"Gonna Kill U" is a lighter-swaying, pseudo-soulful murder ballad by the American shock rock band GWAR. Though not as overtly heavy as a Gwar song such as "Gor-Gor," "Gonna Kill U" shows a decidedly softer side of Gwar's menacing intent. Gwar, known for its elaborate and theatrical stage shows, was formed in Richmond, Virginia, in 1984. The band is famous for its outrageous costumes, grotesque stage presence, and often politically incorrect and satirical lyrics.
"Gonna Kill U" appears on GWAR's sixth studio album, Carnival of Chaos, released in 1997. It seemingly marked a departure from their earlier sound; rather than incorporating elements of metal or trash-style punk rock, the track is one of their more melodic, acoustic-like compositions and seemingly borrows a bit from the vocal stylings of singers like Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder.
Does this Gwar song mean anything? (Let's hope not)
As for the specific content and meaning of "Gonna Kill U," it's important to note that GWAR's lyrics are often dark, provocative, and filled with exaggerated and fictional themes. Gwar's lyrics are often intentionally offensive, so, somewhat ironically, this song is not among Gwar's most offensive songs, despite being about "killing you" and "slicing your face up" (and all the other things potentially implied by such lyrics). The song likely fits within the overall shock rock style of the band, with themes of violence, gore, and aggression, which are common in their music. In a way, Gwar functions as a monster-based parody of parental fears of "metalheads" and punk rockers, taken to a comically exaggerated, self-parodying extreme.
However, without analyzing the song's lyrics in detail, it's challenging to provide a comprehensive interpretation. So go ahead and analyze "Gonna Kill You," if you are so inclined. Stare into that abyss. As some specialists have noted, it can be therapeutic because “Music creates powerful connections between people as it provides a means to communicate, entertain, remember, mourn, or celebrate the lives of people...” Granted, those specialists likely weren't referring to bands like Gwar, and we have discussed specialists who warn about music with violent lyrics...but the point remains.
Additional throights related to Gwar and "Gonna Kill U"
- The cover art for the album Carnival of Chaos does not feature graphic depictions of piles of murdered people or anything that extreme. It's basically just the band Gwar in costume. Relax. Granted, some extreme heavy metal lyrics seem like they could have been taken from the diaries of Charles Manson and/or war criminals, so this album may still not be for you.
- Gwar's lyrics may seem cruel and strange, but keep in mind that human history is absolutely brimming with cruel and strange facts, such as how Romans would make slaves fight each other to the death as a part of funeral ceremonies. Plus, just look at news headlines and coverage and see (often well-paid) people justifying real atrocities in real-time, then try to tell us societal violence is all , or mostly, Gwar's fault