One of Us Must Die! A Prophetic Statement if Ever There Was One

The larger than life projection of Dethklok is no more apparent than in this, the rock’pera to end all rock’pera. This is a Klok opera. This is Doomstar Requiem.

Is Requiem really more than just a rock’pera? Yes. To expect just an hour-long power tribute to metal in all its forms would be cheapening your experience; not all songs are heavy metal or rock. Creator Brendon Small says in the album’s press release, “This is not like anything we’ve ever done. This is a full-blown musical– metal combined with symphonic passages, classic musical theatre, high stakes drama, emotional moments and yes, totally ridiculous comedy. This is easily the best thing we’ve ever done with the show and the music.”

The songs tell the story with all the comedy that is Metalocalypse. As the story goes, the last season ended with the kidnapping of Toki, their rhythm guitarist. And, as the band goes on about their ego-inflated business seemingly immediately after his sudden departure, they realize that their fans WILL leave them without the return of Toki– only then does the band finally take selfish action. Without the ability to fathom a universe outside their own, they cannot possibly understand the actions they take effect the ultimate balance of metal and evil. As prophecy foretells, the four remaining band mates go on a master quest and unwittingly face the root of all universal evil. Do they win?

One must pay attention to the comic musical album that is Doomstar Requiem to find out. “Epic” is an American term that is all too often misused and has lost almost all-true value to the word, except in this case. Songs are well-written so that the story is not lost. The hilarity and accurate representation of the mainstream music machine and metal scene has always been a cosmic whirlwind of awesome. Parodies of esoteric stimulant after the premiere of the episode that is the body of this album only better the ridiculous presence that is this simple multiplatinum life that only the members of Dethklok lead.

In addition to a carefully constructed structure, the album also features impressive variety. There are classic pop knockoff ballads that span across multiple spectrums of music, from Toki’s childish, idealistic Lisa Frank-slash-metal imagination of Euro pop essentials to a brilliant close-but not-quite Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Expect nothing less than epically awesome vocal contributions by Jack Black and George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher of Cannibal Corpse, guitar work by Frank Zappa acolyte Mike Keneally and a 50-piece orchestra. 50? Yes, 50. And who better than Bear McCreary, Emmy winning composer for AMC’s The Walking Dead, to strike it up.

As a fan of Metalocalypse and a friend of Brendon Small, McCreary is also featured in the press release: “I had a blast helping Brendon realize his vision for a fully-produced orchestral score to accompany his drop-tuned guitars and pounding double kicks.” The friends had long been waiting for a chance to blend their commanding and unique skills, and this album clearly shows them accomplishing that.

“It’s brutal.” – Nathan Explosion