Brendon Small’s Metalocalypse is known in the metal community for its outrageous portrayal of what happens when a death metal band becomes one of the largest commercial entities in the world. It features the fictitious band Dethklok, the seventh largest world economy, who puts out the most brutal death metal records of all time.
In 2007, they released an album entitled “The Dethalbum”, and I recently got a chance to give their Sophomore album “Dethalbum II” a good listen. My hat comes off for Brendon Small and the crew behind Dethklok for this release. Where the first album was all about the show, making really epic songs with humorous themes and lyrics, this album seems to focus a bit more on the music.
That doesn’t mean the songs aren’t funny, take Laser Cannon Deth Sentence for instance. If you follow the show, during the second season’s first episode the Dethklok guys go to a prison to play a show for the prisoners, on the premise that they’ll be able to choose how 25 of the prisoners are executed. They play this beast of a song from on top of a 50 story giant metal robot spider with drills for legs as it stomps all over the fans and blows up the prisoners. This song is four minutes and thirty six seconds of absolute non-stop frenzied brutality.
Dethsupport is another hilarious song that makes you wonder if Dethklok even understands the concept of limits. The whole song is talking about somebody who is on life support, and the chorus seems to be a repeated chant of “PULL THE PLUG!”
The first track, Bloodlines, is probably my favorite track on the album, despite how much I’ve anticipated and anxiously awaited Laser Cannon Deth Sentence. It screams amazing from start to finish, sampling the scene from the episode where the band goes to the Amazon to do the drug Yopo. There’s a bit of a tribal feel to the whole thing, finishing strong with an epic progression of guitar riffs, tribal drums, and Nathan Explosion’s dark death growls. Every time I hear it, I shit my pants.
With tracks like The Gears, Burn the Earth, and Black Fire Upon Us, it’s evident that the objective here was to ensure that all who listened left the album with a stunned expression and destroyed eardrums.
I must sadly also mention that I’m largely unhappy with the way the vocals of this album have been altered in some songs. It sounds like they were recorded underwater, you’ll notice what I’m talking about if you listen to about 2:55 into The Gears. It’s a little bit weird, but overall it doesn’t harm the album too much.
All said, I’d say I have to definitely give this album an 8/10. Keep making more epic albums for us to melt our faces to, Dethklok!
Holy fucking shit. Got to say I’m less and less impressed with the music scene here in Columbus. Anyone else check out the lineup for “Rock” on the Range? Are you kidding? Who in their right mind is going to pay $40-$80 and stand for 2 days and listen to this stuff? Oh yeah that’s right 1/3 of Columbus will… They’ve been promoting the hell out of this show around here and it’s really damaging my calm.
“Oh Butters, calm down it’s not that bad.” No? If you have a brain and a pair of eyes you could probably guess the ONE name in the entire lineup I’d deem worth seeing (if you say Hinder, I will punch you in the baby-maker).
I’m reminded of some poetic words from Suicide Silence: “The creation that is sickness. This is time to destroy everything and never rebuild”. Forgive them, Dio, for they know not what they do. Reading down the list of bands for Rock on the Range I half expected to see the Jonas Brothers. No, that would be too up-to-date for this show…maybe New Kids? (Now THERE’s a show. I would pay to see them open for ATR). But HEY…who am I to tell you NOT to go, I’m just some d-bag.
Hit the jump to see the full line up….. *blows brains out* (more…)
So I’ve been slacking off on posting this, but I decided I couldn’t keep it in anymore. As you can tell by the title, you know what it’s about. Yes, you have read it correctly. Lamb of God is going back on the road. If you’re like me you are waiting for both their new album Wrath and this tour. So check out the dates, pre-order Wrath, go buy some tickets. Get your faces smashed in.
Tour Dates:
Apr 2 2009 8:00P Dodge Theater Phoenix, Arizona
Apr 3 2009 8:00P Palladium Los Angeles, California
Apr 4 2009 8:00P Events Center San Jose, California
Apr 5 2009 8:00P Crest Theater Fresno, California
Apr 7 2009 8:00P Paramount Seattle, Washington
Apr 8 2009 8:00P UBC Thunderbird Arena Vancouver, British Columbia
Apr 10 2009 8:00P Shaw Conference Center Edmonton, Alberta
Apr 11 2009 8:00P The Coral Calgary, Alberta
Apr 12 2009 8:00P Praireeland Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Apr 13 2009 8:00P Convention Centre Winnipeg, Manitoba
Apr 14 2009 8:00P City Auditorium Thiunder Bay, Ontario
Apr 16 2009 8:00P Ricoh Coliseum Toronto, Ontario
Apr 17 2009 8:00P Cepsum Montreal, Quebec
Apr 18 2009 8:00P Palladium Worcester, Massachusetts
Apr 19 2009 8:00P Electric Factory Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Apr 21 2009 8:00P LC Pavillion Columbus, Ohio
Apr 22 2009 8:00P Tabernacle Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 23 2009 8:00P Blackham Coliseum Lafayette, Louisiana
Apr 24 2009 8:00P Verizon Theatre Houston, Texas
Apr 25 2009 8:00P Concrete St. Ampitheatre Corpus Christi, Texas
Apr 26 2009 8:00P Palladium Ballroom Dallas, Texas
Apr 28 2009 8:00P Fillmore Denver, Colorado
Apr 29 2009 8:00P Uptown Theater Kansas City, Kansas
Apr 30 2009 8:00P Myth St. Paul, Minnesota
May 1 2009 8:00P Congress Theatre Chicago, Illinois
May 2 2009 8:00P The Pageant St. Louis, Missouri
May 3 2009 8:00P Egyptian Indianapolis, Indiana
May 5 2009 8:00P Expo Five Louisville, Kentucky
May 6 2009 8:00P Fillmore Theater Detroit, Michigan
May 8 2009 8:00P Roseland Ballroom New York, New York
May 9 2009 8:00P Convention Center Asbury Park, New Jersey
May 11 2009 8:00P Rams Head live Baltimore, Maryland
May 12 2009 8:00P House of Blues Boston, Massachusetts
May 13 2009 8:00P Washington St. Armory Albany, New York
May 15 2009 8:00P House of Blues Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Go check out A Day to Remember’s new song Welcome to the Family. If you know me, I defiantly dig me some ADTR. And they did NOT let me down with this song. Let’s go through my little check list that I have created to see if songs/albums fit my liking.
Hard Intro? YEP!
Consistent up paced beat? YEP!
Deep Grunts and Growls? Nope
Brutal Breakdowns? YEP!
My rating on this song?
Rating:
.
Reason for a rating of six you might be asking. It’s a great song, I’m defiantly pumped for this album. But it just seems like it’s a sad and sappy song about an ex-girlfriend er a lover of some type. And ADTR is like, I had a good time when we were together, but I’m going to write a song about how awesome I’m doing, and I’m a better person then you (wait – this sounds like the rest of the their last album). But, it’s still a a great track, with killer mixing and good sound across the board.
So pre-order your copy of their new album, Homesick!
