Band: Dethklok
Title: Metalocalypse: Dethklok Dethalbum II
Label: Adult Swim / Williams Street
Distribution: xxx
Release date: 31/12/2009
Review: CD

Dethklok, it is an unusual concept. In fact it is a project by Brendon Small (vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards, music, lyrics, co-production), based on his cartoon show Metalocalypse, dealing with Metal clichés as Life and Death, religion and belief, etc. He created a whole concept, an own world with fictive characters etc. And if I’m not mistaken, there does even exist a XBOX-video game about it??? Dethklok are, as mentioned, a one-man project (except for the assistance of session musicians), yet there does exist a fictitious line-up, consisting of several alter egos by Brendon.

Anyway, in 2007 Dethklok released its debut, simply called The Dethalbum, which got both positive and negative reactions. And yes, I do understand the controversial opinions behind it. Especially the fans of the TV-show were excited about it; Metal-heads that aren’t ‘into’ the series, on the contrary, were much more sceptic.

This second full length, which has duration of fifty two minutes, goes partly on in the vein of the first release (at least when it comes to the concept and the approach) at the one hand, and it has been recorded at Bombshelter Studios and The Danger Zone (L.A., California) with assistance of one of America’s best known and most influential drummers, Gene Hoglan (of Testament / Fear Factory / SYL / Dark Angel / Death / …-fame). There’s, at the other hand, a nice evolution, and that’s the more distantly approach of the album in addition to the TV-show.Dethalbum II is much more cohesive and consists of tracks that are ‘strongerly’ (nice neologism, isn’t it?) written and performed. The first release did lack of ‘completion’; it seemed to have become a collage of everything that characterizes ‘Metal’ in its most basic form (brutality, aggression, speed etc) and it surpassed its goal. In this second album’s case this element has been replaced by the essence of the musical aspect behind ‘Metal’. Thanks for that! The average quality of the tracks is above expectations in comparison to the first full length. There’s much more variation in tempo (not just fast-fast-fast, yet with several tempo-changes and slower passages), the core isn’t purely focused on ‘I’ve got long hair so I’ll bang my head all day till it drops off’ anymore.
The sound too is more organic (and in this case that’s a positive evolution), which makes most instruments shine in a shivering symbiosis. Only the few keyboard lines seem to be mixed too ‘flat’, too much on the back ground, unfortunately. Also the vocals, balancing between deep growling and thrashy gurgling, have improved in quality.

…not always as convincing, yet from time to time metallic interesting…

78/100

Ivan Tibos.