Dethalbum IV
Rating: 8
Review by: Blake Mossey
So here we have a “fictional” Melodic Death Metal album that has real members that play real metal!! For anyone who doesn’t know DETHKLOK is the band name from the Metalocalypse cartoon series from Adult Swim. The brainchild of Guitarist (and many other roles) Brendon Small.
Dethalbum IV is their 4th album. This release coincides with their Blu Ray release of the final story of Metalocalypse ARMY OF THE DOOMSTAR. More on that later in the review.
The first Dethklok album was released in 2007. Its been 10 years since the last album from Dethklok. Dethalbum IV is 11 tracks of the melodic death metal you have come to expect from Brendon Small. A little more aggressive then previous efforts and its a thunderous album. One of the biggest things that jump out at me is the drumming. Songs like Aortic Desecration, SOS and Mutilation on a Saturday night are 3 of my favourite tracks on this album and the drumming of PICKLES (aka Gene Hoglan who has drummed for Testament, Death, Dark Angel etc. ) Gene’s performance is massive on this.
Other crushing tracks are opener Gardener of Vengeance and Bloodbath showing the great guitar work from creator Brendon Small. There is a few tracks that don’t grab me like the previous mentioned ones.
But overall this album is a worthy addition to the Dethklok discography with its relentless aggressive tracks and dark comedic themes. If you are a fan of the band and tv series as you listen you can picture the fictional band members thrashing away. Its a different thought you get with not fictional bands so in that way it gives it a unique spin.
ARMY OF THE DOOMSTAR: Metalocalypse
I am not going to give much of a review of the bluray as don’t want to give away anything. But for fans of the tv series they will love this story which is the closing story of Metalocalypse.
Filled with humour, blood, fire, and metal! This movie starts where The Requiem left off. Starts with a press conference of the band before they many followers wondering when a new album and tour is going to happen. Its been 10 years. Your enjoying better animation then previous efforts and tv show. As I watch this I am flashed back to the first cartoon metal movie I saw which was of course HEAVY METAL. So maybe more science fiction then silly humour like the tv series but we still get some of that too.
Lots of great guest voices in this movie like Mark Hamill, Amy Lee, Scott Ian, Kirk Hammett, Malcolm McDowell and King Diamond among others.
Fans of the tv series will I am sure love this and new fans like myself found myself entertained through out. The few heavy Metal moments sure helps.
Catch them on tour with Babymetal
THE BABYKLOK TOUR 2023:
Wed-Aug-30-23 – Houston, TX- 713 Music Hall
Thu-Aug-31-23 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
Sat-Sep-02-23 – Orlando, FL – Orlando Amphitheater
Sun-Sep-03-23 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
Tue-Sep-05-23 – Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Wed-Sep-06-23 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theatre
Fri-Sep-08-23 – Pittsburgh, PA – UPMC Events Center
Sat-Sep-09-23 – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Sun-Sep-10-23 – Alton, VA – Blue Ridge Rock Festival
Tue-Sep-12-23 – Philadelphia, PA – The Mann Center
Thu-Sep-14-23 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Fri-Sep-15-23 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom
Sun-Sep-17-23 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
Mon-Sep-18-23 – Toronto, ONT – RBC Echo Beach
Wed-Sep-20-23 – Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
Thu-Sep-21-23 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
Sat-Sep-23-23 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival
Sun-Sep-24-23 – Milwaukee, MN – The Rave/Eagles Club
Mon-Sep-25-23 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
Wed-Sep-27-23 – St. Louis, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
Thu-Sep-28-23 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha
Sat-Sep-30-23 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Sun-Oct-01-23 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
Tue-Oct-03-23 – Vancouver, BC – PNE Forum
Wed-Oct-04-23 – Seattle, WA – WaMu Theater
Sat-Oct-07-23 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival
Sun-Oct-08-23 – Las Vegas, NV – Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort
Tue-Oct-10-23 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theater
Wed-Oct-11-23 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater
Thu-Oct-12-23 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater