DVD Review: Dethklok Metalocalypse Season 2
Warner Home Video Presents Adult Swim Show DVD Black Fire Upon Us
Dec 16, 2008 Dominic von Riedemann
At what point does cartoon violence and bodily function jokes get very, very boring? Adult Swim/Warner Home Video's Metalocalypse Season 2: Black Fire Upon Us DVD gives an object lesson in why some lines should never be crossed. It's not shocking, just . . . lame.
What's Metalocalypse About?
The show follows the adventures of Dethklok, a black metal band so intense that fans must sign "pain waivers" so that, if they're injured or killed during performances, the group's not liable. This hasn't prevented Dethklok from becoming the world's 7th largest economy, employing hordes of executioners-masked employees (who also regularly get killed by various gruesome means).
Lead growler Nathan Explosions (voiced by show co-creator Brendon Small) is a cross between Glenn Danzig and Slayer's Tom Araya, while arrogant guitarist Skwisgaar Skwigelf (also Small) resembles Children of Bodom's Alex Laiho and a certain 1980's Swedish guitar phenom.
Second guitarist Toki Wartooth (co-creator Tommy Blacha) toils in Skwigelf's shadow, while bassist William Murderface (also Blacha) plays his Thunderbird with his penis. Finally there's Pickles the Drummer (Small yet again), who clearly resembles Strapping Young Lad's Devin Townsend.
Dethklok's antics are monitored by the mysterious Tribunal, an Illuminati-style group that seeks to destroy the band. Their efforts are usually doomed to fail, not because of Dethklok's superior counter-espionage, but through various deus ex machina devices. As for the band, it's painfully clear that they couldn't find their own arses even with a detailed cut-out-and-keep guide.
Metalocalypse's creators clearly know their metal: Small writes the band's thrash anthems and there are plenty of close-ups on the guitarists' flying fingers during performances, giving the animation extra authenticity. Instrument manufacturers – such as Gibson guitars, MXR and Line 6 effects, plus Krank and David Eden amplifiers – have offered endorsements, so the instruments and backline look real too. The songs are probably the best part of the show . . . that is, if you like thrash metal with Cookie Monster vocals.
There are also some uncredited voice appearances from such luminaries as Metallica's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett, King Diamond, Townsend, plus Arch Enemy's Angela Gossow and Michael Amott.
The downside? Once you've seen one or two episodes, you've pretty much seen them all. It's fun for 15-year-old males who can groove to the testosterone-heavy music and imagery (lots of guns, guts, guitars and gore) but gets old fast for anyone outside of that age group.
DVD Extras
The extra features are hidden, so viewers will have to scroll around to find them. There are a couple of music videos by the band, some extended sequences (such as Nathan reading Titus Andronicus) and deleted scenes. The videos are fun, but the laughs are few and far between, and the deleted scenes should have stayed just that.
The Final Analysis
Metalocalypse Season 2: Black Fire Upon Us aspires to be an animated, death-metal version of This is Spinal Tap, but lacks the latter film's wit and insight. And by the 1,000th death by mutilation, hail of bullets or decapitation, it gets really boring. 4/10.
Metalocalypse Season 2 DVD
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