The Metalocalypse Is Upon Us (Finally)
June 22, 2023 8:50 AM Subscribe
A decade after the cancelation of Brendan Small's affectionate skewering of metal culture, Metalocalypse is getting a proper conclusion with Army of the Doomstar.
The film has Dethklok - and in particular band frontman Nathan Explosion - tasked with saving the world through death metal, all while dealing with his personal and professional lives in ruin. No pressure.
In addition to the movie, Small's defictionalized version of Dethklok has announced a new album to coincide with the movie, as well as a new tour with kawaii-metal band Babymetal.
The film has Dethklok - and in particular band frontman Nathan Explosion - tasked with saving the world through death metal, all while dealing with his personal and professional lives in ruin. No pressure.
In addition to the movie, Small's defictionalized version of Dethklok has announced a new album to coincide with the movie, as well as a new tour with kawaii-metal band Babymetal.
I'm glad that Brendan Small can finally put this show to rest finally, so he can get back to his true calling: more Home Movies!
posted by JHarris at 8:58 AM on June 22, 2023 [17 favorites]
posted by JHarris at 8:58 AM on June 22, 2023 [17 favorites]
I'm disappointed it's not screening in theaters. Fingers crossed for one of those Fathom events joints.
Also, I am terrified of whales, and that trailer was bone chilling.
posted by td2x10e3 at 9:01 AM on June 22, 2023
Also, I am terrified of whales, and that trailer was bone chilling.
posted by td2x10e3 at 9:01 AM on June 22, 2023
TIL Kawaii Metal. Such pretty dresses, but also such metal scowls.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 9:20 AM on June 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 9:20 AM on June 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
hippybear, I think they did some Gorillaz esque stuff for a bit, but it's usually just the normal guys up there with animation on a screen behind them when they tour now.
I thought the show was pretty uneven after Season 2, but I'm glad it's getting a conclusion. Also, I'm always stoked for new music from Gene Hoglan.
posted by TheKaijuCommuter at 9:28 AM on June 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
I thought the show was pretty uneven after Season 2, but I'm glad it's getting a conclusion. Also, I'm always stoked for new music from Gene Hoglan.
posted by TheKaijuCommuter at 9:28 AM on June 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
Brutal.
posted by AlSweigart at 9:41 AM on June 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by AlSweigart at 9:41 AM on June 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
Freakin' awesome. Now we just need a Venture Bros movie.
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:04 AM on June 22, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:04 AM on June 22, 2023 [4 favorites]
Ca-ca-ca-ca-ca yea-ah!
posted by pwnguin at 10:08 AM on June 22, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by pwnguin at 10:08 AM on June 22, 2023 [4 favorites]
Saxon Kane, I'm not sure if you were joking, but if not, you might be interested in this.
posted by TheKaijuCommuter at 10:08 AM on June 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by TheKaijuCommuter at 10:08 AM on June 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
I’m afraid that’s all we know, gentlemen.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 10:28 AM on June 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Parasite Unseen at 10:28 AM on June 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
Not only am I personally excited for this because I've been a fan for ages, but also it shows that sometimes the conclusion movies do actually get made!
\m/
posted by cobaltnine at 11:03 AM on June 22, 2023
\m/
posted by cobaltnine at 11:03 AM on June 22, 2023
four seasons and a movie
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 11:16 AM on June 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 11:16 AM on June 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
Makes it extra frustrating that the show was part of the content yanked off HBO Max in the last few months.
posted by skycrashesdown at 1:49 PM on June 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by skycrashesdown at 1:49 PM on June 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
They do seem all to be available at Adult Swim, either on demand or an in-order 24/7 livestream.
posted by hippybear at 2:12 PM on June 22, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 2:12 PM on June 22, 2023 [3 favorites]
And from Dethalbum IV, Aortic Desecration for your listening...pleasure?
posted by NoxAeternum at 5:22 PM on June 22, 2023
posted by NoxAeternum at 5:22 PM on June 22, 2023
They're playing in Chicago in September. I'm going.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:07 AM on June 23, 2023
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:07 AM on June 23, 2023
MY THEORY ABOUT HOW THIS HAPPENED
It looked for a very long time like this would never happen. I have a theory (which I've also posted on TVTropes' Metalocalypse WMG page) that Rick and Morty creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland decided that they'd enough of Adult Swim's cruel teasing, and threatened that if they didn't greenlight a Metalocalypse finale (and, what the hell, a Venture Bros finale and a new ATHF movie), they would take advantage of their own massive bargaining chip - the guaranteed 70-episode order of Rick and Morty episodes - and fuck up the show until Adult Swim caved. Perhaps with deliberately shoddy writing, perhaps with episodes consisting entirely of silent black screens, or, worst of all.... giving Justin Roiland total unfettered creative power over all aspects of the show! It would have been the Ren and Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon all over again!
HOW I WOULD HAVE DONE THINGS: AN UNNECESSARY ESSAY
ON GALAKTIKON II
It is widely agreed upon by fans that the album Galaktikon II plot is a thinly-veiled serial-numbers-filed-off version of Brendan Small's plans for the end of Metalocalypse. If I were Brendan (a name I can no longer read without hearing H. Jon Benjamin's voice), I would have announced in a video that everyone who bought a physical copy should destroy it and post proof, perhaps even threatening to hold back the finale's public release until enough people had done so. This announcement would then be immediately followed by a safety video about how to safely destroy Galaktikon II that is hilarious in its incongruity. We can't have another Chin-Chin Sacrifice forest fire, now, can we?
ON HAMBURGER TIME
If I were Brendan, I would also announced that actors portraying the members of Dethklok would visit the graves of all fans who literally died waiting for the finale. The internet would, of course, catch fire. Not only would there be those who think that such a thing would be horribly insensitive and cruel, there would also be those who disagree with them, saying that rather than acting like assholes in such a situation, the band would be extremely uncomfortable, given that they are uncomfortable with thinking about death, to the point that they prefer to call it Hamburger Time. If any next-of-kin of deceased fans actually take the offer, Dethklok would prove everyone wrong and just casually hang around the graveyard. Murderface would bring an acoustic guitar and try his hand at songwriting again.
ON PREMIERING
When I heard that three cancelled Adult Swim shows were getting movies, two of which were long-thought-to-be-impossible finales, I instantly got a vivid mental image of the best way to previere them - an event titled OKAY, FINE, NOW SHUT UP, in which all guests watch the three movies in mockups of living rooms, filled with a few food wrappers, electronic devices - the detritus of Life. While writing this, I imagined Danny Devito - who attended and loved the spectacles of both Avatar movie premieres - showing up, but then I realized he'd say, "Sit around in my underwear watching TV? I can do that at home!"
posted by BiggerJ at 7:01 PM on June 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
It looked for a very long time like this would never happen. I have a theory (which I've also posted on TVTropes' Metalocalypse WMG page) that Rick and Morty creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland decided that they'd enough of Adult Swim's cruel teasing, and threatened that if they didn't greenlight a Metalocalypse finale (and, what the hell, a Venture Bros finale and a new ATHF movie), they would take advantage of their own massive bargaining chip - the guaranteed 70-episode order of Rick and Morty episodes - and fuck up the show until Adult Swim caved. Perhaps with deliberately shoddy writing, perhaps with episodes consisting entirely of silent black screens, or, worst of all.... giving Justin Roiland total unfettered creative power over all aspects of the show! It would have been the Ren and Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon all over again!
HOW I WOULD HAVE DONE THINGS: AN UNNECESSARY ESSAY
ON GALAKTIKON II
It is widely agreed upon by fans that the album Galaktikon II plot is a thinly-veiled serial-numbers-filed-off version of Brendan Small's plans for the end of Metalocalypse. If I were Brendan (a name I can no longer read without hearing H. Jon Benjamin's voice), I would have announced in a video that everyone who bought a physical copy should destroy it and post proof, perhaps even threatening to hold back the finale's public release until enough people had done so. This announcement would then be immediately followed by a safety video about how to safely destroy Galaktikon II that is hilarious in its incongruity. We can't have another Chin-Chin Sacrifice forest fire, now, can we?
ON HAMBURGER TIME
If I were Brendan, I would also announced that actors portraying the members of Dethklok would visit the graves of all fans who literally died waiting for the finale. The internet would, of course, catch fire. Not only would there be those who think that such a thing would be horribly insensitive and cruel, there would also be those who disagree with them, saying that rather than acting like assholes in such a situation, the band would be extremely uncomfortable, given that they are uncomfortable with thinking about death, to the point that they prefer to call it Hamburger Time. If any next-of-kin of deceased fans actually take the offer, Dethklok would prove everyone wrong and just casually hang around the graveyard. Murderface would bring an acoustic guitar and try his hand at songwriting again.
ON PREMIERING
When I heard that three cancelled Adult Swim shows were getting movies, two of which were long-thought-to-be-impossible finales, I instantly got a vivid mental image of the best way to previere them - an event titled OKAY, FINE, NOW SHUT UP, in which all guests watch the three movies in mockups of living rooms, filled with a few food wrappers, electronic devices - the detritus of Life. While writing this, I imagined Danny Devito - who attended and loved the spectacles of both Avatar movie premieres - showing up, but then I realized he'd say, "Sit around in my underwear watching TV? I can do that at home!"
posted by BiggerJ at 7:01 PM on June 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by hippybear at 8:56 AM on June 22, 2023