The Locust are a band formed in 1994 in San Diego, USA. They are known for… Read Full Bio ↴The Locust are a band formed in 1994 in San Diego, USA. They are known for their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, complexity, and new wave weirdness. They take inspiration from powerviolence (Crossed Out, Dropdead), experimental rock (Art Bears, Renaldo and the Loaf), and death metal.

The Locust was formed by Justin Pearson, Bobby Bray, Dylan Scharf, Dave Warshaw, and Dave Astor. After a number of personnel changes, they arrived at their current four-piece lineup in 2001, consisting of Pearson, Bray, Gabe Serbian, and Joey Karam. Originally a powerviolence band with a strong tendency towards synth-based passages, they have more recently stripped down much of their past sound, but retained the heavy distortion, synthesizers, screamed vocals, and intense stage presence. On the band's unique sound and live presentations, singer/bassist Justin Pearson has said, "I wanted to change the way people perceive music, or maybe just destroy it in general." Their music is complex, dynamic and fast-paced, often featuring abrupt and inconsistent time-signature changes. These erratic elements are, according to guitarist Bobby Bray, "a reflection of perhaps how our brains have to function in order to be able to do anything in the Western societies we live in."

The Locust have a unique stage presence: costumed in skin-tight, full body nylon suits (which the band refer to as uniforms), they have at times come across to first-time viewers as frightening. The last 5 different suits were designed and made by Ben Warwas. Unlike most bands, which normally have the drums set up behind the other members, the four members of The Locust are usually all positioned in a line at the front of the stage. The group recommends that in order to get the full impact of the music, one should see them live. The Locust boycotts Clear Channel Communications and refuse to play in any Clear Channel-owned venues. This boycott affected a 2005 tour with Fantômas as well as another tour with Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They also have a policy of only playing all-ages shows. The band's lyrics range from stream-of-consciousness poetry to satirical portrayals of mainstream ideas of sexuality to political commentary and critiques of religion.

Wet Dream War Machine
The Locust Lyrics

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Stop talking politics
Rephrase, Rephrase
Hibernating phantom friend
Witness, Witness

There's a hotbed of isms around here

All hail the chopper,

The blitzkrieg,
The tank,
Never mind the ethics involved

Stop talking politics
Calculate, Eliminate
Witness, This mess

Who's got their nightmare glasses?
It's time to go diving
Prime time is
Crime time is
Nuclear might

All hail the chopper
The blitzkrieg

The tank
Never mind the ethics involved

Overall Meaning

The Locust’s “Wet Dream War Machine” is a critique on war and how it is just a game of politics, a cycle of violence and destruction that only ends in despair. The lyrics touch upon the repetitiveness of political rhetoric and how it can be rephrased and calculated to appease the public. These words are meaningless, much like the hibernating phantom friend mentioned in the song. They are just there, with no real impact. The witness, who is the audience, observes this mess and watches as the game of politics unfolds.

The song also refers to the hotbed of “isms” around us, probably referring to the extreme ideologies that can lead to war. The lines “All hail the chopper, the blitzkrieg, the tank, never mind the ethics involved,” shows how devastating weapons can be in the hands of politicians who just care about winning. The song also alludes to the fact that the media encourages this game of war, as “prime time is crime time is nuclear might.”

Overall, the song is a powerful statement against war and the politics that promote it. It highlights the cycle of violence and destruction that it leads to and calls for a more ethical approach to conflict resolution.

Line by Line Meaning

Stop talking politics
Cease speaking of the governing system

Rephrase, Rephrase
Find a different way to express oneself

Hibernating phantom friend
A friend in hiding, out of sight

Witness, Witness
Observe, take note

There's a hotbed of isms around here
There is a proliferation of ideologies in this area

All hail the chopper,
Praise the helicopter

The blitzkrieg,
The sudden, overwhelming, military attack

The tank,
The armored, offensive military vehicle

Never mind the ethics involved
Disregard the moral principles

Calculate, Eliminate
Analyze and eradicate

Witness, This mess
Take note of this chaos