The “Metalocalypse” is upon us: Dethklok released its first album titled “The Dethalbum.”
Dethklok is the death metal band from the television show “Metalocalypse” on Adult Swim. The show is a parody featuring the best comedic deaths since “South Park,” however, the best part of the show is the ridiculous banter between the bandmates.
On the show, fans kill themselves in public when it takes Dethklok too long to release an album. That didn’t happen with fans waiting for the soundtrack of “Metalocalypse” to come out, but copies were hard to find. The album peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard charts, but it could have exceeded that number had supply kept up with demand.
Brendon Small, co-creator of the series, wrote the music and lyrics, with co-creator Tommy Blancha adding lyrics on two songs. Small produced the album with Ulrich Wild, who also produced with Incubus, Seether, Jane’s Addiction and many others.
The lyrics are the highlight of the album when understood. The opening title “Murmaider” shows Metalocalypse isn’t the only bad pun on the album poking fun at the metal genre. “Murmaider” begins with “There are no fingerprints deep under water nothing to tie one to a crime.” The music picks up shortly thereafter, setting a hectic pace that lasts the majority of the album.
Another terrible pun is the song title “Hatredcopter.” Although still sung by Small, it is the only song with a guest character on vocals, as Pickles the Drummer joins Nathan Explosion. On the show, Pickles is the lead singer of hair-metal band Snakes N’ Barrels (guess whom that’s parodying).
Later in the album the pace slows down. The orchestral “Detharmonic” is the slowest song on the album, and portrays some of the most humorous lyrics. It’s a song about the distaste of paying taxes, proclaiming, “Because I’d rather you’d be dead than consider not opening a restaurant.”
The pace picks right back up with the bonus track. “Deththeme” is in the opening credits of the show, and is perhaps the best on the album. The theme song may be better suited at the beginning of the album, but perhaps it was done to finish the album with a true metal song. At least it wasn’t a hidden song on the last track, placed after five minutes of silence.
There may be a few personal changes to the album, but it is hard to question what Small has accomplished: A great album with hilarious lyrics and true metal instrumentals and vocals. However, good as it is, the album will most likely only be appreciated by show and metalhead fans who don’t take themselves too seriously – which are probably one in the same.
The album gets four and a half successful decapitations out of five. Brutal.
