IoMP 90: GWAR: Gimmick or Genius?
The Influencers of Metal are launching a brand new segment: “Gimmick or Genius?” — where Collin and Tom ask one simple question about your favorite bands… are they brilliant innovators or just weirdos in costumes?
In this debut episode, the boys tackle GWAR, the kings of chaos and fake bodily fluids. What started as a shock-rock joke in the ’80s became a multimedia metal empire — complete with lore, comic books, festivals, and a literal restaurant.
But can GWAR’s music stand on its own without the outrageous stage antics? Collin and Tom dive deep into the band’s legacy, the death (and resurrection) of their frontman, and how GWAR blurred the line between art, theater, and absolute insanity.
This one’s messy, loud, and gloriously stupid — just how metal should be. Click play to hear the full blood soaked fun!
DISCLAIMER: Copyright Exceptions under the Copyright Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42), allowance is made for "fair dealing" for the purposes of criticism or review.
Check out more from the Influencers of Metal Podcast!
Few bands have disrupted heavy music quite like The Hu. But does that make them rock... or metal?
Festival season has arrived, and so it’s time for us to explore some of the biggest festivals in the world.
Is Sleep Token one of modern metal's greatest success stories—or one of its most overhyped bands?
Collin, Tom and the Pumpkin Queen break down their June listens, listener recommendations, and the albums dominating their playlists — featuring everything from doom metal and hardcore to metalcore madness
Heavy metal didn’t appear overnight. It crawled out of the blues, turned up the distortion, and terrified everyone’s grandparents.
Collin and Tom are travelling to Uzbekistan to uncover one of the world’s lesser-known metal scenes.
Collin and Tom launch their new series “Is It Really a Subgenre?” by diving headfirst into the legendary meme known as Crabcore.
Guitar Hero 5 has Iron Maiden, Rammstein, Dethklok and Children of Bodom… but somehow still only clocks in at around 10% metal. So where does it rank in the “Most Metal Guitar Hero Game” tournament?
Collin and Tom dive into the weirdest, funniest, and most confusing metal covers ever recorded.
This time, metal’s most iconic duo talk about the metal bands they wish were still around.
Frozen Soul, Jungle Rot, Faith No More, Cryptosis, Venom, Castle Rat, and more take center stage in the May 2026 edition of “What Have You Been Listening To?”
Collin and Tom dive into the weirdly perfect crossover between TV themes and metal music, debating which classic intros would make incredible metal songs.
Collin and Tom dive into the brutal world of Dethklok and Metalocalypse to decide whether the legendary cartoon band is a gimmick or one of metal’s greatest accidental success stories.
We're diving into the best Viking metal bands of all time!