The story of GWAR is carved across the history of this barren and hopeless planet, but GWAR themselves are not of this world… their story begins in the deepest reaches of outer space. Long ago, the beings who would become the rock band GWAR were part of an elite fighting force, the Scumdogs of the Universe. For eons, they served as thralls to a supreme being known only as the Master. But one by one, each future member of the band earned a glaring reputation for being an intergalactic fuck-up.
And so, they were banished, sent away on a fool’s errand to conquer an insignificant shitball floating in a dark corner of the universe; the planet Earth. Once here, GWAR shaped the face of the globe, destroying and rebuilding the natural world, and giving rise to all of human history. Aliens to some, gods and demons to others, our erstwhile Scumdogs fucked apes to create the human race, and this fateful unplanned pregnancy would prove to be truly disastrous!
1. Hell-O! (1988)
GWAR’s debut album establishes their lore as barbaric interstellar warriors banished to Earth by “The Master” to freeze in Antarctica. The band play sooth-sayers to the United States and modern human civilization in general, who have come to torture and enslave Earth for their own perverse, sadistic pleasures.
Despite having superpowers, GWAR is not without enemies – a character known as Techno-Destructo has followed the band to Earth to recruit or enslave them to serve “The Master” in a holy jihad against the universe.
2. Scumdogs of the Universe (1990)
It is about the Scumdogs’ (GWAR) reign of terror on planet Earth. The album details various perverse exploits by the group, such as in the song “Slaughterama,” about a game show in which they’re killing hippies and skinheads. The album also details how the band ended up on Earth.
3. America Must Be Destroyed (1991)
Revolves around an elite “Morality Squad” that attacked the members of GWAR and stole Oderus’s penile attachment (a.k.a. Cuttlefish of Cthulu, a phallic hell beast that normally dangles from his crotch). The opening song, “Ham on the Bone” (which has a nod to grindcore) explains this robbery.
The story then shifts to GWAR headquarters in Antarctica, where Oderus’s slaves are ordered to shoot up a dinosaur egg with crack. The result is the mighty Gor Gor, a Tyrannosaurus Rex that wreaks havoc on America. Meanwhile, the Morality Squad has enlisted the help of Father Bohab (a Catholic priest) to crucify GWAR in the media.
4. This Toilet Earth (1994)
The enemy is now Skulhedface, an alien queen who was deformed in a Synnite Warrior raid on her planet centuries before. In retaliation, she travels to Antarctica, encounters GWAR while they are hibernating, and steals their Jizmoglobin, or life force. Her midget slave Flopsy and she then create a creature made up of the melded parts of evil historical figures (such as Hitler) called the Flesh Column.
Skulhedface disguises herself as an evil executive for the Glomco corporation and uses propaganda to turn GWAR into sickeningly cuddly cartoon characters. Meanwhile, GWAR discovers that the World Maggot is their only opportunity to escape Earth, but Skullhedface stands in their way. GWAR must regain their Jizmoglobin and catch the maggot in time.
5. Ragnarök (1995)
The story involves Oderus and Slymenstra being forcibly mated with the aid of rogue space aliens. Meanwhile, a comet hurtling towards planet Earth is inciting the populace to revolt, and anarchy has set in all over the globe.
An AIDS-like plague has crippled the masses who await the meteor’s arrival and their subsequent death. It turns out that the comet is actually Cardinal Syn, a robotic agent of harsh Catholic dogma. Syn is representing the Nazi Pope, who is demanding that all bow down to him and obey his insane whims. But Syn is drawn to Slymenstra’s alien baby, for a reason that is left for the listener to uncover…
6. Carnival of Chaos (1997)
The album presents a dark, satirical “traveling show” or circus, often interpreted as a parody of societal corruption, presenting the band as ringmasters of a dysfunctional, degenerate world, and involves Techno Destruct launching one final attack on GWAR.
7. We Kill Everything (1999)
This story chronicles GWAR’s relationship with their Master and the aftermath of their defiance. While GWAR was exiled to Earth, mystic Scumdog Scroda Moon went to search for them, only to be stranded on the moon with a tablet (that he himself carved, according to the movie and concerts) that supposedly chronicles all of time’s events from the beginning to the end.
After landing on Earth, GWARsomehow gets a hold of the tablet and breaks it into pieces, which are promptly stolen (the album does not go into any more detail beyond this), and must be returned, else the Master would come to destroy GWAR.
Moon, dismissed as a crackpot, summons his inter-dimensional “portal potty” to assist them in their search – to which GWAR agrees, on the condition that he smoke crack and drink with them. After his initiation and combat with various creatures holding the pieces, Scroda’s limbs are separated from his body, and he dies, only to be revived and improved by Slymenstra Hymen.
8. Violence Has Arrived (2001)
Most of the songs feature brutal medieval overtones and poetic lyrics, with occasional sprinklings of GWAR’s trademark over-the-top humor.
Though multiple songs mention an antagonist named The Black Pope, the album does not feature any sort of direct storyline, with the band instead opting for general mayhem and chaos.
9. War Party (2004)
About a fictional political party named “The War Party”, with policies dedicated specifically to the eradication of the human race by supporting global war and hatred, under the “Krosstika”, a symbol crossing the Christian cross and the Nazi swastika
10. Beyond Hell (2006)
Revolves around the band’s journey to hell and their epic battle with the devil. GWAR is ambushed by the Nazi Pope’s armies, who bomb the band’s fortress and force them underground. As GWAR delves deeper into the Earth, they find the entrance to Hell and are greeted by Jitler, a hybrid of Jesus Christ and Adolf Hitler, who aids in their journey through the underworld.
Along the way, the band fights various demons and monsters on their quest to kill Satan. When they arrive at his fortress, they discover Satan is actually a minotaur-like creature named Jewcifer (voiced by Matt Maguire). Jewcifer proves to be a worthy foe and has GWAR on the ropes, until they summon their mighty tyrannosaurus Gor-Gor to defeat him.
After defeating Jewcifer, GWAR returns to the surface only to find their fortress is still destroyed, and they have nothing to show for their efforts. They concede that their journey was virtually pointless and smoke a crack boulder sent by their manager, Sleazy P. Martini
11. Lust in Space (2009)
The album’s story involves GWAR hijacking a Scumdog spaceship (the Scumship) and finally leaving Earth. While they travel through space and plan interplanetary escapades, they are met by old foe Cardinal Syn, who attempts to destroy GWAR once and for all.
After seeking guidance from an old Scumdog general (who proves to be useless), GWAR finally defeats Syn and readies themselves to conquer the galaxy. On the album, they promise to routinely return to Earth to keep humanity “up to date with war” while on the tour, they begrudgingly return to Earth after remembering it’s the only known planet in the universe that has crack cocaine.
12. Bloody Pit of Horror (2010)
The Scumdogs, having escaped Earth, return to create an army of undead slaves in their titular “Pit” to battle an upgraded Sawborg Destructo.
13. Battle Maximus (2013)
The story of the album revolves around Mr. Perfect, a powerful time-traveling overlord who has laid waste to the future-Earth and travels to the present to destroy GWAR. Mr. Perfect and his followers, The Perfects, encompass the Earth in a “metal cocoon” that blocks out the Sun.
The Perfects then enslave the human race and perform grotesque experiments on them. During GWAR’s fight with Mr. Perfect and his forces, the now-mutated humans rebel and aid GWAR in Mr. Perfect’s defeat
14. The Blood of Gods (2017)
The album’s story involves the armies of Earth joining forces to destroy GWAR , successfully bombing the band’s Antarctic fortress.
Unbeknownst to them, GWAR survives the attack and, after reflecting on their time on Earth, take their revenge on humanity. Along the way, the band’s manager, Sleazy P. Martini, convinces them to write a radio-friendly song in an attempt to make as much money as possible.
15. The New Dark Ages (2022)
GWAR, now lost in the Duoverse (“like the multiverse, but it’s a little shittier”), is joining forces with a “murderous maven” known as The Cutter and fighting off living monuments and undead soldiers waging a New Civil War.
Many of the album’s songs contain themes of societal destruction brought about by an over-reliance on the internet and technology for instant gratification, as well as the spread of unhinged conspiracy theories.
16. The Return of Gor Gor (2025)
“The last time I saw Gor Gor he was just a wee fart dragon. He had crawled on the hood of my Kia Soul and was holding on for dear life while I drove to the store to buy Clamato. I bathed him in wiper fluid and used my wipers to knock him off my sweet ride. Next thing I know, he’s a 20-foot tall trans-species prostitute working a pickle park. Apparently, he’s all grown up and looking for revenge. This record chronicles his struggles as a young Dino- American trying to make his way in a cruel world.”