'll Be Your Monster", and "Phantom Limb"
- Nicole Roberts – additional percussion, tambourine, vibraslap, and Tibetan chimes
- Mark Kilborn – additional sound design
- Ronan Chris Murphy – production, keyboards, additional percussion, and backing vocals
Charts
edit| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[7] | 12 |
| US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[8] | 13 |
| US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[9] | 45 |
References
edit- ^ "GWAR Announces Full Details Of New Album "The Blood Of Gods"". Metal Blade Records. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
- ^ Grow, Kory (3 June 2014). "Gwar Frontman's Death Ruled Heroin Overdose". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ Kennelty, Greg (15 June 2017). "GWAR To Release The Blood Of Gods This Fall". Metal Injection. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
- ^ "Album Review: GWAR's The Blood of Gods | MetalSucks". MetalSucks. 2017-10-11. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
- ^ "Gwar "The Blood of Gods" CD". Indiemerch. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- ^ "Gwar Performs New Song 'F**K This Place' In Seattle (Video)". Blabbermouth. 19 June 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
- ^ "Gwar Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ "Gwar Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- ^ "Gwar Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
External links
edit- "Gwar - The Blood Of Gods MP3 Music Download". CD Universe. Retrieved August 19, 2017.