Finally! The Dethklok Rock-Opera You've All Been Waiting For!

A "Klok Opera", if you will.

Metalocalypse mastermind Brendon Small revealed in a tweet today that rather than an all new season of the show, he and his crew are working on a one hour rock opera, titled Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem.  Here is the "official" tweet:

What happens to Toki? Metalocalypse; the Doomstar Requiem. A 1hr complete ROCK OPERA w/ 1 hr of brand new original music. Coming soon. RT
— Brendon Small (@_Brendonsmall) May 10, 2013

If that's not enough info for you, Adult Swim released their own statement describing the special:

"In Metalocalypse: The Doom Star Requiem, we pick up directly after the abduction of Dethklok guitarist Toki Wartooth in the season 4 finale. With his life in danger his only salvation can come from the four most selfish human celebrities on earth—his bandmates, extreme metal band DETHKLOK. Will they be able to get past their own egos to help someone besides themselves? Find out in this one-hour heavy metal rock opera special with a completely original score. Created by Brendon Small, Metalocalypse: The Doom Star Requiem airs in October. Animated one-hour special."


This pretty much sounds like a Metalocalypse made for TV movie, which is fine by me. Some people might be upset about the lack of a proper fifth season. I honestly don't care how they go about continuing the story, as long it means we get some good laughs and awesome music out of it. Also, judging by the end of the last season, it seems that the events the show has been building towards since the beginning are coming to a head, so I wouldn't be surprised if this served as the series finale. If that's the case, this seems like as good a sendoff as any for the show, and I'm sure we'll continue to get more new Dethklok music, even if theres no more Metalocalypse.

In any case, get ready to experience the Klok Opera this Kloktober!

Iced Earth Reveal New Album Title

I suddenly have the strange urge to buy a denim jacket.

In keeping with grand tradition of me only reporting on bands that I care about, I am pretty much obligated to post any Iced Earth related news I come across. While it's no secret that the band has been working on its follow up to Dystopia, IE have revealed the title for the upcoming album, Plagues of Babylon, which...I don't know. Something about that name rubs me the wrong way. It's almost like they tried too hard to come up with a title that sounds "TOTALY METL BRAH!!!!11" Whatever the reason, it will probably end up being pretty good, so I can't complain too much. The album also has a tentative October release date, right before the band embarks on another extensive tour of Europe.

In addition to all that goodness, here are a few of the song titles that will comprise of the final tracklist to gnaw your teeth on:

Plagues of Babylon
Democide

Among The Living Dead
The Resistance
If I Could See You
Peacemaker
Cthulhu
Parasite

I'm just gonna make a bold prediction and say that "Cthulhu" will be the best song on the album. I have nothing to base that prediction off of, other than the fact that Cthulhu is freaking awesome! I hope it's a "Dante's Inferno" length epic with way too many riffs, but that might be asking a bit much.

As I wait for more details on Plagues of Babylon, I will end this post the way I do most Iced Earth related posts: by demanding a new Demons and Wizards album already!

Megadeth's New Single "Super Collider" is Kind of Terrible

I don't even know anymore...

The title track for Megadeth's upcoming album Super Collider is now available and can be listened to below. Just be warned: you might wish you hadn't afterward.

This has got to be the most lazy, thrown together excuse for a single I've heard not just from Megadeth, but from any metal band in years. Aside from the production sounding awful, everything from the super generic riff to its goofy chorus make this track utterly forgettable. C'mon, guys! You're better than this! The single is supposed to get people pumped up for an album, not leave them totally bored! Compare this to some of the previous singles the band released for their upcoming albums, and you quickly realise that "Super Collider" is completely lacking in the balls department.

This comes as an even bigger bummer in the wake of the new Black Sabbath single also leaving a somewhat sour taste in my mouth (although, in all fairness, that song is WAAAAY better than this travesty). I  honestly hope this is not the year for majorly disappointing albums from big name acts. At least there are still some groups out there that know how to put out a good single.

Super Collider will be released on June 4, whether you like it or not!

Black Sabbath Release "God is Dead?"

OR IS HE!?!?

Black Sabbath have released their first new song in at least 15 years, and have done so in the most obnoxious way possible: through iHeartRadio. Apparently, they REALLY like to remind you that you are, in fact, listening to iHeartRadio: On Demand.

That's not important though. What IS important, is that the new single, "God is Dead?", is actually kind of a bummer. The drums are weak, Ozzy sounds completely bored, and the song takes waaay too long to pick up and become a vintage era Sabbath song. Thankfully, Tony Iommi's riffing and Geezer Butler's bass groove are as tight as they ever were, giving hope that the rest of the album will be better. It would have been nice to have Bill Ward give the drums that extra punch, though.

13 comes out on June 11. Save the date!

Top 10 Most Anticipated Albums of 2013

Hey! Look what I made? Another Top 10 List! Aren't I original!?

This time, let's look at some of the albums slated for this year that I can't wait to expose to my ear holes. Just as a side note, I didn't include albums from my list last year that still aren't out yet, simply to avoid redundancy.

With that out of the way, here ya go:

10. Amon Amarth- Deceiver of the Gods

I really only started seriously listening to Amon Amarth fairly recently. Viking Metal may not be one of my all time favorite types of metal, but I prefer it over most Extreme Metal sub-genres. That and Pirate Metal (not really). Amon Amarth also do an awesome job in combining brutally aggressive riffs with melodic accompaniments, something I'm a big fan of. The band have proven pretty consistent with their previous albums, so there's no reason to doubt that this upcoming one won't be as good.

9. Deep Purple- Untitled

Deep Purple aren't exactly in their prime. They also are missing some key people in their lineup, such as Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord (even though he recently passed, he had been out of the band for about a decade). Still, it's hard to not be at least somewhat intrigued by one of hard rock's most iconic band's upcoming record, whether it ends up being good or bad. Plus, there's a fairly good chance that this might be the final album in Purple's 45 year long career, since most of the guys in the band are pushing 70. Hopefully, they can go out on a high note, although maybe not a literal one since Ian Gillan can't sing anywhere near as high as he used to. I guess I'm not making a great case for this album after all...

8. Avantasia- The Mystery of Time

Essentially the "We Are the World" of Power Metal vocalists, Edguy mainman Tobias Sammet's Avantasia is as entertaining as it is over the top. Their forthcoming album, The Mystery of Time, should be no exception. While only a few guest singers have been confirmed thus far, such as Michael Kiske and Biff Byford, previous records give reason to believe that Mystery of Time will be chuck full of amazing metal vocalists. Some good metal accompaniment to go along with those vocalists should make Avantasia's next album a worthy addition to their catalog.

7. Volbeat- Outlaw Gentleman and Shady Ladies

With their popularity growing seemingly exponentially over the years, it only makes sense that Volbeat would release another album in the near future. Being produced by former Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano, the Danish "metal and roll" outfit have a fair amount of pressure on them if they want to continue riding on their success. Their upcoming record, Outlaw Gentleman and Shady Ladies, not only features a nonsense title like all their other ones, but also looks to feature a decent amount of variety with its musical stylings, and maybe even a few guest stars. Here's hoping the band can stay consistent with their next offering.


6. Black Star Riders- Untitled

The artists formerly known as Thin Lizzy made the unlikely (and in my opinion, smart) decision to rename themselves for their upcoming release. For me, Thin Lizzy is incomplete without Phil Lynott, so anything bearing the Thin Lizzy name comes off as blasphemous, even if some of the iconic members are in the current version. Thankfully, Black Star Riders have decided to honor the late, great former Lizzy frontman and create new music under a new name. Even if it is under a different name, if their first studio record in decades can recapture that classic Thin Lizzy sound without trying to imitate themselves, then Black Star Riders seem to be on the right track.

5. Metallica- Untitled

I know, I know. It's cool to hate on Metallica nowadays. In fact, I'v been known to engage in some of the hating in the past few years (LuLu SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKED!) In all honesty, I legitimately liked Death Magnetic, despite a lot of people not. As a result, I look forward to seeing what Metallica's next album has to offer. As long as they don't stray too far away from their thrash roots, I see no reason to not be at least somewhat optimistic about it. For all I know, it could end up being terrible, and all of the Metallica haters will be vindicated. Let's at least wait to hear the thing first before we make any early judgements.

4. Into Eternity- Untitled

Into Eternity have been teasing us about a new album over the past two years, releasing new singles in that time span to wet our appetites. Judging from what I've heard from the individual releases, the band's next album seems to be shaping up to be pretty awesome. The production values sound like they have improved from previous albums, and the songs themselves sound more fleshed out. It's unclear when the band's next album will actually see the light of day, since Stu is probably pretty busy with Iced Earth right now. Speaking of Iced Earth...

3. Wintersun- Time II

...oh, wait. They're actually further down the list. Nevermind. Anyway, Wintersun's Time I was one of my favorite albums of last year, and the second half should hopefully be just as good, if not better than than the first one. Going off of the first album, Time II will most likely feature heavy orchestration, intense riffs, and some of the most musically dense pieces of metal ever conceived. Time I left me itching for more, so Time II better come soon!

2. Megadeth- Untitled

It feels like not too long ago that I was eagerly awaiting Megadeth's last album, Thirteen. Maybe that's because that album came out a little over a year ago, so it feels weird that the band is rushing to get another one out the door. In fact, Megadeth have been pumping out albums faster than Angelina Jolie has been pumping out babies, releasing an album every two years for the past half decade. While it's nice that the band seems eager to release as much music as possible, it does make me wish that they would maybe slow down a bit and take their time a little more. Why, then, is their upcoming release so high on this list? Personally, I would take a decent Megadeth album over a vast majority of what is being passed off as good metal these days, and even though Thirteen wasn't quite as strong as some of their previous efforts, I still look forward to hearing what the band can deliver in 2013.


1. Iced Earth- Untitled

I'ts not real secret that I'm a pretty big Iced Earth fanboy, so I pretty much had to put this at number one by default. I'm honestly not ashamed though, because the band has been at the top of their game recently, touring extensively and releasing an awesome album in 2011 that was Dystopia. Thankfully, Iced Earth show no signs of slowing down, and plan to release a new record this year. I've said in the past that while I miss Matt Barlow to pieces, Stu Block has proven to be a more than worthy successor. Plus, we should get to hear Barlow singing again in Ashes of Ares this year (I actually would have put their album on this list if I had remembered, to which I have great sadness). All that aside, Iced Earth's next album remains my most anticipated album this year, until Jon Shaffer announces a new Demons and Wizards album...

Top 10 Favorite Albums of 2012

Greetings, and welcome to another, you guessed it, Top 10 List! Since it's 2013, let's look back at some of the albums that we had the pleasure/displeasure of listening to in the last year. I think 2012 was an overall decent year for rock and metal, and while it may not have been as strong as previous years, there were certainly enough awesome albums to carry us through the dry spots. Plus, 2013 looks like it will be even better. And speaking of 2013, I'll be sure to do a Top 10 most anticipated albums list in the near future, so brace yourselves for that.

Anywhosit, here are all the albums that are better than the ones you liked last year. I've included links to the reviews I wrote for some of the albums on the list which you can read (or not. That's totally cool too). Enjoy!

10. Torture- Cannibal Corpse

I don't like most death metal. Like a lot of punk, I think the majority of death metal sounds like a bunch of dudes trying to make as much noise as possible with little musical substance, with the guttural vocals also not really being my thing. That being said, one of the few death metal bands I find myself enjoying is the mighty Cannibal Corpse, and Torture is further reason why. Playing with extreme brutality without sacrificing musicality or melody, Cannibal Corpse set the standard for what all death metal bands should strive for. Mixing fast and furious face-melters with slow and deadly pounders, each track on Torture is sure to hit you right in the gut in one way or the other.

9. King Animal- Soundgarden

Chris Cornell took on a life of his own after the breakup of grunge leaders, Soundgarden, so it's nice to see him resurrect the band that put him in the mainstream rock scene in the first place. Possessing a modern sound while still staying true to the band's grunge influences, King Animal is a rock album that can be enjoyed by just about anyone. Cornell's vocal performance show little signs of aging, and the rest of the band sound as tight as ever. A decent amount of tempo variety also helps the album sound fresh throughout, making King Animal an all-around great album.


8. Phantom Antichrist- Kreator

2012  may not have seen any releases from the Big 4 of American Thrash, so it's nice to see one of the Big 3 of German Teutonic Trash being represented last year. And what better way to represent the genre than with Kreator's Phantom Antichrist, which is about as thrash and about as German as you would expect. One of the most melodic metal albums of the year, the tracks on Antichrist range from being fierce assaults of pure speed and aggression, to fist raising triumphant battle cries. From beginning to end, Kreator have proven once again that German thrash is nothing to snuff at, and that they will give any American thrash act a run for their money (which they probably have more of).


7. Long Live Heavy Metal- 3 Inches of Blood

3 Inches of Blood have shown us with their latest offering that there is nothing wrong with embracing your love of metal. The crushing riffs combined with Cam Pipe's banshee style vocals give the band enough cred to show off how awesome metal is without having to apologize for it. The album's title is proof alone that this style of music is here to stay, and if bands like 3 Inches of Blood can deliver more great metal music, than the genre should remain strong for years to come.

Read my review


6. Time I- Wintersun

One of the most musically dense and over-the-top albums I listened to in 2012, Wintersun's sophomore effort is as much symphonic as it is metallic. The brainchild of Jari Mäenpää is an example of how the metal genre lends itself incredibly well to other musical styling, combining Japanese influences with thrash/folk metal. While only containing five distinct tracks, each one transitions into the other seamlessly, with enough diversity to keep the album interesting throughout. Time I definitely requires your full attention to be truly enjoyed, but the payoff is well worth it.

Read my (friend's) review


5. Unbreakable- Primal Fear

Unbreakable makes the list not only because most of the songs are solid, but the album itself is just plain fun. From the adrenaline-pumping opening to the silly, cowbell featuring closer, Primal Fear lets you know that metal can be fun without having to take itself too seriously. If you don't like cheesy power metal, than steer clear, because Unbreakable is a hot, dripping mess of hot cheese that will melt the skin off anyone unable to handle it!


4. Dark Roots of Earth- Testament

In a year that didn't see at ton of thrash releases, Testament gave us an album that almost makes up for that fact. Dark Roots of Earth is about as thrash as it gets, maintaining a sense of heaviness with some melodic accompaniments thrown in for good measure. The brutal opener immediately sets the tone for the rest of the album, providing a healthy amount of shredding and blast beats. Dark Roots of Earth was one of the most satisfying albums to listen to past year, even if it is slightly hampered by a few weak ballads.

Read my review 


3. Clockwork Angels- Rush

Rush are one of those bands that would have to try REALLY hard to make a bad album, even almost 40 years into their career. Thankfully, Clockwork Angels continues that trend, further cementing Rush in the halls of rock greatness. While not as experimental as their previous albums, Clockwork Angels still contains the progressive edge the band is famous for, with a heavier sound reminiscent of their 70's era records. The albums also takes full advantage of the trio's expert musicianship in their respective instruments, appealing to both musicians and rock fans alike.

Read my review

2. The Electric Age- Overkill

In my initial review for Overkill’s The Electric Age, I stated that I thought their previous album, Ironbound, was slightly better. Several months later, I would like to rescind that comment. I now feel that Electric Age is the overall better and more consistent album. As a result, the latest Overkill offering can safely be regarded as one of the best albums of last year, with its blindingly fast assaults and pent out aggression delivered vocally by Bobby Blitz. If you like thrash, listen to this album for Cripe's sake!

Read my review

1. Dethalbum III- Dethklok

Is it really fair to include an album that's by a technically fake cartoon band? Maybe not. Do I care? No, not really. The truth is, no metal album impressed me as much as Dethalbum III, and the majority of the tracks features some of the best riffs and melodies I heard in 2012. This album instantly grabs you by the balls and refuses to let go until they are black and blue from the pure heaviness of Dethklok. Dethalbum III contains everything I look for in a metal album: fast riffs? Check. Tasty melodies? Check. Pounding drums? Also check. Keytar solos? Sadly absent, but I'm willing to let that slide. Just don't let it happen again, Brendon Small!

Read my review

Black Sabbath Announce Album Title, Rip Off Megadeth

"And the award for most generic title goes to..."

At long last, Black Sabbath have finally announced the title for their upcoming album. 13, the first Sabbath album in 18 years and the first with Ozzy in 35 years, is tentatively due out in June and is being produced by legendary metal producer Rick Rubin. In addition, Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk will be providing drums on the album, after original drummer Bill Ward backed out of the reunion.

And...that's about it. The band do plan on playing several festivals in the summer, but other than that, we're still waiting on more solid details about the record. Personally, I think the title is completely awful. Not only did they totally rip off Megadeth's last album title, but the number 13 has no real significance towards the actual album (unlike Megadeth's being their thirteenth album)! Aside from that, the name just sounds lazy and super generic.

But, whatever. I'm sure the album itself will be great. And, hey. Maybe if enough people complain about the title the band will decide to change it, since it worked for Ozzy. Then again, it might end up being something even more generic.