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I've never been warmuch of a metal-head. I've had friends who were crazy into heavy metal music. I can appreciate some of the music, but, in all, I've never been a big fan of the genre. So, it may come as a surprise that one of the bands whose album I've been wearing out recently is the quintessential metal band of this or any era. That's right, I'm now a huge Dethklok fan.
For those unfamiliar with Dethklok, allow me to explain. They're a fictional band featured on the adult swim cartoon Metalocalypse. The show is about the misadventures of a metal band. But not just any metal band — the world's largest metal band. They are so huge that they're the world's 12th largest economy, having recently surpassed Belgium.
They have an almost cult-like following around the world. The United Nations recognizes them as an independent police force, allowing them to imprison and torture anyone they catch pirating their music. Oh, and their music has some sort of mystical power attached to it so that every time they attempt a live performance of any sort it usually results in catastrophe and the deaths of nearly everyone in attendance, while the band itself seems impervious to any form of harm.
However, Dethklok is about more than the cartoon. In October 2007, the band released Dethklok: The Dethalbum. It features songs from the show as well as other music recorded by the creative forces behind the show, chiefly Brendon Small of Home Movies fame. The music is intelligent.
Normally, if I want to listen to smart music, I don't immediately think to reach for a metal album, but Dethklok delivers. Many of the songs feature extremely violent lyrics and imagery, but not just for the sake of extreme violence. Dethklok presents a very tongue-in-cheek look at how silly some metal can be. The first two songs on the album are about being murdered by mermaids!I know what you're asking yourself. “That's all well and good, intern, but why do we care about an older album?” Well, because Dethklok is on tour right now.
I know, I know, how can cartoon characters be on tour? Well, the tour features very real musicians. Brendon Small, Gene Hoglan, Mike Keneally and Bryan Beller are bringing Dethklok to life on stage for the second time.Dethklok had one tour before, shortly after its album debuted at the No. 21 spot on the Billboard charts, making it the highest charted metal album of all time.
The Deth Tour also features metal mainstays Chimaira and Soilent Green. How is the tour going so far? Pretty good for a Dethklok tour: only one show has been canceled due to an electrical fire that endangered everyone at the venue.
Dethklok will melt your face off. You have been warned..
