It’s been a long decade if you’re a fan of Metalocalypse. The [adult swim] animation’s feature length musical The Doomstar Requiem left us on a cliffhanger back in 2013 but legal wrangling over usage of the Dethklok name and whether or not [as] would ever renew the show meant that many fans were left to believe that the misadventures of Dethklok, as well as any new music under that name, were over. Fast forward to 2019 and a one-off return for the live action band at Adult Swim Festival fuels rumours of a return, and in August 2023 the long-awaited conclusion to their story arrived with their movie Army of the Doomstar – accompanied, of course, by Dethalbum IV.
The album does somewhat fluctuate in quality throughout its first half, with “Poisoned By Food” and “Mutilation on a Saturday Night” being rather hit-and-miss, but once Dethklok’s melodic side becomes more prominent, the true epic scale of Dethalbum IV becomes clear. “Bloodbath” and “DEADFACE” (where the notes played in the intro spell out the song title yet still work) are particular highlights, while “SOS” (the movie’s “song of salvation”) sees Dethklok at their melodeath peak. While it’s interesting to see Brendon Small dabble with more straightforward death metal on this possibly final outing, their melodic tracks are always where his songwriting is at its strongest. He understands how to combine epic progressions with straightforward aggression in a way that really hits the listener.
The one gripe I’ve always had with Dethklok, though, lies in the production. While the first Dethalbum was very rough, the cleaner sound they’ve had since has been both a blessing and a curse. The polished production allows everything to become more cohesive and fluid, but at the same time it feels a bit *too* polished and even sterile in its tone. Death metal as a genre always hits hardest when the production is strong, but allows that little bit of filth and grit to fully unleash the primal rage of the genre. It’s something Ulrich Wild’s production style has always struggled to do, and the songs suffer as a result. That may not be a problem for all listeners but that is an issue that a lot of death metal purists are likely to take umbrage with.
Jumping straight in with “Gardener of Vengeance” and we’re brought straight back into Dethklok’s classic brand of po-faced punishment and brutality. The melodic side is rather subdued in the opening tracks as series creator and band leader Brendon Small unleashes all the straightforward death metal fury he’s been holding onto for 10 years, punctuated by audio of a homicidal gardener viciously slaughtering people with a hedge trimmer. Things are done with a lot more aggression and speed than previous Dethalbums have shown before, but the melody is still present albeit more hidden in the early tracks, particularly in “Aortic Desecration”. At first it was confusing as to why that song was chosen as the first single from Dethalbum IV, but once you watch Army of the Doomstar the song makes a lot more sense in context. The fact you need to see the film to fully appreciate the song isn’t particularly good for the song as it means the song isn’t as capable of holding itself up, but with that added context it clicks into place and the decision to include it is understandable.
The album does somewhat fluctuate in quality throughout its first half, with “Poisoned By Food” and “Mutilation on a Saturday Night” being rather hit-and-miss, but once Dethklok’s melodic side becomes more prominent, the true epic scale of Dethalbum IV becomes clear. “Bloodbath” and “DEADFACE” (where the notes played in the intro spell out the song title yet still work) are particular highlights, while “SOS” (the movie’s “song of salvation”) sees Dethklok at their melodeath peak. While it’s interesting to see Brendon Small dabble with more straightforward death metal on this possibly final outing, their melodic tracks are always where his songwriting is at its strongest. He understands how to combine epic progressions with straightforward aggression in a way that really hits the listener.
The one gripe I’ve always had with Dethklok, though, lies in the production. While the first Dethalbum was very rough, the cleaner sound they’ve had since has been both a blessing and a curse. The polished production allows everything to become more cohesive and fluid, but at the same time it feels a bit *too* polished and even sterile in its tone. Death metal as a genre always hits hardest when the production is strong, but allows that little bit of filth and grit to fully unleash the primal rage of the genre. It’s something Ulrich Wild’s production style has always struggled to do, and the songs suffer as a result. That may not be a problem for all listeners but that is an issue that a lot of death metal purists are likely to take umbrage with.
However,
that small issue aside, Dethalbum IV serves as a fitting send off to
Dethklok – if Army of the Doomstar really is to be the last we see of
the Metalocalypse universe. The album encompasses everything Dethklok
have done throughout their career and even has a few callbacks
(including closing with a third chapter in the “Murmaider” saga). Fans
will love this addition to the back catalogue, and as long as [adult
swim] continue to let Brendon Small continue to tour under the Dethklok
name, these songs are sure to be a hit on the stage.
Dethklok have recently concluded their North American BabyKlok tour with Babymetal. Dethalbum IV is out now via WaterTower. Stream below and follow Brendon Small on Twitter for more Dethklok news.
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