In 2003 Andy LaPlegua of "Icon of Coil" wrote a few power noise/techno cross over tracks under the name of "D.R.I.V.E.". This was changed to "Combichrist" when the debut album, "The Joy of Gunz" was set to be released on Out Of Line. The name Combichrist originates from a hardcore fanzine LaPlegua made during the late 90s, with "JR Ewing" guitarist Håkon Mella.
The follow up EPs, and the clamour for live shows, sent Combichrist out on the road where they would become known for their strong and energetic performances.
Their second EP, "Sex, Drogen und Industrial", spent 7 weeks at number one in the DAC charts.
In March of 2007 they released their third album "What The Fuck Is Wrong With You People?". "Today We Are All Demons", was released on January 20th, 2009.
The band had been selected to support industrial metal band "Rammstein" for their 2009 European tour and continued to support them during the 2010 part of the tour.
August 2010 saw the release of "Making Monsters", which had full tracks available for streaming on the website, each track being rolled out for a new one. Combichrist undertook a tour in support of the new album in late 2010, with "Aesthetic Perfection" and "iVardensphere" as the support bands.
Their most recent album, "No Redemption", was released in January of 2013 in both single and 2CD versions. This album was the official soundtrack album for the video game "Devil May Cry". The limited edition bonus CD was essentially a greatest hits compilation.
March 2014 will see the release of a new album titled "We Love You", with an accompanying tour of North America starting in April. "William Control" and "New Years Day" have been announced as the support bands.
Combichrist have had much more success than many of the other acts emerging from the electronic underground and the band have become one of the dark electro scene's most popular live acts.
The roster of live members is currently Joe Letz (ex "Genitorturers"), Mr Petersen, Z_Marr (ex "Hell Trash"), Kourtney Klein (who also played drums for the reformed "Nitzer Ebb") and Trevor Friedrich who was the drummer for "Eighteen Visions" and "Imperative Reaction". Past live members include Håkon Mella, Bjoern Petersen, Syn M, Shaun Frandsen & Jon H.
The band's website is at: www.combichrist.com
This Is The Joy Of Gunz
Combichrist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Collect 'em, swap 'em
Give them to your witch doctor friends
Now, shrunken heads for all occasions
Collect 'em, swap 'em
Give them to your witch doctor friends
Collect 'em, swap 'em
Give them to your witch doctor friends
Now, shrunken heads for all occasions
Collect 'em, swap 'em
Give them to your witch doctor friends
Now, shrunken heads for all occasions
Collect 'em, swap 'em
Give them to your witch doctor friends
The lyrics of Combichrist's song "This Is The Joy Of Gunz" often evoke a controversial reaction from listeners due to its dark and aggressive nature. The refrain of "shrunken heads for all occasions" gives a glimpse into the macabre and twisted themes of the song. The repeated lines also emphasize the idea of collecting and swapping, which adds an almost playful tone to the lyrics, but with a disturbing and sinister edge.
The imagery of shrunken heads is tied to the concept of voodoo and black magic, an eerie and mysterious subject that has long fascinated people. By giving the shrunken heads to "witch doctor friends," the song hints at a dark and dangerous world with rituals and practices that are not for the faint of heart. The repeated use of "now" suggests an urgency or immediacy to the actions being described, as if encouraging the listener to participate in these practices themselves.
The lyrics of "This Is The Joy Of Gunz" may seem shocking or even offensive to some, but they also speak to humanity's fascination with the darker aspects of life. In a way, they are a reflection of our own primal desires and fears, which often manifest in shocking and disturbing ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, shrunken heads for all occasions
Let's celebrate the perverse pleasure of gun violence by reducing human beings to mere objects, collectible and interchangeable.
Collect 'em, swap 'em
Make a game of the violence we inflict upon each other. Treat the corpses like trading cards, objects to be acquired and traded as novelty items.
Give them to your witch doctor friends
Share the grotesque trophies of your violence with others who embrace the same primal, savage pleasures. It's a twisted show of camaraderie.
Now, shrunken heads for all occasions
The joy of gun violence is not limited to any particular incident or context. It's an ever-present urge, a constant celebration of power through destruction.
Collect 'em, swap 'em
We take the thrill of the kill even further by turning it into a hobby, a passion that transcends the immediate act of violence and extends into the realm of fetishization.
Give them to your witch doctor friends
We seek validation for our violent tendencies in the approval and participation of others who share our excitement. We create a community built on the perverse joy of gunz.
Now, shrunken heads for all occasions
We revel in the power that guns give us, the ability to take life at will and assert our dominance over others. The shrunken heads represent not just trophies, but symbols of that power.
Collect 'em, swap 'em
We reduce human beings to objects, stripping them of their humanity and turning them into commodities. The act of collecting and trading shrunken heads is an extension of that dehumanization.
Give them to your witch doctor friends
We create a network of those who understand and celebrate the primal pleasure of gun violence, a group of like-minded individuals who embrace the darkness and fetishize the power of destruction.
Now, shrunken heads for all occasions
We take joy in the act of violence itself, regardless of the context or consequence. The shrunken heads are symbols of our bloodlust, a physical manifestation of the thrill we get from the power of gunz.
Collect 'em, swap 'em
We turn violence into a game, reducing it to the level of childish behavior. Swapping shrunken heads is like trading marbles or baseball cards, a way of taking the brutality out of killing and making it into something fun.
Give them to your witch doctor friends
We seek validation and belonging by sharing our love of gun violence with others who feel the same way. The witch doctors represent a community of acceptance, where our perverse passions are celebrated and embraced.
Contributed by Hailey F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
𓆣Desert Nebula𓂀
I forgot how amazing this album was 😩🙌🏽🖤
Cooking Christmas dinner while jamming 😌
KungFuPasta
Please make sure this never goes away!
Heretic
Yeah, you bet 😉
death's witch
I agree, this album isn't even on andys channel and i love listening to this
Serafina Marosha: Soul Bliss
What a shame my headphones do not go louder. Such a tragedy.
William Sobolewski
This sounds industrial I like it, the later albums sound to metal like in my opinion
Serafina Marosha: Soul Bliss
Agreed.
Robotinik Sputinik
Joy to the world makes me think of a dinosaur that's hunting me and my mates. I'm driving a jeep and my mates and I literally have to shoot back at it protect ourselves.
Redlight
Best album, pediod.
Godless Heathen
I was looking for joy to the world & this album on Spotify and they don't have it on their discography. Why???