Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada's The Metal Voice spoke with Gwar’s Frontman Blöthar the Berserker, Video interview below.
The band's new album 'The New Dark Ages' will be released via Pit Records June 3, 2022
Watch Full interview here
When asked about the new album
"To me our record sounds like a record that needed to be made right now. You put on records today and they feel like they all sound the same. Bands are very into repeating themselves in a lot of ways. Gwar is very liberating because we don't have to make the same record over and over again. We use a lot of Tri Tones in some songs which sort of the mark of the Voivod I suppose. Also we wanted to have songs that captured almost an Alice Cooper feel that were varied enough that it would satisfy us as musicians that is what we are interested in doing. I think you have to do what you want to do. I think this record shows that there are things we can teach. This is a band that has never gotten it's due musically. "
When asked about the upcoming documentary
"The Documentary is actually finished I think it's going through a final edit here and there. By and large it's done and I think people are gonna love it. It really explains a lot about the band and about the human side of Gwar which believe it or not does exist. There is really nothing like it. There is nothing like what Gwar puts on stage but there is nothing like the organization that makes it. The documentary is coming out around the same time as the album a little bit later, I think it's July 2022. There is a big announcement that is coming on how it will be available streaming but I don't think we can talk about it yet. It will also have a somewhat of a theatrical release. "
When asked about Iron Maiden as an influence on Gwar
"I love Iron Maiden but it always bothered me that Steve Harris had a problem with Punk Rock for some reason. Especially when you can hear it in some of what they are doing around the Killers era. Steve Harris is a big influence on Gwar whether he likes it or not and he probably doesn't like it. "
When asked about his thoughts on Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
"He is so cute, he is like Justin Beiber, he is just adorable and as far as world leaders go I just want to pinch his little hiney. It took me a long time to figure out that Canada wasn't one big ugly state. But now I understand it is it's own country and it should start acting like it damn it. "
"The New Dark Ages" track listing:
01. New Dark Age
02. Blood Libel
03. Berserker Mode
04. Mother Fucking Liar
05. Unto the Breach
06. Completely Fucked
07. The Cutter
08. Rise Again
09. The Beast Will Eat Itself
10. The Venom Of The Platypus
11. Ratcatcher
12. Bored to Death
13. Death Whistle Suite:
- Temple Ascent
- Starving Gods
- Deus Ex Monstrum
Art by Alex Horley
The album concept is tied to a companion graphic novel "GWAR In The Duoverse Of Absurdity", which will also be released by Z2 Comics on June 3. In the graphic novel, the bandmembers are sucked off into an alternate universe to do battle with their evil twins and the specter of rogue technology.
In support of the album, GWAR will return to the road this spring on "The Black Death Rager World Tour". The trek starts May 19 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and runs through June 17 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Support will be provided by GOATWHORE, THE NATIVE HOWL and NEKROGOBLIKON.
Following the U.S. leg of the tour, GWAR will return to Europe this summer, including appearances at the Bloodstock Open Air and Wacken Open Air festivals.
GWAR with CROWBAR, THE NATIVE HOWL, NEKROGOBLIKON:
May 19 - Ft. Wayne, IN @ Piere’s*
May 20 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant* (PointFest PreParty)
May 21 - Wichita, KS @ TempleLive*
May 23 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
May 24 - Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater
May 26 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
May 27 - Chico, CA @ Senator Theatre
May 28 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
May 29 - Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
May 31 - San Antonio, TX @ Vibes Event Center
Jun. 02 - Destin, FL @ Club LA
Jun. 03 - Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal
Jun. 04 - Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
Jun. 05 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
Jun. 07 - Joliet, IL @ The Forge
Jun. 08 - Green Bay, WI @ EPIC Event Center
Jun. 10 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Jun. 11 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Jun. 12 - Albany, NY @ Empire Live
Jun. 14 - Hampton Beach, NH @ Wally’s
Jun. 15 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Jun. 16 - Providence, RI @ The Strand
Jun. 17 - Reading, PA @ Reverb
* No CROWBAR
"This Is GWAR", the powerful story of the most iconic heavy metal/art collective/monster band in the universe, as told by the humans who have fought to keep it alive for over thirty years, will premiere at this year's Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. The documentary contains interviews with the GWAR bandmembers, both past and present, as well as other artists, including Weird Al Yankovic, Thomas Lennnon, Alex Winter, Bam Margera and Ethan Embry, including never-before-seen footage of legendary GWAR frontman Dave Brockie.
"This Is GWAR" was directed by Scott Barber ("Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story"),with producers Tommy Avallone ("Bill Murray Stories") and Josh Goldbloom ("V/H/S/94"). Executive producers include Bill Parks, Zach Blair, Matthew Helderman and Luke Taylor. The film was edited by Casey Matthews.
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