METALOCALYPSE: DETHKLOK – Dethalbum III (Deluxe Edition)

The Metalocalypse has begun! Fans of the animated television series featuring the fictitious version of the band Dethklok will understand exactly what this means. From the creative mind of Brendon Small, the world of Dethklok he has created is a spectacle among Metal fans. Having completed four successful seasons, this dark comedy has attracted a trending cult following. With the release of the third full length album of Dethklok music, this band can now be taken very seriously as a credible artist and not just a sideshow novelty act.

As with the previous two albums, all of the songs were featured in various episodes of the television series. The lyrics from each song pertain to the events that took place in that particular episode. Of course the credits of Dethalbum III feature “virtual personnel” from the fictional band as well as actual personnel. For the purposes of this review, the focus will be on the actual musicians. Brendon Small repeats as the featured musician on this album. Small performs all the vocals, keyboards, and guitars. This time around he utilizes the talents of Bryan Beller (bass) and Gene Hoglan (drums).

One of the first notable items from Dethalbum III is the musical evolution that has taken place since the first Dethalbum. This album is clearly less brutal and even somewhat more melodic than its predecessors. The orchestral keyboards tend to play a more predominant role during each of the tracks, giving it a less organic feel than the traditional Dethklok experience. The compositions are highly complex with several overdubs and harmonies. The listener certainly does not get the impression that one person is making such a huge and bold sound.

That being said, Dethalbum III is still quite extreme as far as the overall aggressive brutality experience. The enhanced development of the songs and arrangements take the music to the next level. A perfect example of the audaciousness of Small’s compositions can be found in the track “The Galaxy.” There are seemingly several things going on during this track musically, multiple guitar harmonies, brazen keyboards, and overdubbed riffs. All of this creates a highly emotional experience, especially when played along with the visual animation; however, standing alone it can become quite overbearing.

The deluxe edition of Dethalbum III includes a DVD that features two music videos for the songs “I Ejaculate Fire” and “The Galaxy.” However, the best feature is the 30-minute documentary about the making of the album. Here the viewer gets an unabridged guide into the mind of Brendon Small and how he creates this music. Essentially, he imagines himself portraying each character and personifies them through the music. Small is presented as a very serious composer who devotes an incredible amount of time and passion into this product.

Dethalbum III as a whole isn’t quite as exciting as its predecessors. However, this album has the feel of completeness that was missing before. There is a sense of maturity heard here, however Small has not deviated that far off to alienate his core fans. Most importantly, there is still nothing more Metal than Dethklok.