GWAR has announced the first leg of “The Black Death Rager World Tour” which will see the band touch down in Europe for the first time in almost three years.

The trek kicks off July 29 in Tilburg, Netherlands and runs through August 18 in London, United Kingdom. In addition to the GWAR headline shows, the tour also features stops at the Free And Easy, Wacken Open Air, Pol’land’Rok and Bloodstock Open Air festivals.

The Berserker Blothar had this to say about the coming trek: “Ah, Europe, the Old Country. We shall sweep across the continent like the plague, bringing pestilence and death and our unquenchable thirst for heavy metal glory.”

Fans can expect to hear all their GWAR favorites and blistering new tracks from the band’s new album, “The New Dark Ages”, which will be released June 3 on CD and digital, and on September 16 on vinyl and cassette via GWAR‘s own label Pit Records. The art was created by Alex Horley.

“The Black Death Rager World Tour” dates

Jul. 29 – Tilburg, NL @ 013
Jul. 31 – Berlin, DE @ SO 26
Aug. 02 – Munich, DE @ Free and Easy Festival*
Aug. 03 – Essen, DE @ Turock
Aug. 04 – Wacken, DE @ Wacken*
Aug. 05 – Makowice, PL @ Pol’and’Rok Festival*
Aug. 08 – Dover, UK @ The Booking Hall
Aug. 09 – Brighton, UK @ Chalk
Aug. 10 – Bristol, UK @Fleece
Aug. 12 – Catton Park, UK @ Bloodstock Open Air*
Aug. 13 – Norwich, UK @ Waterfront
Aug. 14 – Leeds, UK @ Key Club
Aug. 16 – Glasgow, UK @ Garage
Aug. 17 – Manchester, UK @ Club Academy
Aug. 18 – London, UK @ The Dome

* Festival appearance

“The New Dark Ages” album concept is tied to a companion graphic novel, “GWAR In The Duoverse Of Absurdity”, which will 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. On “The New Dark Ages”, our heroes floorboard it through a kaleidoscope of hard-driving heavy metal, and rock and fucking roll, building on their hilarious mythos, introducing cool new characters, and cataloging mankind’s hapless abandonment of their passions, rituals, and beliefs.

“GWAR In The Duoverse Of Absurdity” chronicles the epic battle between GWAR and their doppelgangers from an alternate universe the band discovers behind their treasured Magic Mirror. The book uses an innovative storytelling technique that combines words and pictures printed on paper (made from real trees!) in a seamless format we are calling a “graphic novel.” The tale is illustrated by the masterful talents of Andy MacDonald (“Wolverine”, “Dr Strange”, “Wonder Woman”), Shane White (“Things Undone”, “Braun”, “Endless Summer”), Matt Maguire (GWAR) and Bob Gorman (GWAR).