It’s finally here! Dethklok’s long awaited Dethalbum III hit the shelves today. Like most metal fans of the animated death metal act, I was bit disappointed when the third season came and went with no sign of a CD release. So we waited. Then Brendon Small announced that his next record project would not be a Dethklok album, but a new solo project called “Brendon Small’s Galaktikon”, it left some fans wondering when or if there would be a third Dethalbum. So we waited again. Three years after the release of Deathalbum II, it’s finally here! So how does it measure up?
After having listened to it multiple times today, I’ll start right off the bat by saying it was worth the wait. One of the things that makes Metalocalypse such a great show is that, unlike most shows and movies that feature a fictional band, Dethklok’s music does not sound like the typical generic drivel that one would expect. Brendon Small is a huge metal fan, and it shows. Metalocalypse is a lampoon of the metal world, challenging it’s inhabitants to never take themselves too seriously, and the music often has humorous lyrics that reflect that, but when it comes to the music itself, Small proves it comes from a place of love. He doesn’t cluelessly “impersonate” metal, he takes it and makes it his own with skills that extend beyond plenty of other bands that have been around for years. Dethalbum III is no exception and continues to further define Dethklok’s sound on it’s own merit.
It kicks off with “I Ejaculate Fire”. Laugh all you want at the title, but once the you get punched in the face by Small’s brutal, yet melodic guitar work and Gene Hoglan’s unrelenting drum assault, you immediately feel more compelled to headbang than chuckle. This is one of the tracks that stick closest to the familiar sound Dethklok built on previous releases. “The Galaxy”, “Crush the Industry”, “Biological Warfare” and “Skyhunter” also have that familiar air. Other songs, such as “Starved” and “Ghost Queen”, have a slightly different feel from the rest of the tracks. You can also hear a bit of experimentation going on, especially in the solos. Other parts sound reminiscent of his guitar work on “Galaktikon”, but they are still strong tracks. “Impeach God”, “Andromeda” and “Killstardo Abominate” are just straight forward killer tracks that immediately stood out to me as early favorites.
As usual, the musicianship is top notch. Small’s solos are stronger than ever. He’s always been great at meshing death metal with his own melodic brand to amazing results, and he takes that even further here. Bryan Beller does a great job on bass, and Gene Hoglan is simply one of the best metal drummers around today. Some of the tracks may not fall squarely in the death metal category, teetering more on the edge, but I like it when they mix things up a little.
Dethalbum III is another excellent album by Small and Co. It’s my favorite one yet, and one that I continue to appreciate more and more with each listen.
I give it a 9/10
Oh, and Dethklok rules! \m/ \m/
