With GWAR's 11th full-length album Lust in Space debuting in stores Tuesday, August 18th as their follow up album from 2006's Beyond Hell, some will say the out-of-this-world heavy metal stage extremists are "back" and others, well... Others will be thinking "God What an Awful Racket!" Why would some maybe think that, aside from the fact that it's the acronym for their name? Somehow, it makes you feel as if GWAR is falling into the ever-so-trending experimental/metalcore genre-- or as it is now called, mathcore, even though it's the instrumentals that have that sound, and not the vocals. As you keep listening to it, you'll find that this album is definitely a different breed compared to what some people have heard out of GWAR over the last decade or so; it can either grow on you while listening to it more or you'll feel that it is a "hit and miss."

Lust in Space begins with its title track that starts out with creeping acoustics that emanate into an array of metalcore, melodic, and thrash instrumentals with clean singing/talking vocals that have an implementing hint of punk. With the arrangement of how this song is set up, it should be used as GWAR's opening song for their set list on their upcoming 2009 Fall tour.

Old-school fans will find a certain nostalgia while listening to Let Us Slay and especially Metal Metal Land with their not just alluded, but distinct punk vocals. Although, Let Us Slay has what some would convey as annoying experimental instrumentals and a guitar solo that doesn't seem very innovative or original, this track does have a very catchy melody and chorus that once you listen to it the second time, you'll have the urge to hear to it over and over. Metal Metal Land, on the other hand, represents a story of what most perceive heavy metal to be with lyrics of "Heavy metal is the law, with this means a broken jaw, everything is loud and fast, metal up your fucking ass!" This song will be an anthem for many who are passionate, diehard metalheads.

Aside from the few scattered tracks that may make you feel the need to press the skip button, there are those selective songs that make the album worthwhile such as Lords and Masters and Release the Flies; both filled with intensity and diversity. In Lords and Masters, it first catches your attention with an opening riff that seems to sound like GWAR's version of Ace of Spades, but when you keep listening, it morphs into originality with punk, thrash, metalcore, and even a hint of 80s metal all meshed together that create a very unique sound. If this song is to be played live, one can only imagine how remorseless and maniacal the pits will become. Release the Flies is a track that has the heaviest vocals; they act as if they're going to go into a full-blown "metalcore" song, but the song does a surprising turn that will have you reminiscing in Black Sabbath with it's tuned down and melodic guitars.

Lust in Space is an album that is filled with elements of punk, trash, melody, metalcore, and lyrics that are purely ridiculous, yet totally GWAR.

My rating: 3 out of 5