Metalocalypse

Metalocalypse is AWESOME. Not only is Brendon Small it's co-creator, (Home Movies, folks) but he also voices more than half the characters and writes and plays all of the music. And the music, by the way, is REALLY impressive. I was not expecting it to be that good, but it's AWESOME and the lyrics are hilarious to boot. The script is apparently mostly improvised in that classic Brendon Small style and that makes for some side splitting and extremely quotable moments. The characters are hilarious. Their voices, designs and quirks make them funny and somehow... lovable characters. I'm having a hard time picking a favorite one.

There's Nathan Explosion, the seemingly indestructible but retarded, anxious, alcoholic lead vocalist. There's Skwisgaar: Swedish, generally cynical and smart Alec, also loose and somehow the fastest guitarist alive. There's Toki, the whiny, "tweenish" and naive Norwegian who just so happens to be the second fasted guitarist alive. There's Pickles, Wisconsinite drummer with serious substance abuse issues, a dorky accent and a head of fiery combed-over dreadlocks. And last, but not least, Murderface, the violent and hateful bassist (who can play with his junk, by the way) who has some unresolved traumatic childhood issues. Often times he reverts back to an almost childlike state and can be heard murmuring things like, "I miss Pickles." (And random side note about Murderface. I noticed shortly after the series started that he looked exactly like the man from the opening of Ace Ventura Pet Detective. You know, the guy with the dog? IMDb won't let me paste a link, but google Randall 'Tex' Cobb and you'll see a pic of of the actor with boxing gloves.)

Overall, I'd give this show a 10 (cause I can't go higher XP) and I can't wait for season 2, and 3, and 4!!! (Oh man, if they know what's good for them... *shakes fist*) I seriously haven't liked anything on adult swim this much in a VERY long time. Seems like almost all of the programming for a while has been effortlessly thrown together, badly animated and sopping with that "trying-way-too-hard" style of randomness. Kudos to Brendon, Tommy and the rest of the gang. Metalocalypse is TOTALLY BRUTAL.

Metalocalypse is a strangely addictive show. It delivers the witty humor of other Small shows such as Home Movies, while bringing a brand new premise to the adult swim network: Metal. The band the show focuses on can easily be described as the modern animated Spinal Tap: A pampered and powdered rock band with a heart of black, trying to make it in the world of Metal and convert all to be Metal. Members of the band (Deathklok) are lovable for their antics and hilarious one liners (like when the guitarist, Skwisgaar Skwigelf (Taller Than a Tree) refers to a grocery store as a "food library"). The only complaint this user has to offer is the bit toilet humor parts of the show, though they are rare. For more Metal, go to adultswim.com and search Metalocalypse. You will not be sorry.

Adult Swim has added a number of new shows in the last two years, and people have had all sorts of reactions. Regardless of whatever reaction a person may have to Metalocalypse, you have to admit that it will get your attention once or twice.

Without parroting the same praise others have given the show, I'll say that the reason it's so intensely hilarious is because it takes five very well defined characters illustrative of classic metal personalities and brings them down to earth, readily accessible, and just waiting to screw up horribly in everything else they do. No matter how well or ill intended they are in their non-metal deeds, they invariably amplify the horror of the every day human experience. When we sit down and watch, we're just dying to see what the death-toll will be.

Some people have said that the humor in Metalocalypse is "too simple", or "too tasteless"; I can't really argue much with the latter because gore is a running gag, but I'd hardly dismiss it as "simple". Granted, unless you're aware of metal archetypes and racial stereotypes of Scandinavians, you're going to miss a lot of the "inside jokes" and things may get boring. Nevertheless, if you watch from the beginning and keep each previous episode in mind as you watch the next, it'll all make sense. That's one of the reasons I'm absolutely enamored with Metalocalypse. The prevalent attitude coming from its creators is not smug or exclusive or stuck-up, and it doesn't feel like they're trying too hard to be funny. Everything strikes me as being quite innate and not at all forced or deliberate.

If you ask me, metal itself is a pretty pretentious genre. Like gangsta rap, metal personalities are almost invariably malignant. Luminaries of either genre have always portrayed themselves as infallible gods who know no wrong, and can do no wrong. A quick study of any celebrity culture in any country indicates that so many of these people are terminally narcissistic and histrionic, ready to take full advantage of us little people. Rather than fume while resenting it, we can make fun of them and remind them that they still use toilets and make stupid mistakes.

Many people have compared Metalocalypse to "This Is Spinal Tap", and I can see that. I can sooner see a comparison to "CB4", though. I would've loved it if some genius had managed to make CB4 into a series on Adult Swim. Same concept, slightly different details. Point being, it's a great deal of fun to plot through the "real, dumb lives" of people who believe themselves to be living gods.

In any case, I absolutely love the show and measure my weeks in terms of Fix premieres and Sunday night airings. This is the best new show on the network, and I hope its creators take full license when creating more episodes. There is a host of potential in Metalocalypse because metal itself will never go away, nor will the personalities behind it. If I don't get at least another season or two, I'll just develop dysthymia.

I have been a long-time fan of both the adult swim lineup and metal. Metalocalypse does not disappoint. However, one must be able to have a true appreciation of "art" in every sense of the word.

Dethklok has been described as a disgrace to "metalheads" for being so ignorant and "stupid".

OK, well apparently that's how Metallica sees themselves--making time to do guest voice-overs for particular characters of the show. They are practically the foundation for what metal is today and they're perfectly okay with this representation.

I mean, after all, one goes into this show KNOWING that it is a COMEDY of the extreme adult swim variety, therefore the gore and "stupidity" are both expected and well-embraced.

People with artistic taste are praising Brendon Small for his creation. People with musical taste are also praising him for his phenomenal musical abilities. People with violent taste are drooling with satisfaction of the random death and maiming.

They're not trying to sell an album, just produce an excellently sound-tracked comedy series. Let's be a little more lenient with the tiny box we try to fit them in.

I've read some pretty bad comments of this show and I've gotta say, I definitely don't agree. In no way shape or form is this show trying to cash in on the randomness of jokes like Chuck Norris or ninjas or pirates or whatever. And this show doesn't make fun of metal. Trying to make it a broad of view of Brendon Small downing metal bands is a terrible accusation. The show has some of the funniest dialog on Adult Swim. Sure the show has a lot of randomness in the first episode, but it's a friggin' 11 min. show. Send out your own message in 15 minutes and I'll send you a delicious cookie. The two Norweigins in the show are freakin hilarious, Nathan Explosion rules, Pickles, unfortunately seems to be the brains of the group and William Murderface Murderface Murderface is a nihilist. So before you listen to these clowns, saying the show sucks, watch the show decide for yourself before any of these other guys tell you what you think of the show. Besides that, the music kicks ass. Keep it Harsh.